Games love blindsiding their players, and players love being blindsided. That moment when a game perfectly lays a simple but effective trap for you, and you foolishly walk right into it- it can be really frustrating. But in a good, “I’m glad this game is keeping me on my toes” way. Sure, the law of diminishing returns very much applies to things like this, but springing such traps the very first time can lead to cool moments of discovery. In this feature, we will talk about a few such traps.
MIMIC CHESTS (DARK SOULS)
The poster boys of traps in video games that players keep falling for. Mimic chests are by no means the exclusive domain of Dark Souls, but FromSoftware’s RPG uses it better than most out there. Walking up to a chest with anticipation of what treasures it might hold, only for it to open its mouth wide and try to swallow you whole can be a terrifying feeling. And sure, the more you play, the less you fall for it, and the more used to it you become- but those first few times are unforgettable.