Is this a common trope in video game or sci fi plots?

[CmdrShep2154]

I won't lie I enjoyed both Horizon Zero Dawn and Mass Effect Andromeda although I wished Andromeda looked half as great as Horizon Zero Dawn.

I couldn't help but point out some uncanny similarities. At the beginning of both games the protagonist is injured while other characters carry them to safety. Both protagonists have intense flashbacks as well.



At the end of this video


What do you think? Is this trope common in video game or sci fi plots?

[Marrilaife]

Yep, it's pretty common to start the game being dead, nearly dead, undead, revived, stranded, shipwrecked, beaten to a pulp, robbed, imprisoned, barely escaped certain death, and often with no memory of what just happened or even who you were.

How else would game designers explain story wise you're a lvl 1 scrub with no weapon, skills or clue and simultaneously build up hype?

It's the same as asking why in most stories / movies / games involving adventures of a child / teenager this person is either an orphan, or has horribly negligent parents, or they're kidnapped or absent in some other excuse. Because it's the easiest plot device to explain why is a kid loitering around "adventuring" instead of living a common boring life.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

What do you think? Is this trope common in video game or sci fi plots?

As Mar said, it is a very common cliche to start a video game plot off with amnesia (which was actually first used as an inventive way to build up the mystery of the main character, not easily justify having no knowledge of the game world) or have a flashback afterwards. As for the science fiction game cliche of having flashbacks shortly after the story begin, it's usually because: 1. this game is sci fi, so the main character is probably highly technically skilled to be out in space to be doing what he/she does, which means 2. the character is almost certainly an older character (at least their mid twenties, I've never seen anyone younger be the protagonist of sci fi RPG) to justify having those skills and holding that job and 3. the writers have to quickly establish the character's backstory or why he is on his mission/in the situation he is in in the first place, leading to a flashback.

[stellvia]

The MC in Star Ocean games tends to be in their mid teens. Granted, that's only one example.
I suppose Ar Tonelico and the followup series Ar no Surge would be another example.

[WarpedAcorn]

It's a fairly common storytelling device for visual mediums, yes. Taking the "show, don't tell" thing a bit too literally sometimes, as game developers tend to do. They forget that the partner to show, don't tell is "don't frontload everything with needless exposition"

A good example of this is Mass Effect 2. The first sequence SHOWS you the Shepard is someone that people look to for guidance, who cares for the wellbeing of his crew, and is willing to risk his life to save others. Meanwhile you see Joker's attachment to the ship and crippling pride (something the game will explore later with EDI). And lastly, you have the main character dieing before the title card to show that the stakes are high. Everything in that 5 minute sequence fit the tone and narrative of what is to come. Characters have demonstrated traits and emotions through action, which is something ME2 did wonderfully.