Summary
In gaming, misdirection can be an excellent storytelling device wherein the players are pointed in one direction only to have their expectations twisted in a clever way. Great games perfect this art to make memorable and sometimes shocking moments that make a player doubt whatever they thought they knew. It can be in the narrative twists, the mechanics of the game, or the character revelations, but misdirection ensures that the player is entertained and caught unawares.
These outstanding games havemastered the art of misdirection. Whether it be traditional story-based tales or gameplay twists and turns, they employ clever duplicity not merely as a shock tactic, but to further invest the player with emotional context and perspective, as well as put their comprehension of the game’s story and even their own self to the test.
Portalbegins as what seems to be a simple puzzle game in which players traverse test chambers with a portal gun. The sparse design anddry humor of the gamecreate a light-hearted atmosphere, yet just underneath the surface is the creepy attitude of GLaDOS, the AI conducting the tests.
The final red herring is the promise of cake and easy passage made by GLaDOS, which gradually fall apart to show a darker motive. The cake is a lie and has become a notorious expression that is associated with false hope and deception. The sheer genius ofPortalin combining gameplay and narrative layers of deception leaves the player in suspense, not knowing what is real and who to believe.
BioShockis a first-person shooter game whose events take place in the spooky underwater city of Rapture. The player gets to uncover a dystopian universe of bioengineered abilities and philosophical questions.
The main red herring is the feeling of free will given to the player, which is destroyed by the bone-chilling realization that so many of their actions were dictated by the words, “Would you kindly?“This mind control is a test of player agencyand poses some profound questions about control, obedience, and resistance, which is whyBioShockis a masterclass in narrative tricks.
Silent Hill 2follows the story of James Sunderland, who comes to the fog-covered town of Silent Hill in search of his dead wife. Psychological horror and the haunting atmosphere engulf those brave enough to embark on this journey with James.
This is where the misdirection of the game is. The protagonist himself, James, is not the innocent hero he thinks he is. The journey slowly reveals to the players the gruesome fact of what James has done and what has happened to his mind, recontextualizing the story as a dark trip intothe nature of guilt and self-denial.
The Last of Us Part 2is an emotionally evocative story of vengeance and loss set in the post-apocalyptic world. In this title, players accompany Ellie in her pursuit of justice, which is full of cruel murders and intimate arguments.
The red herring is accompanied by the audacious perspective change in the middle, with players being left to continue viewing the narrative through the eyes of a different character, someone who, at this point in the game, every player thought was the main antagonist of the story. This story twist tests players' sympathies, draws the borders between the hero and villain, and makes the player confrontthe issues of revenge, forgiveness, and the cycles of violence.
Slay the Princesslooks like a typical fantasy adventure game where the task of the players is obvious: They are to kill an alleged danger, the princess.
The outstanding aspect of the game as a misdirection mechanic is that it severelytests the trust and choices of players. The princess is not who she appears to be, and the game plays with the expectations of whom the actual antagonist is and leaves the players questioning every decision and plotline with suspicion and amazement.
Taking place in the floating city of Columbia,BioShock Infiniteunites colorful graphics with a controversial plot about alternate dimensions and political tensions. The main gimmick of the game is its use of misdirection as a plot twist that no player could ever have expected.
Well, to give more credit to the game, almost every single reveal comes out as a plot twist, with several variations of the lead characterfighting both internal and external demons. This idea of fighting with one’s very self goes down to the very depth of the story, with the layers of reality being peeled off only to display circular destinies and paradoxes. This will leave players doubting their perception of self and fate along the way.
Braidis a puzzle platformer withtime-manipulation elements, all tied up in a story that at first seems to be a straightforward one of love and rescue.
The misdirection comes in the last reveal, where the story makes a full turn, foreshadowing much darker motivations and consequences of the actions of the protagonist. This twist puts a new meaning to the whole gameplay and story, causing players to rethink each step they took and what the story really was.
NieR: Automatais an action RPG, the events of which take place in a post-apocalyptic world where androids have to fight against alien machines. The game combines frantic action and deep philosophical issues concerning awareness and reality, mainly being created to cause players to have an existential crisis (or was that not the plan?)
It is a hefty mix of misdirection, with mysterious characters, alternate endings, and ever-changing loyalties. Players will have to reconsider their beliefs regarding the characters and their intentions several times. This ingenious narrative fragmentation and shifting of the perspectives of the player provides an unforgettable journey into thequestions of identity and truthin the game.
