10 Video Games That Punish You For Trying To Be Cool

Shenmue may be a profoundly goofy enterprise, but that does nothing to undermine the sheer awesomeness of getting to kick ass and take names as vengeful protagonist Ryo Hazuki.

And while the QTE sequences throughout the franchise typically signal an opportunity to beat the snot out of a street-crawling degenerate, sometimes the right path is something decidedly less badass.

Case in point, during Shenmue II the player ends up at Zhangyu Barber's Shop while seeking out answers. Zhangyu offers to give Ryo a trim while explaining the particulars of a martial arts discipline, and during their conversation, his body language turns slyly threatening.

What's coming out of his mouth, however, is considerably more zen, as he instructs Ryo to remain calm and stay still, no matter what happens. At that moment, Zhangyu pulls a straight razor to Ryo's neck and a QTE prompt appears on screen.

Players, conditioned to quickly smash whatever button is prompted, likely hit the button and expected to see Ryo beat the hairdresser to a bloody pulp.

But if you follow the prompt, Zhangyu will catch Ryo off-guard and tell him that he's unworthy of learning any techniques, before telling him to return when he's found some courage. Yikes.

To rub salt in the wound, the player then has to go home and return to the barber shop the next day to repeat the lesson. Alas, you're actually supposed to just sit there and let the QTE pass without interaction, after which Zhangyu will laugh and accept you.