Game logic is absurd. In order to pursue a fun playable experience, some mechanics need to be integrated which would be stupid if it happened in the real world. This results in a plethora of clichés across games that have just been accepted as game law by players. Video game clichés are very different from TV and movie clichés. While those in movies and TV are for the motif and narrative, clichés in games are implemented with gameplay in mind.
Over time, these clichés have been embraced by games over the years, with some titles even addressing the wackiness of the logic these clichés operate on. With that being said, here are 10 video game clichés that don't make sense.
10 Treasure Glows
Treasure chests in games hold some of the most precious and valuable items in a game. When looted, they may provide players with legendary weapons and armor along with some other sweet items. However, treasure chests always seem to glow as if telling the player than something magical and shiny lies inside.
Oftentimes, these treasure chests are the subtle source of light in an otherwise dark room. What doesn't make sense about this is that its contents don't even necessarily glow. It's but a fantasy-like effect that makes levels more player-friendly and adds to the mystic elements of the RPG game.
9 Guards are Oblivious and Easily Distracted
In games where stealth is an element, throwing items at a location will cause the guards to move at the source of the sound. Whether a ringtone or a rock hitting a hard surface, enemies will definitely check it out. These guards are also extremely oblivious. It takes them a good 10 seconds to stare at the saboteur before being aware of his presence.
When something fishy happens and they don't see the infiltrator, they'll set if off aside as either the wind or their imagination. The reason this doesn't make sense is that they're supposed to be highly trained soldiers. The best of the best who've fought wars, acquired some mean skills, and apparently can also be distracted by throwing rocks at a corner.
8 Infinite Backpack
Backpacks in games are black holes that can hold a billion planets. So are the pockets of protagonists. It's very common to see characters with no carrying case at all, pull out eight different military-grade weapons out of thin air.
A typical GTA character's everyday carry may consist of an RPG, a baseball bat, a .50 cal sniper rifle, an assault rifle, some shotguns, a repair torch, a number nine with extra dip, and let's not forget the essential, phone and wallet. Smackdown Vs Raw 2011 poked fun at this idea by having Christian put an entire phone booth in his pocket, crediting it to "video game magic."
7 Defeated in a Cutscene
On harder levels, the protagonist would have already acquired some of the best skills and weapons in the game. As he steamrolls an entire camp like a breeze, it is only cutscenes that can stop him. Why? Because the plot requires he be captured. Having taken bullets and explosives to the face like they're nothing, a rifle butt smack to his gut in the form of a cutscene puts him down.
Gameplay-wise, the character may be the most powerful being in the universe. But narrative-wise, he is still a military trainee with no experience. The reason this doesn't make sense is that this is a huge disconnect between gameplay and story. A whole army wasn't able to stop this guy, but a sleep-dart surely will.
6 Food Heals Critical Injuries
A bullet through the head? Crippled limbs? Dislocated ribs? Is his health near zero? Not to worry, a sandwich will get him back to 100%. One bite of the Bologna sausage will get him back on the battlefield in no time. Food in video games seems to have the infused healing power of the fountain of youth.
Consuming any kind of food, even low-quality canned goods, will help replenish the health of the injured protagonist. The reason this doesn't make sense is that often, there are medical personnel characters in games who can clearly help out in the field. But with the magic of food, indeed an apple a day may keep the doctor away.
5 Skimpy Revealing Armour
Straddling the line of fashion, protection, and logic, revealing armor in no way makes any sense. Armor is supposed to protect people from incoming ballistics and attacks. Revealing armor usually reveals the most vital organs to be shot and sliced.
Ironically, the harder to hit areas such as the shoulders or the upper arms are the only ones that these armor sets cover. While some may say that it looks better, looks aren't a concern in battles and crusades. Anyone wearing a metal bikini will be shredded to bits upon stepping outside. Rainbow Six: Siege, however, manages to make its operators appealing yet properly armored with tactical gear.
4 The Silent Protagonist
Gameplay-wise, narrative-wise, and even developer-wise, this doesn't make any sense. One, a mute protagonist is a disconnect to the players from both the gameplay experience and the story. It's not a disability. They just really aren't programmed to talk and the game world accepts that. With the inability to talk outside of grunts and screams of pain, the main protagonist doesn't feel like a compelling participant in the story.
Another reason this doesn't make sense is that it shouldn't be too hard to give a character a voice. Voice talent and some speaking lines are a small price to pay to immerse players into the story. Gameplay-centered games could have silent protagonists but for games like Call Of Duty, Far Cry 5, and Half-Life where there indeed is a story, a speaking protagonist could indeed make the game better.
3 Eagle Vision
What eagle vision does is it highlights all points of interest in a certain area. Enemies, loot, crafting ingredients, etc. It's also used to trace down clues in missions such as a blood trail, tire tracks, or even a scent. Though this could work to emulate non-visual cues such as smell, sometimes it's overdone to an extent that it instantly highlights enemies and treasure chests.
The reason this doesn't make sense is that the character isn't necessarily superhuman or a beast with heightened abilities. This mechanic turns otherwise battle-hardened characters to bats with sonar abilities, knowing where anything and everything is.
2 Red Barrels are Explosive
Red barrels are bright contrasting objects that stand out from the landscape. Upon receiving the slightest dent, these fragile barrels go off in a fiery blaze of destruction. What doesn't make sense about this is that the enemies scatter these things throughout their base to be conveniently used against them; placing the damned things near the key positions.
Another thing is that assuming gasoline or propane is contained within them, they shouldn't explode when shot. Rather, they should just drip the contents from the bullet-holes. If however in the game world, gasoline does light ablaze when shot, enemies should evolve to place them in thicker, less penetrable containers by now.
1 One Man Army
All it takes is one man to wipe out the universe. Across different games, the player-controlled character is always the tide-turning element between two equally powerful forces. Even when that player is outnumbered by a million to one, the player could easily shred through them with an M4A1. The player is also the sole unit of his army to be able to take out anti-infantry units such as tanks and bomber planes.
From planting C4 on APC tanks to simply pushing a button, it's but a breeze for the player. The reason this doesn't make sense is that, in actual military skirmishes, when one soldier can do all that, it either means that all the enemies are horribly trained, or the soldier's allies have acquired war-banned enhancement drugs.