A game I enjoy is Hades, and it’s a very clear example of a game that really utilizes loops and arcs in its architecture. It has what I would describe as leveled-architecture. That is because the game has a central gameplay loop each time you run the game that come with revealing arcs and evocative stimuli (when you meet characters along the way, hear dialogue from gods as they give you boons, etc.). These arcs run in parallel with the runs themselves, but are not intrinsically tied up with any one level, and can come in different sequences. Meanwhile, the game design itself is very centered around interaction loops that help you learn different gameplay mechanics. The slow introduction of different weapons, different enemies, power-ups, and characters all let you experiment with things as you learn how to use them. Then, once you become a master at a certain mechanic, the game will unlock new mechanics to you in a hierarchical method. The mix of narrative arcs that slowly reveal themselves with very repetitive but fun gameplay mechanic interaction loops that let you learn the mechanics lead to the design of the game being in a leveled-architecture loop and arc structure.
