Least Favorite RPG Tropes/Cliches
How many times have you seen a one-dimensional princess healer character in an RPG and just sighed... and then went on grumbling wishing the game had not just stuck you with one of the most cliched females protagonists? Talk about which Cliches, tropes, and other mainstays of the RPG genre makes you groan.
True beauty exists in things that last only for a moment.
Current Mood: And it's been a long December and there's reason to believe. Maybe this year will be better than the last. I can't remember all the times I tried to tell myself. To hold on to these moments as they pass...
Religion of Evil is so overdone and is done right so rarely that I really can't help but groan whenever it comes up. For every FFT or Xenogears we get an FFX or something even worse. Bravely Default was surprisingly original in utilizing this trope, do I guess I still accept it when it's done well. It's just that it's everywhere, and so little people actually know how to pull it off well.
Also, could we please stop acting like 17 is the default age and 30 is the age of grizzled veterans? I'm 25 - in a JRPG Id be the mature big brother mentor type.
The one that stands out to me right now is the main (or one of the mains) character having amnesia. So many RPGs I've played have done this. Final Fantasy V, VI, VII, Breath of Fire IV (if I'm remembering right), and Xenogears. I initially groaned when Xenogears did it, but everything at least added up in a clever way.
If I run into one more RPG protagonist suffering from amnesia I'm liable to break the cartridge/disc (not really, but you get the idea).
I don't mind cliche personality types so much, but there are a few things that bother me. Like Fynn mentioned, I hate the ages. 14, 15, 16. The 25-30 year olds are like the old, seasoned people. And while you may get some men in their 40's occasionally, the chances of getting a woman in her 40's is very, very low.
Also not every woman ever has size Triple H boobs, or only has smaller ones if she's going to be relentlessly teased for it. Not every woman also dresses provocatively. I understand some women do and I'm not opposed to having women like that, but there needs to be a balance. When every single woman is humungously chested and the same body type and they dress skimpily when it clashes with their personality, I just have a hard time with that.
How about when the best friend/or brother ends up going missing, you know he is either the end boss or one that works for the end boss.
But Mother 3 did that so wellOriginally Posted by FFNut
Lol I never played 3, just 2 I think... Earthbound in Canada any how.
You've all listed some of my top pet peeves already. I'd like to add the trend of having a major antagonist be a Giant Space Flea Out of Nowhere. Its tolerable for lesser monsters and area bosses; but when a story-relevant villain appears out of literally NOWHERE without being mentioned at all through the rest of the plot...Yet the most annoying thing has to be when the 'hero' acts like they have the IQ of a shovel. The presence of an Idiot hero feels like nothing by a liability in an RPG, if they also happen to be the main protagonist, the RPG is doomed in my opinion.
I agree with ToriJ, this amnesia cliche is really ridiculous and makes me sick already. It shows the lack of creativity, simply.
Idk, I don't really mind amnesia. Like with most tropes, it's the implementation of it that makes or breaks the story.
Fynn - I can't simply find entertaining nor interesting if someone has amnesia, because it's a boring cliche.
I also hate "the main character loses his powers in the beginning of the game" cliche, because it shows a laziness of the game creators, simply. :P
It's also a huge tease. Take Symphony of the Night, for instance. You have all these cool powers and trout and then Death takes it all away from you. Smurf Death!
This is something that Bioware does a bit too much.
KOTOR: Bastila
KOTOR 2: Kreia
Dragon Age: Morrigan
Dragon Age 2: Bartrand, Isabela, Anders
Dragon Age Inquisition: Solas
Mass Effect: Udina
Mass Effect 2: Morinth (optional), The Illusive Man
Mass Effect 3: Ashley/Kaidan (possible), Maya Brooks (Citadel DLC)
The stupidly young people thing that's already been mentioned is something that JRPGs are particularly guilty of. Me and Formy have talked to each other about how you often have to add a couple of years onto character's ages for things to not seem completely ridiculous.
Last edited by Mr. Carnelian; 07-07-2015 at 10:29 PM.
Holy crap you're right! How have I never noticed this before?
This is something that Bioware does a bit too much.
KOTOR: Bastila
KOTOR 2: Kreia
Dragon Age: Morrigan
Dragon Age 2: Bartrand, Isabela, Anders
Dragon Age Inquisition: Solas
Mass Effect: Udina
Mass Effect 2: Morinth (optional), The Illusive Man
Mass Effect 3: Ashley/Kaidan (possible)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
