The modern-day gamer has grown accustomed to the average triple-A title incessantly pointing them in the “right” direction, whether it’s a minimap, objective markers, or something far more egregious (cluttered UI, immersion-breaking navigational tools, etc.), it seems like no modern title will allow you to get lost. Hand-Holding is often argued to be a necessity, a way for the developer's omniscient hand to guide you through the narrative in the way they have intended, suitable for linear story-focused games, but an RPG? Or open-world? A distinctly exciting (or terrifying) facet of real-world exploration is the prospect of getting lost; that same feeling, when replicated in a digital world, can serve to further immerse the player, forcing them to take notice of their surroundings, turning navigation into an essential gameplay function.
Dark Souls. A series praised for its hands-off approach, often guiding the player through vague dialogue and puzzling item descriptions. While some may be turned off by its obtuse design, its appeal is undeniable. The player often stumbles through massive interconnected levels, barely surviving hordes of hideous monstrosities, feelings of isolation, fear, and confusion mark the entire experience of every game in the franchise. There is a light however, under the bleak exterior of the Souls series, the crackling warmth of a bonfire. Bonfires act as the game's checkpoint system, allowing players to rest, heal, and restock next to a cozy campsite. The arduous journey through each level only enhances the relief a player feels when kindling those flames (usually to die shortly after), creating a palpable sense of progression when a bonfire is discovered, simultaneously bolstering the dread of not having seen one in a while.
The depth of the digital worlds we inhabit is enhanced by the player's imagination. The worlds of the Souls series, through vagueness and unintuitiveness, provoke intrigue like no other. Invisible walls and barriers exist in the Souls series; some of the later games do feature some fairly linear level design (I’m looking at you, Dark Souls 3) but still incite more curiosity than the average triple-A title because they respect the player's intelligence and encourage speculation. While one can argue that Hand-Holding has a place in the Uncharted series (though it often detracts from the intrigue of those games too), it is undeniable that it would radically reduce the impact of games that take the other way.