Linear vs. Non-Linear Gameplay

When you finally get through that long first cutscene and assume control of your protagonist, a question is presented. Do you want the rest of the game to be a predetermined expedition, or would you prefer to go where the wind takes you and create your own story? Would you like the gripping story of The Last of Us, or the freedom to explore a country in Just Cause 3? There’s merit in each, as wildly different of an experience as they are.

Let’s frame it as if it were a book. Most stories are told from page 1 to the end of the last chapter. However, there are also choose-your-own-adventure storybooks that give the reader options and different outcomes. In the realm of video games, most game designers have this vision set in mind, as well. They have either an expectation of how the player will go about their journey or they put time into fine-tuning mechanics to let them roam about as they desire.

Some games manage to blur the lines pretty well. Take The Witcher III: Wild Hunt, for instance. With a humongous open world, there’s so much extra content packed into the game that travelling across Novigrad will see Geralt of Rivia encounter many stories and strange inhabitants. At the same time, he is building his character and maintaining a sense of urgency for the main quests to nudge the player to enjoy both the primary and secondary content in an equal fashion.

Some game series will explore both sides of the coin. For example, the newly-revealed Halo Infinite has been shown to be an open-world, sandbox experience. This is a far cry from the straightforward gameplay of the series, and actually has me compelled to give it a try. I’d love to take on The Banished at free reign, as I think Halo‘s tight gameplay would transition into open-world swimmingly. This switch in genre warranted the addition of a grappling hook for Master Chief, which is an exciting new element I look forward to utilizing.

Some games opt to allow for open-world exploration, but make it completely optional. Tomb Raider has leagues of collectibles and a fairly non-linear map with some actual tomb raiding. Yet it makes it known that its main attraction is the gripping survival tale that’s a thrill ride from start to finish. This is a format I’d love to see implemented more, as it’s another layer of choice that the player receives.

Personally, I enjoy a healthy mix of linear games and non-linear games. I love the sense of accomplishment I get scouring a packed, task-filled open world with dynamic difficulty, but find that linear titles do a much better job at connecting the player to the protagonists and the tale they’re telling. It all boils down to just how important a game’s story is to its encompassing experience; I tend to prefer strong gameplay over a strong story to get the most enjoyment out of a game, but will never deny a captivating narrative. Here’s hoping CD Projekt Red can nail it again with Cyberpunk 2077 when it releases this November!