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[Grand Theft Scratchy]

Destroy All Humans! is often considered an open world game but it is actually comprised of six large levels which you can select when you're in the mothership (also where you purchase upgrades) to start a new mission. You unlock a new level when you complete a certain amount of missions. Then you can continue the story by playing through the new level and its missions or free-roam the older levels. Either way, it is still technically open world considering the open-ended, go anywhere nature until you eventually hit those Star Wars Battlefront-style barriers with Pox saying, "Crypto! Return to the invasion site" whether you are traveling on-foot or flying in your UFO.

Personally, this design choice never bothered me though it was likely a necessary one given what you could do in the game - flying overhead in your UFO, destroying houses, buildings and vehicles and then landing at a specific area to see that destruction up close. Furthermore, the draw distance wasn't very impressive on the PS2. There was a bit of a fog of war effect. Actually this is one reason I'm happy we're getting a remake because you can see more of each level and with more detail. On the original for the PS2, it's kind of interesting to think about how little amount of memory the developers at Pandemic had to work with at the time and they still managed to make the game fun to play even with the occasional slowdown when things got really crazy.

Nowadays, open world is often synonymous with one large game world, one playground of destruction, but what would most open world games be like if they had a level select screen like Destroy All Humans? Would it be considered outdated? I don't think so. I would like to think most gamers are patient enough to wait a brief moment for a level to load.

 

[A.Romero]

Depends on the game. Open world games use the fast travel mechanic.

If areas are separated then stage select makes sense. For example DMC5.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

Levels themselves are outdated.

 

[Elektro Demon]

It really depends on the game. I'm fine with it. Witcher 2 had zones and also Greedfall, and the latter came out in 2019.

 

[DaMonsta]

Yeah, they are.

At this point it's lazy. There's plenty you can do to keep players engaged between levels. Level select screens are obsolete in 2020

 

[MrJTeera]

Yeah, they are.

At this point it's lazy. There's plenty you can do to keep players engaged between levels. Level select screens are obsolete in 2020

Got any suggestions?

 

[DaMonsta]

Got any suggestions?

Interactive hub worlds.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Level select screens are fine as long as they don't increase the ludonarrative dissonance too much.

 

[Alexios]

Of course not. You want every game to be some seamless (if not necessarily open, or even just seamlessly presented but still segmented in sections) world? Where does that leave puzzle games, whether abstract or under the guise of adventures like Escape Goat? That's just an example, it's the same for any genre, from action to RTS to whatever else. Yeah you can have a hub world or whatever but that's essentially fancied up level select in many cases anyway, plus it can be slower and annoying to get through just as well so for plenty games it may be better to go for something simpler. It's up to the dev, there are bad level based games and there are bad seamless games, it's not the decision between those two vague concepts that makes or breaks a game, it's everything else surrounding it really. Even open world games are decades old (Zelda 1986, The Lords of Midnight 1984, freaking Elite 1984, Ultima 1981, Colossal Cave Adventure 1976, etc. depending on your thought process), they co-existed alongside level based games then and can continue doing the same now (unless all you wanna play is Uncharted type pseudo cinematic bullshit for those aspects to matter that much over the actual gameplay and playability of a GAME), it's not more modern to do away with it, that's just absurd.

 

[RaidenGuy]

It really depends on the game itself, some games do it well while others not so much

 

[Zambatoh]

If anything it needs to make a comeback. Games need to have it like movies have Chapter Select.

 

[RaidenGuy]

If anything it needs to make a comeback. Games need to have it like movies have Chapter Select.

It depends on what kind of game your thinking of tho?

 

[MiyazakiHatesKojima]

I love the level select design because it gives a much needed respite for single player games.

Great examples are Bayonetta, DmC, MGS4, and Dead Space I believe.

 

[Grand Theft Scratchy]

Of course not. You want every game to be some seamless (if not necessarily open, or even just seamlessly presented but still segmented in sections) world? Where does that leave puzzle games, whether abstract or under the guise of adventures like Escape Goat? That's just an example, it's the same for any genre, from action to RTS to whatever else. Yeah you can have a hub world or whatever but that's essentially fancied up level select in many cases anyway, plus it can be slower and annoying to get through just as well so for plenty games it may be better to go for something simpler. It's up to the dev, there are bad level based games and there are bad seamless games, it's not the decision between those two vague concepts that makes or breaks a game, it's everything else surrounding it really. Even open world games are decades old (Zelda 1986, The Lords of Midnight 1984, freaking Elite 1984, Ultima 1981, Colossal Cave Adventure 1976, etc. depending on your thought process), they co-existed alongside level based games then and can continue doing the same now (unless all you wanna play is Uncharted type pseudo cinematic bullshit for those aspects to matter that much over the actual gameplay and playability of a GAME), it's not more modern to do away with it, that's just absurd.

I never said I wanted every game to be a seamless open world. I said I don't think level select screens are outdated.

 

[Grand Theft Scratchy]

If anything it needs to make a comeback. Games need to have it like movies have Chapter Select.

The video game version of the chapter select is just replaying story chapters (Uncharted) or missions (GTA V) though. I really mean level select in the traditional sense. Especially for open world games where the environments have their own unique look.

The early Midnight Club games are another good example of this - you could race through three large city maps after selecting one from the menu.

 

[MiyazakiHatesKojima]

The video game version of the chapter select is just replaying story chapters (Uncharted) or missions (GTA V) though. I really mean level select in the traditional sense. Especially for open world games where the environments have their own unique look.

The early Midnight Club games are another good example of this - you could race through three large city maps after selecting one from the menu.

Which game in this era used level select for their open world? I'm thinking maybe Dark Souls 3?

 

[Grand Theft Scratchy]

Which game in this era used level select for their open world? I'm thinking maybe Dark Souls 3?

Other than Destroy All Humans! Path of the Furon (same series, different developer) I don't recall much of any during the HD era. Open world games were either large and seamless or separated into zones (The Witcher) by then.

 

[DynamiteCop!]

For linear games it doesn't make sense not to have them. For example how stupid would it be if Gears of War and Uncharted didn't have chapter/mission select? You can jump back to any previously played portion of the game at any point in time.

 

[Lionel Richie]

Nioh had such a great level select screen, it made me feel like I was playing a PS2 title in the best way possible.

 

[Northeastmonk]

I hated how Black Ops 3 allowed you to choose any level right off the bat. No progression needed. I played the final level after getting through the 3rd. It absolutely ruined the game for me. Sounds odd because I could have just ignored it. I'm so use finishing a game and going back via select screen. DMC5 does the select screen very well, even the Bloody Palace is done very well. All the DMC's are like that. DMC5 allows you to pick a floor you've completed and replay it without progressing any further.

Games that have missions can do this and get away with it. Rewinding time in Dark Souls would be way too difficult, even Bloodborne. Which is why things like the Chalice Dungeons were neat. Open worlds let you dwell in a world that you made a change in. If you can transition yourself to the next level without it being too noticeable then I think mission select screens are fine. I think the concept of them feeling outdated is odd tbh, especially if modes like boss rush exists or some type of time attack. DOOM has changed quite a bit. I don't think that's outdated. Games like to be more streamlined and the more streamlined they are the less chances of breaking apart each part is. I also think implementing it is all based upon the talents of the developer and the game they're trying to make. Everything wants to flow together and there is no real separation from one mission or objective except progression.

 

[Justin9mm]

This is one stupid thread!

Any non open world game needs some sort of mission/chapter/level select screen.

 

[Grand Theft Scratchy]

This is one stupid thread!

Any non open world game needs some sort of mission/chapter/level select screen.

I am talking about open world games.

 

[Virex]

Actually playing a game and having fun is outdated.

 

[Spukc]

Levels themselves are outdated.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH