Poll: Linear Vs Sandbox
- Thread starter ESCAPIST DELETE THIS ACCOUNT
- Start date
Recommended Videos
Well Sandbox provides more hours of fun but Linear is more story oriented, so both have their proper uses and their proper places in my heart.
I actually prefer more linear gameplay.
Sandbox games can far too easily become a giant clusterfuck and it just gets annoying. With certain things, it works, others, not so much.
Games that are more linear or follow a more set path tend to be more fun anyway.
Sandbox games can far too easily become a giant clusterfuck and it just gets annoying. With certain things, it works, others, not so much.
Games that are more linear or follow a more set path tend to be more fun anyway.
I sometimes find with sandbox that there storys not as good as in Linear games.xRagnarok19 said:
I prefer sandbox because you usually end up finding more things to do. It has greater replayability, an open world, and there can be a lot of nooks and crannies you can stumble upon.
Linear games do usually have better stories, but I still prefer sandbox games because they can be a lot more fun overall. Not to mention they help give the feel that the world you're playing in is actually big, and not just a bunch of corridors.
Case in point: Just Cause 2.
Linear games do usually have better stories, but I still prefer sandbox games because they can be a lot more fun overall. Not to mention they help give the feel that the world you're playing in is actually big, and not just a bunch of corridors.
Case in point: Just Cause 2.
With linear games, they're just fine until I've actually beaten the damn thing.
Sandbox games actually provide ample entertainment after I've cleared up the story. GTA IV, for example. I've logged more hours with that game post-story than I did while following the missions, I'm sure.
Overall, I can't say I really prefer one over the other. I'll just say sandbox because they seem to be more entertaining in stranger ways.
Sandbox games actually provide ample entertainment after I've cleared up the story. GTA IV, for example. I've logged more hours with that game post-story than I did while following the missions, I'm sure.
Overall, I can't say I really prefer one over the other. I'll just say sandbox because they seem to be more entertaining in stranger ways.
I like a mix of the two: a well defined, linear story that is the main feature of the game, but set in a open world universe so that you can take a break from the main quest to do side quests or just screw around. Examples: LoZ:OoT/WW and Assassin's Creed 2
With sandbox games, I kind of think "wow look at all this cool stuff I can do"
*10 minutes later*
"okay so thats boring now lets do the story"
Which means it's now a linear story that takes ages to tell 'cos I have to drive the length of Russia to get the mission then back again to start the next mission.
But for those 10 mins it is a riot.
*10 minutes later*
"okay so thats boring now lets do the story"
Which means it's now a linear story that takes ages to tell 'cos I have to drive the length of Russia to get the mission then back again to start the next mission.
But for those 10 mins it is a riot.
I chose both, since freedom or structure can be beneficial deeding on the game. I think 'sandbox' is used way too liberally though, and is generally and unfortunately also a means for games to be unnecessarily padded with *shudders* collection quests and such. They could really do a lot more with the sandbox formula if they wanted, but they seem o come up short more often than not.
They both have their rightful places. But I find that too many games are trying to pack in too many sandbox features. Lots of side quests and such are great additions to a linear game, but I feel like a lot of strictly linear games try to be too much. Likewise there are a lot of sandbox games which try to force players through a very linear storyline, which I find creates a big awkward bridge between the story and the rest of the game.
Yeah iv noticed that alot of recent realses are trying to combine sandbox and linerity and the end product is less than impressive.Blue_vision said:
i enjoy Linear Sandbox games.
case in point, the True Crime series (upcoming addition excluded)
both stories had multiple endings on both the good and bad side of the spectrum. but in between the bits where things are story-relevant, there was ample time and space to fuck about.
Just Cause 2 and Crackdown 2 try too hard to say here is a place, do what ever you want to it, and there is no real reason to play after 2 or three hours.
case in point, the True Crime series (upcoming addition excluded)
both stories had multiple endings on both the good and bad side of the spectrum. but in between the bits where things are story-relevant, there was ample time and space to fuck about.
Just Cause 2 and Crackdown 2 try too hard to say here is a place, do what ever you want to it, and there is no real reason to play after 2 or three hours.
Mafia 2 isn't really a sandbox game... It's an open world with linear progression. You don't spend your time doing pointless side-quests and playing bowling, and you don't choose which mission to do next. You always have one set goal which keeps the story flowing perfectly and keeping you on track, while also presenting a large world to lose yourself in.. Much like the first game. This was always something most fans loved about the Mafia series.Ghostwise said:
On topic, I like Linearity. Sandbox gameplay is okay for a change but I am generally just not a big fan of it. The only game that did a sandbox right in my opinion was GTAIV. Despite its numerous, annoying, idiotic and painstaking problems... the world was alive, believable, and totally immersive, and it managed to keep the story flowing very well.
Open world isn't the same as Sandbox though.Ghostwise said:
A sandbox game refers to the game mechanics, not the world... Sandbox games are built upon having a bunch of distractions in-between the story.
Mafia 2 is a hugely story-focused game. The distractions in-between are minor and probably fit within the strict limitations of the story (collecting cars for the chop shop, and choosing what clothes to wear etc). Did you play Mafia 1? If you did, it is safe to say Mafia 2 will play with a very similar pattern. The story is the meat and potatoes, the world is just the pastry. You always have a clear single objective with an option of exploring in-between, while the game folds its arms and waits for you to hurry the fuck up. In this way it's nothing at all like a GTA or Saints Row game. Though I guess we won't know for sure until the game is released and the Demo isn't a good indication of how it all plays out. I'm just going by what I have heard from media and my experiences with the first game.
The terms "linear" and "sandbox" are completely unrelated to each other really. Linear just refers to the progression, making Mafia and Mafia 2 linear games. Sandbox refers to the world itself, but sandbox and open-world are not the exact same thing.
My point is if you're expecting a sandbox game from Mafia 2 by these descriptions and not just an open world with a story focus, I have a feeling you will be disappointed.
Both. It really just depends on my mood. To give you an example of this, two of my favorite games are Fallout 1 and Final Fantasy IV. Pretty much explains itself.