Titles like Toddle make walking, climbing, and overcoming obstacles challenges that must be mastered. In an article discussing game movement design, a PC Gamer author argues that when games no longer effortlessly handle every step for the player, movement itself can bring the joy of exploration and learning.
The author begins by reviewing Mirror's Edge, Titanfall 2, Dishonored 2, DOOM Eternal, and Arma 3. In his view, movement mechanics in these earlier 3D games had a high skill ceiling; once mastered, players could perform wall-running, precise observation, or complex maneuvers during combat.
In contrast, the author believes another group of titles begins to seriously address basic actions such as stepping, climbing, overcoming obstacles, and falling. Toddle turns "taking a single step forward" into a process that requires repeated practice. He spent two afternoons trying out the game; although he didn't complete it, he acknowledged the goals the work aims to achieve.
The article also mentions that Alone in the Dark combines mountaineering with precise route-finding and resource management; Control: Resonance alters the movement experience through changes in gravity; while We Walk Together centers on traversing maps with friends, where even crossing low obstacles can be strenuous.
The author does not categorize these works as a deliberately formed genre. He speculates that the long-term evolution of 3D game design has left creators room to rethink fundamental movements; additionally, some past major titles simplified complex movement into minimal inputs, which may have renewed attention on the act of control itself.