Betrayal

[Hyperactiveman]

SPOILER ALERT--The funny thing about the first part in Mass Effect 2 is that even though Wilson apparently "betrayed us all" Miranda ends up becoming a traitor as well.

If you don't know what I'm talking about then how about the time you help her out on Illium. she doesn't tell you everything and therefore your totally confused as to who you should believe.

How can I trust you crazy *****? Ever heard of not enough information?

Then if you decide to not blow up the collector ship which when I first played through (thought it would be more chivalrous to all those dead colonists) she says doing that and therefore giving the ship to the Illusive Man was a bad idea...

Your just gonna stop kissing his ass because of something I did? fuck off!


Also when you recruit Jack which was the Illusive man's orders in the first place when you switch to the Normandy comm room she shakes her head at you no matter what you say about Jack.

 

[Guitar Gamer]

Was I the only one who didn't see it coming Bioshock when

Spoiler: Spoiler but most have heard it by now but if you have not then don't spoil Bioshock for yourself by opening this

The only friend you have turns out to be the ghost like villain from the past? maybe I am a little slow, since conventionally I would see the "never met him or seen his face total stranger helping me via radio is actually evil" betrayal but that time I didn't..................maybe the game play distracted me

 

[Shjade]

While I found Bioshock's plot twist interesting, I can't say I exactly found it surprising. Not that it was obvious from the start - I wasn't thinking about that so much as I prioritized not getting stabbed in the face above such matters - but I was wondering pretty early on

Spoiler

why there weren't any obvious side effects to splicing on the player character when it was turning everyone else into crazies. That had me curious about what makes you different from the rest of the folks in the game. With that pseudo-suspicion in mind, when I first came across those Who is Atlas? propaganda posters

I started to put two and two together.

Not that I had any idea what the deal was until the game spelled it out for me after the big moment, of course. That would be claiming an unrealistic degree of predictive insight.

 

[LWS666]

betrayal is not always a cliche,

Spoiler: crackdown spoilers

at the end of crackdown the narrator turns on you, and you never expect the narrator to have any influence on anything.

so, there's that.

 

[MajoraPersona]

Never expected a Second Sight reference. Definitely a fun game. One of the few I've played through more than once.

 

[Otterpoet]

Yep, Second Sight's 'reveal' certainly gave me a 'WTF?!" moment I'll not soon forget. But frankly, I haven't seen anything remotely close since I played it three or four years ago. [ Sorry, Bioshock, that 'surprise'... wasn't. ]

And yes, the betrayal BS needs to go! Particularly because plot-design by the current brand of game designers/writers is about as subtle as a burning elephant landing in your crotch. The long pauses, the camera angles, NPCs showing up out of %#$^ing nowhere, and the Maw-hah-hah-I'm-evil asides... it's all wretched and pathetic! Just stop already!

 

[deleted_scifidownbeat]

DELETED

 

[Z(ombie)fan]

Betrayal, well what would be done instead? This isn't a case of a dead horse trope but rather an example of something that works and therefore is done ad-infinitum.
I bet it has something to do with that plot twist in the Bible when (Spoilers) Judas sells Jesus out (Spoiler over).
I just think all modern game developers are trying to piggyback that success, 2000 to late, and badly.

no. it doesnt work. thats the thing. its overused and bad.

 

[Twinmill5000]

As a writer, betrayal's definitely the easiest thing to do, but I'm ashamed to say that... no, it doesn't have much more effect than just some shadowy assassin all the sudden almost killing the main character. Actually... a plot where said assassin betrayed those who hired them might be interesting... maybe. I'll think on ideas, though.

 

[obex]

Second sight is a amazing game i loved it

 

[Spelonker]

Can't help but notice you left Bioshock out of the "shitty betrayals" list there fan-boy.

But if you want the most treacherous bastard in all of video game history to (dis)grace your screen, play Tony Hawks Underground and say hello to Eric Sparrow. From the very first mission, he gets you into trouble. But you stick with him because he's (probably) been your friend for years. And time and time again the bastard stabs you in the back, and naturally, your character is pissed off and sore each time, but you usually learn to be mature and forgive him. And without spoiling it much more, by the end of the game, you will despise every polygon of this fuck until you want to see him impaled and strung up with razor wire.

If you're reading this, don't come up with an excuse to not play this game. It's less than 5 bucks and can be finished in a day no problem. PLAY IT!

 

[TheSYLOH]

Lets take Yahtzee's reasoning to it's limit.
Take cards.
Cards Single player (solitaire, freecell,etc) sucks, it is boring and slow paced. But have intricate rules, so they aren't just tacked on.
Therefore Multiplayer Cards(poker, hearts, bridge) must suck as well.

 

[St. Neon]

Writers arn't that hard to find. I guess they are extremely under paid. If the money says use the over used plot... and crazy anime drama, they'll do it. Poor writers... literally and emotionally.

 

[Squiggers]

To be honest, its not a case of getting tired of it - unfortunately, its reality.

People help you out for as long as they need to get what they want. Alliances shift, objectives change. Hell, look at Europe in the last 100 years for a good example of that one. According to human nature we're backstabbing little bastards, and its a lot more common than you'd think.

Personally? I'm of the belief that provided that its written in a way that doesn't seem like its been added for the sake of it, and actually has a reason - or god forbid, is the kind of thing that would be liable to happen in that kind of situation - then it can work.

Its only really worth even attempting to put it in if you can create something that I like to term "Operation Mindfuck". Basically this means that the event is meant to properly surprise the player, and knock them for six. If it doesn't, whats the point?

 

[UnusualStranger]

I think that the problem isn't the betrayals themselves. It just seems more and more often the betrayals are a thing of habit rather than an actual reasoned betrayal.

"Whew...we went through a lot together. Lets go finish this."
*Backstab*
"What the hell man?"
"They have a better chance of winning than you."
"WHAT?"

Betrayals now, I, like the article says, can see coming a mile away. I know what is going to happen, and know who it is going to be. If it is that obvious, it isn't a properly done betrayal. Not for the story, nor the player. If the betrayal is going to occur, I want a damned good reason, and for it to be done at a reasonable time for it to happen.

 

[Skops]

To be fair, Yahtzee does bring up one decent point about BC2 that I can't argue with. It's title, and its mediocre at best SP. "Bad Company" it paints a picture in your head that your getting a game that wants you to play the single player with "BAD Company" despite the main focus on the game is multi-player.

The game is still pretty ace though.

 

[Tim Crow]

I must say, brilliant little column, and wow, you happen to know of my favorite console game. Second sight is much better than anything released to consoles in the past two years imo. Its a great game, with brilliant storytelling, lovely stealth, good shooting, and a twist so hard that it unscrews your balls.

 

[TheMushroomClub]

As much as I hate the whole betrayal thing, didn't you use it in Trilby's Notes with Lenkmann?

 

[Jas0913]

Bioshock nailed the whole betrayel thing.

(WARNING SPOILER TO ANYONE WHO HASN'T PLAYED BIOSHOCK!)

The only problem with it is, if i remember correctly, right before Atlas reveals his true identity the main character starts picking up journals and letters saying bad things about Atlas. It may have been OK since we all knew that he was against Andrew Ryan (The most Awesome "Villian" of ALL TIME!!) and that's kind of what the letters and jounrals said but it still gave a lot of hints towards the (amazing) plot twist.

Also the hero can't be blamed for helping Atlas (SPOILER AGAIN) since he was under his control. Did anyone expect that amazing twist!!!