I’m not sure if this is controversial or not - but I (mostly) don’t like games that are primarily set underground.
There are a few exceptions to this, Dungeon Keeper and The Binding of Isaac spring to mind, but mostly I find it actively discouraging. Perhaps it’s a desire to explore under the sky, perhaps it’s that it feels claustrophobic, or perhaps it’s the gloom.
I don’t have a problem with the dark or claustrophobia in the real world, so it’s not that. Anything that involves dungeon crawling immediately puts me off. I don’t want to go down into the dark! I want to be outside!
I wasn’t a fan of the Metro series until Exodus, I bounced off Recettear as soon as the dungeon element was introduced. Anything that wants me to spend an extended period underground with monsters is just a massive turn-off for me. Sewer levels and the like also have this, to a lesser extent.
Anyone else have this specific dislike?
Hard to say. Perhaps I don’t like having my back (literally) against the wall. I associate being outside with the space to approach a task on my own terms.
There’s perhaps also an element of growing up in places like Wales and Scotland where sunlight is at a bit of a premium!
In the real world I quite like caves…
I find it interesting but there might be no rhyme or reason to it - vibes often just work like that. Does the camera POV have an impact as well? Like first person vs third person vs isometric?