9. Escape Before Everything Explodes
This one returned to my attention just recently as I played the new Tomb Raider game, and was dismayed at how many times the game had you running from an imminent explosion and/or hail of gunfire. Entire set-pieces were sculpted around it, and though I can't argue against their fun, isn't it just a bit overdone by now? It often occurs at the end of a level or more prominently at the end of a game, when all Hell's breaking loose and you need to abandon the ship/building and get to your waiting escape vehicle. The Halo games are perhaps the most famous to use it, with the first game having a timer counting down to critical mass, while the third game in the series required you to drive to safety while the environment fell to pieces around you. I was impressed with how Mass Effect 2 subverted the stereotype by having this type of mission occur at the start of the game - the ship is on fire and you have to sort it out - but on the whole, these missions are just overdone, no matter how enjoyable they are while you're playing them.