How do indie games use world design to evoke a sense of mystery?

[killamch89]

World design in indie games can evoke mystery through layered environments, cryptic collectibles and minimal hand-holding. Titles like Hyperlight Drifter, Hollow Knight and Return of the Obra Dinn masterfully tease secrets tucked into every corner. How do level layouts, visual motifs and environmental storytelling combine to spark curiosity? What approaches to map design like hidden passages, ambient audio cues or unscripted NPC behaviors heighten the sense of discovery? And how do these worlds encourage self-driven exploration over explicit objectives?