Hi
It seems to me that the most popular and atmospheric scenes of Oddworld are only ones that appear in the first two games. I personally believe that the 2d "platformer" style of allowed the design teams to persue Lornes vision with more attention to detail. So, I have decided to point out the more philosophical and symbolic elements of some of the best scenes in Oddworld. The best scenes in the game, are the ones that are remote. Away from people, but around technology that people developed. That is what I think is so appealing about heavy industry, because even in the most remote part of an industrial facility, you can still feel close to your own kind. This very primal attraction to the taming of nature is quite pleasing (naturally) to the eye. Remote pipes and valves running through Paramonian jungle, popping into visibility every so often, covered in vines and moss symbolise nature embracing industry. Its what we have built, being used in a mutually beneficial way by both man and nature.
Strangely enough, I think the Glukkons are actually quite admirable for this: They haven't completely destroyed forests and landscapes where they didn't need to. The Glukkons have managed to quite carefully place their facilities, railroad tracks, pipes and structures in ways that haven't disturbed the nature they run off. For instance: All of their machinary is run off of lard, this lard comes from meat processing at Rupture Farms, Rupture Farms gets its meat from animals in the wild, to keep a steady supply of animals (or business fuel) the Magog Cartel need to respect how nature helps them.
Going back to the original subject, my personal thoughts of Oddworld when I think of it, are visions of Necrum Mines (where nature meets industry head on), Paramonia and the Necrum Vaults (Mudanchee, Mudomo etc.), the Stockyards and free-fire zone, the Rupture Farms facilities and finally Scrabanian desert/temples/ender.
It is definately certain that Industry has a very liberating sense of prosperity to it, and when faced with the option of possible civilization, or the alternative of tribal naturist life, the suprisingly more natural direction would be to choose civilisation...
Well I think that just about sums it up, my prediction is that all other opinions will follow this trend, and pretty much everyone will say "parmonia", "rupture farms", "stockyards" or "necrum vaults". These places all involve: amazing skies, industry + nature, stockyard-esque quiet places in industry and dense oddworldish jungle etc.
A breif look at the unintended philosophic symbolism of Oddworld by Reese Charles.
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Scenes of Oddworld.
I can't find a picture with all the creatures in it but I'm guessing something like this...
