The major issue of games that are linear is they have a very specific way of guiding the player. You usually go from point A to point B and there is very rarely any wiggle room. While this is great if you’re into games that are more about story and objective, it usually means that the game will always be a straightforward experience. That’s why in nonlinear games you don’t get this simple forward progress. In titles like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition, you are completely free to do what you want and when you want to. It is truly the feeling of absolute freedom in a game. Now, let us go a little more in depth in how The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition gives you this freedom.

Unfortunately for you your life seems to be soon reaching its end. You and several others are about to be executed by the executioner’s axe for various crimes committed. Just as you’re about to meet the cold axe’s steel, a roar sounds from above and in the skies you see a giant dragon. After your escape, you are told to head to Whiterun to warn them of the facing dragon and its potential to destroy the kingdom. Though once your journey begins, truly you will learn the truth of your hidden talent, one that was seemingly lost to the world. You are a Dragonborn and your mighty voice will change the landscape of Skyrim forever.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is actually an updated version of the original title released several years ago. However, one thing that hasn’t changed is the immense freedom you have to do what you want within The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition. If you want to roam the land and just take on random enemies or find quests, you can do that. We here at Honey’s Anime have several times in the past barely touched the main story and instead focused solely on just exploring the wide world of Skyrim. If you want a title that truly focuses on nonlinear gameplay over any others, then you need to try out The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition. Just be prepared to spend easily hundreds of hours if you’re after that 100% achievement titles.

Nonlinear gameplay doesn’t just affect exploration in games but it also effects how you can handle any given slew of situations thrown at you. It’s very rare that a lot of games give players a choice in how to handle different missions or objectives. Most first person shooters— for example—tell players to shoot the bad guys and move on to the next area to do the same thing there. However, there are first person titles that actually give the player a choice in how to handle a situation or multiple situations. Sure you can kill that baddie with a gun or knife, or maybe avoid them altogether. What if there are even more ways to defeat your foe then just using a weapon? Below are two gaming titles that gives players a means of planning out their actions and allow the nonlinear gameplay format to shine. The two games we’re about to use for our examples are Dishonored 2 and Thief 2014.

Corvo fifteen years ago was forced to watch his Empress get killed by assassins while her daughter Emily was taken away. Through many trials and tribulations, Corvo was able to not only save Emily but clear his name thus saving the city of Dunwall. While Corvo and Emily’s lives should be now peaceful as the Dunwall has become a stronger and more liberated city, fate has other plans in store for these two souls. During a gathering for Emily’s late mother, an attack rips through the city and now Corvo or Emily must fight back.

In a title like Dishonored 2, players get the means of planning out attacks in very untraditional ways. Similar to the first title, Dishonored 2 gives players supernatural powers that allow a wide bevy of attacks to planned out and coordinated. Take Corvo who can summon rats to devour his enemies. If you’re trying to go for a quiet approach, using these rats will allow you to devour an enemy and leave no trace of the body. Thus if another enemy approaches they won’t be aware there was even attack. Dishonored 2 has tons of cool powers like this that really show how nonlinear gameplay can make any first person title a truly liberating experience. Though we won’t lie, it is still a bit unnerving to see hundreds of rats eating a body leaving no trace.

Garrett, for most of his life, has been regarded as a master thief. Using his skills, he can break into any location and or kill any target while never leaving the shadows. Garrett’s skill has become infamous and as has caused many to seek his employment. One day, Garrett is hired by Baron Northcrest to steal an important object alongside another thief named Erin. However, Garrett is actually tricked and watches as Erin dies and he succumbs to an attack himself. A year passes and Garrett wakes up from a long coma caused to his wounds and learns the outside world has changed greatly. Once more the master thief must return to the shadows he knows so well to learn what he must do next…

Thief is probably one of the best examples of a nonlinear game. Obviously as a master thief, your job is to rob from targets and kill specific people all while never being noticed. Thanks to solid gameplay from developer Eidos Montreal, players can do all of these tasks in a multitude of ways. Maybe you need to break into a house to steal a document. Well you can set up a diversion outside, let the guards go to explore the noise and then break in while no one sees you. Equally you could also kill each guard from the shadows and leave no witnesses behind. Thief is a great first person adventure title that shows you there isn’t one way to solve a problem but indeed several and all you have to do is plan your next move.