History Main / SlidingScaleOfLinearityVSOpenness

* ''VideoGame/SystemShock''' is broken up into "floors", but each floor is a massive, open map with multiple side-objectives (such as activating Resurrection Chambers) and a number of ways of accomplishing your main task. [[https://www.systemshock.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1631.0;attach=2580;image Example]]. The sequel is more of a level 3.

** ''VideoGame/PokemonLegendsArceus'' is Level 4. Overall progression is still linear, with the world being broken up into large regions that unlock based on story progress, but each region allows for a fare amount of exploration as you search for new Pokémon, and abilities gained in later regions allows for further exploration in prior locations. In addition, there are now dozens of sidequests to do in addition to the main story, which includes all the research tasks required to complete each Mon's entry in the Pokédex.

%% If you are going to add a game to this scale, please add an explanation so that people who haven't played the game will understand why it is in the category it is in, and please add a link to this page to the game's page. Please also add the games in alphabetical order (while treating Roman numerals as regular numbers) to keep this neat.

* ''VideoGame/RadiantSilvergun'', except in arcade version where it is level 2.
* ''Wonderboy / VideoGame/AdventureIsland 1'': You go from left to right and there's no exploration except an occasional bonus stage.
* ''[[VideoGame/BattleCity Tank Force]]''. Enemies appear, kill enemies, repeat 35 more times, victory.
* ''Toki'', a platformer taking place linearly in 6 stages.
* ''VideoGame/BitTrip RUNNER'' where you move right and only jump, slide and block and kick on certain intervals.

* {{Kinetic Novel}}s are an extreme example of {{Visual Novel}}s which have no choices, no interactivity and only one ending. They're essentially little more than ordinary novels, except with pictures and sound; all you do is click through text.

* ''VideoGame/EarthBound1994'', while linear overall and having some rather blatant cases of {{Railroading}}, gives each individual area a wide-open feel and lets you choose to do certain objectives immediately or later on, especially after reaching Summers. The dungeons leading to the "Your Sanctuary" {{Plot Coupon}}s can be completed in practically any order, though some are unlocked much later than others.

* ''VideoGame/HollowKnight'' is a Metroidvania in which some areas are locked until you have certain spells, artefacts or charms. Most areas of the game have more than one way in, enabling {{Plot Coupon}}s to be tackled in any order. You can defeat the final boss without exploring the entire game, the Hive specially.

* In ''VideoGame/TheSims3'', '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 somewhat more linear.
* ''VideoGame/{{Creatures}}''
* ''VideoGame/{{Spore}}'''s Space Stage. Your homeworld gives you storyline missions, but you're free to ignore all but the introduction before going off to play with your tools in the celestial sandbox. You just have to watch out for your homeworld getting destroyed by aliens, as they never defend themselves.
* ''VideoGame/VivaPinata'' (at least ''Trouble in Paradise'')

* ''VideoGame/EveOnline'' has player-run corporations, with all the various positions and routes for advancement that entails, and this economic system also allows for many forms of criminal activity and freelance work.
* ''VideoGame/LSDDreamEmulator'' has no plot besides the fact that it's supposedly a dream in one constant world (and it's pretty big) that changes the longer you play.

* ''VideoGame/{{Elite}}'', its sequels, and its FanRemake ''VideoGame/{{Oolite}}'' are all prime examples, with the player being able to do almost ''anything'' they want to. The former is even the TropeCodifier for the WideOpenSandbox genre.
* ''VideoGame/NoMansSky'' takes the ''Elite''-like formula further. There is a single-player campaign, but that's about it -- the entire game was designed to break the Guinness World Records for the most player-explorable worlds in a game, with procedurally-generated worlds that are all completely unique.
* ''VideoGame/GarrysMod''. Again, not so much a ''game'' as it is a way to mess around with nearly everything ever made by Valve (but mostly ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'', ''Counter-Strike'' and the ''Half-Life'' series). Many {{Machinima}} are made using this "game".
* ''VideoGame/{{Roblox}}'': Though it's not technically a video game, you can create and/or play any kind of game posible.
* Egosoft's ''VideoGame/{{X}}-Universe'' series started as a level 5 (''Beyond the Frontier'' gave you fairly clear indications on what to do next, and trading/building was finalized to doing the final quest), but quickly evolved into a type 6. In the later games, the player is given the choice of starting an entirely plotless game, where mission scripting is completely disabled, just so they can exploit the game's universe to their heart's content.
* The Russian FPS/RPG hybrids ''Xenus'' series (In America/Western Europe, the first game is known as ''Boiling Point: Road to Hell'' and the second ''White Gold: War in Paradise''), which feature a rather open Main Quest with different ways to progress plus lots of sidequests for different factions in a [[WideOpenSandbox large, open world.]]
* ''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 DreamLand, and soaking in all the deliciously creepy atmosphere along the way.

* ''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. It doesn't even feature the Linden's regulations.
* ''VideoGame/BurnoutParadise'' and its SpiritualSuccessor ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted2012'' (both developed by Creator/CriterionGames) are among the most nonlinear racing games ever, with multiple cars to drive in to do several events strewn across their open and well-detailed cities (Paradise City and Fairhaven, respectively). They both have a means of progress (''Paradise''[='=]s licenses and the Most Wanted list in the ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeed NFS]]'' game), but they have several events and collectables that will make you almost forget about them, and they can be completed in any order you please. Their multiplayer modes stretch them even further by having challenges and other unique events thrown into the mix, without taking you away from their locales to put you in waiting lobbies.
* ''VideoGame/XenobladeChroniclesX'', in comparison to its [[VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles1 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.
* ''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 (which speedrunners actually do), while having only 3-4 hearts, and you can do any Divine Beast in any order. No place is out of reach. Its sequel, ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTearsOfTheKingdom'', goes further in letting the player go even more places by expanding the world, and even reaching the game's dungeons before they're intended to be played.

* ''VideoGame/WonderBoy'' series: Some games in the series have a general metroidvania layout (''VideoGame/WonderBoyIIITheDragonsTrap'' as an early example and VideoGame/MonsterBoyAndTheCursedKingdom'' as a modern one) but only one major area/dungeon gets unlocked at a time; getting a new ability will usually allow access to a few minor secrets but as far as the main quest goes your new ability will only unlock the next dungeon.

* ''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/FantasyLife''. There's a main plot that [[OpeningTheSandbox unlocks new areas bit by bit]], but you can forget about it at any point to work on your job skills, gather and craft items, or do some of the hundreds of sidequests available. [[JustForPun Also published by]] {{Creator/Level5}}.

* ''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.

* The ''VideoGame/SaintsRow'' series, because there are so many diversions from the main missions.

* ''VideoGame/{{ARMA}} II''. The majority of battles are not scripted, player needs to decide where to go and how to approach objectives etc.
* ''VideoGame/{{Atelier}}'':

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'', once you hit the World of Ruin.

* ''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 (which speedrunners actually do), while having only 3-4 hearts, and you can do any Divine Beast in any order. No place is out of reach.

** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'' take a step backwards toward level 5 as well. In each game, there are far more locations that inaccessible unless you are taking part in a related quest. ''Skyrim'' in particular does a lot of "carrot dangling" to try to get you to do the main story content. For example, while the game opens up immediately after Helgen, you have to keep playing the main quest for a little while if you want access to the powerful [[MakeMeWannaShout dragon shouts]], while some of the other quests and expansion material steer you back to the main quest. This is why about a third of those who play ''Skyrim'' do end up completing the main quest, which is high for such an open game.

# '''Major interconnectivity'''. 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.
# '''Free-roam'''. 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.

# '''Minor interconnectivity'''. 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.
# '''Major interconnectivity'''. 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/ResidentEvil4'' is one of the longest ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' games to date, spanning three major overworld settings, but it follows a mostly linear structure; gameplay is more straightforward and backtracking is minimal compared to other installments, but there are still various optional rooms and caches for treasure (particularly in the Castle area).

%%* ''VideoGame/SpyroTheDragon''

* ''VideoGame/EtrianOdyssey'': The fourth game 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/AfraidOfMonsters'', at least in its "Director's Cut" UpdatedRerelease. Backtracking is allowed up to a point, enough so that one of the MultipleEndings is unlocked by going down one path, grabbing a key, then turning around and going down the other path to find the door that key unlocks, though there are several points of no return which lock you into whatever path you've chosen or otherwise prevent you from going back.

* ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes'' has a wide open world, but there is little reason to explore it. Aside from key locations where side jobs, shops and other places can be found, the main reason for Santa Destroy's large space is to collect various collectibles (buried underground or otherwise). ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes2DesperateStruggle'' does away with this (the levels, shops, minigames and such are all selectable through a menu accessed as soon as Travis exits his hotel room), and thus dials back to a 3.

* ''VideoGame/SaGaFrontier'': Most of the character's stories 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/{{Journey}}''. Although it follows a linear narrative, the areas are often very large and exploration is often encouraged and rewarded.

* ''VideoGame/NoMansSky'' takes the ''Elite''-like formula and pushes it UpToEleven. There is a single-player campaign, but that's about it -- the entire game was designed to break the Guinness World Records for the most player-explorable worlds in a game, with procedurally-generated worlds that are all completely unique.

* UpToEleven with ''VideoGame/{{Roblox}}'', though it's not technically a video game, where you can create and/or play any kind of game posible.

* ''Videogame/{{Journey}}''. Although it follows a linear narrative, the areas are often very large and exploration is often encouraged and rewarded.

* The ''Videogame/MonkeyIsland'' series, you can complete TheThreeTrials and its variations in any order.
* ''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/MechWarrior'' series traditionally has a linear mission path, but missions often have optional secondary objectives or alternate ways to complete the primary objectives. The ''Mercenaries'' ExpansionPack for ''Mechwarrior 2'' and ''Mechwarrior 4'' bring the games to Level 3, with entirely optional missions, a largely non-linear campaign, and the ability to take sides in conflicts.
%%* ''SoldierOfFortune'' series.

* ''VideoGame/EarthBound'', while linear overall and having some rather blatant cases of {{Railroading}}, gives each individual area a wide-open feel and lets you choose to do certain objectives immediately or later on, especially after reaching Summers. The dungeons leading to the "Your Sanctuary" {{Plot Coupon}}s can be completed in practically any order, though some are unlocked much later than others.

* ''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 somewhat more linear.

* ''VideoGame/BurnoutParadise'' and its 2012 SpiritualSuccessor ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted'' (both developed by Creator/CriterionGames) are among the most nonlinear racing games ever, with multiple cars to drive in to do several events strewn across their open and well-detailed cities (Paradise City and Fairhaven, respectively). They both have a means of progress (''Paradise''[='=]s licenses and the Most Wanted list in the ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeed NFS]]'' game), but they have several events and collectables that will make you almost forget about them, and they can be completed in any order you please. Their multiplayer modes stretch them even further by having challenges and other unique events thrown into the mix, without taking you away from their locales to put you in waiting lobbies.

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'', whose linearity was a great source of controversy and complaints from players.

* ''Toki'' , a platformer taking place linearly in 6 stages.