All articles tagged with #level design
PowerWash Simulator 2 enhances the original with new washers, equipment, and level variety, offering a more refined and enjoyable cleaning experience, though the new office customization features are less compelling. The game maintains its relaxing, satisfying gameplay with small improvements and whimsical levels, making it a must-play for fans of the first game and newcomers alike.
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is a promising soulslike game praised for its dynamic combat, extensive skill tree, and interconnected level design, though it suffers from inconsistent difficulty and frustrating boss fights. The game features a dark fantasy story about a hero afflicted with amnesia and a disease called The Feathering, with gameplay emphasizing skillful dodging, weapon and skill customization, and exploration of a richly detailed world. Despite some repetitive and punishing boss encounters, it is highly recommended for fans of the genre seeking a challenging and visually stunning experience.
Children of the Sun, a psychedelic puzzle-shooter, offers a unique gaming experience where players must use a single bullet to take down enemies in each level using telekinetic abilities. The game's 18th level, "Open Mic Night in Hell," is highlighted as a standout, requiring players to devise creative strategies to eliminate cultists in a complex environment. The game's optional solutions and visceral gameplay make it a compelling and challenging experience for players.
Sonic Superstars is a solid 2D Sonic game with vibrant visuals and varied level design. The game can be played solo or in co-op, but the co-op mode suffers from the game's fast pace and diverging paths, making it a messy experience. The chaos emerald powers add some replay value, but are not essential. Overall, the game is recommended for solo play, but co-op is not recommended.
The design and elements of the Depths in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom were created in a surprisingly short period of time, but perfecting them took longer. The Depths and surface have an inverted relationship, and the team wanted to investigate this idea. With the help of programmers, they quickly finished a prototype. However, it took a long time and many adjustments for the Depths to take its present shape. Achieving seamless movement from the sky to the surface and then into the Depths was technologically challenging, but the programmers eventually made it a reality.
Level designer Dennis Micka shared his process for designing Cauldron IOTA in Horizon Forbidden West, which climaxes with the player riding the head of a Tallneck as it emerges from the Cauldron. Micka had to make a lot of mistakes on the way to the finish line, including dealing with massive technical challenges and navigating the lack of Tallneck tools. He also learned key soft-skill lessons in the level design process, such as using pre-production time well and keeping coworkers from other teams involved in the process.
Miles Tost, a lead developer at CD Projekt Red, spoke at GDC 2023 about the non-linear level design in Cyberpunk 2077 and how it failed to make the various playstyles feel meaningful. Tost determined that CD Projekt's commitment to telling a strong story was a key stumbling block, resulting in a "generic path" that trivialized the game's robust selection of playstyles. Tost developed three basic principles for level design, including the perception of distance, exclusivity, and validation, which he believes can be applied to future games. The Phantom Liberty expansion is set to launch later this year.