10 Video Game Design Rules You Can Never Unsee

5. Enemies Are Slower Off-Screen

Action games have to nail a delicate balance between overwhelming the player with a ridiculous number of enemies and making them capable enough to fend them off, but devs actually sneak a clever little feature into these games to tip the outcome in the player's favour.

In games such as Devil May Cry and Bayonetta, any enemy in the vicinity that isn't physically on-screen will generally have their speed slowed and damage nerfed, to ensure players aren't blindsided by a barrage of foes attacking out of nowhere.

Bioshock 2 also employed a similar mechanic for its lumbering Big Daddies, which move slower when not in view to give the player a greater opportunity to avoid getting killed.

Given how off-screen attacks in conjunction with a bad camera have ruined so many promising action games, this is a brilliantly inventive way to keep player frustration to a fair minimum without literally having enemies take turns attacking the player.