Final Area Design Discussion

[Neo_Kum0rius_6000]

When we make game's we always talk about the final boss,
but rarely do we talk about the area that leads to the climax.

I'am currently working on the final area for my game, but I would
like to know some of your design philosophy's when it comes to making the final area.
or what game's final area's inspired you the most.

I personally belief that a final area should test all of your skills in an RPG.
Like super hard enemy's or puzzle's. It should be long and build the anticipation
maybe giving little hint's about the final boss's past along the way...

I really like Mt Itoi from Mother and victory rode from Pokemon Red And Blue.
Mt Itoi is really scary to me there's just something so foreboding about climbing
this mountain were alien abductions have taken place, it really sets the tone for the boss fight with Geigue.

 

[JDevain]

maybe giving little hint's about the final boss's past along the way...

This is kind of along the lines of what I was thinking, that the main story gets wrapped up in a dramatic way. Preferably (and depending on the story structure) there is a "big reveal", maybe something shocking (Luke, I am your father) and/or emotionally triggering either just before or maybe even during the boss fight. If elements of the environment can help further or reinforce that, great.

I'm suddenly thinking about a movie The Ghost and the Darkness, about two lions that started hunting humans exclusively (true story), and when they discovered their lair, they saw dozens of human skulls, indicating that they had killed many more humans than previously thought. This was just before the "boss fight" so to speak.