How Avowed Embraces a Timeless Video Game Exploration Trope

Tropes are part and parcel of just about any form of media that's been around for at least a few years, and that's certainly the case with the video game industry. Over the last few decades, the gaming industry has seen countless features become incredibly popular. These features are then used in other games, and before fans know it, the feature has become a staple of whatever genre it finds itself in. Avowed is home to plenty of these video game tropes, both timeless and modern.

Damage numbers appear above an enemy's head, arrow icons show the direction the enemy is attacking from, players solve environmental puzzles by breaking walls and flipping elemental levers, and there's a rarity system in place for the game's loot. These are just a few examples of the tropes that appear in Avowed, and there's one not mentioned here that's almost as old as the gaming industry itself.

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By Ediz Guner

Avowed Embraces a Classic Adventure Game Trope

A Brief History of Games Hiding Things Behind Waterfalls

Though its exact origin is unknown, the trope of video games hiding something behind a waterfall has existed for at least four decades. One of the first mainstream examples of this trope can be found in 1986's The Legend of Zelda, where players can walk into a waterfall to reveal an old woman who can give the player a hint in exchange for gold.

Ever since then, waterfalls have become a recurring motif in adventure games, hiding all manner of hidden collectibles, loot, or even entire optional areas. Some well-known examples of this trope include The Legend of Zelda: Breath of Wild's waterfall Shrines, Super Mario 64's waterfall star, and Uncharted 4's hidden waterfall cave in Madagascar.

Occasionally, this trope has also been subverted, with some games choosing to hide a joke item behind their waterfall instead of something useful. Undertale has a good example of this, with an old tutu being hidden behind its waterfall. Easter eggs and references to other media are also commonly placed behind waterfalls in games, such as in Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, where players can find a potion that unlocks a retro Prince of Persia costume.

Avowed Rewards Those Who Go Chasing Waterfalls

Avowed embraces this timeless video game trope fully. Within minutes of exploring Avowed's tutorial island, players will encounter a waterfall with a backpack hidden behind it. This backpack doesn't contain anything special, but it's a fun nod to the classic adventure game trope.

This tutorial waterfall also teaches players that thorough exploration of Avowed's world will reward them with loot, which is something that's repeatedly cemented throughout Avowed's runtime. A waterfall in Avowed's Emerald Stair region even leads to a secret cave, where players can find the unique Death Knight armor set.

This isn't the first time developer Obsidian has referenced this long-running video game trope. 2019's The Outer Worlds is also home to a waterfall that contains loot, which is located in Fallbrook.

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