10 Times Video Games Used Reverse Psychology (And It Totally Worked)

Both Portal games are full of hilarious instances of reverse psychology, typically where either of the series' AI antagonists, GLaDOS and Wheatley, try to manipulate you into killing yourself.

But Portal 2's ninth chapter, "The Part Where He Kills You," takes this to hysterical extremes when Wheatley begs protagonist Chell to come back to him after escaping his death trap.

Naturally, most players will ignore Wheatley's begging, assuming it's simply part of his pre-programmed character, but some will actually be lured back to Wheatley, only to be met with him desperately imploring them to jump into a giant pit.

Hilariously, he promises that many things await Chell at the bottom of the pit - her parents, an escape elevator, a new jumpsuit (with a tailor), a three-portal device, and even hunky guys - in order to coax her into taking the leap.

Even then, most players will presumably flee once Wheatley's finished his monologue, but those who abandon logic altogether and jump into the pit will receive two amazing bonuses.

First of all, they'll die and Wheatley will express surprise that his low-effort plan actually worked, and you'll also pop the "Pit Boss" achievement for "showing the pit who's boss."

As much as the game dupes you into assuming there's nothing beyond Wheatley's endless monologuing here, it's well worth actually listening to him and doing what he says, if only for the laugh and the easy 'cheev.