History CursedWithAwesome / VideoGames

** LampshadeHanging in ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'': In order to receive certain ([[BrokenBridge required]]) abilities, Mario must open locked chests containing demons that dramatically "curse" him with the ability to turn sideways, fold into a paper airplane, etc. Voluntarily, and with no downsides. By the fourth one, Mario can see where things are headed and tells[[note]]or rather, he [[HeroicMime mimes it]] and the chest [[RepeatingSoTheAudienceCanHear repeats it so the audience can hear]][[/note]] the chest to just shut up and curse him already. The chest expresses disappointment at not being able to perform his big scene. Mario then relents and lets him do so, after which the chest goes through the motions and then, as an aside, thanks Mario for letting him do his thing. These demons are actually the legendary heroes who [[SealedEvilInACan sealed away]] the BigBad the first time, only to fall victim to said BigBad's own curse and become demons locked in chests, fated to curse whatever gullible sap they can trick into letting them out. They use a bit of LoopholeAbuse to get away with giving curses that are actually beneficial.

* ''VideoGame/AtelierRorona'' has an example of a trait that's usually negative, but turns out to be positive in one specific case. There is a trait called "Narrow Range", which, if alchemized onto an item, reduces the amount of targets it will hit. You will usually try to avoid getting it onto your items. There is also an item called the Tera Bomb, which deals huge damage but has one flaw: its range is so big, it will also hit your own party, often resulting in a TotalPartyWipe. Alchemizing a Tera Bomb with one level of Narrow Range will shrink the blast radius just enough to leave your side unharmed, while still being big enough to usually get all enemies. A Tera Bomb with Narrow Range can easily become a GameBreaker if you add a few other positive traits that don't expand the range back again.
* In ''VideoGame/AtelierIris2TheAzothOfDestiny'' Gray is a dragon slayer cursed into the form of a dragon-man, and while a dragon killer becoming a dragon may be an uncomfortable idea, it has given him powers he would never have had as a human and since he is famous and his story is widely known, he is accepted everywhere so he doesn't even have the excuse of being an outcast after being turned into a monster. At the end of the game after he [[spoiler:kills the one who cursed him, he says its better he didn't change back as he would lose all the dragon powers he gained and they will need all the power they can get to fight Palaxius]].
* The protagonist of ''VideoGame/BaldursGate I'' and ''[[VideoGame/BaldursGateII II]]'' (and his brother) is "cursed" with supernatural powers due to being descended from an evil god. Depending on which character alignment the player picks at character creature, and on later choices during the game, the character's divine powers differ and grow. "Good" characters may view the ability to destroy the universe as a curse, evil ones probably don't. Even then, good characters might think that they can direct their power against evil forces at least, in the worst cases to PayEvilUntoEvil, accomplish some DirtyBusiness, or doing [[IDidWhatIHadToDo what is necessary]] for the greater goal - which might also turn them into KnightTemplar.
* In ''VideoGame/BaldursGate III'' paladins who forsake their vows, such as by perpetrating acts of unjustified violence, become "oathbreaker" paladins, which in practical terms means swapping some of their powers for arguably better replacements and gaining several new dialogue options. It's probably for the best, given how easy it is for players to inadvertently oathbreak.

* Terra in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI''. She considers her magic a curse because it distances herself from others and she fears she may never truly connect with other people. In the meantime, she's the only [[spoiler:half-Esper]] in the world and as such is more or less a demi-god. In fact, until the Big Bad turns himself into a full-fledged god, Terra is arguably the strongest mage on the planet.[[note]]At least [[spoiler:in her Esper form]]; otherwise, [[GameplayAndStorySegregation Relm's Magic power is actually higher]].[[/note]] There's also an issue with the fact that magic use by humans really isn't all that weird after the first quarter of the plot. They may not get their powers from the same place she does, but she's not the only human with magic powers, and her existence itself proves that [[spoiler: Espers]] can feel love.
* Vincent in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII''. He let the chick he was crushing on let her boyfriend turn her into a science project, and when he objected he got turned into one too. He considers it a fitting punishment. The experiments have made him immortal, so he gets to spend eternity in his late 20s, and allow him to transform into various demons that can kill normal enemies in a single hit. ''VideoGame/DirgeOfCerberus'' reveals that one of his monster forms is actually Chaos, a herald of the end of the world who is destined to kill every living being on the planet so Omega can consume the lifestream and go to another planet to re-seed life. While this lets Vincent actively stop the group working to end the world prematurely as part of a [[GodhoodSeeker god gambit]], it also means Vincent's going to live, and eventually, ''have to'' fulfill his purpose when the Planet's time comes up for real.
* In ''Videogame/FinalFantasyXV'', Adagium aka the Immortal Accursed aka [[spoiler:Ardyn Izunia aka Ardyn Lucis Caelum]] has absorbed so much Starscourge over his lifetime that he's effectively a Humanoid Daemon. He is a hated cursed individual rejected by his own bloodline and even by the gods themselves. However, his condition also comes with vast powers and immortality, making him effectively a PhysicalGod.
* Adelle of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTacticsA2'', as well as a few other characters are Gifted, which grants them unique powers and nigh immortality, but not all can control it. Adelle initially agonizes over it after her village was wiped out by a plague that didn't affect her. It's also something that makes her desirable by the bad guys, with her consent or not. Many of the other Gifted are outcasts of one kind or another, either because people don't trust them or because of their own desire. Lennart for example states that he couldn't bear being friends with normal people that die within a normal lifespan anymore. She feels that she's been BlessedWithSuck at first, but as she meets other Gifted and is given their power for her unique class (Heritor), she comes to realize it's not so bad after all -- which allows her to release her own Gift -- "the power of life, in all its forms and splendor". [[GameplayAndStorySegregation Which is just a free Regen spell.]]

* The Red Bull X racing prototype machines from ''VideoGame/GranTurismo'' ''5'' and ''6'' fit this trope to a T. They literally outclass any and every car in any race where there's no restrictions put in effect. Specifically, these machines have '''astoundingly phenomenal''' stats in every category that a land-based vehicle that isn't powered by a jet engine can offer. Braking, top speed, acceleration, handling, you name it. Unfortunately, these same freakishly overpowered stats make them extraordinarily difficult to drive in A-Spec mode (AKA the mode where you directly drive the vehicle yourself), because the cars' monstrous reflexes make them way too easy to go off course and crash. Imagine driving these beasts in the Nürburgring in any configuration; unless you devote yourself to mastering the controls of these cars, it will most definitely take YEARS of trial-and-error to get used to the ludicrously phenomenal performance of these racing machines, let alone driving them in exceptionally difficult courses such as Monaco (Côte d'Azur in the GT universe) and the aforementioned Nürburgring. Interestingly, your AI driver in B-Spec Mode (AKA the mode where you play as racing team director to your AI buddies) has absolutely no difficulty in handling these cars, driving around any course (except probably Monaco thanks to the [[TruthInTelevision notoriously cramped configuration of the course]]) like they were nothing but toy cars.
* The SPARTAN-II and SPARTAN-III super-soldiers in the ''{{Franchise/Halo}}'' series are an interesting example. Each one was kidnapped or "recruited" at the age of six (or under), given TrainingFromHell, and given painful augmentations (which for the [=IIs=], killed or crippled most of them), but became godly badasses in the process. That said, it's a greater than 50% chance of being dead or disabled by your twenties, plus more or less a lifetime of military service against ScaryDogmaticAliens and LaResistance, even if you can punch through a tank with your bare hands. Not surprisingly, the people who helped create the Spartans, including both the [=IIs=]' project head and main trainer, often think about the ethical cost of what they did and sometimes wonder if it was really worth it. However, the Spartans themselves are mostly thankful for the experience and would willingly go through it again if they had a choice; of course, they've been pretty much been brainwashed since early childhood to be soldiers.

* ''VideoGame/JakAndDaxter'': After two years of [[PlayingWithSyringes torture and experimentation]], Jak gains [[SuperpoweredEvilSide Dark Eco powers]]. The Baron and the Oracle warn that it will drive him insane and kill him horribly, people who watch him in action are terrified, and Count Veger in ''VideoGame/Jak3'' concludes that because of it, Jak is an abomination who deserves only death. Nevertheless, it makes him immensely powerful and exactly what he was intended to be: the only thing capable of taking down the [[BigBad Metal Head leader]].

* ''VideoGame/MarioParty3'': The Reverse Mushroom. When used, it makes the target go backwards instead of forwards with their dice roll. While this could be used to hurt a player's progress, it is mostly game-breaking in practice. For one, the most common reason it is used is to move backwards to a Star Space that a player had either just missed, or because it reappears right behind them when someone else bought a Star. Also, a player under the effects of a Reverse Mushroom can pick which direction they want to go if they reach any junction, even if that route could normally not be accessed without a Skeleton Key or a special event. Even the developers realized how broken the Reverse Mushroom was, since it never reappeared after this game.

* At the start of ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', Shepard [[LateArrivalSpoiler dies and is resurrected,]] meaning s/he now has bulletproof skin, unbreakable bones, super-biotics (Sometimes ''without having them before''), an almost unpoisonable digestive system, enhanced reflexes and numerous other modifications. Any potential moral, psychological or existential problems arising from this are [[AngstWhatAngst glossed over entirely]], leading to Shepard shrugging off nearly every remark relating to his/her death with a witty remark.

* In ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork 3'', the bug associated with the [=BusterMAX=] program is basically PowerIncontinence; it causes [=MegaMan=] to use all of his uploaded chips in rapid fire at the beginning of the turn, aiming and timing be damned. The Website/GameFAQs community held a contest to see who could produce the best character with that glitch as a stipulation.
** There is another bug in ''Battle Network 4'' where instead of firing of a powerful buster shot, you drop a rock cube onto the field in front of you. (This seems like BlessedWithSuck, until you realize that chips like Poltergeist and the [=JunkMan=] Soul Synchro both like objects on the field. Also, if timed correctly, an enemy running into a rock cube as it is created takes 100 damage and destroys the rock cube. This is better than most chips in the game.)

* In ''Franchise/MortalKombat'', Shang Tsung was cursed to wither and die unless he consumed souls. Turns out that forcing an evil wizard to kill people is not that big of a drawback to him, and it comes with the side effect of allowing him to absorb the powers of those he vanquishes.

* In ''VideoGame/NetHack'', many "cursed" items can be helpful if applied right, for example a cursed genocide scroll will create monsters instead of kill them, allowing for many useful tactics, such as nurse dancing. (Nurses will raise your HP maximum if they attack you when you have no armor on, surround yourself with lots of nurses and... works best on no teleport levels, so the nurses can't flee.)
** There are a handful of benefits to using certain cursed items, equipping cursed items, et cetera. For example, a cursed potion of gain level does ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: it raises your level by one. By which it means, of course, [[ExactWords it brings you to the previous dungeon level.]] In the endgame, this is ''exactly what you need'', since you need to travel upward while carrying an item that prevents teleportation; magically floating through the ceiling [[LoopholeAbuse technically isn't teleporting]].
* In ''VideoGame/NeverDead'' the protagonist is "cursed" with immortality and can regrow the rest of his body from his head if given a few minutes. Though it can end up becoming a legitimate curse, as he can end up becoming a digested pile of ooze that, while still sentient, is incapable of regenerating and has him stuck in that form forever. Lampshaded by Yahtzee in his ''WebAnimation/ZeroPunctuation'' review.

* LampshadeHanging in ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'': In order to receive certain ([[BrokenBridge required]]) abilities, Mario must open locked chests containing demons that dramatically "curse" him with the ability to turn sideways, fold into a paper airplane, etc. Voluntarily, and with no downsides. By the fourth one, Mario can see where things are headed and tells[[note]]or rather, he [[HeroicMime mimes it]] and the chest [[RepeatingSoTheAudienceCanHear repeats it so the audience can hear]][[/note]] the chest to just shut up and curse him already. The chest expresses disappointment at not being able to perform his big scene. Mario then relents and lets him do so, after which the chest goes through the motions and then, as an aside, thanks Mario for letting him do his thing. These demons are actually the legendary heroes who [[SealedEvilInACan sealed away]] the BigBad the first time, only to fall victim to said BigBad's own curse and become demons locked in chests, fated to curse whatever gullible sap they can trick into letting them out. They use a bit of LoopholeAbuse to get away with giving curses that are actually beneficial.

* In ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver'' (and later versions), as an ''extremely'' rare occurrence (a 1 in 21,845 chance per battle), Pokémon may be infected with Pokérus. This highly infectious disease cannot be cured, though the affected Pokémon will heal naturally in a few days. What does this horrible disease ''do'', you ask? They make your Pokémon grow ''twice as fast'' -- not in experience levels, but in "effort values," which affect their stats on the next level-up -- even after the disease goes away. It has no negative effects, although [[GuideDangIt the game doesn't mention its positive effects]], nor are you told this rare anti-illness exists unless your team contracts it. For this reason, players do well to make sure the disease keeps spreading among their Pokémon.
** On the subject of Pokémon, the hero in ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeon'' never seems to find being turned into a Pokémon really awesome (seeing all the cool powers and stuff they have). However, the hero also rarely ever mentions a desire to go back to human form.

* Alex Mercer from ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}'' begins the game furious and vengeful concerning his condition which lets him run up walls, glide, pick up cars, become immune to falling damage and be generally nigh-invincible. On the other hand, he can also eat people to regenerate faster and [[BrainFood gain their knowledge and memories]], it also comes with the unpleasant side effect of [[AndIMustScream his victims still existing inside his head]]...
** Well, at least [[VideoGame/Prototype2 James Heller]] didn't complain about his condition.

* In ''Devil Summoner 2: VideoGame/RaidouKuzunohaVsKingAbaddon'', its revealed that [[spoiler:Gouto's role as TheMentor is meant to be a ''punishment'' for an unknown crime he committed. [[SarcasmMode Because forcing him to help his descendents become true Summoners and protect the world from evil is]] ''[[SarcasmMode such]]'' [[SarcasmMode a bad thing]]. That said, he'd probably be happier if it didn't come with the obligatory requisite of being forced to assume the shape of a cat. Also, the "punishment" actually is to live through his protegés' lives... until he inevitably sees them ''die'']].

* ''VideoGame/TheSims2'' expansions have several life states that a Sim can become, most with several different nifty traits, but only Knowledge Sims want to become them. Indeed, most infected Sims want nothing more than to be [[TallPoppySyndrome cured of their weirdness]]. While justified in some cases (becoming a werewolf or a zombie involves a drastic personality shift), many states have [[GameBreaker such cool side effects]] that it's hard to understand why you'd want to get rid of the "affliction":

* ''VideoGame/TheSims3'' also has life states falling under this category. Unlike the previous game, becoming an "occult" no longer is considered a curse in and of itself, but some life states do balance certain advantages and disadvantages, so they at least count as this trope.

* Female lead Reimi Saionji in ''VideoGame/StarOceanTheLastHope'' was genetically enhanced as part of a project to enable humans to live on the nuclear-wasteland surface of Earth. She has a superhuman immune system and healing ability which even allows her to recover from having most of her body turned to stone. She feels guilty about it because as a little girl, she survived severe radiation poisoning when some of her friends didn't. This was aggravated by the fact that she still felt the effects of the radiation poisoning as her body adjusted and she was then forced to listen to her friends parents rant about how she should have died with them.
* Ashton Anchors, in ''VideoGame/StarOceanTheSecondStory/[[VideoGameRemake Evolution]]'' gets possessed by a two-headed dragon [[NiceJobBreakingItHero (Thanks to the party)]], its heads being fused onto his back. Outside of making him look like a freak, it's not nearly as terrible as it sounds, as the dragons are actually rather friendly (Mostly showing hostility towards one another, which is a source of irritation for him), and while despite being capable of taking complete control of him, only choose to do so on one occasion where they had something important to say. On the plus side, they help him in battle by using symbology and breathing fire and ice at foes with his strongest killer move.
** When presented with a method of removing the dragons in an optional quest, he ultimately chooses to not go through with it as it would kill them, having developed a soft spot for them in the meantime. However, he's ''still'' stuck with them in the sequel game that takes place two years later, in which they've also learned some new attacks, such as a lunging bite that makes their host do a comical faceplant.

* Most of [[VideoGame/WarioLand Wario's]] transformations fall into this category. Being on fire isn't that bad if it makes you invincible and allows you to burn away blocks blocking your path.
* in ''Franchise/TheWitcher'' franchise, some children, usually in some sort of way kidnapped or otherwise forced into this position, are subject to the "trial of grasses", an extremely painful and lethal process which causes mutations, and kills 7 of 10 boys that undergo the process, as well as extensive training, after which they become Witchers. Good effects include: badass monster killing skills, superhuman attributes, extended lifespan, Magic use. Bad effects include: becoming sterile, possible complications from the trial such as [[spoiler: when the group uses the trial of grasses to change Uma back into Avallach, where he suffers permanent brain damage]], and on the receiving end of a LOT of discrimination.

* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'':

** Similarly, Super Mutants are also long-lived, with the added bonus of super strength and even increased intelligence in rare cases. In exchange however, you lose almost all memories of your past self, are stripped of free will, and it is all too likely that you will become far less intelligent than you were before being dipped into the FEV tank. Also worth noting is that all Super Mutants are sterile, and that all current Super Mutants (in the West Coast at least) will most likely die out eventually. All told, becoming a Super Mutant does have its advocates, since some people did volunteer for the process back in the original ''Fallout'' game. Marcus himself states that he prefers being a Super Mutant to being human because it leaves him less susceptible to petty emotions like "hatred" and "jealousy".

* The Ghouls in ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' were created by being subjected to a megadose of radiation, most commonly during [[WorldWar3 The Great War]], when most who couldn't get to a Vault were heavily exposed. The downside is that they look like the living dead (which leaves them subject to [[FantasticRacism much discrimination]]), and their brains may eventually decay, causing them to go [[TechnicallyLivingZombie feral]]. The upside is that they are [[RadiationImmuneMutants healed by radiation]] and have much [[TheAgeless longer lifespans]] than any other normal human, with pre-war ghouls still common over 200 years later. Almost all cases of ghoulification are against the subject's will though, since in addition to the aforementioned discrimination, exposure to massive doses of radiation usually leads to death.

*** [[spoiler:This continues in ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilVillage'', where Ethan goes on a rescue mission to [[PapaWolf save his daughter]] Rosemary from [[BigBad Miranda]] and the [[CoDragons Lords of the Four Houses]]. Much like his experience at the Bakers', Ethan takes ''enormous'' amounts of abuse and receives terrible injuries. He pushes onward anyway and kills all four Lords and their minions. But then, he seemingly dies when Miranda ''[[BeatStillMyHeart pulls out his heart]]!'' [[{{Determinator}} That wasn't enough to stop him]]. Because of his special Mold mutation, he came BackFromTheDead. Sadly, without his heart, he was LivingOnBorrowedTime. Even so, he was able to live long enough to kill Miranda, who went OneWingedAngel and save Rosemary before his HeroicSacrifice. Prior to this, Ethan had a "dream" where he has a DeadPersonConversation with Eveline, who confirms that he actually ''did'' die during his first encounter with Jack in ''[=7=]''. That was the first time his mutation was able to revive him.]]

* When characters from the ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' series get infected with any one of the numerous biological agents seen throughout the series (e.g.: [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil1 T-Vi]][[VideoGame/ResidentEvil3 rus]], [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil4 Las Plagas]], [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil5 Uroboros]], etc.), you wouldn't be wrong to assume that [[YouAreTooLate they're done for]]. Countless innocent people and animals became [[TragicMonster Tragic Monsters]] as a result, with no hopes of turning back. All the heroes can do is give them a MercyKill. On the other hand, very few characters have been infected, yet gained benefits with no foreseeable drawbacks (so far):

* ''VideoGame/JakAndDaxter'': After two years of [[PlayingWithSyringes torture and experimentation]], Jak gains [[AppliedPhlebotinum Dark Eco]] [[SuperpoweredEvilSide powers]]. The Baron and the Oracle warn that it will drive him insane and kill him horribly, people who watch him in action are terrified, and Count Veger in ''VideoGame/{{Jak 3|Wastelander}}'' concludes that because of it Jak is an abomination who deserves only death. Nevertheless, it makes him immensely powerful and exactly what he was intended to be: the only thing capable of taking down the [[BigBad Metal Head leader]].

* The player character of ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' is under the effects of a curse that spontaneously brings the victim back from the dead, but saps his or her humanity every time it happens.

* The SPARTAN-II and SPARTAN-III super-soldiers in the ''{{Franchise/Halo}}'' series are an interesting example. Each one was kidnapped or "recruited" at the age of six (or under), given TrainingFromHell, and given painful augmentations (which for the [=IIs=], killed or crippled most of them), but became godly badasses in the process. That said, it's a greater than 50% chance of being dead or disabled by your twenties, plus more or less a lifetime of military service against ScaryDogmaticAliens and LaResistance, even if you can punch through a tank with your bare hands. Not surprisingly, the people who helped create the Spartans, including both the [=IIs=]' project head and main trainer, often think about the ethical cost of what they did and sometimes wonder if it was really worth it. However, the Spartans themselves are mostly thankful for the experience and would willingly go through it again if they had a choice; of course, they've been pretty much been brainwashed since early childhood be soldiers.

* Lagging in online games can be an advantage, depending on how the game handles it. In some games, it makes the person lagging almost unpredictable in movement, letting them do roughly [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmSstAuV0oQ this]]

* The Beggar's Bazooka, a rocket launcher for the Soldier in ''VideoGame/{{TeamFortress2}}''. The main function of this weapon is that instead of firing rockets normally, the player must hold the Fire button to have Soldier continuously load rockets, before releasing to launch them all at once. One of the weapon's cons is that loading more than three rockets into the Bazooka causes a rocket to misfire, but this is actually one of its main drawpoints. The misfire explosions allow the Soldier to perform mid-air jumps without needing a wall to rocket jump off of, and when you consider that you can keep loading rockets to continue jumping infinitely, this gives the Soldier the best mobility in the entire game, as he can essentially launch himself across half the map using the Bazooka.

** On the other hand, after a certain point in the game (the [[spoiler:Sora/Roxas fight]] scene), the number of times you've gone into Anti-Form is directly correlated to your chance of unlocking the most powerful Drive form when you use one of the other three/four Drive Forms[[note]]for Final Mix players, unlocking Final Form is faster with the Two Become One Keyblade equipped if Sora enters a Drive Form in battle, but at the cost of Anti-Form being the sole Drive available[[/note]].
* Both Kain and Raziel from the ''VideoGame/LegacyOfKain'' series get this, but Raziel is ''doubly'' cursed with awesome -- first for being a vampire, and second by being thrown into a maelstrom of [[strike:acid]] water and turned into a vampire-hunting soul wraith. As a result he loses many of his [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampiric weaknesses]], such as his aversion to water, weakness in sunlight and need to drink blood, while still keeping his useful abilities, like super-strength and (limited) flight.
** This is a reoccurring plot point in the series; whether or not vampirism is a curse or a blessing, whether they are parasites or gods, whether they are banished from god's grace or liberated from the wheel of fate. The true result of Raziel's cursed with awesome is that because of his curse, he is the one creature in existence with free will.

* The protagonist of ''VideoGame/BaldursGate I'' and ''[[VideoGame/BaldursGateII II]]'' (and his brother) is "cursed" with supernatural powers due to being descended from an evil god. Depending on which character alignment the player picks at character creature, and on later choices during the game, the character's divine powers differ and grow. "Good" characters may view the ability to destroy the universe as a curse, evil ones probably don't. Even then, good characters might think that they can direct their power against evil forces at least, in the worst cases to PayEvilUntoEvil, accomplish some DirtyBusiness, or doing [[IDidWhatIHadToDo what is necessary]] for the greater goal - which might also turn them into KnightTemplars.