Game Depth
Arcane Odyssey is a game in which depth varies heavily depending on where you are in the story. Depth in games is the variety of options at any given time. In this essay, I’ll be discussing why depth is needed, examples of depth (and non-depth), and where Arcane Odyssey needs more depth.
Why Depth is Needed
Depth is vital for the success of any game, as it gives players options that provide for an interesting and repayable experience.
Examples of Depth and Non-Depth
The Stepstones give you many different options to climb it. You could try to follow the broken-up path and mostly walk, or you could try to just climb it by holding space, or use T-jumps. Just the sheer size of the Stepstones and the amount of ridges nearly guarantees a unique experience each time.
Side Note: Stepstones 4 Life
The Stepstones are, in my opinion, one of the most interesting parts of the game. Each time I climb it, I find a new pathway to take. There seems to be that there was a path sometime ago but it has been destroyed by time, which I’ve thought about quite a lot. Possibly connected to the Wrath of the Gods? I know a lot of people find the Stepstones very frustrating, but to me it’s a good challenge that is fun but hard. Thoughts?
Much of the Dark Sea’s lure is also the depth that Vetex is promising us. The Dark Sea will be completely randomly generated, which could guarantee a unique experience each time. However, randomness cannot do the job alone. Vetex must put time, effort, and thought into each island he designs for the Dark Sea to make sure that they provide interesting challenges and many ways to approach them.
Now, some examples of areas that have been done badly when evaluated for depth.
Infiltrating Fort Talos is a pretty iconic segment in the story. However, it didn’t really feel like an actual infiltration, which would involve strategy and thought. Instead, it felt like a set piece segment where you had to just follow the instructions. I dont think anyone really felt a sense of danger from the Level 15 guards at Level 75, and this was made even worse when Vetex tried to artificially create a sense of danger with the “dashing = die instantly,” and “the guards can kill you instantly.” Escaping Fort Talos was even worse in this regard. They gave the player 0 depth and 0 instruction, which made it, although memorable, a braindead experience. When a game gives players exact instructions, most players don’t bother to think about making a mental map of the area. This area direly needs to be revamped.
I would talk about the Ravenna Prison segment here too, but that segment did its job of pure exposition pretty well. There isn’t really anything that much more interesting that they could’ve done with it that I can think of.
Mount Othrys also lacks depth. It too is a set piece segment. There is only one opening and there is only one path. Instead of being a Pelion Rift-type structure, it could be a Stepstones-esque maze, with Poseidon’s Statue being in the center.
Thanks for reading this seven paragraph work of literature. What are your thoughts on depth in Arcane Odyssey?
