# common tropes from media

december 10, 2020
#writing
I like collecting common tropes from games I play. Maybe it can inspire some game beats? Here's a few of them listed with some games I've seen them in ~
If you're worried about spoilers, games mentioned are The Cat Lady, Dreamfall: The Longest Journey, Fire Emblem, Guild Wars, Guild Wars 2, Half-Life, Mass Effect, Neverwinter Nights 2, Oblivion, Persona 4, Planescape: Torment, RuneScape 2

- amnesiac protagonist - every game, especially MMOs. way overdone.
- arena/tournament arc - Fable, Oblivion
- city buildingNeverwinter Nights 2's Crossroad Keep, RuneScape's Miscellania + Etceteria
- 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
- minigame tournament - The Witcher's Dice Poker, Eye of the North's Polymock
- 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
- really long fetch quest - Dreamfall's mulled wine
- solo boss battle - Guild Wars Augury Rock, Neverwinter Nights 2
- trapped for a level, especially without your stuff Divine Divinity's Castle + Dungeon, Mask of the Betrayer's Planescape: Torment's Skein