5. Include Towns Or A Hub World
Having a place, or places, where the player can relax, recharge, and restock after an intense adventure is always a welcome sight. Who doesn't feel that rush of relief when you drag your battered self into a town, only to find a consortium of locals more than willing to get you patched up and back on your way? Places where the player can take a break and just experience some sense of normalcy is not only only a perfect compliment to the intensity of questing and exploring a dangerous world, but it is also a very important part of maintaining the game's sense of pace. That distinct ebb and flow that defines the best RPG gaming is due large in part to these oases and the sense of serenity they provide. Seeing the way these types of places have evolved over the years has been quite the treat. From massive, elaborate hubs like Mass Effect's Citadel, to the ragged, scattered settlements of Fallout 3, these locations in games have evolved into little self-encompassed universes unto themselves. They are often places that are bursting at the seams with stories to be told, mysteries to decode, and treasures to be found for those willing to take the time to really poke around. It isn't entirely uncommon for the best of these places to make you forget, for a while at least, how you even got there in the first place. RPG's are changing and evolving at a brisk pace, but these places where the player regroup, and even discover an amazing secret or two, will very likely be a staple of the best RPG's for a long time to come.