Reply To: Level and enemy design
Yes, it’s weird how you can see the approach to game design carrying through Keen to Wolf3D to Doom despite the very different atmosphere 🙂 There’s a lot of exploration and side areas that aren’t necessary to complete the game… and just like Doom, Keens 1 and 4 at least have whole hidden levels that are accessible by finding alternative exits from normal levels (although I think this had been done by Super Mario by then, so they may have got it from that in turn).
Metroidvania games definitely involve going back and forward and not in a linear progression, but I think there needs to be a continuous world (no individual levels) and skill-gathering to really qualify. (The pogo stick might count 🙂 )
