An example of a game I deeply enjoyed is Ghost of Tsushima, and open-world action/adventure game where you play Jin Sakai, a samurai trying to protect Tsushima Island from the Mongol invasion of 1275. Regarding the games architecture, GoT mixes interaction loops and interaction arcs. A repeated loop in the game is exploring the island, finding a mission or enemy camp, choosing whether to fight with stealth or direct combat, earning rewards, gathering resources, upgrading abilities, and then continuing the journey. Simultaneously, the game has strong arcs because the missions build toward emotional and narrative moments. The main story gives the player a clear path, while the side quests add smaller stories about grief, loyalty, and survival. I believe GoT has a type of layered architecture; repeated gameplay loops keeps players engaged, while larger story arcs give those actions meaning.
