Cyseal is incredibly well-balanced in terms of game design. It feels really finely crafted, an area filled with quite distinct, separate parts that are all connected cleverly, sign-posted accordingly (for those paying attention). It's a smooth experience from Lvl 1 to Lvl 9 or 10 or whatever. The level of difficulty remains consistant (both within the optimal route and also when you go out of your way to try more challenging, buttclenching encounters) and feeds nicely into subtly signposting the player to the optimal areas (enemies too difficult for you? if you want to, maybe you should try the other way).
I'm guessing we're using the word balance to mean two different things. I'm not actually sure how you're using it, sorry. I can't connect Cyseal's open world freeform structure with imbalance. Balance doesn't imply a controlled corridor-like game experience, like your comment seems to be suggesting.
Right and I'll attribute that to, that is what we all played in EA and reported back on. If they did that with all chapters, I have no doubt the game would have been better overall. Time and Money, that's all.
