The second way I implement variety in the world is through random elements. Enemies, bosses, items and events all have a random element to them. No two runs should be exactly the same as enemy spawns and items are different every run.

Another way to keep the game from getting stale after several runs is to encourage the player to challenge themselves. When player’s see something of value they really want or need, they are likely to go after that valuable, no matter the odds. Players feel very rewarded when they finally achieve the small goal they set out for themselves to retrieve that valuable and overcome the challenge.

Lastly, the best way to keep gameplay fresh is to give a consistent feeling of progression. One of the most satisfying feelings in a game is visibly seeing progression being made. I have made some progress on this goal through shortcuts that once opened are unlocked permanently for all runs. I have many other ideas for taking this concept further in the near future.