For absolutely no reason whatsoever, NPCs who withhold vital information about your quest will only divulge this after waffling on about nothing for a couple of minutes before asking you a question related to what they're just said. This question is, naturally, utterly pointless, as there's only ever one correct answer. Even if you keep blatantly refusing their request to save the world, they won't let you leave until you agree to do so. They may be shocked by your response, but they'll always stay there and keep going. So basically you've been bullied into being a hero. Marvellous.
6. The Final Battle?
As an RPG adventurer, one should never expect a battle against the primary antagonist to be the last. This is particularly true if you're fighting the antagonist in his usual form; there's absolutely no way he's going to lie down and kick the bucket without first transforming into a 50-foot high armour-plated killing machine/crazily powerful monster before you take him down. Almost inevitably, this will only take place after you've basically dealt a killing blow to your enemy. Even though they're at their weakest, this is the cue for their transformation to take place and the real final battle to begin. That is, of course, unless there's another dude who has never been in the adventure who'd like to pop by and have a stab at ending the world afterwards. We're looking at you, Necron.
Dan Curtis is approximately one-half videogame knowledge, and the other half inexplicable Geordie accent. He's also one quarter of the Factory Sealed Retro Gaming podcast.
