A pattern seems to be emerging.

I usually explore the left a bit then go back and go right.

no set direction, but I do the backtracking part too.

I choose always left and then go clockwise. It may have to do with the reading direction, the leftmost is the "first". I'm right-handed, by the way. And depending on the RPG, I do or not backtracking (If I like the game, I do, if I wanna finish it ASAP, I don't)

Back 15 years ago, playing pen and paper RPGs, we always chose left. One of my friends used to say "Death comes from the left"

Save game, go left. Don't like it, load save game, go right.


... and yes I hate checkpoint save systems >_

I try to go to whichever path is going to lead me back to the fork. Gotta try to see everything in one playthrough. If one path appears to be leading me in the right direction, I go back and try the other path. Usually has treasure, a dead end, a new type of enemy, or some kind of clue anyway.

i take whatever path feels right at the time.

I typically choose whichever path looks more like a side road to me, unless of course I want to save and quit then I choose whichever looks like the through path.

If both paths look identical then I'll choose left first and I'm left handed.

I follow the left wall of the dungeon. If you've seen the maze screensaver or played FFVIII, you'd also have worked that out.

If you always follow the left wall(or right, but game designers usually put the exit on the right), you'll find most things in the dungeon.

One thing I hate is when there is a cutscene that keeps me from going back to pick up the extras.