Summary
- Video games can surprise players with sudden tonal shifts, like adding supernatural elements to realistic settings.
- Creative risk-taking can elevate a game to classic status, but not all players appreciate unexpected changes.
- Well-received games like Fire Emblem: Three Houses and Yakuza Kiwami leverage tonal shifts to enhance gameplay variety and experiences.
As with all media, video games are not averse to subverting expectations. Whether a sudden plot twist completely alters perceptions, gameplay abruptly changes, or just the general tone shifts suddenly, it can blindside unsuspecting players. Not all players enjoy such changes, especially when a game is firmly rooted in reality and takes a supernatural turn, often ruining immersion for them.
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These creative choices can be risky and have mixed results, but when they pay off, it can promote a game from being merely great to an all-time classic. Here are some of the best games with abrupt tonal shifts, ranked based on a combination of their overall quality and general popularity.
8 True Crime: Streets of LA
Zombies, Monsters, And Aggressive Furniture
True Crime: Streets Of LA
- Released
- November 4, 2003
WHERE TO PLAY
An otherwise short but enjoyable detective thriller in the style of GTA, True Crime: Streets of LA put off many players with its sudden change during the “Nightmare” mission. During protagonist Nicholas Kang’s investigations in Chinatown, he is suddenly confronted by zombies, dragons, and other terrifying monstrosities, completely diverging from the regular human foes up to that point.
Given the mission’s name and some later clarification, it’s strongly hinted that these supernatural beings are visions in Kang’s dreams, but it was still an unexpected and unwelcome experience for some players. Somewhat bizarrely, proceedings return to normalcy afterward, as if flaming demon heads hadn’t just been flying towards the player with malicious intent.
7 Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
Curses, Mutants, And Nazis
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
- Released
- November 19, 2007
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Tobacco, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Naughty Dog
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
Developers Naughty Dog have always been known for their outside-the-box thinking, and that’s certainly clear in Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, the first outing of the smooth-talking archaeologist and thief. The vast majority of the game is spent chasing the legendary lost treasure of El Dorado, with many allusions to curses and the supernatural, but nothing appearing too out of the ordinary.
As Nathan Drake and his companions battle through hordes of enemies, mostly pirates and rivals who are trying to track down the treasure, they suddenly come across some mutated humanoids. These are known as the Descendants, whose lineage can be tracked to Spanish explorers and Nazi soldiers who have been infected by a mutagenic virus, and they catch most players by surprise upon that first encounter.
6 Mortal Kombat 2
Introducing New Characters And New Finishing Moves
Mortal Kombat II
- Released
- November, 1993
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- Midway Games
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
- Platform(s)
- Arcade, Sega Game Gear, Sega Genesis, SNES, Nintendo Game Boy, Sega Saturn, PS1
Following on from the controversy surrounding the first game and its ultraviolent nature, Midway responded with mocking humor in the hugely acclaimed sequel, Mortal Kombat 2. Of course, violence was not removed at all. In fact, this is arguably even more gruesome than its predecessor, especially with the expanded fatality possibilities and improvements in graphical capabilities.
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However, the sequel was the first game to introduce the "Friendship" and "Babality" finishing moves, whereby the combatants either do something nice for their staggering opponents or transform them into a baby, rather than brutally murder them. Many players were initially caught off guard by Shang Tsung making a rainbow or Liu Kang dancing, but these special finishers have become something of a series mainstay and remain popular with most fans.
5 Ecco the Dolphin
Dolphins, Aliens, And Monsters
Ecco the Dolphin
- Released
- July 29, 1992
- ESRB
- E For Everyone // Animated Blood
- Developer(s)
- Novotrade International
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo 3DS, PC, Sega CD, Sega Genesis, Sega Game Gear, Nintendo Game Boy Advance, Sega Master System
Ecco the Dolphin begins with a pod of adorable bottlenose dolphins frolicking together in the open ocean, drawing players in with Disney-esque cuteness. Completely subverting expectations, the pod is suddenly torn from their natural habitat, with the sole exception of the playable character, Ecco, who must somehow save the marine life that has been kidnapped and prevent any similar events from occurring.
The game then goes on to feature time travel and the Lost City of Atlantis, but it still caught most players by surprise with the inclusion of some monsters that would have Geiger quaking in his boots. Nobody was prepared for the Vortex Queen, the gargantuan horror that resembles the xenomorph from the Alien franchise, who is so large that only her head is visible on screen.
4 Indigo Prophecy (Fahrenheit)
An Intriguing Setup With Insane Twists
Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy Remastered
- Released
- January 28, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M // Violence, Blood, Sexual Content, Nudity, Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Aspyr, Quantic Dream
Known as Indigo Prophecy in North America, Fahrenheit is a supernatural murder mystery set in New York City during a dreadful snowstorm. Given the nature of the setup, involving a possessed man committing a murder against his own will, plus Quantic Dream’s track record of wackiness, it’s hard to imagine anything in this game surprising players.
After the setup and initial somewhat grounded police investigations, things take a turn for the bizarre, starting with Matrix-style fight scenes and even venturing into zombie romance. Despite these strange twists, plus the aggressive giant insects and levels involving the need to dodge furniture, Fahrenheit was reviewed well by critics and remains popular with many who have experienced it.
3 Yakuza Kiwami
Remake Of The Original With Even More Strangeness
Yakuza Kiwami
- Released
- August 29, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ / Blood, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Simulated Gambling, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
The Yakuza/Like A Dragon series is no stranger to abrupt tonal shifts, mixing serious storylines with over-the-top action and characters, plus a whole host of side activities, each varying in tone. Being a remake of the original, Yakuza Kiwami shows many hallmarks of the first game, such as its very bleak and at times depressing storyline, taking place after Kazuma Kiryu’s decade-long stay in prison.
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When not carrying out the dark story missions, Kiryu is free to explore everything Kamurocho has to offer, lending plenty of brevity to proceedings with things like slot car racing and cabaret clubs. That’s not to mention the personification of a tonal shift, Goro Majima, who pops up during some specific story-related moments or just randomly on the street, usually challenging Kiryu to a ridiculous fight or perhaps some bowling.
2 Fire Emblem: Three Houses
From Amicable Schoolmates To All-Out War
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
- Released
- July 26, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Intelligent Systems
- Genre(s)
- Strategy, RPG
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Ranked among the best games in the Fire Emblem series and one of the finest tactics games on Nintendo Switch, Fire Emblem: Three Houses is very much a game of two halves. Part one has players assuming the role of Byleth, a new professor at the Garreg Mach Monastery, who teaches students and participates in social activities at the school.
While there are battles in the first half as a conspiracy unfolds, the story shifts drastically in the second half of the game, taking place five years later. By now, the three previously peaceful nations of Fodlan are locked in a brutal war, with players assisting the house that they chose early in the game’s runtime.
1 EarthBound
Sheer Terror Among The Cheer And Whimsy
Earthbound
- Released
- June 5, 1995
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Suggestive Themes, Crude Humor
- Developer(s)
- HAL Laboratory, Ape Inc.
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Platform(s)
- SNES, Nintendo Game Boy Advance
Now over thirty years old, EarthBound is still regarded as one of the greatest RPGs ever made. The classic and deliberately goofy SNES game about a group of children on their quest to save the universe features a diverse range of enemies, including taxi cabs and rogue cups of coffee.
The wacky and more light-hearted tone persists throughout most of the game, even when it is clear that some sinister events are occurring. Though the general vibe does alter in the second half of, it still retains that charm and whimsy, until the battle against Giygas. One of the most terrifying bosses in gaming history, the complete turnaround from the whimsy of the rest of the game only adds to the horror.
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