Navigation & Progression, Why Maps Aren't Needed

[Wish Maker]

So yeah. I've played this game quite a few times already. Working on my 3rd play through now. I begin to look back on my first play through and how confused I was about getting around. I was just beginning to understand what the environments were trying to tell me. Eventually, getting to the end of the game made it abundantly clear to me just what was going on -- I'm just ashamed it took me that long to figure it out.

There is a HUB Map

So, took me until the 2nd play through to realize that the vast majority of the game takes place in a HUB map, akin to Peach's Castle in Marior 64. You can only interact with certain portions of the map at any given time, and certain actions make more of the map accessible. Other parts will prevent you from back tracking until later.

Overall the HUB Map is pretty small, and much of it is locked away until the end of the game.

Port Holes & Escape

Port Holes only exist in the HUB map. If you see a Port Hole, congrats you're in the HUB Map. Entering a Port Hole will force you into a Level. I say force, because there is no way back. You must now focus on Escape from that Level. Each level has two Canisters, one for Story progression and one for Bonus. You can return for the Bonus one later at any time via the HUB Map.

Exit Signs

Within a Level, there are a number of bright green Exit Signs. These tell you where the exit of the level is, great if you have to go back in to explore for bonus Canisters.

Bonus Canisters

The way to a Bonus Canister is always highlighted by that big purple glowing Diamond. Always a minor Puzzle to access it.

Signs and Level Information

The part that confused me at first were the signs which give you information about the level. Took me a few rounds to figure out that the signs are only visible in the HUB Map. These signs are very much like paintings in Mario 64, they tell you information about the level and whether or not you should re-enter it. So if you see a sign, congrats you're on the HUB map.

[WC?]

Read post. Still not sure what a HUB map is or why I am on it because I see signs.

[Wish Maker]

I could post screen shots, but then I'd just be writing a Guide and should post it in Guides. XD

[GOduOfTheNorth]

I'd still like a map. I like this game, but it's getting annoying at the part where you have to go back with late game abilities to unlock stuff. It could even be a vague map, especially for the hub world. I know it's small, but I get super lost in it. It was an odd choice to add a hub tbh. I mean, if it committed to being something somewhat easy to navigate with a few hidden things in it, like Peach's Castle, then it'd be fine. Problem is that it still has the one way tubes and the repeating scenery, and then also the hidden rooms, and it becomes really difficult to remember where you are. Like, honestly, I don't even need a full terrain map, a general idea of what room I'm in would be awesome. I'm sure it's not there because of theme, but plenty of animals have mental maps of their surroundings. Ori in the blind forest has an unassuming little leaf cat who has a better mental map of his surroundings than the crazy mutant alien monster does.

[WC?]

Oh wait now I get it. When you said signs at the end of the post you mean the big digital ones that give the status of the facility. I was confused since you mentioned exit signs earlier. Okay, so I missed a whole ton of bonus containers and I got as far as the control room and I am not sure what I am supposed to do. Do I have to collect everything to end the game? Or did I just take a wrong turn somewhere and somehow miss the ending when I was right next to it? I worked my way all the way back to botanical gardens and now I can't even find the control room again. I am really really bad at navigating if you couldn't tell.

[PixelDemise]

I figured out it was a hub world by the Botanical Gardens. However, that doesn't mean that a map wouldn't be much better. It could be something only obtained after an area is clear, or some secret to be found.

In my attempts to backtrack, I genuinely spent around 30 minutes wandering through the hub area because I couldn't for the life of me find the botanical gardens to get the secret upgrade in that level. Some kind of a map that would have let me shave off 30 minutes of questioning whether it is worth it for the final upgrade, and would be greatly appreciated.

Why do you think so many games that involved backtracking large maps give you an actual map?

[Wish Maker]

Originally posted by Buzzard Burbridge:

Oh wait now I get it. When you said signs at the end of the post you mean the big digital ones that give the status of the facility. I was confused since you mentioned exit signs earlier. Okay, so I missed a whole ton of bonus containers and I got as far as the control room and I am not sure what I am supposed to do. Do I have to collect everything to end the game? Or did I just take a wrong turn somewhere and somehow miss the ending when I was right next to it? I worked my way all the way back to botanical gardens and now I can't even find the control room again. I am really really bad at navigating if you couldn't tell.

Once you defeat "Bunker" you have complete access to the entire HUB Map, including where you started. You end the game where you started. You do not need to collect the 9 optional containers to win.

[HighLanderPony]

Tl;dr
TIL steaks don't need knives to be eaten either, why bother.

[Foxtopus]

On my first play through I realized that there were bonus canisters that I'd want to go get, but only picked up two of them. I got the notion that there was a hub, but kept banging my head against the wall trying to navigate back through it only to get sucked into the next level. The design really does coax you forward with whatever ability you just got, but the screens are so small that all the transitions kind of wipe my memory of the hub by the time I get back to it.

I've got some notion that I've seen these big digital signs around, but I don't remember which one is world three or five, and thanks to the ability to save right in the last one way door, that same "I'm gonna try and look for bonus canisters" drive threw me right through the last one way door.

I realized in the first playthrough that "I can't tell these portholes apart from a normal save point," but not "you can't ever use them again." This game wouldn't need a map if those things sealed shut or collapsed or were just still usable gates. Instead, you have to come talk to people to understand what's getting you locked out of the hub that you want to explore.

[Bede-x]

Originally posted by System Senpai:

The way to a Bonus Canister is always highlighted by that big purple glowing Diamond. Always a minor Puzzle to access it.

Where do you see that glowing diamond? I'm probably blind, but I've completed the game now and haven't seen anything :)

EDIT: I think I get it now. It's the white diamond shapes near the canisters. Not something you can navigate after unless you're right next to the bonus section.

[Raptor]

100% the game in 4 hours. The game would benefit from a map.