Top 10 Overused Game Story Lines

The IGN PlayStation Team has some thoughts up over at IGN on game design. A considerable amount of games' background and story line are likely to be similar. Which story is most overused? Read it. The article is a very insightful article about game story lines and really interesting.

If you stop to consider just how many games have been released over the years, you can imagine that some plot devices have been used more often than others, while some have become staples for the medium. Then, of course, there are others that are used so much you know them by heart. We've assembled a list of the most overused plot devices that developers might want to start steering away from, if they truly want to innovate the industry. As much as we love saving the world, there are only so many apocalypses a gamer can take.
 

Top 10: Secret Organizations Plotting Conspiracies, Possibly Relating to World Domination
Bearded Man in Dark Coat: They had it planned all along, David. They were playing you from the very beginning and now you've stepped right into their snare.

We've all seen it before: everything seems to be normal at first glance, but pretty soon dad's software company starts acting fishy, or the city's pharmaceutical conglomerate makes strange moves in the stock market. There's always a subtle indication that something isn't right, and the quiet foreshadowing always explodes into world-wide conspiracy. We've played way too many games where you're fighting against not just one enemy, but a whole skyscraper of enemies. Who would've thought that a bunch of senile, graying businessmen could so effectively plot for world domination?

Top 9: Uncovering Long Lost Remnant of Something
Excitable Girl Carrying Cuddly Creature: Look, Aria, look! There's something glowing in the ground... This must be what Father Darathor was talking about! This is our key to saving the village from the Shadow Spawn.

How many times have you been out walking with your childhood friend when you stumble upon something jutting out of the ground? How lucky are you that such a trivial piece of metal is actually the last surviving piece of technology that a long-lost race used a thousand years ago to battle a demon army? We love ancient civilizations just as much as the next gamer, but sometimes hunting down a nameless artifact can be a real drag. It's also a breeding ground for fetch quests.

Top 8: Fulfilling a Prophecy
Wrinkled Elder with Elaborate Walking Stick: It was long foretold, by the stars and winds, that a hero would come. In a time most desperate, He would fulfill the words set in stone by the Seventh King and vanquish the plight of the land in a cacophony of light.

If we had a quarter for every videogame prophecy we fulfilled, we totally wouldn't need a job anymore. It seems like almost every orphan in an RPG is destined to become the game's hero, which is certainly a positive view of orphaned children. But we'd be more interested in seeing a game were the main character must fulfill a prophecy in order to accomplish something terribly mundane. That would be pretty sweet.

Top 7: Killing the Aliens
Absurdly Ripped Military Officer with Torn Shirt: Those green bastards may have wiped out our homes, but they can never wipe out our hearts!

We can only hope that, if intelligent life is out there, it isn't coming to kick our collective ass. In the world of videogames, aliens are always coming to destroy the Earth and it can be a little exhausting after a while. Their superior technology and intellect usually puts us at a disadvantage, but the indomitable power of the human will seems to come through more often than not. But why can't we be the invading (or even just exploring) force once in a while?

To 6: Unlocking One's Hidden True Powers, A.K.A. the Chosen One
Lanky Youth with Bright Eyes, Wearing Family Heirloom: I can feel it! The power's echoing out inside me... My entire life has just been a prelude to this one defining moment.

The Chosen One device corresponds closely with prophecy fulfillment, but we think it needs its own category due to the sheer number of times a seemingly ordinary boy or girl has become a creature of mind-bending power. This device, while overused, is certainly effective. It plays into our desires for wanting to be special and to have a real purpose in life, but it's becoming so common that the special feeling you're supposed to have is just turning into d?j? vu. Perhaps developers could put a twist on the setup by making you well-aware of your powers from the start? Then again, that's just what a super hero is...

Top 5: Accidentally Unleashing a Terrible Evil
Unrealistcally Busty Teenage Girl: What are you, crazy!? We're all dead! This is your problem now and -- damn it -- you're gonna' fix it!

When playing a videogame, there's quite a few things you need to worry about. There's scheming villains, dangerous gangsters and even a monster or two -- given the right context. But then, there's always the chance you'll accidentally open up a portal to the Netherworld and completely ruin what could have been a particularly pleasant day. Even though such a tragedy would sour anyone's mood, at least you're usually in the company of an attractive group of young people who are trying their hardest to fix it.

Read Top 4-1 list on IGN: Top 10 Overused Game Story Lines

News Original From: IGN