I’ve always thought that bigger maps are better in games because there are is a bigger world to explore. However, I recently realized that sometimes bigger games didn’t feel big. For example, Just Cause 3 has a gigantic map of 2000km2. However, it doesn’t feel as large as, say GTA SA. Then I realized that mere size is not enough to create a sense of a bigger world. What the games need is variety. A good way to measure that variety that I found on Reddit is that, if you see a screenshot from an area of a game, you should be able to identify the area from the picture. Dark Souls is a great a great example. The game doesn’t have a map. But you can find way around the map because every section of the game is very memorable. And It feels huge.

I further realized that the map size is not only insufficient, it is also a bad thing for the games because it makes it harder to roam the map. My current thought is that the game developers should try to put as much content and variety inside a small area. They don’t have to compress everything in a tiny area, of course. The area should be big enough to not feel extremely stuffed and to not lose in atmosphere. What Remains In Edith Finch is a great example of this in my opinion. The whole game sets in a big house, and it feels big.