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SasqWatch
In an editorial at RPS, Richard Cobbet looks through what he calls the 25 worst RPG moments. Here's a quote about bandits:
Here's a quote about Vampire: The Masquerade:It's one thing to try and mug a passing would-be hero on their way to becoming someone. That's your job. But when you see a team of battle-hardened knights in full-plate, archmages humming with power, clerics bearing the very mantel of your world's deity and a druid still yet to wipe the blood off their lips from their last shapeshift... and your response is to genuinely think you can take them? No. Stay out of the way, and don't waste the time it takes to click on you and turn you into giblets.
And a quote about Skyrim:However! If the world is one where resurrection is easily available, and every store sells magic health potions, this really needs to be factored in. Vampire: The Masquerade: Redemption (otherwise known as "The Crap One") still stands out as a triumphant failure here, with the intro showing hero Christof being slowly brought to health, only to find a potion seller a quick stroll from his sickbed. There are always ways to justify why a particular death counts for real, from soul-destroying weapons, to not being able to take the body to a convenient temple, to ‘death' in combat actually being a knockout. Handwaving is fine, but don't defuse the drama with the obvious question "Wait, why can't I cast my Resurrection spell here?"
More information.I still think Skyrim's guards should arrest players for indecent exposure. I miss when RPGs would routinely factor in at least a couple of snarky comments for if you wandered around in your underwear. It was a good test of how responsive the rest of the game was going to be, if the designers had bothered.