You lost me pretty quickly as it became evident that in order to discuss design choices, you had to try and argue against one of them.

Linear game design is not all because of processing power and expense. There’s no magical utopia of the future where EVERYTHING is open-world. Using Uncharted 3 as an argument against linearity demonstrates how much you’re missing. A film-quality narrative delivered in a distinctly interactive manner while moving at the pace intended by the material.

Your examples of Skyrim and Witcher 2….that content only works in Open World RPGs. Spaces where you can feel free to do as you please. It gives you the illusion that all those stilted, dull conversations you’re having are as compelling as the main narrative. Since regardless of tech, the task of managing 100+ hours worth of content means a lower overall quality of presentation and execution. Still, the engagement provided by the world compensates the weak bits and elevates the good.

See? I’m talking about one of the good things in Open Worlds that you don’t get in more focused efforts. Like…one doesn’t have to be bad for each to have particular qualities.

I’m not disagreeing. I’m asking you to up the level of discourse.

I’m not saying they should vanish but what irks me is when its just too in your face type of thing. But that was a nice thoughtful reply.

I must say the opposite; this was one of my absolute favorite moments ever. Yes, it’s a chase and therefore 100 percent linear, and the end result of the chase leaves the whole sequence irrelevant in the big picture, but Uncharted 3 isn’t all gameplay, but story and character development.

In the series we grew with Drake and experienced everything he has gone through. At this point in the story he’s been beaten by the bad guys and is pissed. So what does he decide to do? Get his hands on Talbot and kick the crap out of him.

This whole part in the game is vital the plot. Right beforehand, Drake and company hand the upper hand on Marlowe, and all of a sudden it takes a 180 and Drake is defeated. He knows it.

Try to remember what was going through your mind when you first played this sequence. I was thinking, “please let me pummel this guy’s face in.” It’s emotional and vital to the development of Drake’s character.

Sure, this whole sequence is linear and even without it, Drake might have ended up captive just the same, but did you really know that when running through the market?

I’ve thought a lot about linear vs. non-linear games, and I must say I love being able to make my own decisions in games. But I also love to experience story-telling at its heart, and that’s what Uncharted and many linear games give us.

Linear game do no need to vanish completely, nor do they need a drastic change.