10 Linear Games That Give You the MOST FREEDOM
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Date: 2024-04-14
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Comments and reviews: 20
eclipse_434
I strongly disagree with the idea that linear games are bad or have a stigma around them.
Think about the most memorable and passionate experiences in your gaming history, and I guarantee you that linear, story based games make up the vast super-majority of all these fond memories.
List your top 10 favorite games, and I am confident that linear, single-player, story based games will overwhelmingly comprise and top these lists.
There is no substitute for the emotional satisfaction derived from the depth of such a finely tuned and masterfully crafted story which can only be accomplished by removing the chaotic uncertainty of open ended gaming in favor of a tight, focused, curated experience progressing through a story in and orderly, straightforward, structured fashion.
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I strongly disagree with the idea that linear games are bad or have a stigma around them.
Think about the most memorable and passionate experiences in your gaming history, and I guarantee you that linear, story based games make up the vast super-majority of all these fond memories.
List your top 10 favorite games, and I am confident that linear, single-player, story based games will overwhelmingly comprise and top these lists.
There is no substitute for the emotional satisfaction derived from the depth of such a finely tuned and masterfully crafted story which can only be accomplished by removing the chaotic uncertainty of open ended gaming in favor of a tight, focused, curated experience progressing through a story in and orderly, straightforward, structured fashion.
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sugreev2001
Don’t agree with you about the Like A Dragon series. Linear Games, by definition, offer little in the way of side quests or mini games. They’re often focused on just progressing the main story. The Yakuza/Like A Dragon games have all the properties of an Action RPG open world sandbox. The sun stories are enormously entertaining and made to take you away from following the main story beats. The only thing that it shares with linear games is it’s location, which can often strand you to a single location. And I’m not just counting Kamurocho when I say this.
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Don’t agree with you about the Like A Dragon series. Linear Games, by definition, offer little in the way of side quests or mini games. They’re often focused on just progressing the main story. The Yakuza/Like A Dragon games have all the properties of an Action RPG open world sandbox. The sun stories are enormously entertaining and made to take you away from following the main story beats. The only thing that it shares with linear games is it’s location, which can often strand you to a single location. And I’m not just counting Kamurocho when I say this.
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fixedG
Glad the original Deus Ex made the list. Maybe I was unimaginative or an obedient rule-follower, but I was a kid playing it for the first time in the late '90s and it wasn't until I revisited it as an adult playing around with mods like a decade or more later that I realized you didn't have to flee out the window of Paul's apartment when the Men and Black were knocking down the door and he was telling you to run. You could stay and fight, and survive, and Paul would too. That game gave you choices and options you might not even realize it was giving you.
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Glad the original Deus Ex made the list. Maybe I was unimaginative or an obedient rule-follower, but I was a kid playing it for the first time in the late '90s and it wasn't until I revisited it as an adult playing around with mods like a decade or more later that I realized you didn't have to flee out the window of Paul's apartment when the Men and Black were knocking down the door and he was telling you to run. You could stay and fight, and survive, and Paul would too. That game gave you choices and options you might not even realize it was giving you.
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ForeverMasterless
Dark Souls 1 definitely deserves a mention. It's very far from an open world game, really a very restricted metroidvania. But the way those linear paths connect and loop on each other is incredible. After you finish the tutorial and get to firelink there are technically 8 different bosses that COULD be the first boss you fight, assuming you took the master key like everyone does.
Pinwheel
Taurus Demon
Quelaag
Gargoyles
Moonlight Butterfly
Sif
Stray Demon
Capra
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Dark Souls 1 definitely deserves a mention. It's very far from an open world game, really a very restricted metroidvania. But the way those linear paths connect and loop on each other is incredible. After you finish the tutorial and get to firelink there are technically 8 different bosses that COULD be the first boss you fight, assuming you took the master key like everyone does.
Pinwheel
Taurus Demon
Quelaag
Gargoyles
Moonlight Butterfly
Sif
Stray Demon
Capra
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tckiller111
Honestly I'm so over super large open world games. I'm older now and don't really have the patience or time for 100hr games anymore. I'm happier paying $70 for a straightforward 20-30hr game that I will actually finish and enjoy. For example assassins creed mirage for me was so much more fun than origins, odyssey or valhalla. I was engaged the entire time. The open world games just get really stale at some point and exploration and side quests are usually meaningless and not that fun.
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Honestly I'm so over super large open world games. I'm older now and don't really have the patience or time for 100hr games anymore. I'm happier paying $70 for a straightforward 20-30hr game that I will actually finish and enjoy. For example assassins creed mirage for me was so much more fun than origins, odyssey or valhalla. I was engaged the entire time. The open world games just get really stale at some point and exploration and side quests are usually meaningless and not that fun.
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PsychoRavager
Throughout the years, I've enjoyed more linear games (from the more focused ones to the semi-open entries, too) than full-blown sandbox-style open-world games. I prefer games that have a particular flow to 'em. Altho I have, for the most part, grown to understand the criticism against games that are way too busy being cinematic and cutscene-heavy than having any meaningful gameplay whatsoever. There's a reason I've gravitated towards indie games lately more and more.
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Throughout the years, I've enjoyed more linear games (from the more focused ones to the semi-open entries, too) than full-blown sandbox-style open-world games. I prefer games that have a particular flow to 'em. Altho I have, for the most part, grown to understand the criticism against games that are way too busy being cinematic and cutscene-heavy than having any meaningful gameplay whatsoever. There's a reason I've gravitated towards indie games lately more and more.
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MrInsanieac
Big fan of BG3, so many amazing things to do, alot featured in this highlight. Then when you get to Act 3, that list of things becomes quite linear as certain quests in game start to break down if not done in the developers decided order. Such a strange turn for something that seems so open at the being then so limiting at the end. Still did enjoy it just more the first couple hundred hours of the beginning that i replayed more then any other moment.
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Big fan of BG3, so many amazing things to do, alot featured in this highlight. Then when you get to Act 3, that list of things becomes quite linear as certain quests in game start to break down if not done in the developers decided order. Such a strange turn for something that seems so open at the being then so limiting at the end. Still did enjoy it just more the first couple hundred hours of the beginning that i replayed more then any other moment.
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AnxMa
Arkham Asylum should've been included. God, I miss Kevin Conroy so much. He was perfect in previous Arkham games. I got a voice acting background and have to say that his voice has been such an inspiration for me since the Batman the Animated Series. The vocal training was really tough, sometimes without noticeable results for months but actors like him are a great impulse to not give up - I was almost a face of Leon in those new RE games: )
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Arkham Asylum should've been included. God, I miss Kevin Conroy so much. He was perfect in previous Arkham games. I got a voice acting background and have to say that his voice has been such an inspiration for me since the Batman the Animated Series. The vocal training was really tough, sometimes without noticeable results for months but actors like him are a great impulse to not give up - I was almost a face of Leon in those new RE games: )
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mystpendragon2640
While playing BG3, I had gone to the under dark, unlike my brother, who took the mountain pass. I tried to figure out this weird puzzle, and it worked but me being me I wanted to check every nook and cranny to see what I could find. It amazed me how many other ways there were to enter the under dark but I hadn't realized or had no way to access it myself. For a linear game it's freedom is unmatched.
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While playing BG3, I had gone to the under dark, unlike my brother, who took the mountain pass. I tried to figure out this weird puzzle, and it worked but me being me I wanted to check every nook and cranny to see what I could find. It amazed me how many other ways there were to enter the under dark but I hadn't realized or had no way to access it myself. For a linear game it's freedom is unmatched.
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Laughy-Flaaffy
When I was a kid, I thought Super Mario Galaxy gave a ton of freedom to the player, allowing them to explore literal planets and different worlds. Once the Mario 3D collection released on Nintendo switch, I hadn’t realized how linear Super Mario Galaxy was replaying it. It’s funny how when you’re a kid you totally fall for the illusion of vast open space within very linear games.
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When I was a kid, I thought Super Mario Galaxy gave a ton of freedom to the player, allowing them to explore literal planets and different worlds. Once the Mario 3D collection released on Nintendo switch, I hadn’t realized how linear Super Mario Galaxy was replaying it. It’s funny how when you’re a kid you totally fall for the illusion of vast open space within very linear games.
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MadDarthMatt
I don't think a game in which you can achieve the objective multiple ways counts as linear. I think of games that may give freedom to search around, but eventually everyone goes to the same place and does the same thing. Even full open world games have sequential missions in order to complete the story mode. I am surprised, no, aghast by your decision to put Hitman on this list.
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I don't think a game in which you can achieve the objective multiple ways counts as linear. I think of games that may give freedom to search around, but eventually everyone goes to the same place and does the same thing. Even full open world games have sequential missions in order to complete the story mode. I am surprised, no, aghast by your decision to put Hitman on this list.
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booker229
Ik you cant include everything but I think Disco Elysium is uniquely deserving of a spot on the list. You have traditional table top style RPG freedoms and character customization. But you can also literally change your character's entire ideology and outlook on the world; there will be written/acted dialogue and story consequences for doing so
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Ik you cant include everything but I think Disco Elysium is uniquely deserving of a spot on the list. You have traditional table top style RPG freedoms and character customization. But you can also literally change your character's entire ideology and outlook on the world; there will be written/acted dialogue and story consequences for doing so
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BionicDance
If Baldur's Gate 3 hadn't topped this list, I would have had to very seriously consider unsubscribing; I'm on a second playthrough (my first went unfinished; I didn't like my character) and it's totally the same and completely different. It's crazy how much a single bad roll of the die can change _everything. _
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If Baldur's Gate 3 hadn't topped this list, I would have had to very seriously consider unsubscribing; I'm on a second playthrough (my first went unfinished; I didn't like my character) and it's totally the same and completely different. It's crazy how much a single bad roll of the die can change _everything. _
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BP-dn9nv
The advancement of open world games back in the 2010s led to a boom in open world games, but like any trend it eventually got tired with too many games having open worlds that are big for the sake of it. A bit of linearity is not a bad thing, it allows a developer to better design an experience for a gamer.
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The advancement of open world games back in the 2010s led to a boom in open world games, but like any trend it eventually got tired with too many games having open worlds that are big for the sake of it. A bit of linearity is not a bad thing, it allows a developer to better design an experience for a gamer.
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vegettoblack7852
As a kid I always felt like the Zelda games gave me a lot of freedom until I realized they were just really good at producing the illusion of an open world. I'm talking about ocarina of time and Majora's mask specifically. I know Zelda 1 was the first true open world game lol
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As a kid I always felt like the Zelda games gave me a lot of freedom until I realized they were just really good at producing the illusion of an open world. I'm talking about ocarina of time and Majora's mask specifically. I know Zelda 1 was the first true open world game lol
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dr. nottanownudder
Is Prey 2017 considered open world I thought it was an openish linear style sim and should definitely be on this list. It's one of the best games ever made and gets looked over so much. BUT you had Disnhonored on here so I guess that kinda counts
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Is Prey 2017 considered open world I thought it was an openish linear style sim and should definitely be on this list. It's one of the best games ever made and gets looked over so much. BUT you had Disnhonored on here so I guess that kinda counts
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RatFollower
I am happy that Elden Ring was not on the list, theoreticly u can choose what path to take but you will either suffer and make the other location pointless and easy or by luck you take the right path and then and only then the game becomes avarage.
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I am happy that Elden Ring was not on the list, theoreticly u can choose what path to take but you will either suffer and make the other location pointless and easy or by luck you take the right path and then and only then the game becomes avarage.
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YankeeAllStars
10. Hitman: World of Assassination Trilogy
9. Crysis
8. Dishonored 2
7. Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
6. Mario Odyssey
5. Stanley Parable
4. Armored Core VI
3. Steambot Chronicles
2. Deus Ex
1. Baldur’s Gate 3
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10. Hitman: World of Assassination Trilogy
9. Crysis
8. Dishonored 2
7. Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
6. Mario Odyssey
5. Stanley Parable
4. Armored Core VI
3. Steambot Chronicles
2. Deus Ex
1. Baldur’s Gate 3
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Mrchair905
Man the Ghost and Clean Hands trophies for Dishonored are among my proudest trophies I’ve gotten. I love the Dishonored games so much and I really hope it gets off ice at some point because I will throw money at my tv for Dishonored 3 lol.
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Man the Ghost and Clean Hands trophies for Dishonored are among my proudest trophies I’ve gotten. I love the Dishonored games so much and I really hope it gets off ice at some point because I will throw money at my tv for Dishonored 3 lol.
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Ixarus6713
Ah AC6.
Menu Simulator: The Game
I love it. Fully completed it a few weeks after launch. Cannot wait for the next in the long sequence.
Wanted a mech game exactly like this since I was 4. Literally a childhood dream come true.
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Ah AC6.
Menu Simulator: The Game
I love it. Fully completed it a few weeks after launch. Cannot wait for the next in the long sequence.
Wanted a mech game exactly like this since I was 4. Literally a childhood dream come true.
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