Link's latest outing has some of the best aspects in any Zelda title — like
the overworld design, freedom to explore, and art style — but also has some of the worst dungeons and storytelling in the series.
[citation needed] Negative feedback mostly centralized on the mundane
overworld design, as many felt the train took away the freedom of exploration.
They have not really done that in any 3d Zelda game with the exception of Twilight Princess maybe as it tried something like that in
its overworld design.
From Final Fantasy, we were inspired by
the overworld designs of their older titles.
Not exact matches
Those two titles best capture what is so great about Zelda and have the best
designed dungeons, most cohesive
overworlds and best typify the adventurous and heroic tone these games look to convey,.
In some ways Ni No Kuni II feels like a game that's struggling to find its identity as it clings to archaic
designs from yesteryear (restricted save points, a chibi - style
overworld, fetch quests, and level grinding) while also innovating in clear ways (fluid real - time combat, seamless exploration to combat transitions, liberal fast traveling, and a creative kingdom management system.)
In an attempt to create a significantly more moody, evil and endlessly foreboding contrast to the game's natural
overworld, Retro Studios
designed Echoes's dark world with a myriad of complications and intricacies to keep players in a perpetual state of unease and despair.
The level
designs are distinct and memorable, from the lush blues and greens of of the
overworld, to the eerie purples and browns of forgotten dungeons.
Players of D2 will recognise many of the features that made it a success have returned, such as: beautifully crafted maps and assets, a well -
designed campaign, split
Overworld / Underworld levels, split RTS / management controls, absorbing dungeon management and notably, its great sense of humour too.
Add in great level
design, music, a whopping 120 stars to collect and a hub
overworld that's still emulated today, and you've got an all - time classic.
Jagged Alliance 2 brings to the table a wicked sense of humor, simulation - driven character
design, a combination of strategic
overworld and tactical battles reminiscent of the X-COM series, and a surprisingly deep open - world RPG experience reminiscent of the Ultima or Elder Scrolls games.
The game
design provides considerable challenge, but level
design devolves to cruelty in the cave sequences approaching the final dungeon (although players can exploit a bug in the
overworld to counteract this).
Like I said there are little to no puzzles, the level
designs are quite repetitive with no personality, the game ruined what made other Zelda games great, which was fun items / weapons to use, this game they are pretty generic, and the
overworld map feels too small and looks like they pasted blah looking textures all over it.
With the modern engine and excellent creative
design of Hoenn in place, Game Freak has provided gamers with one of the most incredible looking and well crafted
overworlds in the series.
Shovel Knight features an
overworld map similar to that of Super Mario Bros. 3, towns like those found in Zelda 2, and level
design inspired by the Mega Man series.
While we have (and will continue to have, until we can see the final game in action) concerns of how well the studio will be able to manage quest
design and overall cohesion between its wider narrative and
overworld — something genre veterans still struggle with to this day — the core of the game is just so damned impressive.
What did you think of the whole train
design hook for the
overworld?
- Heavily conscientious level
design - Metroidvania progression - Classic open - world
Overworld and Dungeon format -16-bit graphic and audio style -8-voice Chiptune and lofi sample soundtrack - Classic 8 - way and 4 - way navigation modes for gameplay - Enemy
design invoking original standards of 16 - bit era - Intense, brutal bosses which require learning and observation - Highly challenging combat sequences with a high skill ceiling - Puzzles built around observation, item use, and sequential logic - Complex trading system to obtain optional items - Customizable playstyle based on which items player obtains and equips
The term air pirate is apt, as the game features several air ships (more than enough to make Cid in any one of his incarnations jealous) of varying power and
design that are the main mode of transportation on the
overworld (and in some select dungeons).
It's not even just that I don't feel like I need to, but I feel like grouping actively makes most of the
overworld experience worse, just because of the way that content is
designed.
Level
design was challenging and addictive, while the
overworld concept introduced the possibility of non-linear gameplay.
The first game in the Zelda series already had used this combination, but Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru pushes this much further — every dungeon actually plays almost like a platformer game (even if jumping can be quite awkward), whereas the
overworld is
designed in a classical RPG way and is more focused on exploration.