I want an "Open Dungeon" game

[Specter Von Baren]

So let me explain what I mean by an "Open Dungeon" game and what the context is for this. Since last week I've been thinking off and on about what I would want from the next Zelda game and despite me liking Breath of the Wild, I don't want the next Zelda game to be the same Open World style game.

What I WOULD like is for the next Zelda to take Hyrule Castle from Breath of the Wild and make 8 dungeons like that. Shrink the overworld, give me dungeons with special items but make the dungeons huge sprawing locations with tons of rooms and many ways to enter the dungeon. Make it so the old Zelda formula of getting the special item and beating the boss is like 1/3 of the dungeon and the rest is extra areas that you may or may not need an item from some other dungeon to get to.

I'd like to not have huge sparse worlds to travel through but instead large lore filled temples and castles with secrets and personality to them. So what are your thoughts on this idea, whether in the context of Zelda or otherwise?

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

So you want Dark Souls/Bloodborne. You're in luck, they already exist!

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

The retro spinoff of Bloodstained is metroidvania esque andkind of like that. Not so much with the items, but kind of. Not open world, however.

 

[DarthCoercis]

You could try Elder Scrolls: Battlespire.

 

[Lufia Erim]

isn't that essentially Dark cloud?

 

[Specter Von Baren]

So you want Dark Souls/Bloodborne. You're in luck, they already exist!

That reminds me, I hope Shadows Die Twice has more environmental/boss puzzles than SoulsBorne did, as good as those games are. In fact, make the bosses react dynamically to your attacks, to where they will also learn your patterns if you repeat attacks often enough. Also, less enemy encounters but make each feel more significant and meaningful. It sounds like traditional XP and leveling is a thing of the past anyways, which is a big step forward.

Most importantly though, I?d like what?s been done with physically based rendering of materials for visual fluff to be applied to gameplay aspects. For example, enemy damage and to some extent environmental as well. When I slash at someone?s stomach with a sword, I want to see their insides spill out if they?re not wearing appropriate armor, or cut their arm off so they can?t use their weapon or shield. Different weapons would interact more appropriately with whatever material they come into contact with. If I find an axe I want to have an option to eventually bust down a wooden door with it, even if it?s a big bloody door.

People may say, ?Well that would break the game?, but that?s only true if the game is limited to traditional design. It?s time we make the next big advancement in game design. It won?t happen all at once, but it?s vital to start taking the steps any time now.

 

[meiam]

So metroidvania?

 

[Specter Von Baren]

So metroidvania?

I guess this is the closest to what I want. A 3D adventure Metroidvania. Elder Scrolls and Bloodborne are more... stat based (?) than what I'm describing.

 

[Kerg3927]

... Shadows Die Twice...

Oh wow, how did I miss the announcement of this. Looks pretty cool, and I have to assume that it will be good, because Miyazaki.

 

[meiam]

So metroidvania?

I guess this is the closest to what I want. A 3D adventure Metroidvania. Elder Scrolls and Bloodborne are more... stat based (?) than what I'm describing.

Castevenia curse of darkness for PS2 was essentially that, I'm sure there's plenty of others

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

So metroidvania?

I guess this is the closest to what I want. A 3D adventure Metroidvania. Elder Scrolls and Bloodborne are more... stat based (?) than what I'm describing.

Castlevania SotN is the exact thing you're talking about and is what the vania in metroidvania stems from and it is basically an rpg. It has levels and stats and everything. Basically, such a concept has never been stat-free. Either way, whether you have to manage your gear and levels doesn't really affect the things you are talking about here with regards to the layout of the levels and how they're large inter-connected dungeons.

In fact, you can have various types of gameplay with such a layout. Whether there's stats or not doesn't affect how the area is formatted.

 

[Abomination]

Ultima Underworld?

 

[Meximagician]

Level design wise, that sounds a bit like Mega Man Legends for PS1. With the exception of three small dungeons opened in the late game, every dungeon on Kattelox island is interconnected. An item used to jump higher and two special weapons that destroyed walls were used to gate off areas.

Unfortunately there wasn't much lore to be found underground. A few bits of dialogue and some special items that could be donated to a museum for more information about them was all you got. Still, it is pretty funny to go from fighting killer robots, exploring new underground ruins, and climbing up a ladder to... being stood in the middle of a city street, having just climbed out of a manhole.

Spoiler: unrelated fridge thought

A bunch of characters talk about digger licenses thought out the game, as more dangerous ruins require a higher class license to enter. But by the time the credits roll, the player has made every part of the underground accessible to anyone who can jump high enough...

I think we single-handedly multiplied the number of digger related fatalities and disappearances on Kattelox. At least until those passages cave in or the destructible walls are rebuilt.

 

[PFCboom]

You're thinking of the classic MEGA-DUNGEON of D&D fame. Those are hard to make work in a tabletop setting, for many and varied complex reasons; in a video game, it's not nearly as difficult as you might think.
Point of fact, what you're thinking of has already been explored some 26 years ago with Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss; UU, itself a spin-off, spawned its own sequel just a year later. You're thrown into the top level of a very deep dungeon, and you're expected to fight and/or sweet-talk your way down to the kidnapped princess. I do believe that is precisely what you are looking for, OP.

In looking up information on UU, I came across something for something called "Underworld Ascendant," which bills itself as a spiritual successor to the Ultima Underworld games, complete with folks who literally worked on the aforementioned UU games. So, you know... your wish has been granted!

 

[MrCalavera_v1legacy]

This is what i wanted from "Metro" games. But they went open world instead.