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[Chairman Yang]

I've heard games (and gameplay) often referred to as "non-linear", usually with positive connotations. What does this actually mean, to you? Some possible interpretations are:

• Open worlds: Probably the most common meaning I've seen. In practice, this usually means one or more really huge, mostly-contiguous levels and some degree of letting the player explore different parts of the game environment or taking on tasks in whatever order they choose. Sometimes these have basically linear stories (like with Rockstar's games).
• Story Reactivity: I've heard people discuss this in reference to games allowing players to alter the course of the story depending on the choices they make, sometimes in big ways (e.g. Witcher 2, Front Mission 3) and sometimes in a multitude of small ways as well (e.g. Witcher 3, Cyberpunk 2077, Fallout: New Vegas).
• Open gameplay: This probably has a bunch of subcategories of its own, but I'm basically referring to game mechanics that allow a high degree of flexibility, player expression, and alternative approaches to situations. Immersive sims are an archetypal example here, with varied mechanics and game reactivity that allow creative solutions, and levels built to accommodate and encourage those solutions. Immersive sim DNA in games that aren't immersive sims has become more and more common in recent years; see Baldur's Gate 3 and Tears of the Kingdom for examples.

Many games combine one or more of these approaches in varying degrees. But what do you think of when you hear the term "non-linear" applied to games?

 

[SHA]

Just like Cast Away, been thrown to an island and doing whatever I want, no system, no game mechanics, nothing specific that define itself from other counterparts.

 

[HL3.exe]

I wish it meant open-gameplay (or systems driven gameplay) or 'reactive story'. I personally refer to them as 'open-ended' or 'open-approach' game design. (Usually in Immersive Sims or games like MGSV, BOTW, Hitman, etc)

But it usually gets associated with 'open world games', where you can choose the mission at your own pace, BUT ironically the missions themselves are highly linear.

 

[Metnut]

I think of Final Fantasy 16 which allows me to tackle its many side quests in an order I sometimes choose.

 

[Wildebeest]

A game would feel non-linear if it seemed like the way you chose to play made a bigger difference to the outcome than you would normally expect. Like having three levels that you have to do, but the order doesn't matter, doesn't cut it. Choosing to go in a room by the front door or a vent doesn't cut it. Having a story where a character might die or survive, but the plot is basically the same doesn't cut it.

 

[LakeOf9]

I think all three of those are non linear, just in different ways. I used to care more for story reactivity a decade or so ago personally, but in the last few years I have been more and more moving towards gameplay reactivity and sandbox style freedom - so stuff like the Hitman games, MGSV, BOTW and TOTK, Baldur's Gate 3. But all three are valid.

 

[dreamstation]

Branching storylines and open ended gameplay (more than one way to complete scenarios)

 

[shamoomoo]

To me,non-linearity doesn't mean anything with regards to games. Unless a developer can craft a game that accounts for all eventualities then all games are linear with the difference being how many constraints a developer places on the game.

 

[Aion002]

Non linearity for me means: choose your own adventure.

One series that represents that for me is The Way of the Samurai games, all games have a limited days system and their story progress regardless of the player interacting with it.

In each game you control a samurai that has just arrived in a town, what you do from there is all up to you. The player can join one of the factions and faithfully do their main story, betrayal them or change things up, the player can also ignore everything or just do whatever he wants, including murdering everybody or leaving the town and ending the game at any moment.

Other games that kinda does the same thing are Kingdom Come Deliverance on the side quests (the main quest is quite linear) and State of Decay 1 and 2.

 

[Laptop1991]

All 3 really in certain ways, non linear means taking or choosing any route you want to get to the next stage of various stories and to do that you need a more open world game or completely open world game to achieve that, they work hand in hand really.

 

[MagiusNecros]

Different solutions to a problem.

 

[kunonabi]

At this point not being funneled through a million corridors is good enough to be non-linear for me.

 

[Hudo]

I wish it meant open-gameplay (or systems driven gameplay) or 'reactive story'. I personally refer to them as 'open-ended' or 'open-approach' game design. (Usually in Immersive Sims or games like MGSV, BOTW, Hitman, etc)

This.

 

[StueyDuck]

It means the opposite of linearity

 

[semiconscious]

elden ring = all three...

 

[cireza]

Being able to tackle various parts of the game in the order you want. As seen in Zelda 1, Phantasy Star 1 and 2, for example.

On top of this, having meaningful choices to make (who is in my team, which weapon should I buy) leads to a very satisfying experience, in my opinion. It is as simple as that. Currently playing Star Ocean 2 on Switch and it checks all the right boxes.

No need for huge, boring open-worlds filled with repetitive shit.

 

[SmokedMeat]

It can be all of the above.

 

[killatopak]

I generally put it in two ways. Story and gameplay linearity. What it basically means is player choice having an effect on either components defines linearity. My definition is separate from open world or sandbox.

Linear story and gameplay: RE2R
Non-linear story and linear gameplay: Witcher 3
Non-linear story and gameplay: BG3
Linear story and non-linear gameplay: Undertale

 

[mdkirby]

I went for “other”

A lot of the time it feels like “we made a big sandbox, didn’t have the budget and/or writing skills to make a well structure deep narrative to flesh it out, so we made bits and pieces of a vague loosely told barely a story that can be drip fed in any order and you have to work out what the fuck it’s all about yourself, or with the help of forums”

 

[joeygreco1985]

Bloat.

 

[IAmRei]

Depend on the question actually:

open world means that you can wxplore certain degree of freedom and sometimes depend on the progression. But some of or maybe alot of open world games only had one route of story. And the thing that differs in non linearity is gameplay wise.

Non linear story, you had multi branched stories, which add more replaybility. VN usually take this route. But there are lot of games now which deploying this as well. Usually also comes with more than two endings.

Open gameplay is like open world, but sometimes not truly open world, like wide area or multipath progression. Doesnt need to own lot of outcome but still the path branches alot. And as far as i know, its like megadrive sonics for easier example.

There is alot of twist in video games genre right now. Compared to where we were in 80s - 90s, there are lot of genre than before which often, confusing us

 

[Bulletbrain]

To me it SHOULD mean open gameplay + reactive story. You can complete the game objectives and reach the winning condition in a number of ways of your choosing and the game world and story reacts to your decisions. The gameplay encourages creativity, exploration and problem solving. For these reasons I'd like to think ”non-linear” games are the anti-thesis of "cinematic" games that are so prevalent right now.

I don't think any game I've played matches my definition of non-lieanrity completely, but games like Hitman or Stalker come close.

How the industry deems "non-linear” games is another story. I fear most think of it as just another way of saying "open world".

 

[Danjin44]

I guess to be completely open it needs to be choosing your adventure but for may taste I need some structure and clear objective in my games.
Even game like Elden Ring is open world and you can choose where to go and what bosses to beat, it still have clear objective what you need to do to get there....This even true with games like Breath of the Wild and Tear of Kingdom

 

[Robb]

It’s very broad to me. As long as the game isn’t a straight corridor in most cases it’s non-linear.

And I’m not just thinking in terms of story. A game like Portal can have non-linear progression as long as the puzzles have multiple possible solutions etc. outside of the intended one, for example. Despite the story being linear and you moving from one pre-determined puzzle to another.

 

[zenspider]

I know what it doesn't mean: "Open-worlds" and Metroidvanias where there is a linear path that is made only clear to the player by hitting dead ends and finding arbitrary locks. *

God of War (2018) I found particularly obnoxious in this regard. It teased me with an open Zelda-like adventure (hitting the lake after the (tutorial/QTE/movie/boss-fight intro), only for every "off-path" to be locked with a red lock, and then after that a green lock, and then a blue, so on. That, plus with the fake-ass RPG stats really felt like I was in the Matrix... let's use psychology to make the player think we designed a game!

* Speedrunners breaking a game is not proof a game is not pseudo-non-linear.

 

[zenspider]

I guess to be completely open it needs to be choosing your adventure but for may taste I need some structure and clear objective in my games.
Even game like Elden Ring is open world and you can choose where to go and what bosses to beat, it still have clear objective what you need to do to get there....This even true with games like Breath of the Wild and Tear of Kingdom

Elden Ring definitely qualifies -- there's like 3 ways (I know of) to reach the Plateau and multiple "sequence breaks" that the game is completely indifferent to.

I loved BOTW's "Defeat Ganon" as really the one and really only main quest... it felt subversive to open world tropes. TOTK had a lot more to say about how the player went about their business -- too much IMO -- but made up for it with non-linear problem solving and rewarding experimentation.

 

[zenspider]

Different solutions to a problem.

This, and real choices not illusions of choice.