10 Outdated Video Game Design Tropes That Must Die In 2017

In recent years, many games have tried to move away from the traditional cinematic cutscene in favour of the dynamic scene that plays out within the game, made popular by the Half-Life series. Some games do still use cinematic cutscenes, with Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare using a combination of cinematic and in-game renders.

However, some of the games that do still include cinematic cutscenes use them overzealously and as a result, instead of simply setting up scenes and continuing the story, they just take away control from the player and force them to watch events that they would rather be playing themselves.

The Mad Max video game (unrelated to the Fury Road movie) was guilty of this; many of the cutscenes went on longer than they needed to be, and prevented you from playing out the ‘cool’ moments. In one particular section of the game where you have to escape your hideout, you drive flat out towards the edge of a huge drop, but just before you reach it a cutscene triggers, showing Max make the jump and drive away.

Those are the moments gamers want to play, not watch. Imagine getting to the top of a roller-coaster, then having to watch someone else go over the edge – it’s a complete anti-climax.