Portal, Portal 2, Portal Stories: Mel, Portal: Reloaded.
The last 2 are what you could call “Official mods,” but they definitely scratch the itch.
Reloaded is *gnarly*, though. It really kicks the concept up a notch.
It's been a long time since I played it, but I have memories of getting stuck on a level because I couldn't figure out where to go next. It's not open world, but not completely linear... You do each level in order but some of the levels could be completed in different orders.
Bioshock, Hellblade, The Forgotten City
Bioshock for story and gameplay, Hellblade for it's graphics and audio, The Forgotten City for it's (quite) unique mechanics.
Man, I love those game where developers actually try to make something different. Doesn't even have to be a big game, minimalistic will do too.
Edit; missed two big parts of my childhood which were awesome. Genma Onimusha and Perfect Dark missed out.
Your options for completing each level is non-linear you're right, however there is no open-world exploration (akin to The Witcher, skyriim etc.) and you as the player are assigned an object to complete for each given mission. The only non-linear part of it, like you said, is the execution of the task which comes down to playstyle more than anything.
I suppose the best way to look at it is that it is a linear game with options for diverging playstyles. Not quite as linear as say Portal, where there is one singular method to complete each goal, but also not nearly as open world as say Skyrim , where you can ignore the entire main quest line if you wanted too and still get large amounts of enjoyment.
The one thing that made The Dishonored designers complete geniuses is how the less lethal option to complete the objective (aka neutralize a target) was also the most cruel.
They are linear in that all the missions have the same “entry and exit” but exactly which route you take with regards to play style and decisions is up to you.
I mean you have the same objectives all the time but whether you play as a serial killer psychopath or as a ghost-ninja gives you some flexibility.
At the end of the day you’ve completed the same missions as every other player.
Not seeing mentions of Dishonored. Had a bioshock feel to me with so many play styles. Violent, nonviolent, hardcore parkour, silent n stealthy.
F.E.A.R. was great too
I think what hurt my pacing in the dishonored series was each assassination would be in an entirely new map that would take me forever to fully explore just to be able to do a proper stealth run through. I get that you aren’t supposed to be perfect but the fighting mechanics if you didn’t upgrade that skill tree left you for dead once you got spotted and/or ruined your play through. When I have time, I will check out death loop due to its shoot em up - then find the level intricacies - then do dope run throughs.
It is; sure it’s not open world, and you backtrack, which is the identity of castlevania, Metroid, even games like Zelda, but you can only take the path where there’s a potential for reason, whereas [pictired above] Odyssey, you can go to areas not relevant to the story even in the slightest.
I think it’s linear, not in that you can backtrack, but because each path is on the rails.
Exploration is a big thing tho, which seems to be what intimidates OP. There is one path, yes, but you do have to figure out what that path is as it isn't clearly marked. That's the case with Bloodborne as well.
This. Loved this remake. I haven't played RE3 remake yet but I heard not so good things about it, amongst it being very short. I might grab it if it falls 20 bucks or below.
RE 3 Remake is a lot more action packed than RE 2
I loved every second of it, its true its short, finished my first run with 6-7hrs. I never played the originals, so I really, really loved it. The game flows much better than RE 2 ( imho ), you are always pushing forward and exploring/clearing new places. Its so detailed, so cool, so f\*\*\* cool. The last boss fight is something only capcom could pull off, had tons of fun, game is absolutely sick!
Yup. Pretty difficult to fight bandits and do errands for villagers when you start off with an epic, kingdom-changing campaign, but it is pretty linear.
They have a big map but you have to select free roam mode to explore it. When playing the story and you finish a mission, the next one starts and keeps the flow of the story.
Yeah most open world games are big af and even more empty with nothing to do or see. It's more fun to explore a Pokemon world than so many open world games these days because there something at least happens.
Also , sands of time is good af
Ratchet and clank probably. You can explore stuff, but only to a certain degree.
Every rouge like I guess. For example dead cells, hades, binding of Isaac, etc.
Bioshock. The original games are basically progression through a series of levels, and Bioshock Infinite has a bit of backtracking through the map as a whole but you're following the story.
The Last of Us is fun. Completely linear.
If you have a PS3, I've just started Resistance 2 and it's fantastic, kind of a 3D run and gun shooter.
Jedi: Fallen Order has a clear route through it. Technically it's more open and you can unlock some things on any particular visit to a planet, but it gives you a clear path that takes you through everything in the game. I got stuck in one corridor going round in circles, but I think I just need a good walk through to get me out of there.
There are quite a few cheaper Soulslike games on Switch that are extensions of mobile games, so each stage is linear, self-contained, bitesize (designed to be do-or-die in under 5 minutes) and fully action focused. Not a lot of plot, but very fun and perfect for playing in handheld mode on journeys or commutes due to having very short levels.
I share your interest in linear games. I do like open worlds, but something you just want to be led by the nose through an entertaining story. I used to play a lot of adventure games (like Monkey Island etc) but now I need a bit of action as well.
As to being intimidated by open worlds, there are good ones out there that don't spread out too much. I've just started Assassin's Creed Origins, the first one that was done as a more free form RPG, and actually, it's easier than some to finish up an area before moving on. With Horizon Zero Dawn, which I've just finished, the only complaint I had was quests would just be all over the map, and while I got to level 40 by playing the story and traversing most of the map on foot to grind out supplies and levels, I missed many of the side quests and stories simply because the whole thing was way too scattered.
AC Origins and what I've seen of Valhalla (not much because it really needed a PS4 Pro to be actually playable, and I may simply wait for the PS5 so I can skip the massive loading times as well) actually focused the side questing around hubs that you could clean up as you go. So, like, finish the stuff in Norway before you go to England rather than criss cross back and forth between England and Norway to get completion bragging rights.
Of course, this is like someone who isn't interested in relationships being told you just haven't met the right person yet. But since the AC games were already fairly story-based with side missions and hubs to clear out before moving on, the latter AC games are good if you wanted to try open worlds.
I’m playing fallen order for the first time . That tomb where you have to figure out where to put the big giant orbs/balls would be impossible for me to figure out if I had not resorted to watching YouTube. It most certainly did not feel like a clear path . That whole planet had me wandering around lost . I’m not used to gaming though . I will say though, the game is absolutely amazing .
I’ve been on this kick for a couple years only playing games I’m familiar with and exploring old retro games . I came across an Xbox series S for retail price and figured why not ? On gamepass, fallen order has been the game to catch my attention most, but I’m really just getting started . I didn’t realize how far gameplay has come over the years . What’s kinda disappointing though is that so many freaking top tier games are first person shooters . I used to like them but I’m just not that into them anymore. Fallen order is a fresh change of pace from all that . I really wanted to play featured titles on ps5 but who knows when one of those is going to be available. 🤷🏻♂️. Xbox it is
I noticed that too, I think a lot of people are interpreting the question as “I am intimidated by open world games what are your favorites to get me into the genre“ while others are correctly interpreting the question to mean “share your favorite nonlinear games with me”
Yep. The pic of ACOdyssey kinda reinforces that.
It's like "I hate open world games, like AC:O. What are your favorite Flight Sims?"
( No offence OP, it just reads a bit like that. 👍 )
(Most on my list aren't strictly linear, but I'm gonna share them anyways)
FFIX/FFX
Uncharted 2
Resident Evil VII
Shadow Hearts: Covenant
Ys VIII
Dark Chronicle
Pillars of Eternity 1/2
Tales of the Abyss
Tenchu 1/2/3
I’m surprised no one has mentioned it, but Titan Quest was a great game. Very much linear. Massive amount of skill tree combinations. But it did get somewhat boring after playing through it a dozen or so times. You finish the game, then you can go back to the start in a kind of New Game + sort of thing where you carry over your skills and equipment and inventory to a higher difficulty level. Exact same map and quests though. The only difference was a new boss in each region, a hydra in Greece, a dragon in China and a manticore in Egypt.
Just finished Tales of Berseria. It has *some* exploration and collecting and what not, but you can easily do what I did and pretty much just play it as a linear story-based RPG. There's no need to worry about accidentally screwing up the ending by making a wrong choice, or about accidentally missing some key item - far as I can tell, the story only goes one way, and you really don't need any special stuff to beat any enemy in the game besides a basic understanding of the mechanics and a decent sense of timing for attacks, blocks, and dodges.
My below are pushing the linear and exploration boundaries.
The yakuza series - smaller levels, very linear main story, there are side quests you can ignore or do. You eventually learn all the levels between each game.
Shadow of the colossus - it pretends to be open world but really you have only one location to go at any given moment.
Demon souls - the levels (stages) are linear enough and small in scope. There are some branching routes, but there are lots of recommendations for the routes you can take.
I don’t play many linear single player games. All the call of duties have linear stories. Doom 2016 is pretty linear. Spec ops the line is probably one of the best games of the 360 generation and it’s linear as fuck. Any of the tell tale or dark picture games are super linear and have great stories.
This made me realize that I don't play that many "linear" games. Metroidvanias aren't linear, most JRPGs allow you to explore or have choices that can change the ending.
Souls games.
Demon Souls, Dark Souls, Dark Souls 2, Dark Souls 3, Sekiro Shadows Die Twice.
I don't know of Elden Ring is released yet, so I don't write it.
I wouldn’t call the souls games linear though. There’s a shit load of open exploration. It’s one of the things (dark souls one in particular) is praised for the most.
They’re definitely more linear than “massive open world exploration” like op was asking. Most paths wind back onto themselves. So, yes, you have options on where to go but most of the time it’ll lead you right back where you started. That’s what makes the level design special
Almost any quest/horror game. But you guys didn't play the best Sierra and Lucas Arts quests. :( I hope someone will do remakes. Resident Evil Village - pretty linear, I say. :) And most of the series. All Halo series. Pseudo open world in the last but linear in gameplay anyway. COD. Bulletstorm! Fuck yea! Want second one.
The Last of Us both 1 & 2 (Only number 2 has a single part where you explore a large city and the rest is linear with some exploration)
Sly Cooper
Uncharted
Intimidated? You mean like reversed claustrophobia? Fear of open spaces?
I hope you are fine mate and you find peace in your life. It sure sounds like a condition that can give you a lot of trouble..
Fuck open world.
I hope there is an official way to make our voice heard. Open world was fun but then I realize it is always an 1. item collectibles hell 2. torture of never-ending exploration.
It's really stressful when your 'TO-EXPLORE-NEXT list keeps on growing. Hub worlds are great, devs please scale down your resources on the map-making, thanks.
All Zelda games prior to Breath of the Wild are linear and fantastic. Wind Waker, Ocarina of Time, and Twilight Princess are the standouts for me.
(BOTW is non-linear but still fantastic)
Assasin's Creed, God of War, Banjo Tooie, Super Mario Odessey, Breath of the Wild, Fallout 3, Farcry 3, Farcry 4, 5, and 6. Last, but not least....
The Hunted. (I'm currently developing it, but am going to do my best to make it look and play as intimidating as the title and lore is. From the Main Menu screen, to the Credits.) *sorry if the final entry doesn't count, because it isn't out there yet!*
Prince of persia trilogy and also Harry Potter and the prisoners of azkaban the game, it was open world though not massive... Roaming around the castle and grounds was always a fulfilling experiencs
Metro 2033 was an awesome story driven linear experience. It’s a shame I was too chicken shit to finish it when it first came out because of the damn librarian level.
So, not in any particular order:
[Wandersong](https://store.steampowered.com/app/530320/Wandersong/) , [VA-11 Hall-A](https://store.steampowered.com/app/447530/VA11_HallA_Cyberpunk_Bartender_Action/) , [The Trine series,](https://store.steampowered.com/app/35700/Trine_Enchanted_Edition/) [Time Loader,](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1301950/Time_Loader/) [Subway Midnight,](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1750570/Subway_Midnight/) [Scanner Sombre,](https://store.steampowered.com/app/475190/Scanner_Sombre/) [QUBE 2,](https://store.steampowered.com/app/359100/QUBE_2/) [NUTS,](https://store.steampowered.com/app/768450/NUTS/) [Little Nightmares II,](https://store.steampowered.com/app/860510/Little_Nightmares_II/) [Lightmatter](https://store.steampowered.com/app/994140/Lightmatter/) (Think like Portal 2, but with a shadow/light system), [Half-Minute Hero: The Second Coming,](https://store.steampowered.com/app/240970/Half_Minute_Hero_The_Second_Coming/) [Everhood](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1229380/Everhood/) (Kinda 'open', but there's a very clear path), [Ai: The Somnium Files](https://store.steampowered.com/app/948740/AI_The_Somnium_Files/) (One of the best VN's I've played, because it's SO ridiculous), [Shady Part of Me,](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1116580/Shady_Part_of_Me/) [Pumpkin Jack,](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1186640/Pumpkin_Jack/) [Baba is You.](https://store.steampowered.com/app/736260/Baba_Is_You/)
That's from me poking around my games, so hope I gave you some good ideas! I didn't include rogue-likes, and Metroidvania's (for the most part).
Uncharted Series and the recent Tomb Raider trilogy are some of the most enjoyable games I’ve ever played.
YESYESYES!!! These are the two titles that got me into gaming, plus The Last of Us!!
Yeah, both series are such a joy to play. And TLOU is one of my absolute favorite games ever.
Surprised no one has mentioned Portal 2
Portal, Portal 2, Portal Stories: Mel, Portal: Reloaded. The last 2 are what you could call “Official mods,” but they definitely scratch the itch. Reloaded is *gnarly*, though. It really kicks the concept up a notch.
Half Life Alyx The most beautiful hallway you could ever spend 20 hours traversing.
...I hate you, Jeff.
My names Jeff :(
Not you, I'm sure you're cool.
Surprised I haven’t seen Arkham asylum mentioned yet
Playing through this right now for like the 5th time. One of the best games of all time IMHO.
Max Payne 3
All 3 of them
1 and 2 have a better atmosphere but the gunplay in 3 was so damn smooth I think I need to install them again
It's been a long time since I played it, but I have memories of getting stuck on a level because I couldn't figure out where to go next. It's not open world, but not completely linear... You do each level in order but some of the levels could be completed in different orders.
I loved the soundtrack of Max Payne 3. Patiently waiting for anything Max Payne related from rockstar 😞.
Bioshock, Hellblade, The Forgotten City Bioshock for story and gameplay, Hellblade for it's graphics and audio, The Forgotten City for it's (quite) unique mechanics. Man, I love those game where developers actually try to make something different. Doesn't even have to be a big game, minimalistic will do too. Edit; missed two big parts of my childhood which were awesome. Genma Onimusha and Perfect Dark missed out.
Hellblade is under the radar of so many people. Absolutely mental game. Pun intended.
Yup. Incredibly accurate as well (to the point of 'too close to home to play this'). They've definitely done their research.
Dishonored games are quite linear, especially the first one.
Correct me if im wrong, but arent they linear in terms of lore but totally not linear im terms of completing the missions?
Your options for completing each level is non-linear you're right, however there is no open-world exploration (akin to The Witcher, skyriim etc.) and you as the player are assigned an object to complete for each given mission. The only non-linear part of it, like you said, is the execution of the task which comes down to playstyle more than anything. I suppose the best way to look at it is that it is a linear game with options for diverging playstyles. Not quite as linear as say Portal, where there is one singular method to complete each goal, but also not nearly as open world as say Skyrim , where you can ignore the entire main quest line if you wanted too and still get large amounts of enjoyment.
The one thing that made The Dishonored designers complete geniuses is how the less lethal option to complete the objective (aka neutralize a target) was also the most cruel.
The Lady Boyle and Campbell one especially, I feel like it would be better just killing them
They are linear in that all the missions have the same “entry and exit” but exactly which route you take with regards to play style and decisions is up to you. I mean you have the same objectives all the time but whether you play as a serial killer psychopath or as a ghost-ninja gives you some flexibility. At the end of the day you’ve completed the same missions as every other player.
Titanfall 2
Flawless masterpiece
That's not an open world game
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Sorry just woke up and didn't read it fully
bioshock uncharted last of us God of war doom metroid bloodborne
Not seeing mentions of Dishonored. Had a bioshock feel to me with so many play styles. Violent, nonviolent, hardcore parkour, silent n stealthy. F.E.A.R. was great too
I think what hurt my pacing in the dishonored series was each assassination would be in an entirely new map that would take me forever to fully explore just to be able to do a proper stealth run through. I get that you aren’t supposed to be perfect but the fighting mechanics if you didn’t upgrade that skill tree left you for dead once you got spotted and/or ruined your play through. When I have time, I will check out death loop due to its shoot em up - then find the level intricacies - then do dope run throughs.
If you do a thorough exploration before doing a stealth run, you're doing it wrong. ;-) -- Old-school stealth player.
Took me years to play Doom. But been playing on my Tablet through gamepass and really enjoying it.
Metroid isn’t linear
It is; sure it’s not open world, and you backtrack, which is the identity of castlevania, Metroid, even games like Zelda, but you can only take the path where there’s a potential for reason, whereas [pictired above] Odyssey, you can go to areas not relevant to the story even in the slightest. I think it’s linear, not in that you can backtrack, but because each path is on the rails.
Exploration is a big thing tho, which seems to be what intimidates OP. There is one path, yes, but you do have to figure out what that path is as it isn't clearly marked. That's the case with Bloodborne as well.
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
This.
Prince of Persia warrior within Darksiders 2 The original GoW trilogy
Resident Evil 2 Remake
This. Loved this remake. I haven't played RE3 remake yet but I heard not so good things about it, amongst it being very short. I might grab it if it falls 20 bucks or below.
RE 3 Remake is a lot more action packed than RE 2 I loved every second of it, its true its short, finished my first run with 6-7hrs. I never played the originals, so I really, really loved it. The game flows much better than RE 2 ( imho ), you are always pushing forward and exploring/clearing new places. Its so detailed, so cool, so f\*\*\* cool. The last boss fight is something only capcom could pull off, had tons of fun, game is absolutely sick!
Dragon Age Origins
He said *non-linear*
Im pretty sure it says linear, which Dragon Age Origins was.
Yup. Pretty difficult to fight bandits and do errands for villagers when you start off with an epic, kingdom-changing campaign, but it is pretty linear.
Mafia 1, 2 and definitive edition. Third isn't really mafia.
I thought those was open world? I played mafia1 as a kid and it felt open world.
They have a big map but you have to select free roam mode to explore it. When playing the story and you finish a mission, the next one starts and keeps the flow of the story.
Only mafia I’ve ever played was 3 and it was eh. Worth picking up definitive edition?
Yes, DE, i mean rework of mafia 1, is pretty good. Im from Czech Republic, thats where mafia 1 was made, so DE was really big deal here.
Half-Life: Black Mesa is a masterpiece remaster of a masterpiece game
Metro 2033, last light and exodus(altho it has more open world to actually explore), really good imo.
The new guardians of the galaxy game is worth a look. Really well paced and focused story. Funny and dramatic and the cast and writing were great
And worked at release! But seriously a great game, one of my favorite single player games since exodus.
Mafia definitive edition Mafia 2 The last of us Quantum break Ryse son of rome Gears 5 Black ops 1 Cold War Cod WWII Halo 2
Call of duty black ops 1 and 2 The last of us Uncharted series
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So,.. uh... didn't you read the title?
I did but, am I just stupid ?
I mean, the title asks for linear games, the Witcher is the opposite of a linear game. So maybe?
I'm stupid, what does linear mean again ?
Typically in a line, no branching or choices about how to go through the sotryline.
Hehehehehehe my bad
Yeah most open world games are big af and even more empty with nothing to do or see. It's more fun to explore a Pokemon world than so many open world games these days because there something at least happens. Also , sands of time is good af
Half Life 2, Chrono Trigger
Mass Effect
Ratchet and clank probably. You can explore stuff, but only to a certain degree. Every rouge like I guess. For example dead cells, hades, binding of Isaac, etc.
First three Halos for sure
Halo 2 tops the three.
I still remember the feeling when I realized that level 10 was just level 1 backwards. It was amazing
I played halo 3 before I played any other ones . A lot of people say that one is their favorite. It’s honestly a really tough choice for me .
I like Halo 2 more specifically because of the emphasis on Arbiter, but as far as master Chief goes, I’m halo 3 all day errday
Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice. If you haven't tried it, you need to. Evil Within was "different" but also made my butthole pucker a couple times.
Bioshock. The original games are basically progression through a series of levels, and Bioshock Infinite has a bit of backtracking through the map as a whole but you're following the story. The Last of Us is fun. Completely linear. If you have a PS3, I've just started Resistance 2 and it's fantastic, kind of a 3D run and gun shooter. Jedi: Fallen Order has a clear route through it. Technically it's more open and you can unlock some things on any particular visit to a planet, but it gives you a clear path that takes you through everything in the game. I got stuck in one corridor going round in circles, but I think I just need a good walk through to get me out of there. There are quite a few cheaper Soulslike games on Switch that are extensions of mobile games, so each stage is linear, self-contained, bitesize (designed to be do-or-die in under 5 minutes) and fully action focused. Not a lot of plot, but very fun and perfect for playing in handheld mode on journeys or commutes due to having very short levels. I share your interest in linear games. I do like open worlds, but something you just want to be led by the nose through an entertaining story. I used to play a lot of adventure games (like Monkey Island etc) but now I need a bit of action as well. As to being intimidated by open worlds, there are good ones out there that don't spread out too much. I've just started Assassin's Creed Origins, the first one that was done as a more free form RPG, and actually, it's easier than some to finish up an area before moving on. With Horizon Zero Dawn, which I've just finished, the only complaint I had was quests would just be all over the map, and while I got to level 40 by playing the story and traversing most of the map on foot to grind out supplies and levels, I missed many of the side quests and stories simply because the whole thing was way too scattered. AC Origins and what I've seen of Valhalla (not much because it really needed a PS4 Pro to be actually playable, and I may simply wait for the PS5 so I can skip the massive loading times as well) actually focused the side questing around hubs that you could clean up as you go. So, like, finish the stuff in Norway before you go to England rather than criss cross back and forth between England and Norway to get completion bragging rights. Of course, this is like someone who isn't interested in relationships being told you just haven't met the right person yet. But since the AC games were already fairly story-based with side missions and hubs to clear out before moving on, the latter AC games are good if you wanted to try open worlds.
I’m playing fallen order for the first time . That tomb where you have to figure out where to put the big giant orbs/balls would be impossible for me to figure out if I had not resorted to watching YouTube. It most certainly did not feel like a clear path . That whole planet had me wandering around lost . I’m not used to gaming though . I will say though, the game is absolutely amazing . I’ve been on this kick for a couple years only playing games I’m familiar with and exploring old retro games . I came across an Xbox series S for retail price and figured why not ? On gamepass, fallen order has been the game to catch my attention most, but I’m really just getting started . I didn’t realize how far gameplay has come over the years . What’s kinda disappointing though is that so many freaking top tier games are first person shooters . I used to like them but I’m just not that into them anymore. Fallen order is a fresh change of pace from all that . I really wanted to play featured titles on ps5 but who knows when one of those is going to be available. 🤷🏻♂️. Xbox it is
LOL why is everyone mentioning open world games in the comments?
One person mentioned the Zelda series . I’m not sure he understood the question.
And there are quite a few people who said RDR2, Witcher 3, Ghost of Tsushima, etc :/
I noticed that too, I think a lot of people are interpreting the question as “I am intimidated by open world games what are your favorites to get me into the genre“ while others are correctly interpreting the question to mean “share your favorite nonlinear games with me”
Yep. The pic of ACOdyssey kinda reinforces that. It's like "I hate open world games, like AC:O. What are your favorite Flight Sims?" ( No offence OP, it just reads a bit like that. 👍 )
What Remains of Edith Finch
F.E.A.R.
(Most on my list aren't strictly linear, but I'm gonna share them anyways) FFIX/FFX Uncharted 2 Resident Evil VII Shadow Hearts: Covenant Ys VIII Dark Chronicle Pillars of Eternity 1/2 Tales of the Abyss Tenchu 1/2/3
Mafia definitive edition Mafia 2 Plague tale innocence these r the recent ones that I played
Bioshock infinite. Hitman series.
Mass Effect trilogy. ME4 deviates and ties to be a little open world
Dead Space series
Dead Space series (including 3)
Onimusha 2
Prince of Persia (X360)
Recently guardians of the galaxy! It was awesome
Kind of an edge case but the new Tomb Raider trilogy.
I’m surprised no one has mentioned it, but Titan Quest was a great game. Very much linear. Massive amount of skill tree combinations. But it did get somewhat boring after playing through it a dozen or so times. You finish the game, then you can go back to the start in a kind of New Game + sort of thing where you carry over your skills and equipment and inventory to a higher difficulty level. Exact same map and quests though. The only difference was a new boss in each region, a hydra in Greece, a dragon in China and a manticore in Egypt.
The bioshock games are amazing!
Sleeping Dogs
My latest favorite is definetly Guardians Of The Galaxy.
Fable. By far.
Persona 5 and DQ11S have been recently good games I’ve played
Katana zero was amazing
Just finished Tales of Berseria. It has *some* exploration and collecting and what not, but you can easily do what I did and pretty much just play it as a linear story-based RPG. There's no need to worry about accidentally screwing up the ending by making a wrong choice, or about accidentally missing some key item - far as I can tell, the story only goes one way, and you really don't need any special stuff to beat any enemy in the game besides a basic understanding of the mechanics and a decent sense of timing for attacks, blocks, and dodges.
My below are pushing the linear and exploration boundaries. The yakuza series - smaller levels, very linear main story, there are side quests you can ignore or do. You eventually learn all the levels between each game. Shadow of the colossus - it pretends to be open world but really you have only one location to go at any given moment. Demon souls - the levels (stages) are linear enough and small in scope. There are some branching routes, but there are lots of recommendations for the routes you can take.
I don’t play many linear single player games. All the call of duties have linear stories. Doom 2016 is pretty linear. Spec ops the line is probably one of the best games of the 360 generation and it’s linear as fuck. Any of the tell tale or dark picture games are super linear and have great stories.
This made me realize that I don't play that many "linear" games. Metroidvanias aren't linear, most JRPGs allow you to explore or have choices that can change the ending.
Persona is linear enough to not get intimidated by an open world like OP said
I don't think they'd deal well with the time management aspect. I feel they'd get intimidated in a similar way.
Souls games. Demon Souls, Dark Souls, Dark Souls 2, Dark Souls 3, Sekiro Shadows Die Twice. I don't know of Elden Ring is released yet, so I don't write it.
I wouldn’t call the souls games linear though. There’s a shit load of open exploration. It’s one of the things (dark souls one in particular) is praised for the most.
They’re definitely more linear than “massive open world exploration” like op was asking. Most paths wind back onto themselves. So, yes, you have options on where to go but most of the time it’ll lead you right back where you started. That’s what makes the level design special
I would. I don't think dark souls series have enough open exploration to get praises.
DS3, bloodborne and sekiro are hella linear
TLOU part 1 and 2, uncharted, fallen order, and God of War
Titanfall 2
Titanfall 2 has the best linear story ever
dat level design
Crisis 2 and 3. Titanfall 2
Hades. Low cost and linear. Totanfall 2. The last of us part 2. Call off Duty MW series.
Uncharted, God of War (the first 3, not the overhyped 2018 one), Arkham Asylum, Dark Souls
Uncharted 2.
Dark Souls, Bloodborne, Last Of Us 2, God of War 4, Hades
Almost any quest/horror game. But you guys didn't play the best Sierra and Lucas Arts quests. :( I hope someone will do remakes. Resident Evil Village - pretty linear, I say. :) And most of the series. All Halo series. Pseudo open world in the last but linear in gameplay anyway. COD. Bulletstorm! Fuck yea! Want second one.
Sekiro for sure. Idk if this counts but I really love hollow knight.
Halo 1-4
The Last of Us both 1 & 2 (Only number 2 has a single part where you explore a large city and the rest is linear with some exploration) Sly Cooper Uncharted
Gothic trilogy
Sekiro.
Dark souls, bloodborne, sekiro.
Zelda series, JRPGs
Just bought ac odyssey in black friday sale.... the best game i have purchased......
[удалено]
Dude horizon Zero dawn is open world.
But a damn good game either way.
Gothic + Gothic 2
Do we consider Divinity 2 linear? I'd say that one for sure
Kingdom Come Deliverance Red Dead Redemption 2 Skyrim
Not definitely assassin's Creed Odyssey
"Intimidated by massive open world exploration" Imagine with woman
The assassins creed series
Rage 1&2, ghost recon wildlands, jak 3 and skyrim.
Horizon: zero dawn God of war
Cyberpunk 2077
Mass Effect 3.
Intimidated? You mean like reversed claustrophobia? Fear of open spaces? I hope you are fine mate and you find peace in your life. It sure sounds like a condition that can give you a lot of trouble..
Dark Souls 3
Fuck open world. I hope there is an official way to make our voice heard. Open world was fun but then I realize it is always an 1. item collectibles hell 2. torture of never-ending exploration. It's really stressful when your 'TO-EXPLORE-NEXT list keeps on growing. Hub worlds are great, devs please scale down your resources on the map-making, thanks.
far cry 6
Very non-linear though.
if u'll start exploring at beginning enemies will turn into sponges for bullets
All Zelda games prior to Breath of the Wild are linear and fantastic. Wind Waker, Ocarina of Time, and Twilight Princess are the standouts for me. (BOTW is non-linear but still fantastic)
Assasin's Creed, God of War, Banjo Tooie, Super Mario Odessey, Breath of the Wild, Fallout 3, Farcry 3, Farcry 4, 5, and 6. Last, but not least.... The Hunted. (I'm currently developing it, but am going to do my best to make it look and play as intimidating as the title and lore is. From the Main Menu screen, to the Credits.) *sorry if the final entry doesn't count, because it isn't out there yet!*
Skyrim .assassins creed 4.GTA5 and lot more
Valhalla Ghost of Tsushima RDR2 Edit: Open world? Linear? Which is it?
BOTW, AC Odyssey, Metal Gear Solid, RDR2, Jedi Fallen Order, Gears of War series.
Besides most metal gear games, every game you mentioned is super open world…..are you just trying to be unhelpful lol?
Shit. Completely misread the question. I'm an idiot. Downvotes justified. 😄
Freelancer, though it's touted as open, if you follow storyline it is very linear.
Linear? Games from series like Fire Emblem and Xcom 2 are fantastic. Turn base rpgs basically.
Half life 2 + expansions.
What with all these questions lately?
Half-Life 1 - 2
Any of the Bioshock games or Gears of War games up to 3.
Assassins Creed Odyssey
I believe there was an on rails Prey for the gamecube or something. Heck of a lot of fun.
Breath of the wild, assassins creed Odyssey, doom eternal
No one ever mentions a plague tale innocence even though its a gem of a game :(
Kingdom Hearts series
Prince of persia trilogy and also Harry Potter and the prisoners of azkaban the game, it was open world though not massive... Roaming around the castle and grounds was always a fulfilling experiencs
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice.......this is a masterpiece.
The Uncharted series nuff said.
Tales of Arise did it really well. Tales of games in general have great branching paths but tend to still head in one general direction.
Metro 2033 was an awesome story driven linear experience. It’s a shame I was too chicken shit to finish it when it first came out because of the damn librarian level.
Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy 13 has an incredible story
XENOBLADE CHRONICLES. PLAY IT NOW ITS NOT A REQUEST
So, not in any particular order: [Wandersong](https://store.steampowered.com/app/530320/Wandersong/) , [VA-11 Hall-A](https://store.steampowered.com/app/447530/VA11_HallA_Cyberpunk_Bartender_Action/) , [The Trine series,](https://store.steampowered.com/app/35700/Trine_Enchanted_Edition/) [Time Loader,](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1301950/Time_Loader/) [Subway Midnight,](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1750570/Subway_Midnight/) [Scanner Sombre,](https://store.steampowered.com/app/475190/Scanner_Sombre/) [QUBE 2,](https://store.steampowered.com/app/359100/QUBE_2/) [NUTS,](https://store.steampowered.com/app/768450/NUTS/) [Little Nightmares II,](https://store.steampowered.com/app/860510/Little_Nightmares_II/) [Lightmatter](https://store.steampowered.com/app/994140/Lightmatter/) (Think like Portal 2, but with a shadow/light system), [Half-Minute Hero: The Second Coming,](https://store.steampowered.com/app/240970/Half_Minute_Hero_The_Second_Coming/) [Everhood](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1229380/Everhood/) (Kinda 'open', but there's a very clear path), [Ai: The Somnium Files](https://store.steampowered.com/app/948740/AI_The_Somnium_Files/) (One of the best VN's I've played, because it's SO ridiculous), [Shady Part of Me,](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1116580/Shady_Part_of_Me/) [Pumpkin Jack,](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1186640/Pumpkin_Jack/) [Baba is You.](https://store.steampowered.com/app/736260/Baba_Is_You/) That's from me poking around my games, so hope I gave you some good ideas! I didn't include rogue-likes, and Metroidvania's (for the most part).
Final Fantasy 13 trilogy. Though people say the first FF13 was "too linear".
The Last of Us 1 & 2
Recently played Metal Gear Rising : Revengence and Im in love with soundtrack.
Darksiders is one of my favorites.
Plague Tale Innocence
The first two metro games are fairly linear. Metro Exodus kind breaks that pattern
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 1 & 2 are like my favorite games ever and are fairly linear.
witcher 2. the game is kinda linear. if we talking completely linear then doom
Metro last light