History Main / SlidingScaleOfLinearityVSOpenness

* ''VideoGame/EarthBound'', while linear overall, gives each individual area a wide-open feel and lets you choose to do certain objectives immediately or later on, especially after reaching Summers.

** ''VideoGame/GoldenSun2001'' is the most linear of the three, but still has nothing indicating which way to go from Bilibin. The intended next destination is Kolima, at which point you'll be sent to Imil after beating the boss of the forest, but there's nothing to stop you from going to Imil first and it'll make Kolima Forest easier as you pick up a new party member in Imil.

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', allows you to go anywhere you want once you're done with the Great Plateau, you could fight Ganon immediately if you want, while having only 3-4 hearts, and you can do any Divine Beast in any order. No place is out of reach.

* ''VideoGame/{{Iji}}'' has linear progression between levels, and the levels themselves have varying degrees of freedom (usually in the form of "door guarded by a remote trigger", but always rewarding exploration off the beaten path with lore and loot). The bigger levels are like miniature Metroidvanias.

* ''VideoGame/{{Iji}}'', where each level is a miniature Metroidvania.

* The ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' series is highly open, and you can go anywhere right from the start. Now, that does ''not'' mean that you'll be able to survive wherever you go; except in ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'', LevelScaling is absolutely not in effect, and [[BeefGate threat placement]] means that if you go to some locations before you're ready to handle the enemies there, you'll be gecko chow in short order. In ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'', this is the main incentive keeping you from rushing to New Vegas right at the outset.

* Half of the character's stories in ''VideoGame/SaGaFrontier'' fall into this category; Red, Emelia, Asellus, and [=T260G=] are all largely linear, with some exploration allowed, especially at the end of the game.

* ''VideoGame/RomancingSaGa'' and ''VideoGame/RomancingSaGa3''. ''VideoGame/RomancingSaGa2'' is closer to a 6 than a 5, but still has that overarching plot. Relatedly: Blue's, Lute's, and Coon's/Riki's stories in ''VideoGame/SaGaFrontier''.

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII2'' and ''LightningReturnsFinalFantasyXIII''. After the first couple of hours in either game, you can do what you want.

** ''[[VideoGame/GoldenSunTheBrokenSeal Broken Seal]]'' is the most linear of the three, but still has nothing indicating which way to go from Bilibin. The intended next destination is Kolima, at which point you'll be sent to Imil after beating the boss of the forest, but there's nothing to stop you from going to Imil first and it'll make Kolima Forest easier as you pick up a new party member in Imil.
** ''[[GoldenSunDarkDawn Dark Dawn]]'' has a similar structure to ''Lost Age''--fairly linear up until a point (though even heavier on the sidequests that require you to double back to locations you've already been to, [[PointOfNoReturn often with a very small window of opportunity]]) and then a second half in which a bunch of objectives need to be completed in no particular order to unlock the next bit of storyline progression.

* Mainline ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' games from the third generation (''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'') onwards have the player character traverse whatever region they find themselves in a pretty linear manner, though there may occasionally be some zig-zagging and an optional area or two involved. Generations I and II and their remakes edge into Level 3 territory, as while they also share the requirement of the player having to collect all eight Gym Badges before fighting the Elite Four, there's some flexibility in how to do this (though they both still have a very obvious recommended order). To wit, in [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Kanto]], there is nothing stopping you from temporarily skipping Lt. Surge in favor of doing Erika, Koga, and Sabrina in any order after completing the S.S. Anne.[[note]]The Gen VII ''Pokémon Yellow'' [[VideoGame/PokemonLetsGoPikachuAndLetsGoEevee remakes]] will force you go through Rock Tunnel blind if you choose to do this, as Diglett Cave is blocked until you either beat Lt. Surge or make it to Lavender Town. But as a trade-off for that inconvenience, since moves required from overworld traversal aren't linked to gym badges in these games, you can add Blaine to the list of "any order Gym Leaders," since beating Koga is no longer a requirement to reach him.[[/note]] Meanwhile, after getting the fourth gym badge over in [[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver Johto]], you can fight Chuck, Jasmine, and Pryce in any order before the game allows you to take on Claire; and the post-game is ''completely'' open in the order you may choose to get the Kanto badges, though you'll still require every badge to unlock the final location, where the TrueFinalBoss resides.

* UpToEleven with ''VideoGame/{{Roblox}}'', where you can create and/or play any kind of game posible.

* ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'', at first, limits the player to the events and places tailored for the eponymous character,... then adding the content meant for Diddy Kong once he is freed from his captivity, and so on with Tiny, Lanky and finally Chunky. By that point, every subsequent world unlocked has a ''copious'' amount of stuff to offer from the get-go now that all characters are available.

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', allows you to go anywhere you want once you're done with the Great Plateau, you could fight Ganon immediately if you want, while having only 3-4 hearts, and you can do any Divine Beast in any order. Just like Xenoblade X, no place is out of reach.

** ''VideoGame/HollowKnight'' is a metroidvania in which some areas are locked until you have certain spells, artefacts or charms. You can defeat the final boss without exploring the entire game, the Hive specially.

* Mainline ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' games from the third generation (''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'') onwards have the player character traverse whatever region they find themselves in a pretty linear manner, though there may occasionally be some zig-zagging and an optional area or two involved. Generations I and II and their remakes edge into Level 3 territory, as while they also share the requirement of the player having to collect all eight Gym Badges before fighting the Elite Four, there's some flexibility in how to do this (though they both still have a very obvious recommended order). To wit, in [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Kanto]], there is nothing stopping you from temporarily skipping Lt. Surge in favor of doing Erika, Koga, and Sabrina in any order after completing the S.S. Anne.[[note]]The Gen VII ''Pokémon Yellow'' [[VideoGame/PokemonLetsGoPikachuAndLetsGoEevee remakes]] will force you go through Rock Tunnel blind if you choose to do this though, as Diglett Cave is blocked until you either beat Lt. Surge or make it to Lavender Town. As a trade-off, since water traversal isn't linked to gym badges in these games, you can add Blaine to the list, since beating Koga is no longer a requirement to reach him.[[/note]] Meanwhile, after getting the fourth gym badge over in [[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver Johto]], you can fight Chuck, Jasmine, and Pryce in any order before the game allows you to take on Claire; and the post-game is ''completely'' open in the order you may choose to get the Kanto badges, though you'll still require every badge to unlock the final location, where the TrueFinalBoss resides.

* Mainline ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' games from the third generation (''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'') onwards have the player character traverse whatever region they find themselves in a pretty linear manner, though there may occasionally be some zig-zagging and an optional area or two involved. Generations I and II and their remakes edge into Level 3 territory, as while they also share the requirement of the player having to collect all eight Gym Badges before fighting the Elite Four, there's some flexibility in how to do this (though they both still have a very obvious recommended order). To wit, in [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Kanto]], there is nothing stopping you from temporarily skipping Lt. Surge in favor of doing Erika, Koga, Sabrina, and Blaine after completing the S.S. Anne.[[note]]The Gen VII ''Pokémon Yellow'' [[VideoGame/PokemonLetsGoPikachuAndLetsGoEevee remakes]] will force you go through Rock Tunnel blind if you choose to do this though, as Diglett Cave is blocked until you either beat Lt. Surge or make it to Lavender Town. As a trade-off, since water traversal isn't linked to gym badges in these games, you can now tackle Blaine before Koga.[[/note]] Meanwhile, after getting the fourth gym badge over in [[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver Johto]], you can fight Chuck, Jasmine, and Pryce in any order before the game allows you to take on Claire; and the post-game is ''completely'' open in the order you may choose to get the Kanto badges, though you'll still require every badge to unlock the final location, where the TrueFinalBoss resides.

* Mainline ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' games from the third generation (''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'') onwards have the player character traverse whatever region they find themselves in a pretty linear manner, though there may occasionally be some zig-zagging and an optional area or two involved. Generations I and II and their remakes edge into Level 3 territory, as while they also share the requirement of the player having to collect all eight Gym Badges before fighting the Elite Four, there's some flexibility in how to do this (though they both still have a very obvious recommended order). To wit, in [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Kanto]], there is nothing stopping you from skipping Lt. Surge in favor of doing Erika, Koga, Sabrina, and/or Blaine after completing the S.S. Anne.[[note]]The Gen VII ''Pokémon Yellow'' [[VideoGame/PokemonLetsGoPikachuAndLetsGoEevee remakes]] will force you go through Rock Tunnel blind if you choose to do this though, as Diglett Cave is blocked until you either beat Lt. Surge or make it to Lavender Town.[[/note]] Meanwhile, after getting the fourth gym badge over in [[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver Johto]], you can effectively fight Chuck, Jasmine, and Pryce in any order; and the post-game is ''completely'' open in the order you may choose to get the Kanto badges, though you'll still require every badge to unlock the final location, where the TrueFinalBoss resides.

* Mainline ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' games from the third generation (''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'') onwards have the player character traverse whatever region they find themselves in a pretty linear manner, though there may occasionally be some zig-zagging involved. Generations I and II edge into Level 3 territory, as while they also share the requirement of the player having to collect all eight Gym Badges before fighting the Elite Four, there was some flexibility in how to do this (though they both still have a very obvious recommended order). To wit, in [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Kanto]], there is nothing stopping you from skipping Lt. Surge in favor of doing Erika, Koga, Sabrina, and/or Blaine after completing the S.S. Anne.[[note]]The Gen VII ''Pokémon Yellow'' [[VideoGame/PokemonLetsGoPikachuAndLetsGoEevee remakes]] will force you go through Rock Tunnel blind if you choose to do this though, as Diglett Cave is blocked until you either beat Lt. Surge or make it to Lavender Town.[[/note]] Meanwhile, after getting the fourth gym badge over in [[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver Johto]], you can effectively fight Chuck, Jasmine, and Pryce in any order. And the post-game is ''completely'' open in the order you may choose to get the Kanto badges, though you'll still require every badge to unlock the final location in the game, where the TrueFinalBoss resides.

* Mainline ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' games from the third generation (''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'') onwards have the player character traverse whatever region they find themselves in a pretty linear manner, though there may occasionally be some zig-zagging involved. Generations I and II edge into Level 3 territory, as while they also share the requirement of the player having to collect all eight Gym Badges before fighting the Elite Four, there was some flexibility in how to do this (though they both still have a very obvious recommended order). To wit, in [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Kanto]], there is nothing stopping you from skipping Lt. Surge in favor of doing Erika, Koga, Sabrina, and/or Blaine after completing the S.S. Anne.[[note]]The Gen VII ''Pokémon Yellow'' [[VideoGame/PokemonLetsGoPikachuAndLetsGoEevee remakes]] will force you go through Rock Tunnel blind if you choose to do this though, as Diglett Cave is blocked until you either beat Lt. Surge or make it to Lavender Town.[[/note]] Meanwhile, after getting the fourth gym badge over in [[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver Johto]], you can effectively fight Chuck, Jasmine, and Pryce in any order, while the post-game is ''completely'' open in the order you may choose to get the Kanto badges.

* ''VideoGame/{{Mother 3}}'' is the most linear game in the series, having a chapter-based progression system, multiple limited-time areas, a PointOfNoReturn with a good chunk of gameplay left, most chapters restricting you to specific areas, and overall more linear level design save for a handful of dungeons. Chapter 7 raises it to level 3, as it opens nearly the entire game up to this point and allows you to complete all but the first and last main objectives in any order, before it falls back here for the final chapter.

* The ''VideoGame/{{MOTHER}}'' series, though [[VideoGame/{{MOTHER 1}} the first game]] is a Level 4 verging on Level 5, as it only has ''three boss battles'', including the FinalBoss.

* Although many ''Literature/FightingFantasy'' books were only level 1 or 2, some authors (in particular Jonathan Green and Keith Martin) managed to reach level 5 by keeping track of events with a system of codewords, reference modifiers and alphanumeric codes to keep track of events, as well as including a large number of optional encounters that give you various different ways of fighting the endgame. A remarkable example based on the ''Literature/LordOfTheRings'' is ''A Spy in Isengard'': You could go anywhere on the map, at your own pace and schedule, and return to locations you had previously visited if you wanted. There was an overarching quest, with a time limit, but if you didn't finish in time, that was merely a suboptimal ending, not a total defeat. Also, you could choose one of three different possible end points, although you did have to choose at the beginning. Some of the other books in the series had similar mechanics, although few would rank as high on the scale, but some, like ''Treason at Helm's Deep'', which would probably constitute a level two, were much more linear. Since your typical gamebook was a level two or three, this was a pretty impressive feat. The first book in the series, ''Night of the Nazgûl'', was also about a five technically, but since a ''lot'' of the location passages referred to the same encounter passages, it was like playing in a WideOpenSandbox where you could go anywhere, but almost everywhere was identical to at least several other locations.