Best 2026 Video Games for level design

#1

Level design receives very strong praise from IGN for systemic intelligence, opportunity density, and the way environments support stealth and action.

#2

Reviewer evidence is strongly positive: level design was repeatedly praised as a standout strength across 1 review(s).

#3

Level design was a major strength, especially the care center’s loops, agency, and interconnected mansion-like structure.

#4

Level and map layouts were praised for thoughtful movement, beautiful spaces, and rewarding terrain.

#5

Level design was strongly praised for handcrafted chunks, biome structure, combat spaces, and a balance between freshness and mastery.

#6

Level design was broadly praised for open-field layouts, strong world structure, and mission-like areas integrated into larger spaces.

#7

Level design is praised for longer, more vertical, and well-designed mission spaces rather than flat or shallow levels.

#8

Stage transitions are praised for being fast and not interrupting match flow.

#9

Kalona's city-based combat spaces are viewed as a strong fit for Gears, with verticality and new traversal seen as potentially game-changing.

#10

Level design gets positive marks for remixes, logical escalation, and mini-games that reviewers found well thought out and engaging.

#11

Level design is widely admired for semi-linear routes, shortcuts, varied sectors, and combat arenas, though repetition appears in a few late-game comments.

#12

Road, city, track, and landscape design are often praised as dense and varied, though some criticism targets overly wide roads.

#13

The clearest level-design praise centered on vampire abilities opening unconventional routes through environments.

#14

Level design was often praised for branching paths, biomes, and movement support, though procedural layouts sometimes became familiar or disrupted flow.

#15

Level design ranges from criticized simple spaces to praised scale, nonlinear structure, and distinct larger environments.

#16

Level design ranged from intuitive and propulsive in positive reviews to overly restrictive or lacking interpretive room in a negative one.

#17

Dungeon and level design drew mixed evidence: some praised memorable layouts and new gimmicks, while one reviewer disliked a Grim Garten objective enough to sour the experience.

#18

Level design had strong claustrophobic highlights in vents and corridors, but one larger station area was criticized as nondescript.

#19

Level design ranged from dungeon-like, vertical, side-path-heavy praise to complaints that early spaces could resemble long linear hallways.

#20

Arena layouts were described as relatively flat, though the same review still appreciated the genre-consistent presentation.

#21

Level design has limited, mixed evidence, with one reviewer criticizing repeated small rooms that look similar.

#22

Level design was mixed, with one reviewer finding the large terrain rewarding but sometimes too mountainous or exhausting.