Games with unexpected tone changes?

[StaceyPowers]

What are some games that feature wildly unexpected tone changes? In which games do they work well, and in which do you think they just make the games feel uneven?

 

[Kane99]

Hmm, that's a good question. I'm not sure. If feel like most games stayed the same in tone for the most part. But maybe some of the GTA games when I finished the main game. Maybe it's just not knowing what to do next, but I feel like at that point the world feels pointless in game. 

[Withywarlock]

I've not played it but I think the most shocking twist in games history came from Doki-Doki Literature Club? The problem is that in saying that it sort of defeats the point of playing it given that's the whole point of the game. 'The less you know the better it is' tells me what little I need to know about it.

Ahem, sorry, going on one of my rants. My nomination would be Valkyria Chronicles. Without spoiling too much, a character who had played a more important role than appreciated dies in such a dramatic way that it sours the mood for the rest of the game. For me it went from a jolly anime tank romp to deathly serious in record time.

@StaceyPowers What games would you choose for this category?

[StaceyPowers]

@Withywarlock I'm not sure I can think of any, honestly. I think most of the games I have played so far have been tonally consistent.

[killamch89]

To be honest, I'm not sure I've ever seen a game like that. I wish there was a videogame like that with anime-style plot twist that throws every player for a loop.

[Clasher]

Not many fall under this category, it's either they were originally slow paced from start to finish or they were action packed from start to finish.

Maybe stray has a tone Change at some point but the video isn't much of an action game but an adventure so I didn't expect much from it either.

[Kane99]

Actually, I may have one. The walking dead season one by telltale, I felt had a drastic shift. Spoilers for those who haven't played, but there's a point near the end where you can choose to take someone's life. I won't spoil who, but it puts you into the shoes of another character after, who then becomes the main character. 

[Heatman]

I don't think there are much video games that falls under this category but I believe there's something similar to what you experience in the tone changes in Rugrats: Search For Reptar. I might be wrong, so another person might have to confirm it as well. 

[Justin11]

I never really played games with unexpected tone changes, most video games I've played changes tone based automatically based on the soundtracks that are featured in the game. Maybe if that's what you mean, then it is visible around many games, FIFA and other sports games I've played in the past do it frequently. 

[Kane99]

I wouldn't say this one is unexpected at all, as it's the opening of the game. But the Last of us part 1 starts off nice and then that thing happens to start the whole zombie like apocalypse. In a sense that's a bit tone change, just not really unexpected. I honestly can't think of anything else. 

[Empire]

The resistance series had pretty drastic changes between games, the first one felt like an old school shooter with a weapon wheel and non regenerating health. It also a some pretty creepy levels. the second game changed a lot of that it was much more similar to modern shooters with a limit of two weapons at a time as well as having regenerating health.

[Clasher]

On 8/4/2022 at 5:03 PM, Kane99 said:

Actually, I may have one. The walking dead season one by telltale, I felt had a drastic shift. Spoilers for those who haven't played, but there's a point near the end where you can choose to take someone's life. I won't spoil who, but it puts you into the shoes of another character after, who then becomes the main character. 

That part actually did feel like a tone change, getting to play as another character other than the one you started with.

I think mass effect 3 did have a tone change towards the end as well.

[Heatman]

On 8/8/2022 at 5:17 PM, Kane99 said:

I wouldn't say this one is unexpected at all, as it's the opening of the game. But the Last of us part 1 starts off nice and then that thing happens to start the whole zombie like apocalypse. In a sense that's a bit tone change, just not really unexpected. I honestly can't think of anything else. 

I think that's very common with plot development in most games. They all start in one way and progress to something ominous later. Although, there are some that just start out right being with ominous tone from the beginning to the end. 

[Syntax]

There are a few I've played (Death Stranding) once you realize in the story that everything has been told a lie (for example). I think that it's honestly expected in some genres since, without it, the game wouldn't really fit within the given genre anymore (ex; Horror games are another good example).

[Heatman]

53 minutes ago, Syntax said:

There are a few I've played (Death Stranding) once you realize in the story that everything has been told a lie (for example). I think that it's honestly expected in some genres since, without it, the game wouldn't really fit within the given genre anymore (ex; Horror games are another good example).

I believe that there's also something similar to what's done in Metal Gear Solid where the character's gamers are supposed to play was all based on lies till the end of the game when you get to find out. That definitely changes the tone of the game in terms of how the gamer felt about being lied to.