A good story requires an adequate setting. While certain stories are almost universal, it's the interaction between narration and setting that really creates a masterpiece.
These are my favourite videogames settings, I included only original settings, not any product based on a intellectual property born outside (like Star Wars or D&D)
Granted, a large share of Tamriel's lore is very basic fantasy, but the feeling is great nonetheless. The various provinces are well characterized and there's plenty of space to work.</br>
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Plus I love tha fact that the Orcs are a proper race and not just random monsters to kill.
Usually I'm not a big fan of Final Fantasy's worlds, many seem kind of flat witha single highly powerful entity/organization and the rest of the world simply following.</br>
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Ivalice is a nice change of pace, the world is quite detailed, the races are decently integrated and the overall feeling is of a more grounded and realistic setting filled with politics as well as adventure.
I haven't play much of Drsagon Age, but I can't deny the dark and mysterious feeling of Ferelden. While the races are pretty basic I love that they choose to tweak and twist them a little bit to gave us something of a more organic feeling.
Actually this entry is for the whole Witchers' world. It's very similar to Ferelden in many ways, but I think that the "no right choice" storytelling actually plunge a lot deeper here.
I know a lot of people would disagree with me, but the continent of Arcanum is probably my favourite setting ever. It's vast, it's complex and it's one of the few fantasy worlds were technology has somehow improved and the various races were forced to reorganize themselves to match.
Thief's city is soemthing I love. I played tons of D&D thieves over the years and the charm of a Garrett and his city are too great to deny.
Welcome to the post-apocalypse.</br>
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The Wasteland from Fallout is a really great setting, not much for politics (except in New Vegas), but the overall feeling is great and the '50s look gave it a great retro charm.
The Final Frontier done right.</br>
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I haven't played much of Mass Effect, but it's one of the few games that does the intricacies of interstellar politics right.
The Korpulu Sector, a space battleground that is neither too small or too big fro once.
