Few things in life can measure up to discovering a game with a mindblowing level design. Being woken up by birds singing in the morning, that first first bite of homemade dinner after a long day, or watching the sunset with a loved one all come to mind. They're close, but still not as good. But have you ever wondered what makes that level so amazing? Today we're gonna take a look at few examples and see what is that secret formula that makes them so good.

Dishonored 2's clockwork not so orange

Even though Dishonored 2 has a great deal of memorable game levels there is one that manages to stand out. The Clockwork Mansion level is one of the most well-crafted and designed levels in the Dishonored series. With the Bank Job level from Dishonored: Death of the Outsider being a close second. But what is it that makes it tick?

There are a few factors that go into Dishonored as a whole to make it a great game. First, there is the environmental storytelling. Then comes the ability to play your way, whether it is a full-on stealth or psycho slaughter. Finally, the gameplay itself has always been cutting-edge in the stealth genre. With the power of all these factors combined and brought up to the maximum we get a truly mindblowing level design of Clockwork Mansion.

Each room serves a purpose from both the narrative and gameplay perspective. Even the spaces between the rooms which are used by the staff for cleaning up and rest will provide the player with new vantage points of the mansion to allow for planning of the approach or discovering an alternate path. Every nook and cranny in an evershifting mansion is a testament to mindblowing level design.

Mindblowing level design of Haven Island

The last of the DLC maps for Hitman 2 was released in 2019 – the Haven Island. The map takes on you on a mission to a resort for the wealthy who are looking to create new identities for themselves. What makes Haven Island stand out from other levels is the sheer amount of details packed into it. The resort is filled with unique characters and quests you can undertake to get the bragging rights of 100% completion.

But here is the real trick to it. The developers managed to take a relatively small-sized map (at least when looked from above) and make it seem like it's one of the biggest areas in the entire game. How did they go about that you ask? The answer is simple yet amazing – verticality. The island is built as a layer upon a layer of different structures and environments. From the highest level of the hotels and mansions all the way down to underground lab there is plenty of stuff there that will grab and hold your attention, creating an illusion of massive size while doing so.

Another very important thing that brings out the quality of Hitman 2' Haven Island level is how the game has you moving around. The paths tend to be meandering or circular with a lot of foliage and other obstacles between them that continually break your line of sight. It's just like in a huge tropical jungle. All of that is topped of with great targets you're supposed to take out and many unlockables.

DOOM is still kicking

2016's DOOM release was a long-awaited reboot of the franchise, with some big shoes to fill. It's safe to say it knocked it out of the park. Featuring a bunch of big guns and bigger enemies to blast them with it is the ultimate shooter experience. Of course, the original DOOM games have always stood out with their top-notch level design. Level design which was transferred and modernised in the latest release.

Take the Necropolis level for example. It takes the true and tested formula of „gather up the keys and take them to the central hub“ of the 90s and brings it two decades forward. It's not as simple as it might first appear though. The level uses visual cues in order to guide the player towards the areas of interest, such as lighting and holes in the wall through which you can see to the other side but have to walk around to get it. That is also known as horseshoe level design, something that's been coined and used ever since the first DOOM game. To make the whole deal even better the enemy placement is simply flawless. It creates a great flow of challenge and dynamic of exploration to provide a truly amazing experience.

Those were just a few of examples of mindblowing level design found in video games. Of course, there is plenty more out there, but we'll let you discover those on your own. And let me use this opportunity to remind you that all of these games are available right here on 2game for a discounted price.

I'll see you next time, happy gaming!