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Updated: Aug 5, 2026
05:55
Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain
Published on: October 13, 2023
Functional node layout in Metroidvania game worlds: A complex network analysis
Gl Guanglong Bao1, Beihe Weng1, Long Ding1
1Art and Design College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Plos One
|July 31, 2026
Summary
This study analyzes Metroidvania game level design using network analysis. Save points and teleport systems reveal distinct structural strategies across Hollow Knight, The Lost Crown, and Blasphemous 2.
Area of Science:
- Game Design Analysis
- Computational Game Studies
- Network Science in Digital Games
Background:
- Metroidvania games feature complex spatial structures.
- Understanding functional node placement is key to player experience.
- Previous analyses often lack quantitative rigor.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively analyze the spatial structure of Metroidvania game worlds.
- To evaluate the distribution and centrality of key functional nodes (save points, teleport points, boss points).
- To identify distinct design strategies through network analysis.
Main Methods:
- Graph theory: transforming game maps into network structures.
- Network analysis metrics: Nearest Neighbor Index (NNI), k-hop reachability, centrality measures (closeness, betweenness).
- Case studies: Hollow Knight, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Blasphemous 2.
Main Results:
- Save points show dispersed (Hollow Knight, Lost Crown) vs. clustered (Blasphemous 2) patterns, reflecting different safety net designs.
- Teleport systems vary from sparse exploration layouts to dense mobility optimization.
- Boss points are consistently isolated with low centrality.
Conclusions:
- Functional node placement reflects deliberate, game-specific design strategies.
- Network analysis provides a quantitative framework for evaluating and optimizing game level design.
- Distinct structural roles of functional nodes impact player navigation and experience.
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