The Best Linear Games With Great Exploration

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Summary

  • Well-designed corridors can feel like a world when exploration is combined with linear gameplay.
  • Tight and deliberate map layouts in games like Dead Space Remake turn exploration into tension and mastery.
  • Linear games like Control and Uncharted 4 blend structured chapters with strange, rewarding exploration elements.

In some instances, linearity and exploration can seem incongruous. Linearity implies a clear path, while exploration flourishes with deviations. However, skilled developers can transform a structured pathway into an immersive universe.

These games manage to captivate players by weaving an engaging narrative alongside opportunities for investigation, secret discovery, and the thrill of uncovering hidden truths, even when following a predetermined path. Some excel in world-building, others in environmental storytelling or intricate backtracking mechanisms. Regardless of their approach, they all demonstrate that exploration can be rewarding without relying on a map filled with question marks as indicators of discovery.

6. Dead Space (2023)

The Ishimura Always Has One More Door

In Dead Space (2023), though primarily consisting of confined corridors in space, it frequently tantalizes players by presenting locked doors, blocked vents, and terminals that suggest a future return. And indeed, coming back is always rewarding. Be it a weapon enhancement or an audio log detailing the chilling events in the medical bay, exploration in this game often coincides with tension. Those with Security Clearance Level 3 grasp this concept more acutely than others.

The USG Ishimura seems more like a living entity rather than a mere spaceship due to the Necromorphs. It’s the gentle hum of machinery, the occasional flashing of emergency lights in what used to be secure areas, and the chilling understanding that each room carries its own tale stained with blood. Here, there are no annoying map markers, only thoughtfully designed environments that reward careful exploration. Even simple deviations from the path frequently uncover valuable resources or brief story moments that pack a punch greater than most lengthy cutscenes in other horror games.

5. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

She Hears Voices, And They Whisper Directions

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice skillfully balances intense psychological distress with stunning visuals. On one side, it offers a deep plunge into psychosis, grief, and Norse folklore. Conversely, it demonstrates exceptional craftsmanship in guided discovery. The game doesn’t feature an open world, but the sense of freedom is convincing due to its incorporation of perception puzzles, hidden runes, and optional lore stones that narrate mythological stories in Druth’s gruff voice.

In this game, the settings are captivating, ranging from scorched battlefields to shimmering fantasies. Players who take time to examine details closely often discover deeper meanings within the surroundings. The game subtly nudges players to deviate from the main path without overwhelming them with excessive side content. In a world where Senua’s reality is persistently changing, exploration feels less about finding objects and more about comprehending how she perceives her fragmented world.

4. Resident Evil 2 (2019)

The Mansion You Thought You Escaped

In Resident Evil 2 (2019), the RPD isn’t merely a police station; it’s a chilling labyrinth where each corridor seems to loop back to choices made 30 minutes prior. The design is intricate, calculated, and satisfying as players collect keys, unravel puzzles, and gradually familiarize themselves with its depths. There’s a reason speedrunners appreciate this layout so much, and it’s not solely due to the undead occupants.

The remake’s exploration is incredibly rewarding as it turns tension into mastery. At first, every nook seems like a deadly trap. However, by the end, it becomes second nature. Amazingly, even during repeated plays, new pathways, concealed storage areas, and unnoticed documents make it feel novel. The sudden appearance of Mr. X busting through walls only intensifies the pressure, compelling players to revise their strategies and rediscover paths they thought were memorized.

3. Control

The Oldest House Has More Rooms Than Floors

Describing Control as a linear game seems inaccurate until you recall that it’s technically classified as such. It follows a primary narrative and has a well-organized chapter progression, with no open-world distractions. However, the Oldest House disregards conventions like rules, spatial consistency, and physical laws. Instead, exploration is inherent to the environment itself – wandering through one hallway might lead you to an office, a furnace, or even a black hole if the Bureau isn’t vigilant.

The allure of exploration lies in the strange and unusual discoveries hidden within nooks and crannies. A seemingly ordinary room could conceal a refrigerator possessed by spirits, lethal if left unattended, or a mirror leading to an alternate reality where Jesse speaks backwards. The items collected aren’t insignificant; they are official Bureau documents, often infused with bureaucratic wit, providing reasons for supernatural phenomena like the haunted rubber duck roaming Sector Containment.

2. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Climbing Towers Is Fun When Done Right

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End revolves around the pursuit of pirate treasure, but what truly makes it special are its poignant moments in between. The narrative structure maintains a tight grip on the storyline, yet within this framework lies expansive ruins, cliffside caves, and ancient catacombs teeming with intricate details for players to discover at will. In this game, exploration isn’t merely visual; it’s mechanical, offering a variety of tools like ropes, pitons, and slippery mud slopes that keep movement engaging and varied.

Some chapters, such as the one set in Madagascar, can trick players into believing they’re navigating an open-world environment. During these rides in the jeep, characters Nathan, Sam, and Sully engage in lively conversations, pointing out intriguing ruins and occasionally urging players to exit and investigate. These areas often contain hidden treasures or journal entries, and though they aren’t essential to complete the game, ignoring them can leave you feeling like you’ve overlooked a piece of the adventure. The game maintains its structure, but it always accommodates side trips.

1. Tomb Raider (2013)

There’s Always Something Behind the Waterfall

The 2013 revamp of Tomb Raider nailed the balance between modernization and preservation. Lara Croft continues her signature activities such as scaling, deciphering ancient enigmas, and pillaging tombs; however, these tombs are no longer mandatory and are skillfully concealed within intricate pathways that encourage exploration. While the narrative maintains a linear progression, the areas themselves possess depth and circularity, allowing players to revisit earlier zones with new equipment to reveal secrets that were initially inaccessible.

As a devoted fan, I find the exploration in this game truly rewarding due to the close connection between Lara’s development and these journeys. The skill points, valuable salvage, and enticing gear upgrades are cleverly stashed away in secluded caves or behind intricate rope arrow doors. The tombs, though brief, are undeniably some of the most thoughtfully crafted aspects of the game. Each one weaves a miniature narrative, both visually and mechanically, and those who overlook them are missing out on some of Crystal Dynamics’ most ingenious environmental design.

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2025-07-06 10:04