History Main / PressXtoNotDie

** ''VideoGame/KirbysReturnToDreamLand'': At the end of [[spoiler:Magolor]]'s boss fight, the player needs to shake the Wii Remote to break the boss's BarehandedBladeBlock and deal the final blow with the [[{{BFS}} Ultra Sword]].

* ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3: Snake Eater'' has one and precisely one such event, which also winds up being the most [[PlayerPunch emotionally]] [[TearJerker loaded]] event in the entire game: Press Square To Kill The Boss. [[note]]Or, for the more emotional, Press Square To Cry.[[/note]]

** ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2'' and ''Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker'' have these done horribly wrong: In harder, difficulties the scenes become [[ButtonMashing Mash]] X Until Your Fingers Fall Off To Not Die. At least ''[=MGS1=]'' gave an opt-out [[spoiler:leading to an [[MultipleEndings alternate ending]]]]. The exact same set-up was in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4'', but it was so organic that most players don't realize they're in the "torture scene" until well after it's done.

*** Simon-Says style [=QTEs=] are also used to decide the outcomes for several one-time-only events (a boxing match, a basketball match, etc) for which developing an entire minigame would be a BizarroEpisode, a DifficultySpike and a waste of time, both the players' and the developers'. Administrivia/TropesAreNotBad!

* ''VideoGame/MarioParty 3'' had a mild version of this: Losing the Action Time microgame would just put you at a predetermined space.
** It does give you some warning in advance so you know it's not just a cinematic, plus intentionally failing Action Time to get yourself moved is actually a viable strategy.

* The very first ''VideoGame/SoulSeries'' game, ''Soul Edge'' had these for endings: if you didn't do... something at a certain point, you'd almost always get a bad ending. Most of the later games didn't do this.

*** In ''III'', it's possible to replay a cutscene over and over until you get the result, without having to beat the game with the character multiple times. Of course, this also means the player wouldn't see what the gameplay effect would be.
*** Many characters get a better ending by not inputting the command, making it more of a guessing game at times.

** YMMV, many players find Johnny Cage's failed events to be rather hilarious and some deliberately fail Jax's as he looks even more badass shrugging off hits from fireballs rather than dodging them.

*** Same in 3, pressing R1 on opportune moments switched to Snake's POV, which could then be moved around. This was used a few times to help advance gameplay ([[spoiler:The Sorrow gives you the opening code for the cell during the torture scene R1 section]]) but it's best reserved to admiring [[AbsoluteCleavage EVA's]] physique as the default viewpoint in her introduction.

* Played straight in [[Videogame/BatmanArkhamCity Arkham City]] and [[VideoGame/BatmanArkhamOrigins Origins]], but subverted during NewGamePlus when the counter button prompt will no longer appear, [[UptoEleven even during interactive cutscenes.]]

* ''Franchise/ResidentEvil''

** ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilRevelations:'' If a monster grabs you, you will be prompted to waggle a thumb stick.

** The [=PS3=] exclusive ''VideoGame/HeavyRain'' is almost nothing but these, though instead of the Simon Says prompts ''Fahrenheit'' had, there are more standard prompts requiring precisely timed button presses and stick movements. Unlike a lot of other examples, however, there is (usually) no penalty for failing an event; the game simply continues, albeit with some scenes or lines changed to reflect your clumsy fingers. As for the ones that do have penalties, they usually result in the player character's death.

** ''VideoGame/DetroitBecomeHuman'' returns to ''Heavy Rain'''s formula of quick time events with onscreen prompts for button presses, which can likewise result in the player character's death in certain parts of the game.
* All of Telltale's games have this, to an extent. Some allow you a bit more flexibility in choosing how to deal with situations, especially in games based on more action-heavy properties such as ''VideoGame/TalesFromTheBorderlands'' and ''VideoGame/TheWolfAmongUs''; you will often get two options to choose from with very little time to decide what to go for. The end result is often the same, with slight variations.
** Creator/TelltaleGames' ''VideoGame/JurassicParkTheGame''. The ''entire'' game, minus some sections where you get to stop, take a breath and play with some puzzles, consists of this style of gameplay. Press X to Not Be Eaten by a Tyrannosaur indeed.
** Telltale's ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDead'' has a few points where Press X to Not Be Bitten are true, but also includes points where you have to make a split-second decision which can alter the game's story (such as which of two characters to save).
** ''VideoGame/MinecraftStoryMode'': A rather mild example compared to other ''[[Creator/TelltaleGames Telltale]]'' games, perhaps because of the young target audience. Many of the quick-time events can be failed without consequence.

* The [=PS3=] exclusive ''VideoGame/HeavyRain'' is ''almost nothing but these.'' Unlike a lot of other examples, however, there is (usually) no penalty for failing an event; the game simply continues, albeit with some scenes or lines changed to reflect your clumsy fingers.
** As for the ones that do have penalties, they usually result in the player character's death.
** At one point, the player character is looking for his son Jason in a busy mall; besides movement, the only option the player can do is to press a button to make the character shout for Jason. This has been mocked on gamer forums as "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qetfKHFIPIg Press X to Jason]]".
* ''VideoGame/{{Fahrenheit}}'' is about 75-80% this trope. Irritating if you're one of those that tries to watch the action at the same time as the button prompts.
** Although it does play with the concept a little. There's one point where the little "Press this button" indicator goes absolutely nuts to indicate that your character is a state of completely blind panic. There's another where you have to fail a series of [=QTEs=] on purpose to ignore the invisible green ticks that try to distract Lucas while he's being questioned by the police. If you do beat the QTE, Lucas will freak the hell out and make the detective suspicious. It MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext.
** Infamously, the European version of Indigo Prophecy has a QTE-controlled sex scene that was removed for the US release.
** Simon-Says style [=QTEs=] are also used to decide the outcomes for several one-time-only events (a boxing match, a basketball match, etc) for which developing an entire minigame would be a BizarroEpisode, a DifficultySpike and a waste of time, both the players' and the developers'. Administrivia/TropesAreNotBad!

* ''VideoGame/MaxPayne 3'' has "Last Man Standing" events, where if Max is downed but has painkillers on hand, he gets one last chance to take out the enemy and recover. Subverted in that it's not always possible to win these because of CameraScrew. There are also some more conventional ones in cutscenes, including one infuriating example which requires you to watch Max get killed again and again until you realize you can only hit the right buttons ONCE and at exactly the right moment you hear a sound. And there's about five of them in a row, despite this being basically the first QTE in the game. Guide-dangit.

With origins in the UsefulNotes/LaserDisc arcade game ''VideoGame/DragonsLair'' (though appearing earlier in the UsefulNotes/{{ArcadeGame}}s ''VideoGame/WildGunman'' and ''The Driver''), the gameplay of which consisted entirely of these; it was pretty much a cartoon where you had to press buttons at the right time for the story to continue. (''Exactly'' the right time, [[TrialAndErrorGameplay often without any sort of prompt.]]) The following year, ''VideoGame/NinjaHayate'' improved on this formula by introducing on-screen button prompts. The Creator/{{Sega}} arcade game ''[[Franchise/DieHard Die Hard Arcade]]'' and the UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast games ''VideoGame/{{Shenmue}}'' and ''VideoGame/SwordOfTheBerserkGutsRage'' introduced them to the action and action-adventure genres.

Largely originating with the UsefulNotes/ArcadeGame ''VideoGame/DragonsLair'' (though appearing earlier in the obscure ''The Driver''), the gameplay of which consisted entirely of these; it was pretty much a cartoon where you had to press buttons at the right time for the story to continue. (''Exactly'' the right time, [[TrialAndErrorGameplay often without any sort of prompt.]]) The following year, ''VideoGame/NinjaHayate'' improved on this formula by introducing on-screen button prompts. The Creator/{{Sega}} arcade game ''[[Franchise/DieHard Die Hard Arcade]]'' and the UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast games ''VideoGame/{{Shenmue}}'' and ''VideoGame/SwordOfTheBerserkGutsRage'' introduced them to the action and action-adventure genres.

Largely originating with ''VideoGame/DragonsLair'' (though appearing earlier in the obscure ''The Driver''), the gameplay of which consisted entirely of these; it was pretty much a cartoon where you had to press buttons at the right time for the story to continue. (''Exactly'' the right time, [[TrialAndErrorGameplay often without any sort of prompt.]]) The following year, ''VideoGame/NinjaHayate'' improved on this formula by introducing on-screen button prompts. ''[[Franchise/DieHard Die Hard Arcade]]'' and the UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast game ''VideoGame/{{Shenmue}}'' as well as ''VideoGame/SwordOfTheBerserkGutsRage'' on the same console introduced them to the action and action-adventure genres.

Largely originating with ''VideoGame/DragonsLair'' (though appearing earlier in the obscure ''The Driver''), the gameplay of which consisted entirely of these; it was pretty much a cartoon where you had to press buttons at the right time for the story to continue. (''Exactly'' the right time, [[TrialAndErrorGameplay often without any sort of prompt.]]) ''[[Franchise/DieHard Die Hard Arcade]]'' and the UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast game ''VideoGame/{{Shenmue}}'' as well as ''VideoGame/SwordOfTheBerserkGutsRage'' on the same console introduced them to the action genre.

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfSpyroDawnOfTheDragon'' features several, both in the form of "Press X to Not Die" and "Button Mash X To Not Die." Some of them come during boss fights, meaning if you fail, you'll have to do a portion of the boss all over again.

* ''VideoGame/SpiderMan3'' was filled with these, usually unexpectedly popping up during a dramatic cut-scene after the button flashes for a 1-0.5 sec warning. Or between twitchroid Simon-says exercises, just when enough action has passed that you can believe it's over and you can just enjoy the rest of the show--whoop, there's another one! Fortunately, you don't die; you simply reload to slog through the prior crap for another iteration.

* The ''VideoGame/TimeCrisis'' series has many moments where you must press or release the pedal to avoid losing a life to an environmental hazard, such as hooks hanging over a cargo elevator, machinery in a factory, a falling tree, or signal posts alongside a train.

* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed: The Run'' peppers in moments like this during the main storyline to spice things up.

** Unlike previous games, there are mandatory QTEs in ''Dread''. Chozo Soldiers and Raven Beak have Finish Counters, which automatically initiate when they are low on health. During this interactive cutscene, the player must correctly time two Melee Counters to end the boss fight; if they fail either input, Samus takes damage and the battle resumes until another Finish Counter is triggered.

** ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'': If Samus gets caught by an E.M.M.I., a cutscene will occur where you have to time a button press to when the E.M.M.I.'s eye flashes in order to counter its attack and escape. Failure to do so spells [[OneHitKill an instant Game Over]]. It's also a literal example, as the button Samus has to press to escape is the Melee Counter button, which is indeed X.

** ''VideoGame/TombRaider2013'' included a few, mostly consisting of getting grabbed by enemies hanging over ledges or heading into incoming danger which can mean death if you're not fast enough to move Lara out of the way quickly. The most traditional examples were escaping the Scavenger Cave, a fight against a wolf that was performed entirely via a [=QTE=], and the controversial sequence where Lara must fend off an attempted sexual assault/rape early in the game. [[spoiler:The final confrontation with Mathias is also a [=QTE=].]]
*** The reboot makes far more use of Action Commands than [=QTEs=], particularly for performing more complex kills during melee fights.

* ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM'' will often end a cutscene with a monster charging towards Samus, which she must dodge with the sense move to avoid taking extra damage before the fight proper.
* Speaking of Metroid, it was revealed that in the upcoming ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'', if Samus gets caught by an E.M.M.I., a cutscene will occur where you have to time a button press to when the E.M.M.I.'s eye flashes in order to counter its attack and escape. Failure to do so spells [[OneHitKill an instant Game Over.]] It's also a literal example, as the button Samus has to press to escape is the Melee Counter button, which is indeed X.

* ''Dyscourse'' has a variant where at certain points you have to pick from a menu before the timer bar runs out. Depending on your choices, this can result in anything from winning a fight to losing body parts or even other group members.

* Speaking of Metroid, it was revealed that in the upcoming ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'', if Samus gets caught by an E.M.M.I., a cutscene will occur where you have to time a button press to when the E.M.M.I.'s eye flashes in order to counter its attack and escape. Failure to do so spells [[OneHitKill an instant Game Over.]]