Unimportant Things In Games That Make You Grin And Think 'Neat'

[Calibanbutcher]

Little environmental or graphical effects that really aren't necessary but you end up really appreciating.

Like how in Metroid Prime if you pass through a steam vent Samus's visor will fog up or if you're in a rainy environment you'll see little rain drops run down it. Or maybe some Space Pirate blood splotches onto it if you're close to them when you kill them.

The biggest one though is when an explosion goes off really close to you and you see her reflection in the visor! Seeing that never gets old. It disappoints me that they removed these effects in the Metroid Prime Trilogy re-release for the Wii.

YOu sure they did that?
I have the rerelease and I recall raindrops, steam, samus reflection in visor etc, being in the game.

 

[Sean Hollyman]

The Batclaw attack in Batman: Arkham City, you don't even need to use it, but when I do I grin every time.

Basically you hook someone with it, pull them towards you, and WOOOSH you clothesline them to the ground >;D

In Metal Gear Solid 2, you walk under a bridge, and a guard is having a piss at the top. If you walk underneath it your controller vibrates as he pisses on your head XD

 

[Blunderboy]

bandits will argue over who owns a valuable gem you stealthily drop in their camp, eventually killing each other over it.

Wait they do that?
That's awesome.

Also in Skyrim, the ants on a tree stump.

 

[deathninja]

The way people comment on dropped items in Skyrim. Guards will go off at you for dropping a sword on the ground, bandits will argue over who owns a valuable gem you stealthily drop in their camp, eventually killing each other over it.

I used to use that behaviour to stage hobo fights in Riften, never got old.

OT: I struggle to find a favourite aspect; I just like being able to wander around a game world and see things happen without direct action from me.

 

[neverarine]

ya know the fake posters and stuff they have in games? i love those things

 

[LittleBlondeGoth]

Party banter in the Dragon Age games. Shining examples include:

Alistair: So what's the deal with you and him, anyway? Dare I ask?
Morrigan: Him? Him who? Is this supposed to mean something to me?
Alistair: You know exactly who I'm talking about. Mister Let's-Make-Kissy-Faces over there.
Morrigan: My, my. You are jealous, aren't you? Did I take your favorite Grey Warden away from you?
Alistair: What? I'm not jealous! I'm horrified.
Morrigan: Those blushing cheeks of yours tell a different tale
Alistair: These blushing cheeks are terrified that you'll suck all the blood out of them once you're done with him.
Morrigan: If I feel the need to suck on anything of yours, Alistair, you'll be the first to know.
Alistair: That... was so not what I meant.
Morrigan: Perhaps we should go and tell him together of your touching concerns? Perhaps he'll pay more attention to you if you ask nicely.
Alistair: Uh-huh. I think we're done here.
Morrigan: Done before you started, in fact.

Or...

Oghren: So... Antiva. Wonderful place. Full of... Antivans...
Zevran: Oghren. If you want to bed me, you have only to ask.
Oghren: What!? Draw your sword and say that again!
Zevran: (Laughs) I jest, my foul-smelling friend. You are only slightly less attractive to me than a slime-filled pool of swamp water.
Oghren: (Grunts) Better be.
Zevran: You have my oath.
Oghren: Bloody Antivans.

And the Blasto movie in ME3.

 

[White_Lama]

I really like the fact that in Skyrim in the inn in Riften it is possible to create a huge barfight by dropping some worthy item and waiting for someone that wants it to pick it up, usually more people want it and "BAM!" barfight!

Boiling water in Skyrim.

Totally useless, but a fun inclusion regardless.

Just head on over to the little decorative ring of water in the square of Whiterun.

Aim your "Flames" spell towards it and the water will bubble.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Edited post to keep from being quoted asking how to do it.

I had no idea about that! Sweet!

*Runs to Xbox*


Woooooooooaaaaw

There was a place behind some foliage in the first level of Halo 3's campaign where you could find a hobo clutching a teddy bear.

Do you mean the family of cavemen?

 

[Nimzabaat]

I, being from Edmonton, like how Bioware throws in little Alberta references in their games. Like prisoner 780 and 403 in ME2 (those being Alberta area codes) etc.

 

[Buzz Killington_v1legacy]

The occasional barbershop quartet NPCs who show up in Saints Row 2. They're one of the few NPC types I don't randomly grab and throw into traffic for laughs.

 

[uttaku]

in Deus Ex HR all the little nods to the other games, like manderly heading a comittee, and most importantly of all the article on the cranium cannon!
actually thinking about that, love that that joke got carried through all 3 games, in Invisible war theres a datapad recording the delivery of gunthas carium gun just after he leaves to fight you.

 

[Thoric485]

When the main menu background changes depending on your progress in the game.

Darksiders 2 does this awesomely.

 

[Fidelias]

I LOVED all of the visor effects in Republic Commando. It made the game feel so much more immersive.

Like how when you killed enemies up close, your visor would be splattered with either blue oil, bug blood, or human blood, depending on the enemy.

And when your shields went out and you kept getting hit, your visor would crack. And the laser windshield wiper that would clean all of this off.

 

[Blunderboy]

Party banter in the Dragon Age games. Shining examples include:

Alistair: So what's the deal with you and him, anyway? Dare I ask?
Morrigan: Him? Him who? Is this supposed to mean something to me?
Alistair: You know exactly who I'm talking about. Mister Let's-Make-Kissy-Faces over there.
Morrigan: My, my. You are jealous, aren't you? Did I take your favorite Grey Warden away from you?
Alistair: What? I'm not jealous! I'm horrified.
Morrigan: Those blushing cheeks of yours tell a different tale
Alistair: These blushing cheeks are terrified that you'll suck all the blood out of them once you're done with him.
Morrigan: If I feel the need to suck on anything of yours, Alistair, you'll be the first to know.
Alistair: That... was so not what I meant.
Morrigan: Perhaps we should go and tell him together of your touching concerns? Perhaps he'll pay more attention to you if you ask nicely.
Alistair: Uh-huh. I think we're done here.
Morrigan: Done before you started, in fact.

Or...

Oghren: So... Antiva. Wonderful place. Full of... Antivans...
Zevran: Oghren. If you want to bed me, you have only to ask.
Oghren: What!? Draw your sword and say that again!
Zevran: (Laughs) I jest, my foul-smelling friend. You are only slightly less attractive to me than a slime-filled pool of swamp water.
Oghren: (Grunts) Better be.
Zevran: You have my oath.
Oghren: Bloody Antivans.

And the Blasto movie in ME3.

There is also this classic from Dragon Age 2.

Apostates? Prostitutes? Apostitutes!

 

[drummond13]

The first Deus Ex game had a lot of these for me. I liked how the dialogue changed depending on how many people you killed or knocked out. Even if this didn't impact stats or overall story, it still made it feel like your actions were actually noticed by those around you.

And then after exploring all of the UNATCO base, like I do in all the games I play, I'm chewed out in my next briefing for entering the woman's bathroom.

I decided not to take a lot for granted after that.

 

[Gabanuka]

The Batclaw attack in Batman: Arkham City, you don't even need to use it, but when I do I grin every time.

Basically you hook someone with it, pull them towards you, and WOOOSH you clothesline them to the ground >;D

Oh God. That was the funnest thing you can do in the game, I once took down 7 guards only using that move.


Also I love character banter and when a game designer thinks like a player.

 

[LittleBlondeGoth]

There is also this classic from Dragon Age 2.

Apostates? Prostitutes? Apostitutes!

Ooh! Ooh! Also: "And then Isabela went to the Chantry, and saw that it was...boring. Canticle of Isabela, stanza one, verse one."

It's just these occasional snide asides that really make me snigger.

 

[Sean Hollyman]

The Batclaw attack in Batman: Arkham City, you don't even need to use it, but when I do I grin every time.

Basically you hook someone with it, pull them towards you, and WOOOSH you clothesline them to the ground >;D

Oh God. That was the funnest thing you can do in the game, I once took down 7 guards only using that move.


Also I love character banter and when a game designer thinks like a player.

I swear it's the greatest attack ever, especially when it's the last guy and it's all slow mo cinematic shit

 

[Surpheal]

In the first Crash Bandicoot game if you left Crash alone long enough, he would throw up a wumpa fruit and it would land on his face shortly afterward.

In the first Destroy all Humans, if you sat at the menu for a long while you would get told something about wasting energy.

In Shadow of the Colossus if you let Agro be, he would wander about. Also if you grab a bird, it will fly off with you.