Critique: No map

[Ryuuzaki]

So here is a little criticque: The lack of dungeon maps. Illogical. As I heared said, the reason is so we can explore.
But, we are provided with an overworld map, that spoils upcoming areas with looks and names. Why? How? No expedition ever returned, how do we have information on what areas are on the landmass we landed at?

As opposed to that, there are no maps of the dungeons that would be greyed out and pathways revealed as we go forward. But the areas are labyrintian messes with a lot of clutter. Hard to navigate. Exploration is not fun without such a map, I just get lost and not know which paht I took and which I did not and go back and forth between areas, refighting respawning enemies. Why do we have no map charted? This is an EXPEDITION. In my opinion an expedition SHOULD chart maps as they go forward...no?

[Icelty]

I get what you're saying, but for me, the way the game drops you in after the intro with no hand-holding feels incredible. I'm out there exploring, not knowing the land. Even if I've been down a path before, I'll remember it if I paid attention, or I'll get lost. That’s what makes the game, at least for me, so much more immersive.

[MrJane]

I'm with ya OP. Getting lost is not fun for me. A map would alleviate that so much.

[Ryuuzaki]

Originally posted by Icelty:

I get what you're saying, but for me, the way the game drops you in after the intro with no hand-holding feels incredible. I'm out there exploring, not knowing the land. Even if I've been down a path before, I'll remember it if I paid attention, or I'll get lost. That’s what makes the game, at least for me, so much more immersive.

Ye, but again, if immersion, an expedition should be charting maps ^^"

[MrJane]

"Should be we keeping track of where we're going?"
"Nah, just wander around until we find something."
Great immersion! Lol.

[radmuskai]

The minimap never made us lose the sense of exploration, Final Fantasy X still had complex mazes (the worst part of the game for me) even with the minimap on and the "on rails" lack of open world critique.

When we lose the minimap we get lost more often, so we have to walk around a lot to figure out all available paths, and there are many items and secrets to find so you end up doing it. I'm almost 10 hours in and I just got the rocky terrain breaking fella, this game design is slowing me down. Since I got a lot of good stuff exploring, I fear that if I let go of exploration and just follow the main story I may miss a lot of items that are making the game easier, as I already have a hard time with the dodging.

Also I wish they have something to help us backtrack the missing stuff for those that want to 100% it. I might do it if I feel I'm close to end game and I'm not already tired of it, but I also hate to spend a lot of time trying to do it and then get bored before I complete the game.

JRPGs had a lot of QoL changes over the decades, and this one is missing staple stuff to a lot of people. Last one I played was Persona 3 remake. We got minimap, auto fight for weak mobs, treasures are not hidden under stuff you need to destroy to see.

[Bran]

i like that we didnt get minimap, soo game tell us to explore and more focus on visual, art part of game not to walk just on minimap but that is true that some kind map will be nice like on second playthrough, or for backtraking to that blue roots that block way in early game

it will be nice if they add very simply map but not as minimap, and it only show us the part of dungeon where we allready explored, maping in rly time like hand draw for immersion

[Arcana]

It's an expedition, you're an expeditioner. Get out a pen and paper and draw yourself a map of where you've been, duh.

World map unlocks once you access continent exploration

[unripe mango]

i hated the lack of a map (and feeling incredibly lost in dungeons) at first, but now i think i like it this way.

i typically scour 100% of every map in a game. but without a map, doing so in this game is challenging enough that i'm willing to let a few pictos and lumina points go undiscovered.

[Logarifm]

This is torture. I've been running around the cave for several hours now—the location is so monotonous. I can't even tell where the entrance or the exit is anymore, just endless dead ends. If I don't find a way out soon, I'll have to drop the game. I don't want to waste any more time.

[shadowsfm]

On the bright side, they do a good job with landmarks and the map isn't so big that it's hard to memorize it's layout

The cave was tricky, but I eventually found a ramp I haven't climbed yet

[Bran]

TIP for this how are lost

maps are linear, with many hiden loot, that offten loops them selfs (not whole map but part of them) use flags and fast travel to navigate, i did't meet a map that flags were not in order from beginning to end map

[a.warringa1]

The main path is lit by lamps and other lights (also look up to see the lamps).

[Axelhander]

It's not "illogical" lol. It follows a very clear logic.

The question is if the map design is conducive to having no map. Such as in Amid Evil, an FPS will amazing map design that is very hard to get lost in despite no automap.

[Constant_K]

+1 for minimap. In villages too it's so annoying to get turned around.

Honestly a lot about this game is grating. I'm under ten hours and that metacritic score is looking really high IMO.

[Monsieur blap]

Originally posted by Arcana:

It's an expedition, you're an expeditioner. Get out a pen and paper and draw yourself a map of where you've been, duh.

World map unlocks once you access continent exploration

This! Make your own map.