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Games that take away powers/ last level is the first level

I don't like it. It hasn't stopped me from finishing games that include this mechanic but I personally don't like it when it happens.

Usually it just makes no sense unless you are caught and lose all your weapons or something (I think MGS did this? My memory is hazy) but games that include powers and such ... it usually drops my enjoyment of the game.
 
Silent Hill 3 began near where it ended. It was interesting because it was also an area that appeared in the first game.
 
Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 (Japan only) did this by giving you a promoted Swordmaster right at the start of the game, with the ability to perform more than two hits in battle and could use stronger, heavier weapons with ease, and was dominant, a display of how a promoted character could fare much earlier than you should have one.

But due to a plot event, you lose her and several other characters. You gain the other characters back in a few chapters, but this Swordmaster doesn't come back until the end of the game.

Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance does the same thing, to a lesser extent, with a Sniper instead, and you keep some of your characters.
 
Uncharted 2 did something like this. It is weird though that when you get to that part you have to go through it again but drake's dialogue is different.
 
KittyKittyBangBang said:
Are you sure? dont you just start out with a flashlight?
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You start as
the bald black guy with suit, best machine-gun. and everything. Later you gain control of the main character.
 
Ristlager said:
So how will they do it with God of War III? Stripp him once again, that is the only concern I have about the game. Can't see how they can come up with another way to take away his powers, but I don't believe that we have full energy and magic from the start either.
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:lol My roomate and I joked about this when GoWIII was first announced. We kept saying "Wait, he's going to have his chains ripped from him.... AGAIN!?!? I thought those things were permanently attached??" :lol
 
Prophet Steve said:
It is a very short level at the beginning, when you have to shoot the helicopter. I believe you had all the powers then.
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oh yes, of course. I forgot about that because it took me all of 5 minutes, but you're correct.
 
fallagin said:
Uncharted 2 did something like this. It is weird though that when you get to that part you have to go through it again but drake's dialogue is different.
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Yeah I was coming in to say that even though it's not exactly what the OP was talking about.

I will never understand why they made us do that train sequence twice. The first time it was awesome and a great way to start the game. The second time, well, I just don't know what purpose that served.
 
Didnt Prince of Persia: The sands of time do this? You basically go back in time in the first level (the city) but instead you fight the last boss (you went back in time)
 
It's already been pointed out, but Assassin's Creed kinda did this. You start of with all your swords and stuff but Altair acts like a massive dick and gets them taken off of you.
 
I like it when a game does this and has you become more powerful than that beginning section. Recent example is Shadow Complex.
 
How about games that take stuff from you mid or early in the game.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky. I spent hours going trough the Swamps, Cordon, Garbage and Dark Valley. Collecting every stash and anomaly. Finally had some nice stuff and was ready to go further with chasing a certain character into the Garbage a second time. Thank god you can avoid it, but for first time players it's a dick move.

Half Life Series Being trapped in the garbage crusher with all your belongings taken away in Half Life 1. Half Life 2 endgame.
 
Prime and Darksiders only gave you SOME powers. But, I don't mind losing everything. Makes it more fun to earn your shit back and whoop whoever's ass screwed you over :D

I also asked what games have you repeat or revisit levels you started in. UC2 does it. FFX does too. You start in Zanarkand and go back muuuuuuch later.
 
Azure Phoenix said:
Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap on the Master System, it's also the earliest game I can think of that took away all your powers.
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Beat me to it but I still like you.
 
fallagin said:
Uncharted 2 did something like this. It is weird though that when you get to that part you have to go through it again but drake's dialogue is different.
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Dialogue, camera angles and even one segment (didn't have to do the interior section on the second time) were different. I thought it was fine and served as a resyncing point for the overall story.

I also agree with the OP; I like how different games pull this off. Some give significant story reasons like (Mass Effect and God of War) while others don't even bother.
 
Sly 3 did the first level = last level thing. You start out infiltrating a place, and Sly gets into some trouble, then most of the rest of the game consists of flashbacks leading up to that point.


NameGenerated said:
http://www.giantbomb.com/abilitease/92-57/
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The Metroid series is notable for including an abilitease in almost all of its games.
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All = two?

Freedom = $1.05 said:
How has Super Metroid not been mentioned? That shit pioneered taking awesome stuff away from you.
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No it didn't. Even in the opening space station, you start with just the power beam.
 
Freedom = $1.05 said:
How has Super Metroid not been mentioned? That shit pioneered taking awesome stuff away from you.
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Eh, not really.

You started in the space station, armed only with your arm cannon. You then land on Zebes, and gain weapons from then on.

Metroid Prime was the first to give you all the upgrades at first, and then take them away from you.

edit - goddamn, ninja'd. twice. :lol
 
The only game I've really hated do this was Prototype, and that's because the entire game was pretty much based upon being on a power-trip... thankfully it didn't last long. :lol
 
GWX said:
Chrono Cross did this. I'll spoiler tag it just in case:

Serge was dreaming about a later part of the game, and you played that dream. And the characters in your team were randomly chose too.
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We should disqualify CC on the basis that every bit of it outside of the OST is terrible.

We expect nonsense from CC is what I'm getting at.
 
They do this in Assassin's Creed, but I had no idea how to use all that extra stuff at the beginning of the game, so it pretty much did me no good anyway. Also, you really don't do much during the first opening sequence in Assassin's Creed. I'm not sure if I like it or not. On the one hand, it often shows you how fun the game will be once you level, on the other it's a real downer when you lose all of those powers.
 
ZOE2 does it but it's more to tell you what power you have to be using than depowering the main character for new game purposes(especially since you lose the powers during the final boss sequence).

Okami did it kind of similarly 'cept you periodically regain them during the final boss fight.
 
I don't mind it.

It's one of those situations where if it happens in a good game, it's a stroke of genius, if it happens in a shit game, it's thw worst decision ever.

But yeah, I don't mind it.
 
Kameo did this as well. Personally I'm not a fan of this mechanic. Rarely do you get time explore your powers and often you don't get to use them properly anyway. It can be a bit overwhelming trying to learn all the nuances of the controls and powers at the same time. I don't mind a glimpse of whats to come, but personally I love getting a kick ass new power and a room of fodder to see what it can do.
 
cramcakes said:
I don't remember this happening in ...Final Fantasy 4.
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I guess it's referring to Cecil's powerful attacks on the monsters during the opening after the crystal was taken from Mysidia.
 
Probably not what you mean, but in Another World/Out of This World, the game's climatic encounter removes your ability to jump, shoot and even walk.
 
not at the start, but in FF7 Cloud has a flashback of when he was travelling with Sephiroth and Cloud is a pathetic little runt and Sephiroth casts uber magic and massive damage.
 
ScHlAuChi said:
Monkey Island
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This needs to be quoted (assuming you referred to MI2)

An awesome game at this is Metroid Zero Mission; although they strip you at the later half of the game...
edit: Half Life also does this...

Also it's nice in Metroid fusion, because they take your powers, and you get new powers that are not necessarily the same, although they are alike.
 
cramcakes said:
I don't remember this happening in Wind Waker, Etrian Odyssey, or Final Fantasy 4.
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In the original Etrian Odyssey, retire your character and you would get back one at level 1 without skills at all. In EO2 is not as bad, you get a lvl 30 without skills.
 
Zuhzuhzombie!! said:
We should disqualify CC on the basis that every bit of it outside of the OST is terrible.

We expect nonsense from CC is what I'm getting at.
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Bullshit. Damn, even IGN knows better than you:

2da0mj5.jpg


(image taken from IGN PSX website)
 
Dark Void. They let you use the jetpack for the first 2 minutes of the game and you don't get to use it again until 2 hours in. They also take it away at the end of the game and only let you use it in the final boss fight.
 
Spwn said:
I guess it's referring to Cecil's powerful attacks on the monsters during the opening after the crystal was taken from Mysidia.
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Or someone didn't understand the 'trope' and thought the Mt. Ordeals event applied.


ReyBrujo said:
In the original Etrian Odyssey, retire your character and you would get back one at level 1 without skills at all. In EO2 is not as bad, you get a lvl 30 without skills.
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Also someone (on Giantbomb) not understanding. :lol
 
cramcakes said:
I don't remember this happening in Wind Waker, Etrian Odyssey, or Final Fantasy 4.
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Well in Wind Waker you have that section where you lose your sword forcing you to go stealth to get it back. They take away your power to defend yourself...

FFIV could mean a whole load of things. It could talking about party members you lose and get back. You can also say similar about FFVI (unless you refer to the ability being lost being the mechas; which make a few re-appearances).
 
Zuhzuhzombie!! said:
What's sad is that I can't tell if you're being serious or funning along with me.
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Well, excluding the part of it being "RPG perfection"... Yes, I'm serious.
 
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