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Best "Gimmick" Levels

DalekFlay

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I'm playing Dishonored 2 right now and it has two gimmick levels that differ from the standard game; one where you go through a puzzle mansion and one where you are stripped of your powers and have a time travel device. I really hated the first gimmick level, really liked the second one.

This had me thinking about gimmick levels in general. The ones where you're drugged, or you're on your own without your party, or your weapons are taken away. The stealth levels in action games or the action levels in stealth games. To my memory gimmick levels like these tend to suck in general, but I'm wondering if that's skewed memory.

What are some examples of good gimmick levels and what are your thoughts on them as a "break the monotony" device?
 

Master

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Riddick EFBB has a bunch of these.
Maybe that "Small World" section from Thief Gold.
 

Neanderthal

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That level in that bioware game where they stop the squeeing, cutesy, cheesy shit was refreshing...oh wait they never do.
 

Cael

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Ultima Underworld 2. The Wizard Academy world was one big gimmick level after another, which, to be fair, was the whole point of the thing...
 

DalekFlay

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That Splinter Cell Chaos Theory mission where there was no penalty for killing people.

Love that game but only vague memories of what you mean. A level where killing didn't stop you from getting 100%? I don't remember that from my all 100% run. Not saying you're wrong, it's just cool if it's in there. I usually play stealth games super lethal but Chaos Theory is one of the few where I went for a legit no kills run. I think the others are all from when I briefly cared about achievements, other than Thief 2.
 

Tiospo

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E3M9 "Warrens" is my favorite level in all of DOOM (at least it has been for a long while). It may be a gimmick level but it was a well executed gimmick, i loved it.
 

Gord

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Cradle in Thief 3, to some extend.
At least the setting somewhat deviated from the rest of the game and there were some time-travel-based puzzles involved as well, iirc.
 

A horse of course

Guest
"Gimmick levels" are an inherent failure of game design. If you need "something different" to "take a break" from normal gameplay, then there is something fundamentally unsatisfying about the core mechanics. This is why, for example, "gimmick" mechanics are so common in MMOs with repeatable content (e.g. Daily Quests).

Ocean House is a good example of the problem of deviating from core gameplay in a game that's meant to have replayability potential. I wouldn't classify The Cradle as a "gimmick" level aside from the opening sections.
 

Jokzore

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Mar 18, 2017
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I think everyone agrees that gimmick levels are bad in general, that's the premise of the thread, but that doesn't mean there can't be exceptions. You say you don't like Ocean House but you fail to mention why.

I think pretty much every game out there has a ''break'' from the core gameplay loop at some point, it just happens to take different forms. In Resident Evil it's the puzzles, in most AAA games it's cinematics, in a dungeon crawler it's that little moment you take to look over your inventory and stats.

Needing/taking a break isn't a sign of bad ''normal gameplay'' it's just good pacing, at some point you need a break from everything or you run the risk of getting weary and whatever you were doing loses its charm.
 

A horse of course

Guest
I think everyone agrees that gimmick levels are bad in general, that's the premise of the thread, but that doesn't mean there can't be exceptions. You say you don't like Ocean House but you fail to mention why.

I think pretty much every game out there has a ''break'' from the core gameplay loop at some point, it just happens to take different forms. In Resident Evil it's the puzzles, in most AAA games it's cinematics, in a dungeon crawler it's that little moment you take to look over your inventory and stats.

Needing/taking a break isn't a sign of bad ''normal gameplay'' it's just good pacing, at some point you need a break from everything or you run the risk of getting weary and whatever you were doing loses its charm.

Ocean House's faults are known to everyone (it makes no use of the character's skills, combat or otherwise, it's utterly pointless on a second playthrough).

None of the examples you cited are gimmicks - puzzles in (classic) RE games & inventory and stats in an action RPG are all part of the core gameplay.
 

DJOGamer PT

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"Gimmick levels" are an inherent failure of game design. If you need "something different" to "take a break" from normal gameplay, then there is something fundamentally unsatisfying about the core mechanics.

I don't think this is necessarily true. After all MGS3 is full of gimmicky actions, mechanics, enemies and levels but it's still a great game from start to finish.
 
Self-Ejected

unfairlight

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Aug 20, 2017
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That Splinter Cell Chaos Theory mission where there was no penalty for killing people.
Wat?
I completed the game just a couple of weeks ago and I got no idea what you are talking about. I don't know of a single mission in the game where you can freely kill people and still get 100%.
 

Mustawd

Guest
The platforming levels in Half Life. Yes, I know they were kind of dumb, logic-wise, but they did serve to break up the gameplay.
 

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