Best Video Games for level design

#1

Large, vertical maps are a standout, with strong visual variety, hidden routes, and traversal abilities that make exploration consistently rewarding.

#2

Level design receives very strong praise from IGN for systemic intelligence, opportunity density, and the way environments support stealth and action.

#3

Reviewer evidence is strongly positive: level design was repeatedly praised as a standout strength across 1 review(s).

#4

Level design earns praise for standout roads and elevation changes that create memorable racing routes.

#5

Base layouts earned strong praise for creating distinct defensive choices and intense close-quarters spaces.

#6

The previewed locations stand out for environmental storytelling, charm, and personality-rich visual composition.

#7

The reviewed levels are praised for supporting tactical variety and pairing well with changing hazards, enemies, and environmental rules.

#8

Clever level layouts combine secrets, traversal challenges, enemies, and boss spaces in ways that consistently push players to learn and adapt. The design rewards attention without abandoning the interconnected Metroidvania...

#9

Level design received strong praise from one reviewer for making linear spaces feel flexible and meaningful.

#10

Districts, interiors, rooftops, and alleys communicate history and mood before dialogue begins. The compact city supports discovery without feeling like a generic open world.

#11

Level design is consistently praised as creative, intricate, masterfully mapped out, and varied across imaginative environments.

#12

Level design is strongly praised for seamless area flow, purposeful rooms, thoughtful platform placement, and dense Metroidvania structure.

#13

Level design was a major strength, especially the care center’s loops, agency, and interconnected mansion-like structure.

#14

Level design was widely admired for dense, layered spaces, fresh ideas, and challenge variety, especially once the game opens up.

#15

Level design stood out for memorable finales, strong set pieces, and mechanics that could sustain larger ideas.

#16

Level design was praised for verticality, density, handcrafted routes, and spaces that felt larger than their footprint.

#17

Level and environment design is praised for being more thoughtful and confident in how it leverages traversal.

#18

Level design was praised for compact, meaningful areas and strong map layout, especially when supporting exploration, puzzles, and atmosphere.

#19

Level design was strongly praised for handcrafted chunks, biome structure, combat spaces, and a balance between freshness and mastery.

#20

Kanto’s compact, interconnected routes and smart roadblocks remain a major strength, letting players discover paths and sequence parts of the journey without becoming directionless.

#21

Level and map design remained a major strength because verticality and terrain created memorable tactical spaces.

#22

Stage and level design earn praise for evolving Power Stone arenas and thoughtful layouts that support strategy and spectacle.

#23

Level design is praised for distinct areas, route variety, and region-specific mechanics that add structure beyond simple room chains.

#24

Maps received strong praise for flow, density, varied spaces, and strategic layouts across multiple reviews.

#25

Level design was broadly praised for open-field layouts, strong world structure, and mission-like areas integrated into larger spaces.

#26

The game uses broad, explorable stages rather than one continuous open world. Hidden paths, optional items, side activities, and compact runbacks give the zones both freedom and structure.

#27

Mount Kami works as a long sequence of open-ended climbing problems, with multiple lines, difficult cruxes, plateaus, caves, and optional routes that reward observation rather than markers.

#28

Level design is praised for longer, more vertical, and well-designed mission spaces rather than flat or shallow levels.

#29

The roguelike dungeon rooms are praised for turning gentle life activities into timed, tense challenges.

#30

One reviewer praised the way locations were recontextualized into memorable set-pieces that rewarded planning and awareness.

#31

Stage transitions are praised for being fast and not interrupting match flow.

#32

Enemy nests, alleys, rooftops, and urban squares provide lively, action-focused combat arenas.

#33

Kalona's city-based combat spaces are viewed as a strong fit for Gears, with verticality and new traversal seen as potentially game-changing.

#34

Track design was usually praised for style, branching, and spectacle, with only a few complaints about cramped layouts or visual overload.

#35

Skyrim improves sharply on Oblivion’s repetitive dungeons, with more individualized layouts, environmental variety, shortcuts, traps, and discoveries. Repetition still creeps in after very long play sessions.

#36

Reviewers praised level design for its handcrafted worlds, co-op readability, and sense of wonder, with a few comments on unclear routes.

#37

Map design improves noticeably as the game opens up, with Outpost and Cryo Archive earning especially strong praise for verticality, secrets, and combat flow. The earliest maps are more divisive...

#38

Level design gets positive marks for remixes, logical escalation, and mini-games that reviewers found well thought out and engaging.

#39

Level design was broadly positive, especially THPS3 classics and the new Waterpark/Pinball/Movie Studio stages, though some THPS4 conversions drew criticism.

#40

Dense openings and dungeon spaces earned strong praise, with reviewers singling out alternate routes and thoughtful layouts.

#41

The main facilities drew praise for set-piece design and atmosphere, while linearity and the connective hub lowered scores for some critics.

#42

Level design is widely admired for semi-linear routes, shortcuts, varied sectors, and combat arenas, though repetition appears in a few late-game comments.

#43

Level design was praised when interiors, rooftops, and compact city layouts felt purposeful, even as repeated streets limited variety.

#44

Level and map design were praised for dense, hand-crafted layouts and well-crafted act-specific maps.

#45

Level design was praised for world spaces with nooks, crannies, verticality, and useful layouts.

#46

Road, city, track, and landscape design are often praised as dense and varied, though some criticism targets overly wide roads.

#47

Large, layered, highly vertical levels are one of the clearest strengths, giving players many routes through dense spaces and turning infiltration into spatial problem-solving.

#48

Level design is usually praised for scale, variety, secrets, and challenge structure, but some reviewers criticize flow, pacing, or underused combat spaces.

#49

Dedicated courses earned broad praise, especially standout tracks and Rainbow Road, but route-driven structure and wide connecting roads reduced enthusiasm for some.

#50

Level design was usually praised for shortcuts, layout, and environmental flow, but a few reviewers noted padding, repetition, or a lack of meaningful puzzle-like structure.