Follow TV Tropes

Following

History Main / TheComputerIsAcheatingBastard

Go To

OR

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


** In ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedHotPursuit(2010)'' you can pass a parked police car, at top speed, in the ''fastest car in the game'' (Veyron) and it will be on your tail in just a couple of seconds, even if you didn't slow down at all.

to:

** In ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedHotPursuit(2010)'' ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedHotPursuit2010'' you can pass a parked police car, at top speed, in the ''fastest car in the game'' (Veyron) and it will be on your tail in just a couple of seconds, even if you didn't slow down at all.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


** Furthermore, ''Underground 2'' and ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted2005'' also had an JustForFun/{{egregious}} feature whereby even if you managed to build up a decent lead in spite of the RubberBandAI, in the last lap of the race one of the opponents would make a miraculous comeback and pass you unless you managed to block him or had a lot of nitro to burn. This was presumably done to make the races more dramatic, but of course the end result was just more frustration.
** In ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted Most Wanted]]'':

to:

** Furthermore, ''Underground 2'' and ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted2005'' ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted Most Wanted (2005)]]'' also had an JustForFun/{{egregious}} feature whereby even if you managed to build up a decent lead in spite of the RubberBandAI, in the last lap of the race one of the opponents would make a miraculous comeback and pass you unless you managed to block him or had a lot of nitro to burn. This was presumably done to make the races more dramatic, but of course the end result was just more frustration.
** In ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted Most Wanted]]'':''Most Wanted'':
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


** In ''Most Wanted'':

to:

** In ''Most Wanted'':''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted Most Wanted]]'':



** Every PSP version of ''Need for Speed'' seems to put a lot of effort in ensuring that its AI has a new annoying trick at its disposal. By the time of ''NFS Undercover'', the CPU cars could drive faster than you, no matter what was your car and how well it was upgraded, were not affected by crashes (they were back on your tail in just few seconds), could TELEPORT if you somehow managed to make them stay really behind, or TURN MID-AIR! In one of the urban stages, there is a 90-degree turn just after a really long straight that ends with a significant bump. To drive past it you simply have to slow down, but the CPU cars can drive into it at full speed, jump and turn in the air. Funny sight when you are looking behind at that time.
** Your opponents in ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed Shift 2: Unleashed'' are rather fond of the Reverse PIT manoeuvre. It's performed in exactly the same way but it's the guy pushing that spins out. It's incredibly annoying when you've got a fast car and it gets congested. Generally, your opponent's cars weigh twice as much as yours according to the physics engine.
** In ''Need for Speed: Undercover'' (non PSP), even if you have the pedal thoroughly buried in a Mclaren F1, police [=SUV=]s will still lazily pull in front of you as though you were parked. For those still confused; this is a scenario in which a Cadillac Escalade is represented as faster than one of the fastest production cars ever produced.[[note]]The F1 remains as of 2011 one of the fastest production cars ever made; as of July 2010 it is succeeded by very few cars including the Koenigsegg CCR, the Bugatti Veyron, the SSC Ultimate Aero TT, and the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport.[[/note]]
** In ''Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010)'' you can pass a parked police car, at top speed, in the ''fastest car in the game'' (Veyron) and it will be on your tail in just a couple of seconds, even if you didn't slow down at all.
** While most people point ''Underground'' as the debut of [=rubber-banding AI=] in the franchise, it is OlderThanTheyThink - ''Hot Pursuit 1'' had opponents that would [[FranchiseOriginalSin quite literally cheat]] in many ways:

to:

** Every PSP version of ''Need for Speed'' seems to put a lot of effort in ensuring that its AI has a new annoying trick at its disposal. By the time of ''NFS Undercover'', ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedUndercover'', the CPU cars could drive faster than you, no matter what was your car and how well it was upgraded, were not affected by crashes (they were back on your tail in just few seconds), could TELEPORT if you somehow managed to make them stay really behind, or TURN MID-AIR! In one of the urban stages, there is a 90-degree turn just after a really long straight that ends with a significant bump. To drive past it you simply have to slow down, but the CPU cars can drive into it at full speed, jump and turn in the air. Funny sight when you are looking behind at that time.
** Your opponents in ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed Shift 2: Unleashed'' ''VideoGame/Shift2Unleashed'' are rather fond of the Reverse PIT manoeuvre. It's performed in exactly the same way but it's the guy pushing that spins out. It's incredibly annoying when you've got a fast car and it gets congested. Generally, your opponent's cars weigh twice as much as yours according to the physics engine.
** In ''Need for Speed: Undercover'' ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedUndercover'' (non PSP), even if you have the pedal thoroughly buried in a Mclaren F1, police [=SUV=]s will still lazily pull in front of you as though you were parked. For those still confused; this is a scenario in which a Cadillac Escalade is represented as faster than one of the fastest production cars ever produced.[[note]]The F1 remains as of 2011 one of the fastest production cars ever made; as of July 2010 it is succeeded by very few cars including the Koenigsegg CCR, the Bugatti Veyron, the SSC Ultimate Aero TT, and the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport.[[/note]]
** In ''Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010)'' ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedHotPursuit(2010)'' you can pass a parked police car, at top speed, in the ''fastest car in the game'' (Veyron) and it will be on your tail in just a couple of seconds, even if you didn't slow down at all.
** While most people point ''Underground'' as the debut of [=rubber-banding AI=] in the franchise, it is OlderThanTheyThink - ''Hot Pursuit 1'' ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedIIIHotPursuit'' had opponents that would [[FranchiseOriginalSin quite literally cheat]] in many ways:
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* The ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'' series gives you a rare opportunity to put the cheating AI to work on your behalf. Normally, you have to enter battle commands for your party at the beginning of each round of battle. However, in several of the games, including ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVIII'' and the UsefulNotes/NintendoDS [[VideoGameRemake re-releases]] for ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIV'', ''VideoGame/DragonQuestV'', and ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVI'', the AI doesn't have to commit to an action until it's actually time to perform that action. Enemies [[MyRulesAreNotYourRules that can break the rules that the player has to abide by]] is nothing unusual, but if you set your party members to AI control, then they get the same advantage that the enemies get - and because your party members will almost certainly have a greater range of skills than the monsters that you're fighting against, they'll be a lot better at taking advantage of it. It's arguably a ''better'' idea to tell the healer to be controlled by the AI, as they'll be able to think on their feet instead of having to think at the beginning of the turn and guess which heal is the best one to use.

to:

* The ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'' series gives you a rare opportunity to put the cheating AI to work on your behalf. Normally, you have to enter battle commands for your party at the beginning of each round of battle. However, in several of the games, including ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVIII'' and the UsefulNotes/NintendoDS Platform/NintendoDS [[VideoGameRemake re-releases]] for ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIV'', ''VideoGame/DragonQuestV'', and ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVI'', the AI doesn't have to commit to an action until it's actually time to perform that action. Enemies [[MyRulesAreNotYourRules that can break the rules that the player has to abide by]] is nothing unusual, but if you set your party members to AI control, then they get the same advantage that the enemies get - and because your party members will almost certainly have a greater range of skills than the monsters that you're fighting against, they'll be a lot better at taking advantage of it. It's arguably a ''better'' idea to tell the healer to be controlled by the AI, as they'll be able to think on their feet instead of having to think at the beginning of the turn and guess which heal is the best one to use.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* The "enhancements" to the Sentinel remake ''Zenith'' include fog, which can be so thick as to make it difficult or impossible for the player to see what's happening; the game can be totally unplayable because of this. Of course, the Sentinel and any Sentries are totally unaffected by even the densest fog...

to:

* The "enhancements" to the Sentinel ''VideoGame/{{Sentinel}}'' remake ''Zenith'' ''VideoGame/{{Zenith}}'' include fog, which can be so thick as to make it difficult or impossible for the player to see what's happening; the game can be totally unplayable because of this. Of course, the Sentinel and any Sentries are totally unaffected by even the densest fog...
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


** Speaking of teleportation, nearly every mage in ''Baldur's Gate II'' can teleport - except for you. No one in the universe has a ''dimension door'' scroll for you to buy, with no explanation given ''at all.'' (This is a result of the developers removing the spell and citing 'potential abuse' as the reason. Jerks. Fortunately, there is a downloadable mod, the [=D0Tweaks mod=], that'll restore dimension door to the game for player use. Nonetheless, ''dimension door'' only allows you to teleport within a certain short range; how mage after mage uses the spell to teleport seemingly all over the world goes unexplained in-universe. (The game justifies this by saying that they use it to teleport into nearby shadows; they then disappear.)

to:

** Speaking of teleportation, nearly every mage in ''Baldur's Gate II'' can teleport - except for you. No one in the universe has a ''dimension door'' scroll for you to buy, with no explanation given ''at all.'' (This This is a result of the developers removing the spell and citing 'potential abuse' as the reason. Jerks. Fortunately, there is a downloadable mod, the [=D0Tweaks mod=], that'll restore dimension door to the game for player use. Nonetheless, ''dimension door'' only allows you to teleport within a certain short range; how How mage after mage uses the spell to teleport seemingly all over the world goes unexplained in-universe. (The game justifies this is justified by saying that they use it to teleport into nearby shadows; they then disappear.)



* The RPG ''VideoGame/MetalHearts: Replicant Rampage'': When the player gets to the first part of civilization they will note the following: By moving, the [=PCs=] will be penalized and completely lose their dodge bonus to range attacks, and when the guards are moving, the player will almost never hit. Small scorpions with poison at the start are easier to hit lying down from about 10 meters away with a handgun than point blank with a shotgun, SMG, or Sniper Rifle. Allies with firearms are less likely to hit than the players, but they tend to have weapons and gear that give bonuses to marksmanship, have the weapons strong enough to hurt evil guards. The players can't use those weapons due to stat requirements.

to:

* The RPG ''VideoGame/MetalHearts: Replicant Rampage'': ''VideoGame/MetalheartReplicantsRampage'': When the player gets to the first part of civilization they will note the following: By moving, the [=PCs=] will be penalized and completely lose their dodge bonus to range attacks, and when the guards are moving, the player will almost never hit. Small scorpions with poison at the start are easier to hit lying down from about 10 meters away with a handgun than point blank with a shotgun, SMG, or Sniper Rifle. Allies with firearms are less likely to hit than the players, but they tend to have weapons and gear that give bonuses to marksmanship, have the weapons strong enough to hurt evil guards. The players can't use those weapons due to stat requirements.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


** Jon Irenicus at the end of ''Baldurs Gate 2'' somehow has '''infinite''' ''magic missile'' spells memorized. On the other hand, if you've reduced an archmage powerful enough to grasp at godhood to casting magic missiles at you...

to:

** Jon Irenicus at the end of ''Baldurs Gate 2'' II'' somehow has '''infinite''' ''magic missile'' spells memorized. On the other hand, if you've reduced an archmage powerful enough to grasp at godhood to casting magic missiles at you...



** In ''VideoGame/ThroneOfBhaal'', the further you get in the game the more enemies you'll run into that are arbitrarily immune to [[OffWithHisHead vorpal strikes]] and other instant death effects.

to:

** In ''VideoGame/ThroneOfBhaal'', ''VideoGame/BaldursGateIIThroneOfBhaal'', the further you get in the game the more enemies you'll run into that are arbitrarily immune to [[OffWithHisHead vorpal strikes]] and other instant death effects.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


** The indie game Dead Connection is [[Nintendo Hard]] just for this reloading delay, a no damage run is very, VERY unlikely but probably possible.
** The ''VideoGame/Time Crisis'' Series also has a bit of delay when reloading (mostly the First Game and Project Titan), but YOU can avoid damage as compensation (via taking cover)

to:

** The indie game Dead Connection is [[Nintendo Hard]] NintendoHard just for this reloading delay, a no damage run is very, VERY unlikely but probably possible.
** The ''VideoGame/Time Crisis'' ''VideoGame/TimeCrisis'' Series also has a bit of delay when reloading (mostly the First Game and Project Titan), but YOU can avoid damage as compensation (via taking cover)
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* Abused to a bizarre end in the Super Nintendo game ''Super Off-Road: The Baja''. Each and every one of your competitors had their own preferred place in the lineup, and Heaven forbid you should attempt to take that place from them. For example: Should you take third place from the AI driver who typically came in third, he would become a super driver fueled by rage; he would gain speed, cut corners, ram your truck mercilessly, and pretty much suddenly become the Uberdriver in his efforts to dislodge you from third place. Once you dropped back to fourth place, though, that driver would return to normal, and never challenge Mr. Number Two for HIS place. (Of course, then Mr. Fourth Place would have ''his'' turn at harassing you.) Coupled with the tendency for the AI in first place to absolutely obliterate you should you dare violate his sacred position AND stage last-minute comebacks at speeds approaching those of a low-flying jet fighter, winning any race at any difficulty level became far more based on luck (and your ability to keep from being rammed into oblivion) than skill.

to:

* Abused to a bizarre end in the Super Nintendo game ''Super Off-Road: 'VideoGame/SuperOffRoad: The Baja''. Each and every one of your competitors had their own preferred place in the lineup, and Heaven forbid you should attempt to take that place from them. For example: Should you take third place from the AI driver who typically came in third, he would become a super driver fueled by rage; he would gain speed, cut corners, ram your truck mercilessly, and pretty much suddenly become the Uberdriver in his efforts to dislodge you from third place. Once you dropped back to fourth place, though, that driver would return to normal, and never challenge Mr. Number Two for HIS place. (Of course, then Mr. Fourth Place would have ''his'' turn at harassing you.) Coupled with the tendency for the AI in first place to absolutely obliterate you should you dare violate his sacred position AND stage last-minute comebacks at speeds approaching those of a low-flying jet fighter, winning any race at any difficulty level became far more based on luck (and your ability to keep from being rammed into oblivion) than skill.

Added: 602

Removed: 602

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Oops wrong placement


* Most of the newer lightgun games gives a delay when you reload your weapon, making you vunerable to cheap shots and causing you to take unfair damage
** The House of The Dead III is one of the earliest examples of this reloading delay, ONE BOSS EVEN TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THIS!
** The indie game Dead Connection is [[Nintendo Hard]] just for this reloading delay, a no damage run is very, VERY unlikely but probably possible.
** The ''VideoGame/Time Crisis'' Series also has a bit of delay when reloading (mostly the First Game and Project Titan), but YOU can avoid damage as compensation (via taking cover)



* Most of the newer lightgun games gives a delay when you reload your weapon, making you vunerable to cheap shots and causing you to take unfair damage
** The House of The Dead III is one of the earliest examples of this reloading delay, ONE BOSS EVEN TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THIS!
** The indie game Dead Connection is [[Nintendo Hard]] just for this reloading delay, a no damage run is very, VERY unlikely but probably possible.
** The ''VideoGame/Time Crisis'' Series also has a bit of delay when reloading (mostly the First Game and Project Titan), but YOU can avoid damage as compensation (via taking cover)
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* Most of the newer lightgun games gives a delay when you reload your weapon, making you vunerable to cheap shots and causing you to take unfair damage
** The House of The Dead III is one of the earliest examples of this reloading delay, ONE BOSS EVEN TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THIS!
** The indie game Dead Connection is [[Nintendo Hard]] just for this reloading delay, a no damage run is very, VERY unlikely but probably possible.
** The ''VideoGame/Time Crisis'' Series also has a bit of delay when reloading (mostly the First Game and Project Titan), but YOU can avoid damage as compensation (via taking cover)
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Using official names where applicable and replacing outdated and inaccurate terminology - NTSC and PAL are only for the broadcast standards and never refer to regional releases of video games.


** Throughout the series, changing a CPU's difficulty level changes three parameters: how aggressive they are, how likely they are to avoid your attacks, and their reaction time. In both versions of ''[=SSB4=]'', a level 9 CPU has a reaction time of ''one frame'', meaning that the instant you input the button combination for a certain attack, they're already air-dodging out of harm's way. Meanwhile, of course, they're free to whale on you as much as they want. Players have cited such reflexes as being consistently able to deflect projectiles with a well-timed shield.

to:

** Throughout the series, changing a CPU's difficulty level changes three parameters: how aggressive they are, how likely they are to avoid your attacks, and their reaction time. In both versions of ''[=SSB4=]'', ''for 3DS / Wii U'', a level 9 CPU has a reaction time of ''one frame'', meaning that the instant you input the button combination for a certain attack, they're already air-dodging out of harm's way. Meanwhile, of course, they're free to whale on you as much as they want. Players have cited such reflexes as being consistently able to deflect projectiles with a well-timed shield.



** Inverted in one way: The AI can never use the PurposelyOverpowered N. Tropy clock or Warp Orb powerups. Most noticeable when going online in ''Nitro-Fueled'', where they suddenly become a constant headache on par with ''VideoGame/MarioKartWii'''s blue shells.

to:

** Inverted in one way: The AI can never use the PurposelyOverpowered N. Tropy clock or Warp Orb powerups. Most noticeable when going online in ''Nitro-Fueled'', where they suddenly become a constant headache on par with ''VideoGame/MarioKartWii'''s blue shells.Spiny Shells.



*** Due to an oversight with the Global Car list in [=v1.0=] for the NTSC region, all but one of the endurance races have car lists whereupon 1 car from each list is actually a car for another race. This resulted in the AI using cars that exceeded the HP regulations for the races, eg the Vector M12 LM on the Trial Mountain Endurance Race (It's supposed to be on the car list for the Special Stage Route 5 All-Night race, where it is actually legal, and it is so for the [=NTSC-J=] and PAL copies, while the Citreon Xantia appearing in ''that'' race actually belongs in the Trial Mountain enduro), [[{{Unwinnable}} making it almost impossible for you to win.]]

to:

*** Due to an oversight with the Global Car list in [=v1.0=] for the NTSC region, North American version, all but one of the endurance races have car lists whereupon 1 car from each list is actually a car for another race. This resulted in the AI using cars that exceeded the HP regulations for the races, eg the Vector M12 LM on the Trial Mountain Endurance Race (It's supposed to be on the car list for the Special Stage Route 5 All-Night race, where it is actually legal, and it is so for the [=NTSC-J=] Japanese and PAL copies, European versions, while the Citreon Xantia appearing in ''that'' race actually belongs in the Trial Mountain enduro), [[{{Unwinnable}} making it almost impossible for you to win.]]

Added: 87

Changed: 1790

Removed: 663

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


** And the trend has continued in Duel Transer, the game will always follow the March 2010 Banlist even if you change it to the September 2010 Banlist. Sure, you'll be able to use Dark Hole and Monster Reborn when your opponents can't, but they get Heavy Storm, Brain Control, Rescue Cat, and Substitoad in exchange. Oh, did we forget to mention the post-game content where the game doesn't even hide that it's cheating? Multiple Pot of Greeds, Graceful Charities, Harpies Feather Dusters and RAIGEKI's abound.

to:

** And the The trend has continued in Duel Transer, the game will always follow the March 2010 Banlist even if you change it to the September 2010 Banlist. Sure, you'll be able to use Dark Hole and Monster Reborn when your opponents can't, but they get Heavy Storm, Brain Control, Rescue Cat, and Substitoad in exchange. Oh, did we forget to mention the post-game content where the game doesn't even hide that it's cheating? Multiple Pot of Greeds, Graceful Charities, Harpies Feather Dusters and RAIGEKI's abound.



** On ''any'' match after the first few, you cannot throw the computer unless it's stunned or immobilized. It would ''always'' throw you instead. In early revisions, it would even throw you when ''it'' was incapacitated. You could freeze the [=CPU=] solid with your ice ball, but if you tried to throw it, it would throw you back '''''while still looking frozen'''''. If you accidentally did a throw on an opponent dazed for "FinishHim", he'd ''still'' throw you back. And if that took you to no life, ''you'd lose''. Absolutely hilarious, unless you are the one it happened to.

to:

** On ''any'' match after the first few, you cannot throw the computer unless it's stunned or immobilized. It would ''always'' throw you instead. In early revisions, it would even throw you when ''it'' was incapacitated. You could freeze the [=CPU=] solid with your ice ball, but if you tried to throw it, it would throw you back '''''while still looking frozen'''''. If you accidentally did a throw on an opponent dazed for "FinishHim", he'd ''still'' throw you back. And back, and if that took you to no life, ''you'd lose''. Absolutely hilarious, unless you are the one it happened to.



** ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'' (2011) lives up to its predecessors in cheating bastardness. Enemies can counter your moves the INSTANT you throw them and can seemingly block EVERYTHING you throw at times, but that isn't the worst part. The worst part is the bosses. If a boss throws an attack of ANY kind, he becomes immune to being stunned. You jump kick Kintaro in the face while both of you are airborne? Too bad he just started his air throw, so you're getting slammed into the ground. And in Challenge Tower levels where there are random powerups being dropped you can almost guarantee that they will be dropped behind the CPU, ESPECIALLY if the CPU is near death.

to:

** ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'' (2011) lives up to its predecessors in cheating bastardness. Enemies can counter your moves the INSTANT ''instant'' you throw them and can seemingly block EVERYTHING ''everything'' you throw at times, but that isn't the worst part. The worst part is the bosses. If a boss throws an attack of ANY ''any'' kind, he becomes immune to being stunned. You jump kick Kintaro in the face while both of you are airborne? Too bad he just started his air throw, so you're getting slammed into the ground. And in In Challenge Tower levels where there are random powerups being dropped you can almost guarantee that they will be dropped behind the CPU, ESPECIALLY ''especially'' if the CPU is near death.



* ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'' suffered this terribly in the '94 and '95 incarnations. There was an ability called "Evade" that, if timed right, allowed the character to dodge attacks. This translated to "The computer is immune to projectiles". And in a callback to ''VideoGame/FatalFury 2'', getting blocked when you jumped in would lead to an instant throw. '96 pulled Evade completely, replacing it with the trademark "Roll", one of many reasons it's considered the first high point of the series. Another nasty SNKBoss advantage is one that the bosses of XI have. In addition to the usual SNK unfairness, the game uses a gauge system that goes up when you hit the opponent and down when they hit you to measure how well you do and decides who wins at time out based on that. The bosses gauge takes an ENORMOUS leap if they so much as brush past you, you however barely make it twitch even if you hit them multiple times. Combined with the fact the timer acts like it is on speed combines to add yet another layer of evil to the mix.

to:

* ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'' suffered this terribly in the '94 and '95 incarnations. There was an ability called "Evade" that, if timed right, allowed the character to dodge attacks. This translated to "The computer is immune to projectiles". And in In a callback to ''VideoGame/FatalFury 2'', getting blocked when you jumped in would lead to an instant throw. '96 pulled Evade completely, replacing it with the trademark "Roll", one of many reasons it's considered the first high point of the series. Another nasty SNKBoss advantage is one that the bosses of XI have. In addition to the usual SNK unfairness, the game uses a gauge system that goes up when you hit the opponent and down when they hit you to measure how well you do and decides who wins at time out based on that. The bosses gauge takes an ENORMOUS leap if they so much as brush past you, you however barely make it twitch even if you hit them multiple times. Combined with the fact the timer acts like it is on speed combines to add yet another layer of evil to the mix.



** ''Tekken 6'''s Azazel wasn't quite as bad, but had one very specific cheap cheat trick: he blocks while attacking. ''While attacking''. Normally, characters are vulnerable when performing an attack, and an opponent can interrupt them by landing the proper hit on them first. The only way to reliably hit Azazel is to get behind him and hit him while his back is turned, where he can't (usually) defend.
** To be slightly more specific, Azazel is twice your height, and you hit him in the legs when you attack. And his legs can block while his upper body attacks. It's still a violation of what has been a universal rule of Tekken until right then, and insanely frustrating. (To note: most previous Tekken games had bosses that were not too ridiculously powerful to be made available for playable use, and who followed all the same basic rules that every other character did. ''5'' and ''6'' were the first games to have bosses that were too obscenely powerful to give to players, or in the latter's case, that didn't even follow some of the basic rules of the game.)

to:

** ''Tekken 6'''s Azazel wasn't quite as bad, but had one very specific cheap cheat trick: he blocks while attacking. ''While attacking''. Normally, characters are vulnerable when performing an attack, and an opponent can interrupt them by landing the proper hit on them first. The only way to reliably hit Azazel is to get behind him and hit him while his back is turned, where he can't (usually) defend.
**
defend. To be slightly more specific, Azazel is twice your height, and you hit him in the legs when you attack. And his His legs can block while his upper body attacks. It's still a violation of what has been a universal rule of Tekken until right then, and insanely frustrating. (To note: most previous Tekken games had bosses that were not too ridiculously powerful to be made available for playable use, and who followed all the same basic rules that every other character did. ''5'' and ''6'' were the first games to have bosses that were too obscenely powerful to give to players, or in the latter's case, that didn't even follow some of the basic rules of the game.)



** The Tag Team Challenges in DOA Dimensions will make you throw that brand new 3DS right into a wall. Sure, it starts out easy enough to lull you into a false sense of security, but then the madness begins. The opponent AI is damn near PERFECT. With one hit, it can take down almost HALF of your health, whereas if you hit THEM, it's like hitting a brick wall with an inflatable hammer. The computer also controls your tag partner... and is worse than ANY noob you could ever face online. Really, its only use is to be a punching bag so you can recover your health. But considering your opponent can usually kill both you AND your tag partner within two seconds, it doesn't help much.

to:

** The Tag Team Challenges in DOA Dimensions will make you throw that brand new 3DS right into a wall. Sure, it starts out easy enough to lull you into a false sense of security, but then the madness begins. The opponent AI is damn near PERFECT. ''perfect''. With one hit, it can take down almost HALF ''half'' of your health, whereas if you hit THEM, ''them'', it's like hitting a brick wall with an inflatable hammer. The computer also controls your tag partner... and is worse than ANY ''any'' noob you could ever face online. Really, its only use is to be a punching bag so you can recover your health. But considering your opponent can usually kill both you AND ''and'' your tag partner within two seconds, it doesn't help much.



* In ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaJudgment'', Dracula WILL put his back to the screen, and thus you will not see what attack he is going to make.

to:

* In ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaJudgment'', Dracula WILL ''will'' put his back to the screen, and thus you will not see what attack he is going to make.



** Nevermind that if you make one mistake you get totally owned. They'll juggle you, never letting you even block. If the computer makes a mistake it doesn't matter because you have to have pretty much perfect timing to hit them at that moment anyway. Not to mention that they'll almost ALWAYS be able to charge up their jutsu but you'll never get even one chance.
** The ''VideoGame/NarutoClashOfNinja'' series avoided this for the most part, usual computer tendencies aside. Then English releases began to be developed by [[AmericanKirbyIsHardcore American developers instead]], and now we have story mode enemies who have no stagger animations and PerfectPlayAI mindsets- sometimes in 2 on 1 matches ''against you''. These aren't even optional challenges- you HAVE to kill these people to proceed. The ''optional'' challenges involve similar things, only with the difficulty increased by ''better'' AI.

to:

** Nevermind that if you make one mistake you get totally owned. They'll juggle you, never letting you even block. If the computer makes a mistake it doesn't matter because you have to have pretty much perfect timing to hit them at that moment anyway. Not to mention that they'll almost ALWAYS ''always'' be able to charge up their jutsu but you'll never get even one chance.
** The ''VideoGame/NarutoClashOfNinja'' series avoided this for the most part, usual computer tendencies aside. Then English releases began to be developed by [[AmericanKirbyIsHardcore American developers instead]], and now we have story mode enemies who have no stagger animations and PerfectPlayAI mindsets- sometimes in 2 on 1 matches ''against you''. These aren't even optional challenges- you HAVE ''have'' to kill these people to proceed. The ''optional'' challenges involve similar things, only with the difficulty increased by ''better'' AI.



* ''VideoGame/XMenNextDimension'': your counterattacks will work approximately one time in seventeen. The A.I. can pull them off whenever it wants. And the game engine treats interrupting a string of attacks as the ''worst'' kind of impoliteness.

to:

* ''VideoGame/XMenNextDimension'': your counterattacks will work approximately one time in seventeen. The A.I. can pull them off whenever it wants. And the The game engine treats interrupting a string of attacks as the ''worst'' kind of impoliteness.



* Up until ''Vegas'', ''VideoGame/RainbowSix'' seemed quite unfair in that the AI could somehow detect you even if you couldn't figure out where it was. And a major problem with the first games was that being spotted once, even if the guy didn't alert his comrades, meant [[TheAllSeeingAI everyone knew where you were]]. In the original PC trilogy, the AI also had ImprobableAimingSkills: [[ArmorIsUseless no matter what body armor you chose]], a hit was usually deadly because the AI [[BoomHeadshot scored a headshot]] practically every time. And could do it from the other side of the map, with a machine pistol, and ''facing the wrong way''. ''Raven Shield'''s Elite setting is especially cheap, coupled with the ArtificialStupidity of friendly teammates.

to:

* Up until ''Vegas'', ''VideoGame/RainbowSix'' seemed quite unfair in that the AI could somehow detect you even if you couldn't figure out where it was. And a A major problem with the first games was that being spotted once, even if the guy didn't alert his comrades, meant [[TheAllSeeingAI everyone knew where you were]]. In the original PC trilogy, the AI also had ImprobableAimingSkills: [[ArmorIsUseless no matter what body armor you chose]], a hit was usually deadly because the AI [[BoomHeadshot scored a headshot]] practically every time. And time, and could do it from the other side of the map, with a machine pistol, and ''facing the wrong way''. ''Raven Shield'''s Elite setting is especially cheap, coupled with the ArtificialStupidity of friendly teammates.



** Players acquainted with trying to hijack Wraith tanks for themselves may know the utter rage they felt upon finding that enemy Wraiths can fire mortars ''sideways''. Meanwhile the player in a Wraith can only fire directly forward, since that's the only direction the cannon faces. Covenant baddies being thorns in your side. Nothing ''you're'' allowed to do except slowly turn to hit them. And that's not even including enemy Wraiths' incredibly long-aim and, despite what other nay-sayers might argue otherwise, are coupled with often-unerring accuracy (unless you move away from where it seems that their plasma might hit, which isn't always easy, especially if another threat is distracting you) with an arcing, large explosive projectile on Legendary.

to:

** Players acquainted with trying to hijack Wraith tanks for themselves may know the utter rage they felt upon finding that enemy Wraiths can fire mortars ''sideways''. Meanwhile the player in a Wraith can only fire directly forward, since that's the only direction the cannon faces. Covenant baddies being thorns in your side. Nothing ''you're'' allowed to do except slowly turn to hit them. And that's That's not even including enemy Wraiths' incredibly long-aim and, despite what other nay-sayers might argue otherwise, are coupled with often-unerring accuracy (unless you move away from where it seems that their plasma might hit, which isn't always easy, especially if another threat is distracting you) with an arcing, large explosive projectile on Legendary.



** Under normal circumstances, "facestabbing" as a Spy is a rare, [[GoodBadBugs hilarious glitch]]. Spy-bots in the [[ManVersusMachine Mann vs. Machine]] mode, however, seem capable of facestabbing players ''whenever the hell they want to.'' This starts making more sense when [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZpGtx3orK4#t=28s you see how loopy the backstab hitboxes can be]], and take into account the spies know ''exactly'' where these places begin and end. Thankfully averted elsewhere: Just like übered human players, übered bomb carriers (and their medics) aren't immune to the Pyro's airblast. Especially useful if the map has a BottomlessPit, which not even über-bots can be exempted from. And as a nice bonus, that resets the bomb all the way back to the beginning. [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap And you thought MvM would turn Pyros useless]]. Spy Robots can also backstab Snipers wearing the Razorback. As in, that piece of equipment whose ''sole purpose'' is to ''protect the Sniper from backstabs''.

to:

** Under normal circumstances, "facestabbing" as a Spy is a rare, [[GoodBadBugs hilarious glitch]]. Spy-bots in the [[ManVersusMachine Mann vs. Machine]] mode, however, seem capable of facestabbing players ''whenever the hell they want to.'' This starts making more sense when [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZpGtx3orK4#t=28s you see how loopy the backstab hitboxes can be]], and take into account the spies know ''exactly'' where these places begin and end. Thankfully averted elsewhere: Just like übered human players, übered bomb carriers (and their medics) aren't immune to the Pyro's airblast. Especially useful if the map has a BottomlessPit, which not even über-bots can be exempted from. And as As a nice bonus, that resets the bomb all the way back to the beginning. [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap And you thought MvM would turn Pyros useless]]. Spy Robots can also backstab Snipers wearing the Razorback. As in, that piece of equipment whose ''sole purpose'' is to ''protect the Sniper from backstabs''.



** And the bots in ''VideoGame/TimeSplittersFuturePerfect'' will frequently walk through solid walls and scenery if you're not facing in their general direction, especially on Mapmaker maps; this becomes a real problem in Virus mode, where the AI will occasionally even ''fall through the fucking ceiling and land on you!!'' It's possible to turn around and catch them in the act, resulting in all sorts of creepy visual weirdness such as arms and faces half-emerged through the walls/windows/doors.

to:

** And the The bots in ''VideoGame/TimeSplittersFuturePerfect'' will frequently walk through solid walls and scenery if you're not facing in their general direction, especially on Mapmaker maps; this becomes a real problem in Virus mode, where the AI will occasionally even ''fall through the fucking ceiling and land on you!!'' It's possible to turn around and catch them in the act, resulting in all sorts of creepy visual weirdness such as arms and faces half-emerged through the walls/windows/doors.



* A GameMod example: The ''VideoGame/Wolfenstein3D'' mod Eisenfaust: Legacy is so unfair that after a few levels you'd wish you were playing the normal Wolfenstein 3D again thanks to the unforgiving AI, which makes you die quickly. And this becomes extremely annoying when the machinegunners come into play. To make things even worse, you cannot use debug cheats.

to:

* A GameMod example: The ''VideoGame/Wolfenstein3D'' mod Eisenfaust: Legacy is so unfair that after a few levels you'd wish you were playing the normal Wolfenstein 3D again thanks to the unforgiving AI, which makes you die quickly. And this This becomes extremely annoying when the machinegunners come into play. To make things even worse, you cannot use debug cheats.



*** Even if your car is much faster than theirs - say, a [[GameBreaker Spectre R42]] against its [[CantCatchUp C-Class peers]][[note]]The Spectre R42 is a C-Class car whose performance matches that of a B-Class car - even ''surpassing'' them in a few aspects - outclassing pretty much everything in its tier[[/note]] - they will catch up to you and easily overtake you. And if they're more than 7 seconds ahead of you, [[{{Unwinnable}} might as well restart the race]].
* In ''VideoGame/StarWarsEpisodeIRacer'', the AI racers never crash, never run into walls, always hit turns perfectly, and never have to use the boost. And they know pretty much every shortcut; if you miss one, they'll take it and get way ahead, such as the upper route on Abyss.

to:

*** Even if your car is much faster than theirs - say, a [[GameBreaker Spectre R42]] against its [[CantCatchUp C-Class peers]][[note]]The Spectre R42 is a C-Class car whose performance matches that of a B-Class car - even ''surpassing'' them in a few aspects - outclassing pretty much everything in its tier[[/note]] tier.[[/note]] - they will catch up to you and easily overtake you. And if If they're more than 7 seconds ahead of you, [[{{Unwinnable}} might as well restart the race]].
* In ''VideoGame/StarWarsEpisodeIRacer'', the AI racers never crash, never run into walls, always hit turns perfectly, and never have to use the boost. And they They know pretty much every shortcut; if you miss one, they'll take it and get way ahead, such as the upper route on Abyss.



** This game exhibits extreme RubberBandAI. No matter how skilled you are or how powerful your car is, the AI will always gain a ridiculous speed boost and catch up, sometimes "teleporting", making races a LuckBasedMission. And they almost never crash or make other mistakes.
** Try this (At least on the PC version): Play Test Drive 5 and use the "nitro boost" cheat, race on a track with a lot of straight roads so you can boost your top speed way past logical top speed like on the Sydney track, and take a look at the racer stats at the end of the race. If you've logged a top speed of around 400mph, then the AI will log a top speed of around 800mph just to keep up with you. Granted you would be cheating yourself in the first place, this is still an amusing way to prove the audacity of the rubber band AI under magnified proportions. And also shows you can't cheat a cheating opponent since it will just cheat more anyway.

to:

** This game exhibits extreme RubberBandAI. No matter how skilled you are or how powerful your car is, the AI will always gain a ridiculous speed boost and catch up, sometimes "teleporting", making races a LuckBasedMission. And they They almost never crash or make other mistakes.
** Try this (At least on the PC version): Play Test Drive 5 and use the "nitro boost" cheat, race on a track with a lot of straight roads so you can boost your top speed way past the logical top speed like on the Sydney track, and take a look at the racer stats at the end of the race. If you've logged a top speed of around 400mph, then the AI will log a top speed of around 800mph just to keep up with you. Granted you would be cheating yourself in the first place, this is still an amusing way to prove the audacity of the rubber band AI under magnified proportions. And proportions, and also shows you can't cheat a cheating opponent since it will just cheat more anyway.



*** The starting grid is sorted (or at least supposed to be sorted) according to the cars' performance index, or PI for short; the higher a car's PI, the better the starting position. And while A.I. cars will always be positioned according to their respective [=PIs=], you are almost always positioned behind A.I. cars if their PI is only a few points lower than yours. This can be especially aggravating in races where the [=PIs=] of all cars - including yours - are very close together; even though your car has the best PI, you're placed at the end of the grid.

to:

*** The starting grid is sorted (or at least supposed to be sorted) according to the cars' performance index, or PI for short; the higher a car's PI, the better the starting position. And while While A.I. cars will always be positioned according to their respective [=PIs=], you are almost always positioned behind A.I. cars if their PI is only a few points lower than yours. This can be especially aggravating in races where the [=PIs=] of all cars - including yours - are very close together; even though your car has the best PI, you're placed at the end of the grid.



*** In the rally races, if you hit the wall, you get a 5 second penalty. If you run into the computer opponent, you get a 5 second penalty. If the computer runs into you, you get a 5 second penalty. And of course, the computer can pinball down the track without so much as applying the brakes, let alone catching a penalty for tapping the (occasionally invisible) track barrier.

to:

*** In the rally races, if you hit the wall, you get a 5 second penalty. If you run into the computer opponent, you get a 5 second penalty. If the computer runs into you, you get a 5 second penalty. And of Of course, the computer can pinball down the track without so much as applying the brakes, let alone catching a penalty for tapping the (occasionally invisible) track barrier.



** The AI is bad enough with its ability to see the whole map and ignore resource requirements as it is, but the Ogre Mages are outright ''evil'' in the AI's hand. The player can only cast spells with the Ogre Mage, Wizard, Paladin or Death Knight by selecting one unit at a time, selecting the spell, and targeting it. Not so with the AI, oh no. The AI is fully capable of having ''every single Ogre Mage'' cast Blood Lust on ''the entire Orc army at once''. And they spam it ''constantly''.

to:

** The AI is bad enough with its ability to see the whole map and ignore resource requirements as it is, but the Ogre Mages are outright ''evil'' in the AI's hand. The player can only cast spells with the Ogre Mage, Wizard, Paladin or Death Knight by selecting one unit at a time, selecting the spell, and targeting it. Not so with the AI, oh no. The AI is fully capable of having ''every single Ogre Mage'' cast Blood Lust on ''the entire Orc army at once''. And once'', and they spam it ''constantly''.



* In ''VideoGame/LordsOfTheRealm2'', the nobles will always seem to be able to field large armies against you, even after you've defeated several of theirs, especially on harder difficulties. And if you invade one of their counties that doesn't have a castle built yet, they will often force conscript a large portion of the population to fight you with, along with sending all of the food to one of their counties just to spite you. If you take over one of their counties, and they have a county close enough, they will often immediately attack the county you just took over before you can even get a chance to put defenders in the castle, and promptly retake it back from you.

to:

* In ''VideoGame/LordsOfTheRealm2'', the nobles will always seem to be able to field large armies against you, even after you've defeated several of theirs, especially on harder difficulties. And if If you invade one of their counties that doesn't have a castle built yet, they will often force conscript a large portion of the population to fight you with, along with sending all of the food to one of their counties just to spite you. If you take over one of their counties, and they have a county close enough, they will often immediately attack the county you just took over before you can even get a chance to put defenders in the castle, and promptly retake it back from you.



*** The wrestling minigame in the Gold Saucer. It's set up in a rock-paper-scissors style of punch-kick-block, but at stage 4, the AI will land a hit when previously your attacks would cancel out. And if you manage to beat Stage 4, Stage 5 takes the cheating to a whole new level - the opponent is ''invincible'', and ''all'' of their attacks cancel out yours, so it's physically impossible to win!
*** And the chocobo racing minigame. From time to time, Joe will race against you, and his black chocobo, Teioh, isn't slowed down by obstacles AND will always have higher stats, even if this means breaking the limit. With weaker chocobos, this means the race is lost before it even started, and even faster chocobos can have a hard time with him. Fortunately, this is a downplayed example thanks to some workarounds: if your stamina is high enough, you can accelerate to your maximum non-boosted speed, while Joe stays at his base speed. And if you [[spoiler:hold down some of the shoulder buttons]] your boost meter heals up, allowing you to overuse it - constantly, for some Chocobos - for an easy win. Plus, a Gold Chocobo is not held up by obstacles, so although Joe still has better stats, a player can still beat him far easier than with other chocobos.

to:

*** The wrestling minigame in the Gold Saucer. It's set up in a rock-paper-scissors style of punch-kick-block, but at stage 4, the AI will land a hit when previously your attacks would cancel out. And if If you manage to beat Stage 4, Stage 5 takes the cheating to a whole new level - the opponent is ''invincible'', and ''all'' of their attacks cancel out yours, so it's physically impossible to win!
*** And the The chocobo racing minigame. From time to time, Joe will race against you, and his black chocobo, Teioh, isn't slowed down by obstacles AND ''and'' will always have higher stats, even if this means breaking the limit. With weaker chocobos, this means the race is lost before it even started, and even faster chocobos can have a hard time with him. Fortunately, this is a downplayed example thanks to some workarounds: if your stamina is high enough, you can accelerate to your maximum non-boosted speed, while Joe stays at his base speed. And if If you [[spoiler:hold down some of the shoulder buttons]] your boost meter heals up, allowing you to overuse it - constantly, for some Chocobos - for an easy win. Plus, a Gold Chocobo is not held up by obstacles, so although Joe still has better stats, a player can still beat him far easier than with other chocobos.



** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' has this in a few areas, but the most obvious use of this trope would be the Blitzball mini-game. Though at first appearing to be a pure sports-like mini-game, it actually relies quite heavily on numbers. Also, during skirmishes against other players, the numbers aren't always accurate; the actual value in the calculation used is partially random, being anywhere from half the listed value to getting a 50% increase. Naturally, the computer will favor the enemy by lowering your values while giving the opposition favorable boosts. To no one's surprise, it happens far more often in close matches. And if that wasn't enough, one team in particular, the Al Bhed Psyches, are so ungodly powerful that playing against them is just asking to lose unless you're very, VERY good (or several levels higher with cheap techniques).

to:

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' has this in a few areas, but the most obvious use of this trope would be the Blitzball mini-game. Though at first appearing to be a pure sports-like mini-game, it actually relies quite heavily on numbers. Also, during skirmishes against other players, the numbers aren't always accurate; the actual value in the calculation used is partially random, being anywhere from half the listed value to getting a 50% increase. Naturally, the computer will favor the enemy by lowering your values while giving the opposition favorable boosts. To no one's surprise, it happens far more often in close matches. And if If that wasn't enough, one team in particular, the Al Bhed Psyches, are so ungodly powerful that playing against them is just asking to lose unless you're very, VERY ''very'' good (or several levels higher with cheap techniques).



* In ''VideoGame/RagnarokOnline'', some monsters can use player skills, at a level higher than what you can get. For example, the MVP Boss "Drake", has a Level 10 Waterball skill, when players can only get up to Level 5. And the endgame dungeon Biolab features "High Wizard Kathryne", who has the Jupitel Thunder skill. Players can get that skill up to Level 10. Hers is Level '''''28'''''.

to:

* In ''VideoGame/RagnarokOnline'', some monsters can use player skills, at a level higher than what you can get. For example, the MVP Boss "Drake", has a Level 10 Waterball skill, when players can only get up to Level 5. And the The endgame dungeon Biolab features "High Wizard Kathryne", who has the Jupitel Thunder skill. Players can get that skill up to Level 10. Hers is Level '''''28'''''.



* This is prevalent in ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'', and it just adds to the game's difficulty. Disregarding the broken hitboxes (as in an enemy can still grab/hit you even if the weapon misses, but you're barely near it), some of the laws of physics that apply to the player do not apply to the enemy AI. Arrows shot by the player go where ever you shot them. Arrows and bolts shot by the AI will ''curve in mid-flight'' in order to hit you. Also, when you swing a sword in cramped places, it will bounce of the wall and leave you exposed. For AI, their weapons will just phase through the wall. Also, you have a limited amount of magic. They, of course, do not. And the tracking of their attacks is ridiculous at times (particularly in the sequel). Several heavy weapon enemies give the impression that the player can simply move behind them while they are drawing back (and to be fair, in quite a few cases you actually can). Instead, the player will watch as they miraculously pivot 180 degrees mid-swing to one-shot them. It certainly forces you to master the timing of your dodges. Another issue is monster weapons that behave differently when used by the monsters, such as swords that cause bleed for monsters but not when the players get them, even though they are supposed to be the exact same weapon.

to:

* This is prevalent in ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'', and it just adds to the game's difficulty. Disregarding the broken hitboxes (as in an enemy can still grab/hit you even if the weapon misses, but you're barely near it), some of the laws of physics that apply to the player do not apply to the enemy AI. Arrows shot by the player go where ever you shot them. Arrows and bolts shot by the AI will ''curve in mid-flight'' in order to hit you. Also, when you swing a sword in cramped places, it will bounce of the wall and leave you exposed. For AI, their weapons will just phase through the wall. Also, you have a limited amount of magic. They, of course, do not. And the The tracking of their attacks is ridiculous at times (particularly in the sequel). Several heavy weapon enemies give the impression that the player can simply move behind them while they are drawing back (and to be fair, in quite a few cases you actually can). Instead, the player will watch as they miraculously pivot 180 degrees mid-swing to one-shot them. It certainly forces you to master the timing of your dodges. Another issue is monster weapons that behave differently when used by the monsters, such as swords that cause bleed for monsters but not when the players get them, even though they are supposed to be the exact same weapon.



** ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas'' has a rather blatant example with a tanker truck. The mission involves driving up alongside it and having your passenger jump to it. To facilitate the constant speed and direction of the truck, it can magically hit the oncoming traffic so hard you'd think they were rigged with Hollywood-style flip devices. While the truck is certainly no slouch in our hands, the best you can hope is to get them roll over, and that's on a side hit. Another example is a mission where you pursue Freddy on a bike, where Freddy can ram a firetruck out of his way or swerve while driving at high speed. And if you take his indestructible bike, you'll find that it isn't indestructible any longer.

to:

** ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas'' has a rather blatant example with a tanker truck. The mission involves driving up alongside it and having your passenger jump to it. To facilitate the constant speed and direction of the truck, it can magically hit the oncoming traffic so hard you'd think they were rigged with Hollywood-style flip devices. While the truck is certainly no slouch in our hands, the best you can hope is to get them roll over, and that's on a side hit. Another example is a mission where you pursue Freddy on a bike, where Freddy can ram a firetruck out of his way or swerve while driving at high speed. And if If you take his indestructible bike, you'll find that it isn't indestructible any longer.



* Any skill-based action game that has a leveling system, but the stats you gain is not as important as the level itself. Suddenly, any {{Mook}} that is even 3 levels above you will be able to one or two shot you, while you do piddling to no damage in return. This is especially egregious if your dodges have very few/no frames of invincibility, your opponents have a melee range longer than yours, the game has snap-to mechanics that allow them to slide forward and melee you even when you have dodged the maximum distance from them, the enemy has very subtle/no wind-up animations to warn you when to block/dodge, or the game's warning indicators are too dull or dark that they blend into the environment, camouflaging critical information in the heat of battle. And even if you can work around those mechanics, your enemies will have friends who attack your blind side, use ranged attacks, or dump [=AoE=] spells to leave you no room to escape, so all you can do is either take the damage or die. This probably originated with [=MMORPGs=], and was meant to discourage players from entering high level areas, but in recent games seems to be used to pressure people to buy microtransactions and XP boosters.

to:

* Any skill-based action game that has a leveling system, but the stats you gain is not as important as the level itself. Suddenly, any {{Mook}} that is even 3 levels above you will be able to one or two shot you, while you do piddling to no damage in return. This is especially egregious if your dodges have very few/no frames of invincibility, your opponents have a melee range longer than yours, the game has snap-to mechanics that allow them to slide forward and melee you even when you have dodged the maximum distance from them, the enemy has very subtle/no wind-up animations to warn you when to block/dodge, or the game's warning indicators are too dull or dark that they blend into the environment, camouflaging critical information in the heat of battle. And even Even if you can work around those mechanics, your enemies will have friends who attack your blind side, use ranged attacks, or dump [=AoE=] spells to leave you no room to escape, so all you can do is either take the damage or die. This probably originated with [=MMORPGs=], and was meant to discourage players from entering high level areas, but in recent games seems to be used to pressure people to buy microtransactions and XP boosters.



** And then we have ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriorsOnline''. Let's not beat around the bush, the computers cheat like a Mississippi gambler (no offense to Mississippi), but a sack of bricks is smarter than than the A.I. (where Mississippi outshines the computer). They collect resources from no source at all, and you can very visibly see while beating them up as it alerts you when they pick up flasks (needed for in battle upgrades). On the other hand this time it's justified because the A.I. simplemindedly pursues one goal: capturing bases. Bases don't give anything until you capture them and even then it's health regeneration, so it balances out.

to:

** And then Then we have ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriorsOnline''. Let's not beat around the bush, the computers cheat like a Mississippi gambler (no offense to Mississippi), but a sack of bricks is smarter than than the A.I. (where Mississippi outshines the computer). They collect resources from no source at all, and you can very visibly see while beating them up as it alerts you when they pick up flasks (needed for in battle upgrades). On the other hand this time it's justified because the A.I. simplemindedly pursues one goal: capturing bases. Bases don't give anything until you capture them and even then it's health regeneration, so it balances out.



** Sometimes your strongest general manages to fall to a footsoldier just because you didn't get there in time. And that same general, on another faction's story, manages to endure FIVE WAVES OF ENEMIES in that same map.
** Lu FUCKING Bu! Every time he appears, you can only think "I'm doomed!", as he takes down your allies one by one. But when you get to play as him... He's not that strong. Yet he is ALWAYS the strongest one when used by the CPU.
** Inversion with Tadakatsu Honda. He is a decent challenge in the hands of the CPU. But for a player using him? It's like a walk in the park with a walking brick wall with a library of powerful moves! And that is not even getting to his Special Actions!

to:

** Sometimes your strongest general manages to fall to a footsoldier foot soldier just because you didn't get there in time. And that That same general, on another faction's story, manages to endure FIVE WAVES OF ENEMIES ''five waves of enemies'' in that same map.
** Lu FUCKING Bu! Every time he appears, you can only think "I'm doomed!", as he takes down your allies one by one. But when you get to play as him... He's not that strong. Yet he is ALWAYS ''always'' the strongest one when used by the CPU.
** Inversion with Tadakatsu Honda. He is a decent challenge in the hands of the CPU. But for a player using him? It's like a walk in the park with a walking brick wall with a library of powerful moves! And that is That's not even getting to his Special Actions!



* In ''VideoGame/MaddenNFL'', the AI on higher difficulties will know exactly what play you called and respond accordingly. If you audible back and forth between run and pass plays, you can watch the defense react to them even though none of your players moved. And this happens early in the game, long before they could figure out a tell. Similarly, the AI can audible into, out of, and within the Wildcat formation, which the player cannot do for Game Balance reasons. There are many, many more examples.

to:

* In ''VideoGame/MaddenNFL'', the AI on higher difficulties will know exactly what play you called and respond accordingly. If you audible back and forth between run and pass plays, you can watch the defense react to them even though none of your players moved. And this This happens early in the game, long before they could figure out a tell. Similarly, the AI can audible into, out of, and within the Wildcat formation, which the player cannot do for Game Balance reasons. There are many, many more examples.



* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0dvqK9_1Gg Tails' version of Windy Valley has you race against Sonic to the end of the level]] in ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure''. There's spaces where you can literally fly across the level to get a big lead. Sonic responds by [[RubberBandAI shooting right up near to your position]] judging by the indicator on the bottom of the screen.
** Later on, you race against Eggman on Speed Highway... And he actually doesn't cheat.

to:

* ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'':
**
[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0dvqK9_1Gg Tails' version of Windy Valley has you race against Sonic to the end of the level]] in ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure''.level]]. There's spaces where you can literally fly across the level to get a big lead. Sonic responds by [[RubberBandAI shooting right up near to your position]] judging by the indicator on the bottom of the screen.
** Later on, you race against Eggman on Speed Highway... And and he actually doesn't cheat.



** AI troops ''never'' inflict friendly fire. This gets ''really'' bad if doing melees at the arena, which are allegedly free for alls. Until four AI opponents decide to charge across the entire field to gang up on the player. And can swing through each other to beat the crap out of you.

to:

** AI troops ''never'' inflict friendly fire. This gets ''really'' bad if doing melees at the arena, which are allegedly free for alls. Until four AI opponents decide to charge across the entire field to gang up on the player. And player, and can swing through each other to beat the crap out of you.



** And, of course, while you have to lay your tracks piece by piece, the AI builds entire lines to the next station instantaneously.

to:

** And, of Of course, while you have to lay your tracks piece by piece, the AI builds entire lines to the next station instantaneously.



** And if you got a "Doubling", which is the highest roll possible? The opponent will also get a "Doubling" and draw with you, forcing both to roll again!

to:

** And if If you got a "Doubling", which is the highest roll possible? The opponent will also get a "Doubling" and draw with you, forcing both to roll again!



* In ''Anime/SwordArtOnline''[='=]s arc ''Phantom Bullet'', there is a minigame called "Untouchable!" where the player has to reach a gunman by running towards him through a narrow passageway. The game has a feature that allows the player to see where the bullets are going to hit, but as the player gets closer the gunman shoots faster - until it shoots at the same time the lines appear. And if the player somehow manages to dodge ''that'', the gunman starts firing '''lasers'''.

to:

* In ''Anime/SwordArtOnline''[='=]s arc ''Phantom Bullet'', there is a minigame called "Untouchable!" where the player has to reach a gunman by running towards him through a narrow passageway. The game has a feature that allows the player to see where the bullets are going to hit, but as the player gets closer the gunman shoots faster - until it shoots at the same time the lines appear. And if If the player somehow manages to dodge ''that'', the gunman starts firing '''lasers'''.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Removed greenlink.


In UsefulNotes/ZXSpectrum forums such as [[news:comp.sys.sinclair comp.sys.sinclair]], this phenomenon (real or imagined) is known as "cheatingbastness".

to:

In UsefulNotes/ZXSpectrum Platform/ZXSpectrum forums such as [[news:comp.sys.sinclair comp.sys.sinclair]], this phenomenon (real or imagined) is known as "cheatingbastness".
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


** Players acquainted with trying to hijack Wraith tanks for themselves may know the utter rage they felt upon finding that enemy Wraiths can fire mortars ''sideways''. Meanwhile the player in a Wraith can only fire directly forward, since that's the only direction the cannon faces. Covenant baddies being thorns in your side. Nothing ''you're'' allowed to do except slowly turn to hit them. And that's not even including enemy Wraiths' incredibly long-aim with an arcing projectile on Legendary.

to:

** Players acquainted with trying to hijack Wraith tanks for themselves may know the utter rage they felt upon finding that enemy Wraiths can fire mortars ''sideways''. Meanwhile the player in a Wraith can only fire directly forward, since that's the only direction the cannon faces. Covenant baddies being thorns in your side. Nothing ''you're'' allowed to do except slowly turn to hit them. And that's not even including enemy Wraiths' incredibly long-aim and, despite what other nay-sayers might argue otherwise, are coupled with often-unerring accuracy (unless you move away from where it seems that their plasma might hit, which isn't always easy, especially if another threat is distracting you) with an arcing arcing, large explosive projectile on Legendary.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
edit to make the pronoun-neutral writing consistent and obfuscate the boss's identity by avoiding name-length spoiler


* Invoked in the No Mercy route of ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}''. The final boss of the route [[spoiler:(Sans)]] knows about your ability to reset, and therefore knows that they can only hold you off until you get past them. That doesn't mean they're going to make it easy for you. They screw with the game's mechanics to make the battle [[SNKBoss as frustrating as possible]] in the hopes of making you either RageQuit or reset. He breaks the rules by:
** Starting off the battle by attacking the player after his opening monologue, rather than letting the player take the first turn like every other enemy in the game.
** Starting off the battle with one of his most powerful attacks (which he lampshades, questioning why people don't always start off with their most powerful attacks).
** After the player survives this opening attack, he starts interrupting his opening monologue by suddenly attacking at a random point, in order to draw the player off-guard.

to:

* Invoked in the No Mercy route of ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}''. The final boss of the route [[spoiler:(Sans)]] [[spoiler:(Sans the skeleton)]] knows about your ability to reset, and therefore knows that they can only hold you off until you get past them. That doesn't mean they're going to make it easy for you. They screw with the game's mechanics to make the battle [[SNKBoss as frustrating as possible]] in the hopes of making you either RageQuit or reset. He breaks They break the rules by:
** Starting off the battle by attacking the player after his their opening monologue, rather than letting the player take the first turn like every other enemy in the game.
** Starting off the battle with one of his their most powerful attacks (which he lampshades, they lampshade, questioning why people don't always start off with their most powerful attacks).
** After the player survives this opening attack, he starts they start interrupting his their opening monologue by suddenly attacking at a random point, in order to draw the player off-guard.



** Unlike every other enemy in the game, the boss dodges the player's attacks, which would otherwise one-shot them. He lampshades this, asking the player if they really expected him to just stand there and take it.
** Eventually he refuses to ever end his turn, thereby preventing the player from taking a turn of their own. Of course, at this point, the player realizes that if the boss isn't playing by the rules, [[HoistByTheirOwnPetard then maybe they don't need to either...]][[spoiler: Wait until he falls asleep, then you can take your turn anyway. He'll dodge like he always does, but then you attack a second time that turn, which he doesn't dodge.]]

to:

** Unlike every other enemy in the game, the boss dodges the player's attacks, which would otherwise one-shot them. He lampshades They lampshade this, asking the player if they really expected him them to just stand there and take it.
** Eventually he refuses they refuse to ever end his their turn, thereby preventing the player from taking a turn of their own. Of course, at this point, the player realizes that if the boss isn't playing by the rules, [[HoistByTheirOwnPetard then maybe they don't need to either...]][[spoiler: Wait until he falls asleep, then you can take your turn anyway. He'll dodge like he always does, but then you attack a second time that turn, which he doesn't dodge.]]

Top