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[FateBreaker]

Wait a sec.

Is this in any way like an RPG?

 

[C- Warrior]

...AND IT WORKS BEAUTIFULLY. Gaiden's world is complete and connected. That's one of the biggest problems with a lot of other similar action games. They just present a disjointed collection of stages rather than attempting to create an entire world. There really wasn't THAT much backtracking in the game, though, but you did cross over areas many times. It was like an action game with a Metroid or Zelda flavor...

I can't stop praising the game, though, as it remains my favorite title of its type.

Genji sounds as if it is not only short, but features backtracking through old environments. I love backtracking, when handled properly (as visual variety isn't as important as gameplay variety), but it doesn't sound as if Genji does it.

Are you talking to me? Cus I just said Ninja Gaiden has a lot of backtracking, in which it does. I never said the levels were disjointed--relax dude, nobody is attacking your baby Ninja Gaiden, I like that game if you haven't noticed by now.

Although the town looked boring, a lot of running without any activity, and the whole town had this grey look to it throughout. Wish there was more variety in that.

The only action games that I can think of with disjointed level design is Castlevania LOI, with it's HUB system. And maybe the Onimusha games. Good level design basically means you can return to any point in the game from any other location in the game. A cohesive road map that's well layed out. LOI, as I said didn't have this. God of War does this REALLY well, RE does perfectly too (especially RE2), DMC1 and DMC3 do it pretty well with their one structure building (ala Castle and Tower).

As you, I do like games with backtracking. It gives an organic feel to it. Especially to games that have backtracking--with a twist. Take for example DMC1 where when you revisit the castle the doors/level design have been slightly twisted, the whole area is dark and new stronger enemies come out. In DMC3 the tower reforms and twists causing different routes and segments. As with RE4 (from day to night/rain/lighting).

Berserk (a game many here probably haven't played) as (at least at the beginning) a wonderful level structure. It's one smooth road that leads to the next area perfectly. However OZ...not so much. Not from what I played. That game feels like a baron mapped point A to piont B slash -fest with a team juggling gimmick or whatever.