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When did backtracking became a bad thing?

nkarafo

nkarafo

Member
In modern game reviews, articles and forums, the word backtracking almost always comes with negative connotations. But when did this start? I don't remember this being a thing in the 80's/90's and a ton of games had backtracking then too.

Even if we ignore Super Metroid and Castlevania SOTN and the whole sub-genre they created using it as the main ingredient of their design, if you think of any classic game/series that features exploration, they bound to have backtracking. Basically, every game that isn't completely linear will have some backtracking.

So if you don't like it, does that mean you also don't like every Zelda that exists, every Resident Evil, every RPG, all Soulsborne games, all open world games, etc?

The very consept of free exploration includes backtracking. Not to mention the potential of getting lost as well, another thing gamers seem to hate. What's the point of trying to find your way if it's not possible to get lost?

Is it the amount that's the issue maybe? Like when a game is forcing you to take long trips to places you have already been for very little reward? Like the Metroid Prime artifact hunting section? I can see how this is a problem but this sticks out because it's so overdone and because the rest of the game is so good. I feel like this is an exception, not the rule.

I think backtracking is great, i love re-visiting familiar areas to find more secrets and additional paths i couldn't reach before using abilities i didn't have then. And just like every other aspect in games, it only becomes a problem when it's overdone.

Anyway, i read a ton 80's/90's game magazines and the word "backtracking" doesn't exist. It's a newer thing someone mentioned on the internet in an article or online review, it got stuck and then overused. I'm trying to find out when that happened or which game sparked it. I assume it's Metroid Prime because that game got so hyped it reached mainstream ears and people comparing it to Halo gave the wrong impression to many who expected something more linear.
 
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I don't think the occasional backtracking is an issue. Having said that, I do have a problem with fetch quests (whether main quests or side quests) that have you running back and forth between the same locations repeatedly. That feels like a waste of time, and the scenery is the same each time. Give me a world to explore. Don't force me to experience the same thing over and over.

Having said that, Halo: Combat Evolved handled backtracking expertly. A significant portion of the final levels were the previous levels but in reverse (and with the Flood to change things up). It didn't feel like you were backtracking even though you were going through the same levels again.
 
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The problem with backtracking to me is that most of the time it feels like padding to make a game longer. Some games do it right like some of the RE and Zelda games but a lot of games don't.

I can't stand Metroidvanias though but I attribute that to growing up on 5th gen consoles and PC. The only "metroidvania" I've ever enjoyed in my entire life is SOTN.
 
hououinkyouma00 said:
I can't stand Metroidvanias though but I attribute that to growing up on 5th gen consoles and PC. The only "metroidvania" I've ever enjoyed in my entire life is SOTN.
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SOTN is one of the bigger, more complex and more time consuming Metroidvanias. In comparison, Super Metroid is much tighter and compact. So it's odd to me you like this particular game but not others.

Is it the theme? You didn't also like the other similar Castlevania games on GB and DS?
 
Starfield is just a a few loading screens to turn in your quest, and a few more loading screens to get back to the nothingness. :)
Backtracking is fine if you have something nice to move through, or can get something new, maybe a cut scene, new weapon, unlock new area (hub).
 
Like most things, it needs to be done correctly. The worst type of backtracking is when it happens too often and with respawning enemies, the game is literally just forcing you into replaying huge portions of it.

Another terrible type that used to be more common in old games, is having to find obscure puzzle pieces to progress.
 
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nkarafo said:
SOTN is one of the bigger, more complex and more time consuming Metroidvanias. In comparison, Super Metroid is much tighter and compact. So it's odd to me you like this particular game but not others.

Is it the theme? You didn't also like the other similar Castlevania games on GB and DS?
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Yeah, I think it's just about the theme. I was big into vampires and stuff as a kid (mom was super into vampires so I grew up watching and reading a lot of vampire media) and my mom bought the game for me.
 
As a dungeon crawler fan I love backtracking and I don't see it as something negative. In fact I play most games with that mentality, backtracking time and again (to previous areas, to previous dungeons, to previous towns, etc) which is why I take my dear time to finish some games. I think the hate comes because time is limited and people want to get all the achievements in as few runs as possible, and backtracking forces them to redo areas which they might see as time loss, so they end up playing with a walkthrough or while watching a video run.
 
nkarafo said:
Anyway, i read a ton 80's/90's game magazines and the word "backtracking" doesn't exist. It's a newer thing someone mentioned on the internet in an article or online review, it got stuck and then overused. I'm trying to find out when that happened or which game sparked it. I assume it's Metroid Prime because that game got so hyped it reached mainstream ears and people comparing it to Halo gave the wrong impression to many who expected something more linear.
Click to expand...
Backtracking as a negative point is definitely not exclusive to modern reviews. I searched for the word in a folder of old text and found it used negatively in reviews I'd done for Pokemon Snap, Turok 2, Conker's Pocket Tales, Gauntlet Legends and Luigi's Mansion. Sometimes preceded by 'tedious'.
 
Backtracking is good if the developer applies certain changes along the way to remove the repetitive nature. I think games like Yakuza, Deus Ex or Resident Evil do this in a good way
 
Backtracking in it self is not bad... but it's easy to see if the concept is used for padding.. example given, Star Wars Jedi Survivor first half, why the fu** so many travels between Koboh and Jedah ?!
 
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Backtracking isn't that much fun, because you're revisiting places you've already seen and enemies you've already fought.

Besides that, players are already backtracking many portions of the game when they got lost or they can't continue and have to go back to see what they've overlooked. ("Where the hell am I supposed to be going to now? Why can't I open that door? Did I miss something in that hall I ran through fifteen minutes ago and do I have to go back? Why does every corridor in this game look the same? I thought I was making my way to the exit but now I'm back in the middle of the dungeon once again!"
 
Backtracking is bad if you feel that the developer could have easily avoided it but choose not to in order to artificially extend playtime.

Super Metroid could have had teleporters.
Clare in RE Code Veronica could have had more inventory slots.
 
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hououinkyouma00 said:
The problem with backtracking to me is that most of the time it feels like padding to make a game longer. Some games do it right like some of the RE and Zelda games but a lot of games don't.
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I absolutely adore the backtracking in RE2R. I would say this is not what is mostly used to pad the length, games just have much more production time and thus assets. I would take a thing like RPD from RE2R over 30 extra hours of some game.
 
I don't really think backtracking itself has a negative connotation. Plenty of highly rated and financially successful games like Silksong or Re2 Remake feature extensive backtracking.

Like most things though it depends on the context on how it's implemented.
Backtracking can be bad if it's excessive, if it feels like padding, it's made unnecessarily annoying (for example with long travel times and limited fast travel) or the game doesn't do enough to keep repeated visits to a same location interesting.
 
Parazels said:
Super Metroid could have had teleporters.
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That sounds bad.

You get traversal abilities that allow you to access previously inaccessible areas but at the same time they also allow you to zip through previous areas much faster. Areas that were previously harder/dangerous to go through are now easier and that applies for enemies as well. This gives you the feel your character is becoming much more capable/powerful and the previously dangerous world poses less threat to you, which is the point in Metroid games.
 
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I don't know if the complaint is about that, something from Gen Z or later, but I've always liked it. I've always found it intriguing, a path I couldn't access before, or that locked door that later reveals itself as a huge shortcut to another section.

I remember in MGS the desperation of going back to B2 to get the sniper rifle after Meryl is lying there bleeding on the floor.
 
my favorite game is full of backtracking, i'm pretty fine with that. maybe just journos which not competent or only want new things, who said that? You know journos/reviewers are usually (from what i heard) they are lazy with truly playing games.
 
nkarafo said:
In modern game reviews, articles and forums, the word backtracking almost always comes with negative connotations. But when did this start? I don't remember this being a thing in the 80's/90's and a ton of games had backtracking then too.

Even if we ignore Super Metroid and Castlevania SOTN and the whole sub-genre they created using it as the main ingredient of their design, if you think of any classic game/series that features exploration, they bound to have backtracking. Basically, every game that isn't completely linear will have some backtracking.

So if you don't like it, does that mean you also don't like every Zelda that exists, every Resident Evil, every RPG, all Soulsborne games, all open world games, etc?

The very consept of free exploration includes backtracking. Not to mention the potential of getting lost as well, another thing gamers seem to hate. What's the point of trying to find your way if it's not possible to get lost?

Is it the amount that's the issue maybe? Like when a game is forcing you to take long trips to places you have already been for very little reward? Like the Metroid Prime artifact hunting section? I can see how this is a problem but this sticks out because it's so overdone and because the rest of the game is so good. I feel like this is an exception, not the rule.

I think backtracking is great, i love re-visiting familiar areas to find more secrets and additional paths i couldn't reach before using abilities i didn't have then. And just like every other aspect in games, it only becomes a problem when it's overdone.

Anyway, i read a ton 80's/90's game magazines and the word "backtracking" doesn't exist. It's a newer thing someone mentioned on the internet in an article or online review, it got stuck and then overused. I'm trying to find out when that happened or which game sparked it. I assume it's Metroid Prime because that game got so hyped it reached mainstream ears and people comparing it to Halo gave the wrong impression to many who expected something more linear.
Click to expand...
Backtracking isn't bad unless it's made very repetitive and mundane in terms of gameplay just to pad a game. Like having to go through an entire level again (same enemies and all) just to find a single room. I don't think there is anything inherently bad about it though. Sometimes people just bandwagon and it becomes 'cool' to hate on particular things. I remember when people would hate on "linear games" and championed open worlds (which if you think about it is like 'backtracking' constantly) people went as far as even lambasting "corridor racers" as antiquated. Now it's become cool to hate on open worlds again mostly because of the hate for Ubisoft games.
 
I like backtracking if it's purposeful. Like in Metroidvanias, going back and revisiting areas to fully explore them with new abilities. I don't like it when it's not purposeful and it's just game design. "You finished this area, we were too lazy or stupid to put a shortcut back to the main hub area at the end of this, so now you gotta walk all the way back."
 
Depends how much repetition of previously-played content is involved. If a developer requires me to replay hours of content -- same quests, same territory, same bosses - I'm out. To me, that's a waste of time and a poor design choice.

Otoh, traveling over the same environment multiple times is normal in most open-world RPGs. That doesn't bother me. Often there is a fast-travel option to skip over it, if it starts to feel tiresome.
 
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