Best 2026 Video Games for level design

#1

Level and world design receive exceptionally strong praise for readable traversal challenges, distinct biome mechanics, rewarding loops, and clever use of movement abilities.

#2

Legacy Dungeons, layered open spaces, underground regions, and the expansion’s vertical layouts are consistently praised as intricate, surprising, and among FromSoftware’s best work.

#3

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

#4

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

#5

Areas such as Mistwoods stand out for stronger environmental hazards, puzzles, mood shifts, and reasons to engage with the space rather than simply cross it.

#6

Districts stand out as unique and handcrafted rather than feeling copied and pasted, helping routes stay visually distinctive.

#7

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

#8

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

#9

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

#10

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

#11

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...

#12

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

#13

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

#14

A.R.E.S. is compact but distinctive, with rooms that reveal the people who occupied them.

#15

Compact towns are dense, visually distinct, and built to reward curiosity, with stronger verticality and memorable themes. A few comparisons to the original note slightly reduced density or complexity, but...

#16

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

#17

Level design is a standout, from folding streets and gravity-shifted city blocks to stranger interior spaces that turn perspective itself into a traversal and puzzle mechanic.

#18

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

#19

Aurora 5’s vents, maintenance passages, vertical spaces, and looping shortcuts are a major strength. Thoughtful interconnection rewards searching even when ladders and mapping tools fail to match the quality of...

#20

Reviewers respond very positively to the level design, describing it as a notable strength of the overall experience.

#21

Level design is one of the strongest areas, with carefully placed hazards, secrets, character-specific routes, and increasingly inventive set pieces. Even more critical reviews usually acknowledge the stages are well...

#22

Stage design is a major strength in the more positive coverage. Rooms, optional routes, hidden areas, backtracking and secondary objectives make locations feel more like spaces to explore than simple...

#23

Randomized dungeons and distinct biomes are major strengths, but the Mistlands' fog and awkward terrain are a notable low point.

#24

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.

#25

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.

#26

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

#27

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

#28

Vampire traversal hints at strong vertical level design, with teleportation, wall-walking, and alternate routes opening spaces in ways ordinary movement cannot.

#29

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

#30

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.

#31

Most maps are dense, moody, and well sized for chases and rescues, though some players worry their suburban similarity will become stale.

#32

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

#33

Interconnected areas and impossible Labyrinth architecture are major strengths, blending exploration with surreal transformations. Linear stretches, repetitive chase routes, and awkward encounter spaces draw criticism.

#34

Lean, purposeful layouts make small details matter and can subtly guide solutions. Large connected sections are less forgiving when one mistake forces broad repetition.

#35

The branching Yorkshire network is a standout for its varied journeys and freight work. Florida and Germany offer distinct settings, though a few route stretches feel sparse or familiar.

#36

Vertical streets, layered markets, and distinct districts make the city appealing to explore. Some layouts are confusing, and stronger contrasts between areas would help certain players.

#37

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

#38

Nested dioramas, secret compartments and shifting structures make many stages distinctive, though the longest levels can outstay their welcome.

#39

Tracks alternate cramped tunnels, sharp turns, shortcuts, and open stretches while putting planetary hazards to work. Many love the layouts, but overlapping circuits and occasional poorly marked corners weaken their...

#40

Linear set pieces are often excellent and cinematic, with strong combat spaces and memorable encounters. The more open sections are less consistent, with some finding them spacious and flexible while...

#41

Layered streets, interiors, shortcuts, and tool-gated paths make the town feel interconnected and larger than its side view suggests. Less successful stretches obscure the route forward among too many blocked...

#42

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

#43

The handcrafted linear stages are generally the strongest spaces, with memorable temples, castles, laboratories, and supernatural areas. The hub and a few repetitive routes are less consistently praised.

#44

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.

#45

The interconnected facility can be intricate, dense, and rewarding, with strong shortcuts and vertical layering. Less favorable impressions point to confusing flow, overly linear stretches, hidden progression cues, and areas...

#46

Level design is often praised for atmosphere, verticality, and readable routes, but some maps are linear or mechanically straightforward despite looking impressive.

#47

Elderfield’s locked spaces, shifting interiors, mall, sewers, and other large areas create a strong sense of discovery. Some layouts can be confusing, but the gating often helps keep the amount...

#48

Dungeon runs use a simple node-based structure that is easy to understand and satisfying for players who prefer focused roguelite runs.

#49

Wonder’s original level design remains a standout, and the best Training Camp and Koopaling remixes find smart new uses for familiar spaces. Some expansion stages are criticized as recycled or...

#50

Most stages work as compact, open-ended sandboxes filled with interactions rather than simple left-to-right courses. The best pages feel dense and clever, while weaker ones can seem small, empty, or...