Is sequence breaking an intended feature in this game?

[Ganymede]

Minor Spoilers:





If you memorize the train/elevator codes from a previous section, you can you skip entire sections of the game Not only that, the game literally won't let you go back and play the previous sections and will instead hand you the gameboy devices you skipped. You can fly right past the majority of the game this way.

Not sure if this was a dev-tool feature they intended to take out before release, or if this really is a feature the players were supposed to take advantage of on subsequent playthroughs. I guess it's a good way to get around if you missed secrets.

[ShinmaWa]

In short, yes. It was intended. The entire mechanic of putting in a code into the subway terminal serves one purpose: To enable those who have already completed the game to jump ahead as the game lacks a "chapter select" feature.

Also the devs went out of their way to code for it, including the fact you are given the components you skipped over, multiple sheets fall from the clipboard, etc.

According to the developer commentary on their YouTube channel, the original intention was for the subway to be used to "fast travel" throughout the city, to any point you saw fit.

This caused all kinds of gameplay problems, including breaking the "mechanics building" aspect of the game, so that was simplified to a "one way subway" that -- if you know the codes -- allows you to skip ahead.