10 Video Game Tutorials That Played Cruel Tricks On Players
1. Bioshock - "Would You Kindly"
The opening of acclaimed sci-fi horror shooter BioShock sees protagonist Jack stumble upon a lighthouse in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean after surviving a plane crash.
Upon entering the structure and descending into the ocean’s depths in a bathysphere, the protagonist and the player are introduced to the dystopian underwater city of Rapture where things appear to have gone very wrong.
When the player arrives in this ominous city, a friendly Irish voice asks if Jack would kindly pick up the radio so they can talk. The voice introduces himself as Atlas and courteously walks Jack through the first part of the game, informing them about the basics of exploration and combat before tasking them with saving their family.
BioShock’s tutorial section is like every other game. However, it’s not until much later when players realise that they’re the ones who’ve been played this entire time.
In one of the best twists in gaming, it’s revealed that the phrase “Would you kindly” wasn’t Atlas being polite, but a trigger to brainwash the protagonist (and players) into doing their bidding in what transpired to be a provocative exploration of agency.