History Main / SlidingScaleOfLinearityVSOpenness

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'', whose linearity created a huge amount of controversy.

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'', whose linearity created a huge amount of controversy, not only about whether it was good or bad but whether it was true to the series.

** 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 [[AbilityRequiredToProceed moves required for 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.

* Mainline ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' games from the third generation (''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'') onwards have the player 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 [[AbilityRequiredToProceed moves required for 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.

* ''VideoGame/BrothersATaleOfTwoSons''. There is one way to solve each puzzle and backtracking is impossiblle, but there are some optional side-quests and side-gags that otherwise have no effect on the ending.
* ''VideoGame/{{Bug}}!''. There is only one end to a level, however, there is usually more than one path that Bug could take to get there. Bonus levels are also scattered around the area too.

* ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}''. You're supposed to collect keys and get to the exit, but there are also quite a few side areas which you can explore to find items, enemies to fight, or just out of curiosity what's there. Also, sometimes you have two or more ways of getting to the exit, and generally you can freely backtrack to early areas of the level. Custom maps often are less linear, sometimes qualifying as a 3.

* The ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' series, though close to a 2, makes it into this level. There aren't any side quests (at least, not in 1, 2, or 3), but exploring can lead to weapons, ammo, and supplies that can make your experience easier, and there are plenty of ways to navigate each room/area. In 3 there are what you might call sidequests in the form of destroying weapon and food supplies, also a few things like destroying the helicopter or killing The End early on.

* ''VideoGame/Atelier'':

* ''VideoGame/TheSims'' In Sims 3, 'story mode' alludes to often dichotomous plotlines for the initial housesholds when you start a new game, in true soap opera fashion, but there's little chance of any of these storylines proceeding without direct player intervention, and player-created families aren't included. There's no 'sandbox mode', but there are options to make the game even more open than the ostensible 'story mode' is. The earlier games are similar, although there are console versions that are somwhat more linear.

* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1'', ''[[VideoGame/SuperMarioBrosTheLostLevels The Lost Levels]]'' and the first ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand'' just barely made it to this level with their hidden bonus areas, while ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros2'' does for having alternate routes and shortcuts in many levels. ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'' almost exceeds it, as the introduction of world maps occasionally gives the option of skipping certain levels. Among the 3D games, ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DLand'' is within this category, as all world maps arrange their levels into a straight order, but most levels have hidden areas with Star Medals. The worlds in the Super Mario Challenge mode of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioMaker'' always have linear maps, but the levels you play in them are guaranteed to vary when the mode is played online, which in turn guarantees a near-unlimited replay value.

* Progression in all ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'' games is regulated by the player's current Hunter Rank, but in each chapter only a few quests are required to raise it, thus leaving the (many) others for optional grinding, exploration, and overall leisure. And near the end the HR can be raised without any constraints by simply accumulating rank points.

* Each installment of the ''VideoGame/{{Pikmin}}'' series limits your progress at first. You start with only Red Pikmin in a single area, and discover more Pikmin types and areas one at a time. The third game presents further limitations with the captains, as you start with only one of them playable, when some obstacles require more to overcome. But by the time all Pikmin (and captains) are unlocked, the restrictions come loose and you can complete each area in almost any order. The second game in particular allows you to fight the FinalBoss long before triggering the GoldenEnding, which requires HundredPercentCompletion.

* Most of the character's stories in ''VideoGame/SaGaFrontier'' fall into this category; Blue, Coon/Riki, Red, Emelia, and [=T260G=] have linear questlines but exist in an open world with a massive amount of sidequests and explorable areas. Red has a bit of a storyline to follow before OpeningTheSandbox, though, and Blue is a unique case as his questline is composed of what would be sidequests for everyone else.

** ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'', ''VideoGame/SuperMarioSunshine'', and to a lesser extent the first ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy''. The former two remain 4's throughout and verge on 5 when enough of their respective {{Hub Level}}s are opened up; the latter is a level 4 in terms of overall structure and freedom to skip (or get ahead into) levels if the current number of Stars allow it, but most levels themselves are either Level 2 (Good Egg Galaxy, Battlerock Galaxy, etc.) or 3 (Beach Bowl Galaxy, Gold Leaf Galaxy, etc.) depending on the case. ''VideoGame/SuperMarioOdyssey'' builds upon the open-ended style of these games and further streamlines the exploration by allowing the player to continue exploring the levels after collecting each Power Moon without taking them back outside.

* ''VideoGame/YumeNikki'' technically has player objectives and an ending, but you'd never know it unless you read a [[GuideDangIt walkthrough]]. Most of the gameplay simply involves aimlessly wandering around the protagonist's DreamWorld, and soaking in all the deliciously creepy atmosphere along the way.

* ''VideoGame/XenobladeChroniclesX'', in comparison to its [[VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles predecessor]], has a massive planet to explore. After Chapter 3, the game allows you to go anywhere you want, the main story won't even progress until you accept the corresponding "story mission". Once players obtain the ability to fly in their skells, the entire world opens up: no place is out of reach.

# '''Minorly interconnected'''. Overall progression becomes less linear at this level. While levels themselves will still have a "get from point A to point B" feel, you will have many options in how you get from point A to point B. Backtracking will now be allowed, even if only to allow you to replay levels that you liked; whether the levels change from your initial trip through will vary from game to game. There is still a central narrative, of course, and these games are still on the more linear side of things, but they will not be constrictingly linear. {{Side Quest}}s may be present, but will not feature prominently.
# '''Majorly interconnected'''. We now get to the more MetroidVania type of games. These games will likely allow you to explore and do [[SideQuest side quests]], but they will still want you to put the storyline first. Exploration will be encouraged, but controlled, with more of the game world opening up to you as you play. Games at this level will frequently play out such that you won't be able to explore the world or deviate from the main storyline at all in the beginning, but the whole world will be open to you by the end. Games can also fall into this level if the whole world is open to you from early on, but there's little reason to explore it other than to see the sights, and thus the main storyline will still be your primary concern.

# '''Smooth line'''. The game follows a linear narrative, as well as a largely linear pattern with how you move between levels and/or within the levels themselves. Any attempts at exploration will be inconsequential if not outright fruitless. There might be secret warps to later stages, but any bonus stages will be entered automatically. {{Rail Shooter}}s are this level taken to the most extreme. {{Auto Scrolling Level}}s may be present. Games that fall into this category have become more and more rare with the passage of time. The majority of cinematic shooters fall into this category though.
# '''Rough line'''. Though games at this level will still be largely linear in their design, you will have some choice in how you progress. You may be given a choice between two paths that take to you to the end of the level, or you may find a bonus level on the side that gives some reward before plopping you back on the main progression path. Exploration may result in some interesting discoveries. Many old-school first-person shooters fall into this category.
# '''Locally interconnected'''. Overall progression becomes less linear at this level. While levels themselves will still have a "get from point A to point B" feel, you will have many options in how you get from point A to point B. Backtracking will now be allowed, even if only to allow you to replay levels that you liked; whether the levels change from your initial trip through will vary from game to game. There is still a central narrative, of course, and these games are still on the more linear side of things, but they will not be constrictingly linear. {{Side Quest}}s may be present, but will not feature prominently.
# '''Globally interconnected'''. We now get to the more MetroidVania type of games. These games will likely allow you to explore and do [[SideQuest side quests]], but they will still want you to put the storyline first. Exploration will be encouraged, but controlled, with more of the game world opening up to you as you play. Games at this level will frequently play out such that you won't be able to explore the world or deviate from the main storyline at all in the beginning, but the whole world will be open to you by the end. Games can also fall into this level if the whole world is open to you from early on, but there's little reason to explore it other than to see the sights, and thus the main storyline will still be your primary concern.

* ''VideoGame/ProfessorLayton'': The majority of games in the series follow a tight order of events, but the vast number of optional puzzles and collectible treasures (plus the availability of minigames whose stages unlock one by one upon progression) provide a robust extra content for completionists. The exceptions are ''[[VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheAzranLegacy Azran Legacy]]'' (sixth game) and ''VideoGame/LaytonsMysteryJourneyKatrielleAndTheMillionairesConspiracy Millionaires' Conspiracy]]'' (seventh game), which are Level 4. The former switches to a major nonlinear progression at one point due to several new places being available at the same time, while the latter offers multiple cases during the second act that can be solved in any order.

* ''VideoGame/{{Xenoblade}}'' has a multitude of sidequests, vast open worlds and even NonCombatEXP for completing the overarching CartographySidequest, getting achievements and Colony 6 reconstruction, both of which aren't essential to the plot (yet essential for achieving HundredPercentCompletion). The 60-hour campaign is just miniscule compared to the immense amount of sidequests, and some of these sidequests even give you smaller-scale stories on the worlds of Bionis and Mechonis.

* ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'' lets you do virtually ''anything'' whenever, wherever and however you want, with no plot at all. There's only one "climax" in the game, and that's reaching and fighting The Ender Dragon, which takes you to the game's credits, but even this is completely optional.[[note]]Another boss you can battle is The Wither, but this one doesn't take you to the credits.[[/note]] However, default ''Minecraft'' is not the only way you can play this game:

* In ''VideoGame/SagaFrontier'', Lute's quest. His entire game is about playing in the sandbox until he finds the main quest, and then he has to complete sidequests until he's buff enough to survive TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon. You ''can'' go pretty much straight from the beginning to the ending if you like getting slaughtered.

* ''VideoGame/GarrysMod''. Again, not so much a ''game'' as it is a way to mess around with just about everything ever made by Valve (but mostly ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'', ''Counter-Strike'' and the ''Half-Life'' series). Many {{Machinima}} are made using this "game".

* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5'' is a little more open but follows a linear structure similar to ''Resident Evil 4'' directly above. The overworld settings are bigger compared to ''4'', allowing for more exploration, but the gameplay still has to be completed in a set order.

* ''VideoGame/EtrianOdyssey IV: Legends of the Titan'' has plenty of [[MiniDungeon Caves]], only a few of which are required to progress through the campaign. The Mazes are the only explicitly-mandatory destinations, but their large size and scope allows the [[PlayerCharacter customized party]] to explore them extensively at their own pace. The other games rely on a floor-by-floor progression (there is no overworld in them except for ''The Drowned City''), but even those have various secret areas and passageways that are optional.

* ''VideoGame/JetForceGemini'' is linear at first, as each of the three characters has a predetermined route consisting of three worlds (specifically, two planets and one enemy vessel) plus a visit to Mizar's Palace, the DiscOneFinalDungeon. Once all three meet there and Mizar is defeated for the first time, every character can freely access to any level available, allowing them to access places that were originally unavailable for the first visitor.

# The game follows a linear narrative, as well as a largely linear pattern with how you move between levels and/or within the levels themselves. Any attempts at exploration will be inconsequential if not outright fruitless. There might be secret warps to later stages, but any bonus stages will be entered automatically. {{Rail Shooter}}s are this level taken to the most extreme. {{Auto Scrolling Level}}s may be present. Games that fall into this category have become more and more rare with the passage of time. The majority of cinematic shooters fall into this category though.
# Though games at this level will still be largely linear in their design, you will have some choice in how you progress. You may be given a choice between two paths that take to you to the end of the level, or you may find a bonus level on the side that gives some reward before plopping you back on the main progression path. Exploration may result in some interesting discoveries. Many old-school first-person shooters fall into this category.
# Overall progression becomes less linear at this level. While levels themselves will still have a "get from point A to point B" feel, you will have many options in how you get from point A to point B. Backtracking will now be allowed, even if only to allow you to replay levels that you liked; whether the levels change from your initial trip through will vary from game to game. There is still a central narrative, of course, and these games are still on the more linear side of things, but they will not be constrictingly linear. {{Side Quest}}s may be present, but will not feature prominently.
# We now get to the more MetroidVania type of games. These games will likely allow you to explore and do [[SideQuest side quests]], but they will still want you to put the storyline first. Exploration will be encouraged, but controlled, with more of the game world opening up to you as you play. Games at this level will frequently play out such that you won't be able to explore the world or deviate from the main storyline at all in the beginning, but the whole world will be open to you by the end. Games can also fall into this level if the whole world is open to you from early on, but there's little reason to explore it other than to see the sights, and thus the main storyline will still be your primary concern.
# Open-world {{Role Playing Game}}s. Games at this level will have plenty {{Side Quest}}s and a very open world. (Some will still open up more of the world as you progress along the main storyline, but from the beginning, you will feel like you have a wide world to explore.) The main storyline may still be emphasized over the side quests, but it's not unheard of for games at this level to emphasize both equally. The central narrative itself may branch off into multiple paths, usually accompanied by MultipleEndings.
# WideOpenSandbox games will be very de-emphasized and, if there even is a main storyline or central goal, it'll likely only comprise a very small part of the whole experience. You are free to do whatever you want in these games, and those at the highest end of the spectrum will have no limits on what you can do. There may be a plethora of {{Side Quest}}s to keep you busy, or you may just need to make your own fun. Most MMORPG games fall into this category. Beware of sinking into the QuicksandBox.

* ''VideoGame/SecondLife''. It's not really even a game. You can design your own objects (even importing designs from sophisticated real world 3D design tools such as Blender and Maya) you can write scripts in an actual scripting language, you can even code your own Viewer for the world. The game's content is mostly generated by the players based on a real economy. But what really puts it at the extreme end of the spectrum is that you can build your own games and/or play games built by other "players." In fact, for the first 6 or 7 years, the only actual games to play were created by users. The only sandbox more extreme than this is ''OpenSim'' which is the open source code released by ''Second Life''[='=]s creators. Its doesn't even feature the Linden's regulations.

* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5'' is a little more open but follows a structure similar to ''[=RE4=]'' directly above. The overworld settings are bigger compared to ''4'', allowing for more exploration, but the gameplay still has to be completed in a set order.

* The ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' games frequently switch levels, but most are close to this level. Despite having rather {{Metroidvania}} style of gameplay, especially the earlier entries, each game still requires players to proceed in a manner so that plot-progressing areas are blocked off until completing specific objectives in a set order (e.g. doors will be locked until obtaining the necessary key item to unlock it, and there's a likely chance that newly unlocked room will have or led to another key item for something else). You're still allowed to explore the settings for anything useful like new weapons or (depending on the game) treasure, but there's a good chance these items will be inaccessible until past a certain point, so some backtracking will be required.

* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'' is one of the longest ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' games to date, spanning three major overworld settings, but like all of them it follows a linear structure, while still having various optional rooms and caches for treasure (particularly in the Castle area).
* ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvilGunSurvivor Resident Evil: Survivor]]'' features some branching paths early on in the game. The first series merely takes you from the outskirts of Sheena Island to an alleyway with a payphone in one of three manners, but the second trio of branches actually changes minor elements of the story, namely which character becomes your direct antagonist.

* The ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' games frequently switch levels, but most are close to this level. Despite having rather {{Metroidvania}} style of gameplay, each game still requires players to proceed in a manner so that plot-progressing areas are blocked off until completing specific objectives (e.g. obtaining any necessary key items). You're still allowed to explore the settings for anything useful like new weapons or (depending on the game) treasure, but there's a good chance these items will be inaccessible until past a certain point, so some backtracking will be required.

* Most ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' games are close to Level 4 with their {{Metroidvania}} style of gameplay, but still require players to proceed in a manner so that plot-progressing areas are blocked off until completing specific objectives (e.g. obtaining any necessary key items). You're still allowed to explore the settings for anything useful like new weapons or (depending on the game) treasure, but there's a good chance these items will be inaccessible until past a certain point, so some backtracking will be required.

* Most ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' games are close to Level 4 with their {{Metroidvania}} style of gameplay, but still require players to proceed in a manner so that plot-progressing areas are blocked off until a specific key item is obtained. You're still allowed to explore the settings for any useful items, but most items tend to be inaccessible until later on, requiring some backtracking.

* ''VideoGame/TimeAllThingsComeToAnEnd'' is an InteractiveFiction example. The game persistently locks the player in small areas (typically 3-10 locations in size). Exploration is allowed within these areas, but no backtracking to regions previously visited. This makes the game [[NintendoHard very difficult]] as essential items can easily be missed and LostForever.

* ''VideoGame/FarCry''. There are often many ways to tackle the level with a lot of paths to the goals.

** Many ''Sonic'' games tended to structured on a purely sequential bases, with strict level-by-level game progression. (This could be slightly averted by a player entering Special Stages or Chao Gardens after a level was completed, depending on the game in question.) World maps were eventually introduced to the games from the 2000s onwards, but players are still required to unlock/play levels in a specific order in most cases. One notable exception is ''[[VideoGame/KnucklesChaotix Chaotix]]'', which allows players to pick one out of the game's five zones to enter from its hubworld; although completing the levels within the zones themselves is still sequential.

** A few of the 3D entries, such as ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'', ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006'', and ''VideoGame/SonicUnleashed'', contain multiple hubworld that serve as an access point to action stages, and contain a few side quests for the player to do. These games in particular also feature levels that require the player to explore levels to collect items in order to complete the level; rather than getting to the goal as in most most Sonic games. (''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'' also features these levels, despite having a linear level progression.) Unlocking these hubworlds (and the levels/sidequests they contain) is of a sequential nature, though.
** Once Splash Hill Zone Act 1 was completed, the mobile and beta/Partnernet versions of ''[[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog4 Sonic 4: Episode I]]'' allowed for every Act in every Zone to be playable from its level select menus. All Acts in a Zone had to be completed before the player could fight the Boss levels, however; and the Chaos Emeralds are still required to unlock [[FinalBoss E.G.G. Station Zone]]. The PC and console versions meanwhile lacked this oddity, instead having the traditional setup of unlocking zones/stages in a set order.

* The Genesis and later modern ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' games which have multiple paths to complete the level, although the level layout is still linear.

* ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'' (though the Chao raising minigame is decidedly level 6)

* ''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.

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' is rather straightforward for an MMORPG, and while there's a lot of side quests and the like to go through, going through the Main Scenario questline is very important for unlocking new content and features, and each expansion needs to be followed by the previous.