LogFAQs > #904888535

Backtracking is fine, but what I really like in Metroidvanias is sequence-breaking, which can also cut down on some of the backtracking.

Black_Crusher posted...

Another is finding a weapon that outclasses everything else.

One of my big hates is requiring a lot of weapon-switching. I love upgrades where one weapon is capable of hurting everything, even if another weapon might be slightly better at it.

Honestly, that's one of the things that the Metroid games do well -- as you go along, your weapon can be upgraded to have different qualities. That way you're not stuck weapon-switching and you aren't stuck with useless weapons.

Black_Crusher posted...

The map so far doesn't have many big hallway dead end deals and I've been trying to incorporate lots of vertical pathways between areas and rooms (the original Dark Souls does this masterfully).

Having a mirror-world map would also be kinda neat, where you'd potentially have extra ways to bypass areas by having the option to jump "sideways" instead of just doing horizontal or vertical maps.

Black_Crusher posted...

And all weapons have some sort of unique thing about them, so that players might still want to hold onto the starting dagger potentially.

As long as it's not something you *have* to use, though.

Far-Queue posted...

Metroidvania games usually have a fair amount of backtracking, as you gain new abilities that allow you past obstacles you've encountered in earlier stages. I don't mind this, but one thing about this aspect I dislike is when the enemies remain the same. You get increasingly powerful, but enemies in the early areas are the same low-level riffraff. It's cool when a game mixes it up and throws a curveball or two your way. Introduce a few new enemies, or make the enemies stronger, or even alter the level so it's not what you expect when you return.

tbh, there should be some good reason for the change. I hate games where weak enemies are replaced by stronger ones with no story-explanation for it.

Also, it'd be neat if the rooms changed slightly while backtracking (ie, things may fall down -- maybe even blocking other passages (and requiring a tool to reopen them) -- the background looks a bit different, etc), provided that there's a storyline reason for it.

Chewster posted...

I haven't played too many but I think Super Metroid vs. Metroid Fusion is a good comparison of what to do vs. what not to do. From what I remember, Super is a lot more interconnected and circular, which helps keep down on the backtracking. Fusion is a lot more "go through this area, go back through it, go to the next one", which I don't like. It doesn't feel like a true Metroid game. There's also a lot of opening doors via switches and story events, which I find a bit inorganic. It's better to have progression based on abilities.

Plus Fusion kinda cheat by having you move between maps with a teleporter or something?

Black_Crusher posted...

I once had a game called Hasslevania 2 where killing the big bat boss enemy made mosquito enemies appear in earlier areas because he wasn't around to eat them anymore.

Maybe something like that would work here?

I really like that, since you've got a clear cause & effect.
---

(\/)(\/)|-|
There are precious few at ease / With moral ambiguities / So we act as though they don't exist.