# common tropes from media

december 10, 2020
#writing
I like collecting common tropes from games I play. Maybe it can it root out cliches? Or inspire some game beats? Here's a few tropes spotted in multiple games ~
If you're worried about spoilers, games mentioned are Arcanum, The Cat Lady, Divine Divinity, Dreamfall: The Longest Journey, Fable, Fire Emblem, Guild Wars, Guild Wars 2, Half-Life, Jade Empire, Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, The Longest Journey, Mass Effect, Neverwinter Nights 2, Oblivion, Persona 4, Planescape: Torment, RuneScape 2

## opening scene + first level

- dream sequence - A Link to the Past
- prison escape - Oblivion, City of Heroes (villains)
- sparring - Jade Empire
- starter village attacked, probably burned down - Fable, Dragon Age: Origins
- toll bandits blocking the bridge/road exiting the starter village - Arcanum, Dragon Age: Origins
- tutorial island - RuneScape, Guild Wars: Factions + Nightfall
- waking up - Divine Divinity, The Longest Journey, Planescape: Torment

## protagonist

- amnesiac protagonist - every game, especially MMOs.

## levels, story points, fights

- arena/tournament arc - Fable, Oblivion
- city building - Neverwinter Nights 2's Crossroad Keep, RuneScape's Miscellania + Etceteria, Nightfall's Sunspear Sanctuary
- courtroom hearing (usually resolved with the loser pulling out the 'trial by combat' card) - Guild Wars: Nightfall, Guild Wars 2, Neverwinter Nights 2, Mass Effect
- elevator fight - Half-Life, Metroid
- fight yourself - Guild Wars's Augury Rock, Mask of the Betrayer, Persona 4
- final boss is all previous bosses in one room - Fire Emblem, Nightfall
- infiltrate a fancy party - Guild Wars 2's A Society Function, Mass Effect Kasumi DLC
- maze level - Mask of the Betrayer's Skein, Planescape: Torment
- play as a side character - The Cat Lady's cat, Mass Effect's Joker
- raise someone - the original Kingmaker concept for Oblivion, The Witcher 2
- solo boss battle - Guild Wars Augury Rock, Neverwinter Nights 2's trial
- trapped for a level, especially without your stuff Divine Divinity's Castle + Dungeon, Mask of the Betrayer's Skein

## side content

- minigame tournament - The Witcher's Dice Poker, Eye of the North's Polymock
- really long fetch quest - Dreamfall's mulled wine, Planescape Torment's Moridor's Box

last updated: 2/21/2021