Beloved Videogame Cliche

Jason Tandro · Sun Dec 13, 2009 9:10 pm

Which is your favorite videogame cliche? My personal favorite is the perhaps the most common cliche in any form of media: the damsel in distress.

EverPhoenix · Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 10:32 pm Post subject:

i'm always a sucker for the damsel in distress. probably partly due to the fact that she has most of my awesome equipment when she gets kidnapped, or otherwise.

the near-inevitable apocalypse is funny also, as it turns out that usually, anywhere between 1 and 6 teenagers stop something the rest of the world had no chance of stopping. and they do it without breaking a sweat.

arkisdabomb · Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 11:30 pm Post subject:

EverPhoenix wrote:i'm always a sucker for the damsel in distress. probably partly due to the fact that she has most of my awesome equipment when she gets kidnapped, or otherwise.

the near-inevitable apocalypse is funny also, as it turns out that usually, anywhere between 1 and 6 teenagers stop something the rest of the world had no chance of stopping. and they do it without breaking a sweat.

I wouldn't say without breaking a sweat. Far from it. A good game will make the characters (sometimes literally) go through Hell and back in order to succeed. And it's not because the rest of the world can't stop it, it's just that the heroes went through all these trials and tests that forced them to their full potential, thus they are able to (barely) avert disaster.

My favorite cliche is the coming of age story. It's part of pretty much every RPG ever made, but there seems to be infinate ways of doing it.

tay120n64 · Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 11:45 pm Post subject:

How about none of the above?

I've always been a sucker for "The Chosen Hero".

Sometimes, he'll have some deep and compelling background involving his direct connection to some ancient power, other times he'll just be in the wrong place at the right time. Whatever the case, when destiny calls, these characters answer whether they like it or not! (even if their adventuring clothes are "uncomfortably warm")

Examples: Link (The Legend of Zelda), Will (Illusion of Gaia), Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Jade (Beyond Good & Evil), Ness (Earthbound), Nameless Hero (Secret of Mana)

EverPhoenix · Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 2:24 am Post subject:

tay120n64 wrote:How about none of the above?

I've always been a sucker for "The Chosen Hero".

Sometimes, he'll have some deep and compelling background involving his direct connection to some ancient power, other times he'll just be in the wrong place at the right time. Whatever the case, when destiny calls, these characters answer whether they like it or not! (even if their adventuring clothes are "uncomfortably warm")

Examples: Link (The Legend of Zelda), Will (Illusion of Gaia), Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Jade (Beyond Good & Evil), Ness (Earthbound), Nameless Hero (Secret of Mana)

thats another good one. and i lol'd at uncomfortably warm, too.

psychokind · Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 7:02 am Post subject:

tay120n64 wrote:How about none of the above?

I've always been a sucker for "The Chosen Hero".

Sometimes, he'll have some deep and compelling background involving his direct connection to some ancient power, other times he'll just be in the wrong place at the right time. Whatever the case, when destiny calls, these characters answer whether they like it or not! (even if their adventuring clothes are "uncomfortably warm")

Examples: Link (The Legend of Zelda), Will (Illusion of Gaia), Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Jade (Beyond Good & Evil), Ness (Earthbound), Nameless Hero (Secret of Mana)

I'll go for this one, too. emaple: Ark (Terranigma)

Freedan · Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 6:22 pm Post subject:

My favourite isn't on this list.

Personally, I love when virtually everyone you meet in every town is almost completely apathetic about whatever threat is going on.

Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap - Princess Zelda gets turned to stone, and no one seems to care. People are generally more interested in fusing kinstones with you than looking for any way to help her.

Tales of Symphonia - Another planet appears just a short distance away in the sky. The two planets being so close together turns the sky bright purple. No one mentions it, except for a single student in one town that worries it may affect his thesis.

In a similar vein, shopkeepers either don't appreciate the seriousness of the task you're undertaking, or are willing to put the world in jeopardy because of their greed. You may be trying to save the world, but if you think you're getting a discount on any of those weapons, you've got another thing coming. And the king who asked you to save his kingdom? Apparently, the best equipment the kingdom is willing to supply you with is a wooden stick, and enough money to buy a shirt. Instead of, say... sending the kingdom's trained army along with you.

tay120n64 · Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 6:44 pm Post subject:

lol, Freedan raises a good point.

That's a rather epic cliche.

arkisdabomb · Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 7:03 pm Post subject:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/VideogameTropes

Every single thing on that list. Each one of them are video game cliches. Some are good, and some not so much.

EverPhoenix · Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 8:44 pm Post subject:

arkisdabomb wrote:http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/VideogameTropes

Every single thing on that list. Each one of them are video game cliches. Some are good, and some not so much.

ahh, memories.

also, dont forget the one where you just walk into anyone's house and dig through their stuff, fully armed. they dont care, and respond kindly when you later talk to them.

arkisdabomb · Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 9:18 pm Post subject:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheGrandListOfConsoleRolePlayingGameCliches

behold.

Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 9:56 pm Post subject:

My favourite: the one that says someone will probably sacrifice themselves, or unwillingly sacrifice themselves, for the good of humanity. It's depressing as hell when I see it in a game, but I've seen it in so many recently, it's starting to become cliche.

Ninja edit: also, don't think I didn't see that monster in TE:A named Cleeshay, Jason!

EverPhoenix · Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 1:41 am Post subject:

arkisdabomb wrote:http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheGrandListOfConsoleRolePlayingGameCliches

behold.

heh, i posted this as its own topic once.

Pretty Line Syndrome (or, Crash Bandicoot: The RPG)
Seen in most modern RPGs. The key to completing your quest is to walk forward in a straight line for fifty hours, stopping along the way to look at, kill, and/or have meaningful conversations with various pretty things.

psychokind · Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 7:58 am Post subject:

Freedan, the Dark Knight wrote:My favourite isn't on this list.

Personally, I love when virtually everyone you meet in every town is almost completely apathetic about whatever threat is going on.

Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap - Princess Zelda gets turned to stone, and no one seems to care. People are generally more interested in fusing kinstones with you than looking for any way to help her.

Tales of Symphonia - Another planet appears just a short distance away in the sky. The two planets being so close together turns the sky bright purple. No one mentions it, except for a single student in one town that worries it may affect his thesis.

In a similar vein, shopkeepers either don't appreciate the seriousness of the task you're undertaking, or are willing to put the world in jeopardy because of their greed. You may be trying to save the world, but if you think you're getting a discount on any of those weapons, you've got another thing coming. And the king who asked you to save his kingdom? Apparently, the best equipment the kingdom is willing to supply you with is a wooden stick, and enough money to buy a shirt. Instead of, say... sending the kingdom's trained army along with you.

that's why I love SoM 2 so much. every nation is fighting with it's soldiers

Jason Tandro · Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 1:19 pm Post subject:

rainichan wrote: Ninja edit: also, don't think I didn't see that monster in TE:A named Cleeshay, Jason!

I was hoping somebody would get the joke!

But if it weren't for damsels in distress (cause let's face it, its as old as time itself), I'd probably go with that shopkeeper one.

FFX actually addresses that very issue!

---

Wakka: We gotta PAY? If we lose, you die too buddy!

Rin: I am confident in your victory.

Wakka: Gee, thanks!

---

But no, years of watching Daphne on Scooby Doo, Zelda in LoZ, Peach in Mario, etc, has just re-affirmed that old cliche. Seriously. You always see a damsel in distress. Rarely do you see a dude in distress, you ever notice it?

Maybe it's a "thems hot" thing, but I think it's just gender bias.

Can you actually remember playing a game where a girl saved a guy?

[edit: Well actually I can... Clock Tower 3. Alyssa saves Ron Weasley. But aside from that...]

Beloved Videogame Cliche

Favorite Videogame Cliche?

Beloved Videogame Cliche