Basic Trope: Video Game trope where the player encounters and fights enemies while inside a town.
- Straight: When the village of Greenvale is attacked, Hiro, Marcy, Barbara and Kowalski have to fight the invaders off in the streets.
- Exaggerated: During their journey, Hiro and his friends pass through several towns that are completely overrun with monsters, thieves and other hazards. They can also talk to citizens who seem remarkably nonchalant about the situation at hand, having adapted to or flat-out ignoring what's happening to their homes.
- Downplayed: All of the town is safe except for the abandoned docks which has pirate encounters. Even that can be made safe if you kill Captain Bloodbeard.
- Justified:
- The town in question is under siege
- The town has Urban Segregation and the player is in worse part of it.
- Monsters have attacked, or are living in, the town.
- The town treats monster attacks with as much urgence as an irritating pest problem rather than a serious threat.
- The monsters in question were actually from the town's zoo, and someone or something had caused the zoo monsters to escape.
- Inverted: In order to evade Emperor Evulz' patrols, Hiro and the others duck into a secret underground network of tunnels used by La Résistance, a safe haven without any Random Encounters to worry about, despite looking dark and foreboding.
- Subverted:
- The town in question was under siege, but the town guards finished off the invaders.
- You're visiting a Monster Town: What appear to be monsters wandering the streets are in fact just friendly NPC's.
- Double Subverted: ...but some managed to escape, and the heroes must defeat them.
- Parodied: The entire town is a big BDSM dungeon.
- Zig Zagged: Greenvale is attacked early on, sparking off Hiro and Marcy's decision to set out on their journey; however, after the initial threat is dealt with, it remains a regular town. Later, their journey takes them to Scartonn, a Wretched Hive where the streets are ruled by brigands and monsters; unlike Greenvale, they are never able to fix the problem... until the post-game.
- Averted: The heroes move in the town without incident.
- Enforced: "We need a fight scene in this town!"
- Lampshaded: "Geez, are these the pigeons of this town? The shops are still open despite these bastards being everywhere!"
- Invoked: Barbara, aching for some combat after several Info Dumps, jumps one of the town guards to kick things off.
- Exploited: ???
- Defied: Barbara wants to fight the guards, but the others persuade her that it probably isn't in her best interests, as the guards are heavily armed and they are in a town, and the local laws state that no fighting may ever take place in the town.
- Discussed: Before letting Hiro in, the shopkeeper asked "Did a pack of Pigeonraptors follow you here? Come inside quickly before they pick up our scent."
- Conversed: ???
- Deconstructed: The situation escalates quickly and martial law is declared. Fighting is lethal, brutal, and constant. Dead civilians are seen everywhere. Fighting between partisans and soldiers is everywhere and both don't take kindly to Barbara as an unknown variable. Soon the whole city is in ruins and yet the fighting continues.
- Played For Laughs: The villagers treat the invasion of monsters as a minor inconvenience, and business continues as usual with only the occasional complaint.
- Played For Drama: Greenvale has long been a safe haven for the heroes, as well as happening to be Hiro and Marcy's hometown. Then The Empire attacks, bringing the war to a very personal stage.
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