Glossary Entry: Backtrack

Backtracking means returning to areas that the player has already explored.

From a developer's point of view, having the player return to explored areas allows them to add a few extra levels without creating many new assets, so it saves on time and money. Players, however, often view backtracking as a bad thing, as they'd rather be exploring new places.

Note that it's not backtracking if the area has significantly changed between visits.