Video/computer Game Cliches

[Johnny 1]

Alrighty, I saw this one on another forum and thought it would be fun to do here. Post up some of the biggest cliches in gaming today that you can think of.

 

I'll start off with a bunch:

 

World War I and II -- The number of World War games has gotten utterly ridiculous lately. I mean, I do enjoy a good run of Battlefield, but it's kind of annoying to see 40 different World War games to pick and choose from these days. I was just visiting GameFAQs.com and saw an ad for Company of Heroes, which, you guessed it, is a World War 2 game.

 

Infinite/Many Lives -- Games with infinite lives makes me sick. I'm talking about games like Prince of Persia, where you almost have to try to die, and when you do, you don't get sent far back in the game at all. Other games simply give you so many lives that you never even have to go back that far. I find it boring if you can completely beat a game without even trying, which brings me to my next one.

 

Easy enemies/objectives -- I can't really think of a good example, but I'm sure you know what I mean. Games that have really easy-to-do objectives aren't challenging at all, and therefore aren't interesting, to me. I want a game that can beat me just as much as I beat it.

 

Exploding boxes -- Why is it that in some games nearly all the boxes are explosive or breakable in some way? In games like Half-Life, they're literally everywhere, and who wants to go breaking 80 boxes to find a clip of ammo?

 

Key cards/keys -- What is the fascination with locking every door, and then going and hiding keys in the most random and inconspicuous places?

 

One-shot items -- Remember the old Zelda games where you had to use one particular item to kill one particular boss, and never used it again for the entire game?

 

Walking into homes -- Elder Scrolls is a good example. You can usually just walk into any house you see and take a bunch of their prized possessions. In Elder Scrolls it's a bit harder though.

 

Hack n Slash -- Does anyone really find that fun for very long? Maybe a cool game like Gladius...but still.

 

Saving the World -- Let's be realistic. Do you really think that a single random person who just got magical powers, or something like that, is just going to be able to save the world? Take for example Mario. Do you really think one Italian plumber (with the help of a few friends, sometimes) could go around stomping 18,000,000 koopas and such?

 

So yeah, add some more.

[FLaKes 0]

Lol, that key cards thing is exactly what Ive always asked my self. Its kind of like in action movies, where the enemies capture the hero and they put him in a situation where they supposedly cant escape and end up having a horrible death. (in Austin powers they made a lot of fun out of these situations, I dont remember what they said it was called but it was really funny with the sharks that had lasers attached to them.) That sometimes happens in platform games too.I cant think of any others right now

[Johnny 1]

Exactly.

 

Here's another one:

 

Bosses who transform/come back to life -- You guys know the type. Bosses who keep transforming into *bigger* bosses, or simply come back to life 3 or 4 times. The only fun example I've seen of this is with Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, because Nemesis doesn't just keep transforming all at once, he progresses as you do throughout the game.

 

But speaking of Resident Evil, why is it that the bosses always have to be monsters? Like in Resident Evil 4, the guy with the fake eye, you can't just fight him, you have to wait until he transforms into a giant monster with it's spine sticking out, and then you wait until his legs fall off and he sprouts tentacle things. Then the boy transforms into this giant behemoth stuck to a wall, with a giant eye and more tentacles. Then the final boss transforms into a spider thing with a bunch of legs with eyes at the knees. Even Krauser grows a mutant arm. Sometimes the monsters in RE games get so ridiculously mutated it gets boring. There's a line between scary and stupid.

 

[i like this topic...probably because I'm such a video game expert. Still don't have an Xbox or PS2 though, so I won't be too knowing of the next-gen games.]

[Markyfilarky 0]

GTA San Andreas (PS2)- If you fire loads of Petrol Bombs onto cars and them to all blow up then your playstation 2 will freeze and you can't do anything about it until you reset your console.

[franz see 0]

at least the days of items in the shape of a chicken, burger and such to gain vitality is over hehehe :Pbut still, most heroes are very young oh well, appeal to the market's fantasies hehehe

[salamangkero 0]

EXP system -- Ookay, so maybe killing enemies or seeing them die at the hands of your allies does add to a person's combat knowledge. Still, no matter how many different enemies there are, no matter how varied their drops can be and no matter how many different ways you kill them, it will get boring after some time.

 

Limited NPC responses -- You walk up to a girl, "Welcome to Kakariko Village." Again, "Welcome to Kakariko Village." One more time, "Welcome to Kakariko Village." Seriously, some NPC's are better off represented as CD or cassette players if they couldn't even be as "random" as humans.

 

TMI in NPC responses -- Depending on the game, mood and situation, this may be a needed feature. However, do you really need 5 people around you "muttering" about their recent divorce, newest baby, upcoming wedding, secret crushes and, ahem, heaven forbid, sexual fantasies? Not all of them lead to side-quests, either!

 

Over-complicated sidequests -- It usually is insane to hunt for a cedar plank needed by the high priest for a bottle of holy water you'd douse over the volcanic flames that you can gather magma for the blacksmith who'd reward you with a hammer for the sculptor who, in turn, will surrender his mithril claws to you, enabling you to cut the adamantine vines you need so that the craftsman can make you the adamantine lasso you'd need to catch the zookeeper's kraken: a feat which, in the end, will yield you, what, a handful of coins, exp or stats?

[DarkPsycho 0]

GTA San Andreas (PS2)- If you fire loads of Petrol Bombs onto cars and them to all blow up then your playstation 2 will freeze and you can't do anything about it until you reset your console.

lol i could've guess that would happen, a console can only take so much happening on screen

Obvious Weak Points: Some of these bosses have these weakpoints that they could easily hide for the whole fight. Like in....that arcade zombie game >.< ....this one bosses chest opens after every offensive move it makes and it leaves its heart open to fire....wtf. Atleast make it something like an open spot in armor or some obscure wound from sometime before. Just to give it a little challenge.

[Thorned Rose 0]

If you want to play a game which is almost entirely cliche check out Enchanted Arms for the xbox 360. You got an annoying young main character with a hidden power which can save the world. A princess in disguise when a big silent guardian to look after her. An annoying side-kick girl. Breakable barrels. A city desotryed early in the game. The world also has the whole instrustrial/fantasy thing down from Final Fantasy too.

[salamangkero 0]

Another one, seen not only in games but also in movies and TV series

 

Stereotypes -- "Rawr. I am evil because I wear black!" Really, some games don't even bother with plots at all. Is every non-human being out there considered "monster" to be slayed for exp? Some of those "monsters" could be sentient life forms, you know? Is every person who wears black, wields the dark arts or loves the night to be considered evil? And if someone is cold, mysterious or aloof, does that reduce him or her into a boss character or savior of that pathetic world? Are witches always green-faced wrinkled creatures with crooked noses? Do fortunetellers always use crystal balls? (No pun intended) Are aliens always the evil, kidnapping creatures they are? Well, at least, with better plots nowadays, we know now that the answer is no.

[keri-j 0]

Another one, seen not only in games but also in movies and TV series

 

Stereotypes -- "Rawr. I am evil because I wear black!" Really, some games don't even bother with plots at all. Is every non-human being out there considered "monster" to be slayed for exp? Some of those "monsters" could be sentient life forms, you know? Is every person who wears black, wields the dark arts or loves the night to be considered evil?

 

Dude, you just described a goth. Wearing black rules. Anyway I like the whole war thing... *IF* it's at least partially combined with Hack and slash. Ooooh, the walking in to homes is especially good with the whole hack and slash thing. As you can tell, I think horror es bueno.

[NigaiAmaiYume 0]

My number 1 issues with RPGs:Monsters that drop gold pieces, or whatever the currency is.I'm sorry, maybe SOME collect shiny stuff, but seriously, what does a WOLF need with 20 gp? I prefer systems where you collect something "useful", like the fur or meat, and then trade THAT for gold. Or force you to do crafting or be PRODUCTIVE or something.Of course, then you ask, "Aren't you supposed to be saving the world? Why are you looking for the princess's pink bunny rabbit?" "Because it's the right thing to do." o_O

[Johnny 1]

GTA San Andreas (PS2)- If you fire loads of Petrol Bombs onto cars and them to all blow up then your playstation 2 will freeze and you can't do anything about it until you reset your console.

 

Cliches, not glitches. Although I can see the misconception.

 

 

EXP system -- Ookay, so maybe killing enemies or seeing them die at the hands of your allies does add to a person's combat knowledge. Still, no matter how many different enemies there are, no matter how varied their drops can be and no matter how many different ways you kill them, it will get boring after some time.

 

Limited NPC responses -- You walk up to a girl, "Welcome to Kakariko Village." Again, "Welcome to Kakariko Village." One more time, "Welcome to Kakariko Village." Seriously, some NPC's are better off represented as CD or cassette players if they couldn't even be as "random" as humans.

 

TMI in NPC responses -- Depending on the game, mood and situation, this may be a needed feature. However, do you really need 5 people around you "muttering" about their recent divorce, newest baby, upcoming wedding, secret crushes and, ahem, heaven forbid, sexual fantasies? Not all of them lead to side-quests, either!

 

Over-complicated sidequests -- It usually is insane to hunt for a cedar plank needed by the high priest for a bottle of holy water you'd douse over the volcanic flames that you can gather magma for the blacksmith who'd reward you with a hammer for the sculptor who, in turn, will surrender his mithril claws to you, enabling you to cut the adamantine vines you need so that the craftsman can make you the adamantine lasso you'd need to catch the zookeeper's kraken: a feat which, in the end, will yield you, what, a handful of coins, exp or stats?

 

True, true, true, and lol, true.

 

 

Another one, seen not only in games but also in movies and TV series

 

Stereotypes -- "Rawr. I am evil because I wear black!" Really, some games don't even bother with plots at all. Is every non-human being out there considered "monster" to be slayed for exp? Some of those "monsters" could be sentient life forms, you know? Is every person who wears black, wields the dark arts or loves the night to be considered evil? And if someone is cold, mysterious or aloof, does that reduce him or her into a boss character or savior of that pathetic world? Are witches always green-faced wrinkled creatures with crooked noses? Do fortunetellers always use crystal balls? (No pun intended) Are aliens always the evil, kidnapping creatures they are? Well, at least, with better plots nowadays, we know now that the answer is no.

 

There are some exceptions to that. The most popular I s'pose would be Vincent Valentine. He wears black [and red], and being a [vampire?] I'm sure he loves the night. Someone from Grandia 2 comes to mind as well, can't think of who though.

 

 

I'm sorry, maybe SOME collect shiny stuff, but seriously, what does a WOLF need with 20 gp? I prefer systems where you collect something "useful", like the fur or meat, and then trade THAT for gold. Or force you to do crafting or be PRODUCTIVE or something.

 

Of course, then you ask, "Aren't you supposed to be saving the world? Why are you looking for the princess's pink bunny rabbit?" "Because it's the right thing to do." o_O

 

LOL. Silly wolves.

 

I prefer those types of systems as well...crafting gives me something to do when I'm bored with chopping up aforementioned wolves. But then again...it's also not very realistic to be tailoring leather jackets in the midst of saving the world. Although a good set of equipment would help.

 

lol @ the last statement too.

 

Another one:

Identical monsters -- It's just not very convincing when every third villager in Resident Evil 4 is Farmer Juan's identical twin. I'm sure inbreeding is a viable option in small mind-controlled villages in western Europe, but that's taking it a bit too far, no?

[DarkPsycho 0]

Monsters = Small Bosses

If there is an abundance of one monster in a level, you can usually assume the boss is just a stronger bigger version of that monster. This is only not the case when the boss is a bigger stronger version of the strongest non-boss monster in the level (for example, Dodongo's Cavern in Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the dodongo is the strongest non-boss in the level, and the boss is just an enormous dodongo.)

Edited October 16, 2006 by DarkPsycho (see edit history)

[salamangkero 0]

But then again...it's also not very realistic to be tailoring leather jackets in the midst of saving the world. Although a good set of equipment would help.

True, true However, you can't expect everyone to beleive you when you say, "The world is about to end; gimme your money/weapons/armor/wares so I can save it." Really, even in real life, pulling off that stunt would not earn you approval, especially from honest/crooked merchants/scammers. That leaves you with no choice but to tailor the "perfect pants" to save your butt from being fried/frozen by bolt spells.

If it were me in the real world, though, I'd probably panic and not have the forethought to craft my own armor or forge the perfect weapon. I'd probably rush head-first into the battle screaming, "Hack'n slash! I'm gonna die! Hack'n slash! I'm gonna die!" over and over

[NigaiAmaiYume 0]

If it were me in the real world, though, I'd probably panic and not have the forethought to craft my own armor or forge the perfect weapon. I'd probably rush head-first into the battle screaming, "Hack'n slash! I'm gonna die! Hack'n slash! I'm gonna die!" over and over

I call whatever team salamangkero's not on! LOL

*Proceeds to describe herself as the heroine of the adventure, and therefore a magic user that needs to be kept in the back of the party where it's safe. Strangely, she's hesitant to show any magic...*