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Open World vs Linear. Are We too Obsessed with Branching Paths?

October 04, 2010 in Blog comments 7

Game Podunker DanCurtis writes on the game-play of linear exploration vs open world and opens the debate if linearity really breaks the game experience and if it's limiting the players from enjoying the game.

Linearity. A phrase that, a few years back, wasn't even considered as something to describe a videogame. Can you imagine a reviewer of Crash Bandicoot back in 1996 saying that the game was too linear? No? Me either. Looking back, yes, the game was in fact basically running up or down one straight path, but did that make it any less fun? Again, the answer is no. So why, in modern society, is a linear game considered to be the devil's own evil at work?
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  • 4
    BlazinFaze Oct 5, 10
    It really shouldn't matter if a games linear or open world. Both have great potential, and and both can have flaws. Linear games can feel like limited because of the controlled path. And open world games can be so vast that the path is lost or easily strayed away from to the point where the path is too far away. But like I said, if a game is good enough with content, story, a good replay value et cetera. It shouldn't matter
    • 0
      Drogo Baggins Oct 5, 10
      You, sir are correct. I totally agree.
      • 0
        HisServant77 Oct 5, 10
        And I agree with your agreement. It doesn't matter one way or another, what matters is how the game is made. I mean a good dev can honestly take something that would otherwise fail, and make it into something awesome and addictive!
  • 1
    Hideo1 Oct 5, 10
    I think it does matter, on a case by case basis. If something like inFamous, Prototype, Saints Row or GTA were linear it'd suck quite a bit. In the same way if something like CoD was needlessly open-world (I'm looking at you Wolfenstein) there'd be no point to it being there.

    However to judge a game solely on it or to hold it as the most important factor is brainless.
    • 0
      Euphoric Oct 5, 10
      No one really does though. People do take it on a case by case basis. Case in point, no one has a go at the Super Mario remake being too linear.

      This is a story made about nothing.
      • 0
        Hideo1 Oct 5, 10
        You're... right, actually, yeah. Huh. Ain't that something.
  • 0
    Miss Razz Oct 7, 10
    There's nothing wrong with linearity if it's done right. But if you're following the same *bleep*ing path for 40+ hours straight, of course there will be the people who complain. So yeah, that's why so many weren't a fan of FFXIII's linearity. It was tedious.

    FFX was linear too, but it was done right and it didn't feel like a monotonous chore just trekking through the world, so nobody complained.

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