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Level 1: No chance to go off the main path at all. The closest thing to non-linearity for these games is a minor action along the path that changes the ending or a very short diversion at one or two points
Level 2: Games here are still very linear but will provide more choice and exploration along the way; for instance you might have a choice of two paths at one point, and there could be frequent small diversions for items and other rewards (and perhaps the occasional slightly longer one). This can also include games with widely divergent routes through them that are extremely linear in themselves.
Level 3: Games here can break away from linearity quite a bit. They tend to be akin to very segmented sandboxes; each level only has one real entrance/exit (with maybe a few major exceptions) and no possibility to backtrack between them, but there is a decent amount of choice and exploration potential in each one. Sidequests also start to be a factor from here on.
Level 4: This is where things start verging on WideOpenSandbox. Generally progression is heavily blocked off at first, but once you have access to an area it can be returned to at any point (with generally the whole world being accessible by the end). Games can also fit here if the world is open from the start but you have no reason to go anywhere but where the storyline dictates you must. Most Metroidvanias go here.
Level 5: The first true WideOpenSandbox level. There may be segmentation but it is minor and each area is very large and completely free-roaming in itself (and you can backtrack at any point). This is where side-quests tend to start becoming a large part of the game, and the drive of the main plot usually starts getting de-emphasised.
Level 6: The purest WideOpenSandbox, everything in the world is accessible from the start (the only real blocker being [[BeefGate BeefGates]]) and the main plot is likely to be a very small focus (if it even has a plot). There may be a plethora of SideQuests to keep you busy, or you may just need to make your own fun. Beware of sinking into the QuicksandBox.
to:
* Level 1: No chance to go off the main path at all. The closest thing to non-linearity for these games is a minor action along the path that changes the ending or a very short diversion at one or two points
* Level 2: Games here are still very linear but will provide more choice and exploration along the way; for instance you might have a choice of two paths at one point, and there could be frequent small diversions for items and other rewards (and perhaps the occasional slightly longer one). This can also include games with widely divergent routes through them that are extremely linear in themselves.
* Level 3: Games here can break away from linearity quite a bit. They tend to be akin to very segmented sandboxes; each level only has one real entrance/exit (with maybe a few major exceptions) and no possibility to backtrack between them, but there is a decent amount of choice and exploration potential in each one. Sidequests also start to be a factor from here on.
* Level 4: This is where things start verging on WideOpenSandbox. Generally progression is heavily blocked off at first, but once you have access to an area it can be returned to at any point (with generally the whole world being accessible by the end). Games can also fit here if the world is open from the start but you have no reason to go anywhere but where the storyline dictates you must. Most Metroidvanias go here.
* Level 5: The first true WideOpenSandbox level. There may be segmentation but it is minor and each area is very large and completely free-roaming in itself (and you can backtrack at any point). This is where side-quests tend to start becoming a large part of the game, and the drive of the main plot usually starts getting de-emphasised.
* Level 6: The purest WideOpenSandbox, everything in the world is accessible from the start (the only real blocker being [[BeefGate BeefGates]]) and the main plot is likely to be a very small focus (if it even has a plot). There may be a plethora of SideQuests to keep you busy, or you may just need to make your own fun. Beware of sinking into the QuicksandBox.
