/vr/ - Retro Games

>>4281059
Here's an example of what I think of as good level design. In TNT Evilution, there is a level called Administration Center. Immediately at the start, you are presented with this central room consisting of a pit filled with acid. First time playing it, I jumped in and was immediately ambushed by a horde of hellknights. The fight is by no means impossible, but it's brutally punishing, and I died like a bitch. Second attempt, I found a path along the side of the room. Following through the air ducts, I came out on top of the walkway along the perimeter of the acid room. Here, I had a clear vantage point of the horde of hellknights, and I could easily take them out from a distance with rockets. It felt very satisfying, like I had outsmarted the level.

This is what I call good level design, and DOOM excels at this kind of strategic approach to dangerous situations. Perfect Dark simply doesn't have this kind of gameplay. You just shoot palette swapped dudes with machine guns before they shoot you.