History Main / LevelInReverse

* Datadyne Central: Defection and Datadyne Central: Extraction in ''Perfect Dark''. The former is an infiltration mission, while the latter is an EscortMission with tons more enemies, including a chopper.

* In the first level of ''SyphonFilter 1'', you rush to the bottom level of a Metro station in an attempt to disarm a bomb. In the second level, you climb out of said station after the bomb goes off. The trope recurs throughout the series.

* In the second-to last level of ''TheWorldIsNotEnough''(N64), you infiltrate a submarine. The final level has you escape the now nose-down and sinking submarine.

** This trend started in the original ''VideoGame/ModernWarfare'', however it was [[JustifiedTrope justified]] then as in between the levels that shared the geometry, the player character for these levels had not moved, but new enemies had arrived.

[[quoteright:350:[[VideoGame/Revolt http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tlov-er_9250.png]]]]

* ''{{VideoGame/Super Mario 3D Land}}'' has several of the special stages using geometry from the regular stages, played in reverse.

[[folder:Misc. Games]]
* ''{{Franchise/BIONICLE}} Heroes'' for the DS has a level which is one of the previous levels, only upside down.

[[/folder]]

In addition to the flipped geometry small alterations can be made to the level itself, either to accommodate extra features not present in the original level, or to [[JustifiedTrope justify]] the re-use of the level geometry by showing how the level has changed in comparison to the last time it was used, such as damage or new background objects left behind by people/creatures that have occupied the area since you were last there.

* '''Flipped levels''', where the level geometry is flipped (Left turns become right turns, up becomes down etc.) or, in some cases, significantly rotated (What were the walls last time are now floors and ceilings etc.)

* '''Flipped levels''', where the level geometry is flipped (Left turns become right turns, up becomes down etc.)
* '''Flipped paths''', where the direction the player traverses the level is changed (i.e. the player starts at what was the end of the level, and has to move towards what was the beginning.)

Note that these two methods are not mutually exclusive.

##The dev team needed to keep file sizes down

* ''VideoGame/DragonAge2'' does this with its dungeon environments, although sometimes you don't get the full expanse of the level, but you can still tell it's the same geometry, as even though you can't get there the minimap still shows the rest of it.
* Two of the DLC packs for ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' used the Cadash Thaig area, except one started at the southeast exit and ended near the statue in the northwest, while the other started at the statue and ended at the southeast exit.

* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas'' had two levels inside Madd Dogg's mansion, one near the end of the game, and one near the start, with both levels having you go in opposite directions through the mansion itself.

* ''{{Franchise/BIONICLE}} Heroes'' for the DS that has a level which is one of the previous levels, only upside down.

##The level description requires the use of previous level geometry, with different enemy placements, objectives etc. (for example, the player is going back to an area previously visited, except that they are approaching it from a different angle/entrance, or in the case of flipped geometry, a MirrorUniverse situation.)

With the cost of development for video games going up, it's understandable that the dev team would want to find a way to cut corners. As such, a lot of game content becomes recycled. It's easier to miss and/or explain with small things, but with something as large as a whole game environment, players might start to cotton on.

##The level ''really'' has potential for re-used, with much of environments can be played with very differently from different angle and little alteration (for example, the first level has player get in a ship, which start to sink during intermission, so the second level has whole level tilted and partially flooeded, making the once easy-to-access entry way become lethal trap and force the player find other way)
##The level description requires the use of previous level geometry, with different enemy placements, objectives etc. (for example, the player is going back to an area previously visited, except is approaching it from a different angle/entrance, or in the case of flipped geometry, a MirrorUniverse situation.)
##Or the dev team was lazy

##The level ''really'' has potential for re-used, with much of environments can be played with very differently from different angle and little alteration (for example, the first level has player get in a ship, which start to sink during intermission, so the seond level has whole level tilted and partially flooeded, making the once easy-to-access entry way become lethal trap and force the player find other way)

##The level ''really'' has potential for reuse, with much of environments can be played with very differently from different angle and little alteration (for example, the first level has player get in a ship, which start to sink during intermission, so the seond level has whole level tilted and partially flooeded, making the once easy-to-access entry way become lethal trap and force the player find other way)

##The dev team was lazy
##The dev team ran out of time to develop unique geometry for every level
##The level description requires the use of previous level geometry, with different enemy placements, objectives etc. (for example, the player is going back to an area previously visited, except is approaching it from a different angle/entrance, or in the case of flipped geometry, a MirrorUniverse situation.)

* ''{{VideoGame/BIONICLE Heroes}}'' for the DS that has a level which is one of the previous levels, only upside down.

Compare {{Backtracking}}, where the level is exactly the same as before, only you're going through it in the opposite direction, and RemixedLevel, where the new level is the same as the old level, but altered in some fashion.

Note that while all LevelInReverse examples can be seen as RemixedLevel examples, the inverse is not true.

[[AC:Action Adventure Games]]
* ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'' 4 had half the game as this, only playing as Dante, instead of newcomer Nero. [[InternetBackdraft The fans were not happy]].

[[AC:Driving Games]]

* ''{{VideoGame/LEGO Racers}}'' has three levels which are previous levels, inverted left-to-right.

[[AC:First Person Shooter]]

[[AC:Massively Multiplayer Online games]]
* ''{{VideoGame/Toontown Online}}'' has a section called the Goofy Speedway, where you race on one of 18 tracks. 9 of these tracks are reverse versions of the other 9 tracks.

[[AC:Platformers]]

[[AC:Role Playing Game]]

[[AC:Sandbox Games]]

[[AC:Third Person Shooter]]

[[AC:Misc. Games]]
* ''{{VideoGame/BIONICLE Heroes}}'' for the DS that has a level which is one of the previous levels, only upside down.