History Main / BreatherLevel

** Getting certain modifiers through Weekly or Campaign challenges can make even harder levels much easier:
*** Having no Corruption (ignoring the reputation loss, and saving money from costly anti-corruption endeavors), no Inflation (everything is significantly cheaper), Funded initiatives (particularly if those initiatives are expensive like roads or electricity), or destroying Insurgent Camps turning into Garrisons (Basically having a free, if stationary, soldier).

** The outside streets in all games tend to be this too. Indoors spaces, the "levels" of the game, all tend to be claustrophobic death traps loaded with puzzles and monsters. The streets inbetween, while still loaded with monsters, are spacious and let you run from A to B with tons of room to dodge the monsters. Plus, if you feel like exploring, there's treasure troves' worth of items to be found.

* ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsV'' has a fairly easy to unlock late game mission, “Supporting a Long Journey” that comes after a trio of really tough missions, including a TimedMission and a battle with [[spoiler: Shin Getter Dragon]]. “Supporting” frames the mission as a much needed supply run in enemy territory, and [[MontyHaul boy is it ever.]] You’re up against a group of battleships with pitiful accuracy against smaller units and each dropping [[VendorTrash Gold Bar 50000s or 100000s]]. Overall a wonderful mission to level up smaller units with Ignore Size, and rack up ridiculous amounts of cash for upgrades.

* Stage 6 of most ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'' games. Generally short, low danger, and [[SuspiciousVideogameGenerosity filled with resources]]. Which is good, since it's right before the FinalBoss (and, with the conditions met, the BrutalBonusLevel housing the BonusBoss).

* ''VideoGame/KirbyMassAttack'' has Level 3, Dedede Resort, whose stages are practically just minigames that just give away fruit to hog.

* ''VideoGame/HalfLife:
** In the original, Residue Processing is a breather level, coming just after your first encounters with the Ichthyosaur and the assassins in Apprehension. This level consists mainly of platforming (which is admittedly somewhat challenging in the GoldSRC engine), without many enemies other than a few headcrabs
*** The remake, ''VideoGame/BlackMesa'' features (in addition to the aforementioned Residue Processing) Xen, which comes after the gauntlet of alien controllers in Lambda core. Here, there is a much greater focus on exploration and puzzle solving, with no human enemies, alien grunts, controllers, or even vortigaunts; and ichthyosaurs being fairly easy to spot and deal with without having to even go into the water.

* The enemy-less chapter "Black Mesa East" in ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'' comes right after you've fought your way through lengthy canals and down a river before facing down the hyper-persistent Hunter-Chopper. This comes right before Ravenholm, a zombie-infested chapter with very little in the way of conventional combat supplies that comes right before you start facing [[DemonicSpiders regular grenade-tossing Combine soldiers]]. Creator/{{Valve|Software}} games do this on purpose and this is discussed in the [[DVDCommentary commentary]] tracks in the subsequent episodes. After the player has just made it through one of the game's larger action sequences, they will typically come up against a complex jumping or physics puzzle with no combat as a change of pace. This is to prevent the player becoming fatigued. Valve optimise their games endlessly through playtesting before release to find places where the player was getting tired and giving them a different challenge.

* The second episode of ''Videogame/{{Blood}}'' is this, since it's a lot easier than the first one. It has a larger variety of weapons, including [[InfinityMinusOneSword the Voodoo Doll]], and its final boss, Shial, is just a big spider that [[MookMaker can only spawn lesser ones and cannot attack on her own]], and is nothing comparing to the first episode's Cheogh the Stone Gargoyle, which does heavy damage and is unbelievably hard to kill with the first six weapons. Sure, there are Stone Gargoyles in episode 2, but the Voodoo Doll chews them up and spits them out.
** Hell, it even has a breather level inside the breather chapter. Level 5, The Haunting, is long but quite easy, as unlike the level before, it doesn't feature [[DemonicSpiders any kind of Cultist]] or (in the case of the secret level) [[BossInMookClothing Stone Gargoyles]].

*** Up The Creek, the first level on second island, follows Native Fortress, a first [[DifficultySpike truly hard]] [[MarathonLevel and long]] level. It is followed by the showdown with the Ripper Roo who is likely the second hardest boss in the game, and the following level is difficult The Lost City. By conparison, Up The Creek is pretty straighforward without any complicated jumps and is pretty short.

** Hell, it even has a breather level inside the breather chapter. Level 5, The Haunting, is long but quite easy, as unlike the level before, it doesn't feature [[DemonicSpiders any kind of Cultist]] or (in the case of the secret level) [[BossInMooksClothing Stone Gargoyles]].

* The ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' games usually have periodic maps where the GeoEffects are all beneficial (particularly in regards to XP boosts), and the enemies are arranged in such a way as to be all killable with a single wide area attack. Basically these are designated spots to make LevelGrinding more quick and painless (which, [[AbsurdlyHighLevelCap in this series]], is a godsend).

* While ''VideoGame/TheGoonies II'' has zones instead of levels, the level of difficulty of the game gradually increases until you reach the utter hell of the Volcano. The remainder of the game after this turns into TheMaze. The first section of the maze, the Attic, is massively easier than the Volcano, though it still does contain threatening Samurai Armor and the sole appearance of Ma Fratelli. The rest of the maze consists of standard House and Basement levels, with a higher rate of spawning Fratellis but only very minor enemies -- it's nothing but exhaustively searching each section for the warp zone that will take you to the next.
* The Lake in ''VideoGame/MonsterParty'' is ''monumentally'' easier than the Castle Ruins preceding it. There's only two bosses instead of the usual three, one being a {{Zero Effort|Boss}} PuzzleBoss who you only have to stand by and watch them dance rather than actually fight and the other being a large stationary entity who can be fairly easily defeated without taking a hit by a patient player (or one who grabbed a magic pill). The enemies are all either easy to avoid or not very aggressive, and even the scenery itself is a break from the typical monstrous settings by being bright and cheerful. Likely this was done to soften you up and lull you into a false sense of security for what comes next: The [[ThatOneLevel goddamned]] Haunted Mansion.
* ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot'':
** The second island in ''[[Videogame/CrashBandicoot1996 the original game]]'' seems to alternate Breather Levels with [[ThatOneLevel That One Levels]]:
*** Up The Creek, the first level on second island, follows Native Fortress, a first [[DifficultySpike truly hard]] [[MarathonLevel and long]] level. It is followed by the showdown with the Ripper Roo who is likely the second hardest boss in the game, and the following level is difficult The Lost City. By conparison, Up The Creek is pretty straighforward without any complicated jumps and is pretty short.
*** The Lost City is followed by The Temple, which, unlike The Lost City has easy and predictable enemies and hazards, is relatively short and has reasonable distance between checkpoints. The only thing preventing you from getting a clear gem right away is [[GuideDangIt an invisible path to some boxes]]. The next level is The Road to Nowhere, which is basically one giant [[BottomlessPits Bottomless Pit]] with things like invincible boars and GoombaSpringboard being ''necessary'' to advance.
*** After Road to Nowhere, the next level is Boulder Dash, which, despite CameraScrew by virtue of being chased by giant boulder, is pretty easy due to having sufficient number of checkpoints and straightforward jumps. This is followed by an infamous MarathonLevel, Sunset Vista.
** ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot2CortexStrikesBack:''
*** Of the final 5 stages before the final boss only Piston It Away and Spaced Out will give you ''any'' trouble, and even then only because they're a new type of stage where it's easy to die until you figure out their unique enemies and hazards. Rock It and Pack Attack exist only to teach you the jet pack, and though it's a bit dodgy at first the levels can easily be steamrolled, Box Gem and all, with minimal effort, and Night Fight is a ''very'' easy level where the [[BlackOutBasement darkness mechanic]] isn't nearly enough to stop you from easily running through the whole thing and getting the Box Gem on your first try. Presumably this is to give you a bit of a break before going back and attempting to get some of the more difficult hidden gems like the Yellow Gem in Plant Food or the Secret Gem in Ruination.
*** ALL the Bonus Levels are this. You can attempt them as many times as you want with zero consequences for dying until you complete them, and even if you die after completing one but before a checkpoint it will still be counted as completed. Typically they exist to throw some extra lives at you, give you a break from the level, and often to teach you new mechanics in a risk-free environment (things like the Slide Jump are used in Bonus Levels ''LONG'' before ever needing it in a real level).
** Continuing the trend, ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot3Warped'' has Bug Lite, the final level before you face [[FinalBoss Cortex]]. The level is not only very easy to steamroll, Box Gem and all (save for the bonus level which is a bit tricky, but you have unlimited retries), and not only has a very easy Multicolor Gem Path, but it gives you [[InvincibilityPowerUp three Aku Aku masks]] at once part way through for a very satisfying invincible charge through a good portion of the level. It's a nice break after the honestly difficult [[ThatOneLevel Mad Bombers]] and before you face the big guy himself.
* Played with quite a bit in the ''Battle Of The Birds'' chapter of ''VideoGame/AHatInTime'':
** ''Murder on the Owl Express'' and ''The Big Parade''. You expect the former to be difficult when it's surprisingly easy, not actually timed, has no difficult platforming or battles, and basically exists to [[RuleOfCool dip you in its atmosphere]] rather than be challenging. The Big Parade on the other hand is just that, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin you lead a parade]], and yet happens to be the first [[DifficultySpike genuinely challenging]] acts with some tricky platforming, not being allowed to stop even once, and will likely be the first level to actually kill you a few times.
** Subverted with ''Award Ceremony'' where... you attend an award ceremony. That's it. You stroll in, get thanked for your part in it, given a Time Piece, and the level ends. Good job, and on to the next chapter! [[spoiler:Except when you return to your ship: que a mysterious phone call telling you to go check out the basement of Dead Bird Studios...]]
* In ''VideoGame/{{Portal 2}}'', after navigating the quite arduous trek to escape the underground condemned old testing areas you are faced with Wheatley's tests. Wheatley, being the [[TooDumbToLive absolute moron he is]], can only manage to make either laughably easy tests or swipe some of [=GLaDOS's=] leftover tests and cobble them together. Unsurprisingly they're none-too-difficult and serve to let you have a break and some laughs at Wheatley's expense [[spoiler:until ''The Part Where He Kills You'' where the difficulty picks back up and remains steady until the FinalBoss]].
* ''Franchise/RatchetAndClank'':
** Pokitaru from ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClank2002'' is pretty relaxing level with a simple enemy roster that can be easily handled by Suck Cannon, and has the easiest Jet Fighter mission in the game that is essentially a tutorial.
** The single obligatory mission on Gorn in ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankGoingCommando'' is easy to complete if you performed at least minimum upgrading of your ship and is sandwidched between Aranos with difficult Clank sections and frustrating Snivelak that is capped by a MarathonBoss. And the levels after that are even more difficult.

* The second world of ''VideoGame/{{Besiege}}'' is more or less when the challenges get real, requiring you have a more intimate understanding of what you can do with the siege engines to perform more deliberate tasks, as opposed to the first world where you could effectively brute-force your way through with spinning things on wheels. Then you get to ''Surrounded'' where you're surrounded by a ring of cannons that will almost immediately open fire on you. All it takes to win is to make the biggest square you can make out of basic wood blocks and put as many bombs as you possibly can down. The literal second you hit play they fall off, detonate, take out all the cannons, and even get the A Swift Siege achievement for winning in under 2 seconds.

* Stylish first-person shooter ''VideoGame/TheDarkness'' has a level around the middle of the game where you visit your girlfriend's apartment and sit around watching old black-and-white movies on the couch with her until she falls asleep or you leave. No, really.

* The Lake in ''VideoGame/MonsterParty'' is ''monumentally'' easier than the Castle Ruins preceding it. There's only two bosses instead of the usual three, one being a {{Zero Effort|Boss}} PuzzleBoss who you only have to stand by and watch them dance rather than actually fight and the other being a large stationary entity who can be fairly easily defeated without taking a hit by a patient player (or one who grabbed a magic pill). The enemies are all either easy to avoid or not very aggressive, and even the scenery itself is a break from the typical monstrous settings by being bright and cheerful. Likely this was done to soften you up and lull you into a false sense of security for what comes next: [[DifficultySpike the]] [[ThatOneLevel goddamned]] [[BulletHell Haunted]] [[TheMaze Mansion]].

* ''VideoGame/PrinceOfPersia1'' has two, Levels 9 and 11. The even-numbered levels around them are far harder.

*** 7-3, also known as [[TheOneWith the giant Wiggler level]]. True, [[CheckpointStarvation there are no checkpoints]], but it's ''very'' linear and straightforward, has few enemies, and even gives you a Starman halfway through (which you can chain to last for the rest of the level). And for a [[LevelInTheClouds World 7]] level, there is very little danger of falling into a bottomless pit.

** Block 5 of ''VideoGame/SuperCastlevaniaIV'' is only two parts, short, and there's not even a boss. It's quite welcome after Block 4 which involves facing a series of rotating-blocks that send Simon to his death if he doesn't quickly jump across them and confronting the SubBoss [[SdrawkcabName Puwexil]]. Followed by a rotating room with spikes and [[GoddamnBats Medusa heads]]. The third part of the stage involves outmaneuvering a falling floor. The last part consists of avoiding blocks that try to crush him against [[DescendingCeiling more spikes]], and finally facing the [[BossBattle stage boss]] [[MeaningfulName Koranot]].

** The Feral Frontier (the desert chapter from the same game) can also be another breather level- an EXP bonanza if you want to take it (forgoing the BEXP) with a boss who has no ranged attacks and doesn't move, allowing anyone with a ranged weapon to easily farm experience off of him, immediately following a Fog of War chapter and two chapters before the four-part swamp slog (even worse movement than desert, and your magic-wielders are affected as well) that is Day Breaks.

** The chapter "Training" from ''VideoGame/FireEmblemPathOfRadiance'' takes places before the most annoying chapter in the game, the desert chapter, where you have to try and kill as few enemies as possible, while your own units have shit for movement. It is a fairly easy chapter with plenty of XP.

** In ''Advance Wars 2'', the penultimate campaign level Hot Pursuit is typically regarded as a breather level between Great Sea Battle (where TheDragon is confronted) and Final Front (the final showdown with the BigBad). Other, similar levels exist throughout the series. In this case, it is revealed that the level is intentionally easier [[spoiler:as bait for the Big Bad's trap]]. In hard campaign however, Hot Pursuit is generally considered the hardest level in the game (along with Show Stopper, Sinking Feeling and Great Sea Battle).

** In ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy2'', there's Starshine Beach, which minus an annoying green star it's again a sedate level with few tough enemies or jumps and a collectathon focus to it; meanwhile, Slime Spring Galaxy is not much more than a subterranean river with few enemies and relaxing music, ending with [[SceneryPorn a stunningly beautiful hill at sunset]]. Just make sure to keep that OxygenMeter full.

* ''RatchetAndClank'':

** In ''VI'' the second part of the game starts with four quests to fetch memory crystals to reactivate The Oracle. Three of them are located in places that are absolutely infuriating to navigate and are full of local DemonicSpiders. The fourth? The one, located in Supreme Temple of Baa, is rather easy to complete and contains enemies that you had to fight before already and in bigger numbers.

*** Ranger's first promotion quest in ''VII'' amounts to getting to the entrance to the dungeon. That's it.

** In 'VI' the second part of the game starts with four quests to fetch memory crystals to reactivate The Oracle. Three of them are located in places that are absolutely infuriating to navigate and are full of local DemonicSpiders. The fourth? The one in Supreme Temple of Baa, is rather easy to complete and contains enemies that you had to fight before already and in bigger numbers.