TornadoCreator: the best example I can give is 'Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night'... no-one would list the level design and sense of flow as a reason for loving the game.
MadalinStroe: I never played Symphony Of The Night, so I can't comment on it, but I think heard that the level design was actually great. Once you realize that, SPOILERS, in the second part of the game the castle is inverted? At that's what I think I remember about it... Was that a different Castlevania game?
That's the same game. While I'd say the level design was interesting, it certainly isn't what I'd call great. There's little need for platforming, the levels have to be fairly bland and simple as they need to be traversable from any direction because backtracking is part of the games design.
Like I say, I'm not claiming the game is a bad game. I'm claiming it doesn't have good kinesthetics and is one of the few examples of a good 2D game that doesn't focus on it. Focusing more on the exploration, RPG elements, and general atmosphere. The levels are designed to look good and evoke a certain feeling way before they considered that the player will need to move through the levels, which is why there are so many levels that are literally straight empty corridors with a few enemies in them that are way larger than normal 2D games enemies would normally be. They where going for a different feel with SOTN. Less focus on kinesthetics and more focus on traditional aesthetics.
