History InsultBackfire / VideoGames

* In ''VisualNovel/ApolloJusticeAceAttorney'', the Judge tells [[spoiler: Alita Tiala]] that she is not being a good fiance, she responds that she's flattered.

* In ''VideoGame/GrowingUp'', you can comment on how lewd Bobbie's final act was because she slapped her butt in front of the crowd, but she'll take it as a compliment. This can lead to a "no, you're cuter" match if you keep up with this flirting because you're smitten by her beauty.

* The ''VideoGame/MonkeyIsland'' example inspired ''VideoGame/KingdomOfLoathing'''s "Insult Pong". The player has to match insults against Old Don Rickets, eg:

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'', not so much a straight-up insult, but in explaining to Quina why he chose him/her to accompany him to the Earth Shrine, Zidane states "Well... I sort of got stuck with the leftovers..." Quina reacts with delight, which puzzles Zidane, until s/he explains, "There old saying in my tribe... 'Leftovers good!'"
* Somewhat of a variant in ''VideoGame/MOTHER3''; Kumatora speaks insultingly of [[spoiler:Yokuba/Fassad]] when she learns about Salsa's kidnapped girlfriend. When she's in the process of saying "that cheap bastard" is "screwed up," he smugly [[RightBehindMe appears on the scene]] and says, "Oh, did you call for me? [[MagnificentBastard I happen to be that screwed-up, cheap bastard you speak of!]]"
* ''VideoGame/HeavyRain'':
-->'''Norman Jayden:''' Blake, you are an [[JerkAss unbalanced]], [[AxCrazy psychopathic]] [[RabidCop asshole]]!
-->'''Carter Blake:''' I'll take that as a compliment.
** To make it fair, there's also the mission, "Covered Market" where Blake tells Norman to "fuck off", and how did Norman respond? He smiles it off.
** To expand upon this, They had just finished a job confronting a suspect who had looked like he was going to pull a gun on Blake, Norman has a clear shot at him and could have killed him, instead he Hesitated. It turns out to be a cross and they get out fine but Blake is understandably mad that he was willing to let the guy kill him if he did have a gun. Norman's response? He berates him for wanting him to kill the guy and thus leading into the aforementioned "Fuck Off".
* ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar: Dark Crusade'' has a hypocritical one when the player as Chaos attacks the Space Marine stronghold. Upon capturing the Relic to fulfill a secondary objective, Captain Thule calls the Chaos commander Eliphas a "daemon-spawn". Eliphas replies dryly that it's kinda funny hearing a Blood Raven trying to insult someone else's parentage when the Blood Ravens don't even know who their own primarch was (the most likely candidate is actually Magnus, now a Daemon Prince himself, although the chapter themselves don't know this). Note that by the tone of his reply, Eliphas did took the euphemism as a compliment (since the entire point of his campaign is ascension into a daemon prince).
** In the previous expansion, ''Winter Assault'', Gorgutz' supposed advisor tries to come up with a plan to get the Chaos Space Marines to attack them by calling them names (specifically "Grot", the small goblinoid helpers/slaves of the bigger Orks). When Gorgutz calls the plan "Stupid" after said Ork, the advisor is grinning because his boss named a plan after him. Which, since they are '''Orkz''', also means the advisor's name apparently really ''is'' "Stupid".
* ''VideoGame/InThe1stDegree'' has this little gem of dialogue:
-->'''Inspector Looper:''' ''I'm lucky''?! Listen, lady! Your friend was murdered this morning, and I'm trying to figure out ''what'' happened, and ''you'' are acting like a class... like a ''girl dog''.\\
'''Ruby Garcia:''' ''(amused)'' They won't let you say "bitch"?
* From ''VideoGame/TheNightmareBeforeChristmasOogiesRevenge'':
-->'''Jack:''' You are very bad kids.\\
'''Lock, Shock, and Barrel:''' Thanks, Jack!
* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoViceCity'', specifically [[Radio/GTARadio VCPR's Pressing Issues]] debate show at one point has firebrand preacher and evangelical conman Pastor Richards, espousing the "virtues" of his religion/Salvation Statue fund. Show host Maurice Chvez has this to say:
-->'''Maurice Chavez:''' Pastor Richards, as a human being I have to say, I find your philosophy or cult or whatever it is, utterly and completely appalling.\\
'''Pastor Richards:''' Why thank you! I knew you'd understand.
* Before the release of ''[[VideoGame/PennyArcadeAdventures On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness]]'', famous internet troll Dennis Duckfat made a comment on the Wired blog saying that the game sucks, anyone who likes it sucks, and ''Webcomic/PennyArcade'' is "as funny as something that's not funny at all". [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments The comment ended up being used on internet advertisement banners for the first episode]]. View an example of one of the ad banners [[http://bulk2.destructoid.com/ul/86914-penny-arcade-promotes-their-game-with-flamebait-from-their-biggest-critic/rspd05_160avail-noscale.jpg here]].
* In ''VideoGame/MechWarrior4Mercenaries'', the player has an option to join one of four preeminent mercenary companies, including the Kell Hounds. There are also missions pitting them against [[ProudWarriorRace Clan warriors]], who have a tendency to throw around insults like "honorless dog". Mix the former with the latter one too many times, and [[PlayerCharacter Spectre]] retorts thusly:
-->"That's ''hounds'', Star Colonel. ''Kell'' Hounds. And you are trespassing on ''our'' planet."
* Season 2, Episode 3 of ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDead'' has an option for Clementine to [[spoiler: tell Carver that she wishes Kenny had shot him]]. The villain compliments the gall it took to say that to his face, and [[NotSoDifferentRemark states that they're not so different.]]
* ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' gives us this example of an insult backfire from the villain:
-->'''Kai Leng:''' You're slow, Shepard.\\
'''Commander Shepard:''' I'm only slow because I'm not [[DirtyCoward running away]]! You ran at the Citadel, you ran at Thessia, all you can do is run!\\
'''Kai Leng:''' [[LameComeback Sh-shut up!]]

* [[RivalTurnedEvil Neyla]] attempts one in ''VideoGame/Sly2BandOfThieves'' during "Operation: Choo-Choo", but [[EvilCannotComprehendGood she cannot comprehend]] ThePowerOfFriendship.
-->'''Neyla:''' What's the problem [[MaliciousMisnaming Poodle]]? Afraid you can't take me on? Have to call up your little friends for help?\\
'''Sly:''' ''(speaking into a transmitter)'' Come in "little friends", Neyla's got me pinned down.
* In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'', the C support conversation between [[MrImagination Owain]] (trying to find [[CallingYourAttacks names for his moves]]) and [[CasanovaWannabe Inigo]] has this gem:
-->'''Inigo:''' Perhaps you should name your next move "Eternal Chastity".\\
'''Owain:''' Sure, why not? I've got the perfect teacher for it right in front of me!
* ''VideoGame/FearEffect'' has Hana call [[spoiler: Madame Cheng]] a "bitch from Hell." [[spoiler: Cheng]] responds with that Hana can die knowing she was right.
* In ''VideoGame/Borderlands2'', a pack of bandits decide to taunt the, er... ''exceptionally generous'' mechanic Ellie about her weight by sticking hood ornaments in her likeness on their vehicles. When Ellie finds out, she hires the Vault Hunters to kill them and steal the ornaments... so she can hang them around her garage, because she thinks the designs are ''badass''. She knows full well that they're meant to be insulting, but she thinks they're awesome anyway.
* ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'': During the intro to the "Salsa vs Guacamole" Splatfest, Pearl accidentally compliments Marina when she tries to diss her:
-->'''Marina:''' Guac is more expensive because it's good. It's the Gold Dynamo Roller of dips.\\
'''Pearl:''' Your face is the Gold Dynamo Roller of dips.\\
'''Marina:''' ''({{facepalm}})'' Okay.
* In ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'', Nero tries to insult Medb by calling her a "bitch". In Japanese, it's purely SlutShaming, and backfires because Medb is proud of her promiscuity. In English it's [[{{Woolseyism}} translated]] as "a bitch humping the legs of a lion (Cu Chulainn Alter)", but since Medb created Cu Alter to be her consort in [[InterplayOfSexAndViolence battle and bedroom alike]], she just takes it as "mission accomplished". Either way, her response is "I'm fine with being a bitch."
* According to its developers, the higher-ups at Sega of Japan hated ''VideoGame/ComixZone'', saying that it "embodied everything wrong with American culture". The developers took this as high praise.
* In ''VideoGame/LamplightCity'' in the course of an investigation, the PlayerCharacter, Miles Fordham, ends up interrogating the [[SmallNameBigEgo rather smug and egotistical]] small-time pianist Roland Devereux. As he speaks with Roland, Miles becomes increasingly unimpressed with the man's character. Their conversation eventually ends like this:
-->'''Miles:''' You're quite a piece of work, Roland.\\
'''Roland:''' ''(as smug as ever)'' Yeah, I know.
* ''Laruaville 12'':
-->'''Female ghost:''' Look at you! You look just like a typical gangster!\\
'''Cowboy ghost:''' Why thank you! I appreciate your compliment!
* In ''VideoGame/Halo2'', the Arbiter is branded with a MarkOfShame on his chest after being made a scapegoat for failing to stop the destruction of Installation 04. After the Prophets betray the Elites and try to exterminate them, many Elites rallying behind the Arbiter wear the same symbol on their armor as a mark of pride and respect.
* ''VideoGame/FairyFencerF'': There is a RunningGag that Tiara, who otherwise carries herself like a ProperLady, gets filled with masochistic ecstasy when Fang calls her a bitch and such. She specifically denies being a masochist before having to [[ImplausibleDeniability excuse herself from the pleasure]] of thinking about being verbally abused.

* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'':

* A complicated version of this trope appears in ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'' between [[spoiler:Zelos]] and [[ActionGirl Sheena]], when [[spoiler:Zelos is revealed to have betrayed them all [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder to several enemy factions]]]]. In context, it sounds like [[spoiler:he's thanking her for calling him a good liar]].
-->'''Sheena:''' I can't believe you! [[spoiler:You were always a pervert, but I never doubted that you were a good person when it came down to it.]]\\
'''[[spoiler:Zelos]]:''' [[spoiler:Why, thank you, my sweet, voluptuous hunny.]]
* ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX'':
-->'''Sonya:''' You're just like your father.\\
'''Cassie Cage:''' I'll take that as a compliment.\\\
'''Takeda:''' Father of All Evil!\\
'''Shinnok:''' You flatter me.

* There's a longer version of an Insult Backfire in ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2'' when the player first enters the Sunken Flagon after recruiting Qara (a red-haired sorcerer with a short temper and a penchant for fire spells).

* ''VideoGame/MonkeyIsland'' lives this trope in its iconic [[YouFightLikeACow insult swordfighting]], although it's not as much agreeing with the insult as putting a spin on it and coming up with a riposte that literally makes it backfire at the person who made the insult.
-->You fight like a dairy farmer!\\
How appropriate, YouFightLikeACow!
** And:
--->There are no words for how disgusting you are.\\
Yes there are. You just never learned them.
** ''And''
--->Have you stopped wearing diapers yet?\\
Why, did you want to borrow one?
* The ''VideoGame/MonkeyIsland'' example inspired ''VideoGame/KingdomOfLoathing'''s "Insult Pong". The player has to match insults against Old Don Rickets, eg:
-->When I'm through with ye, ye'll be crying like a little girl!\\
It's an honor to learn from such an expert in the field.
* In ''VisualNovel/ApolloJusticeAceAttorney'', the Judge tells [[spoiler: Alita Tiala]] that she is not being a good fiance, she responds that she's flattered.
* Happens many times in ''VideoGame/SamAndMaxFreelancePolice'', concerning Max and his tendency for mass destruction, to put things in perspective: when Max is elected President of the United States, Impeach Max Weekly becomes a regular publication, unsurprisingly Max ''enjoys'' reading it.

* In-game example from Valve in ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2''. Due to people using external programs to idle for in game item drops, valve removed all such ill-gotten items from those players inventories, and gave all legitimate players a new, free hat, in the form of a (fake) halo called Cheater's Lament. The Result? All players who DIDN'T have a halo, ceased to assist players who did.

* ''VideoGame/DeadRising'': Brad starts insulting Frank, and his profession, as he withholds information from Brad. Frank does not care in the slightest; in fact, it sounds likes he ''agrees''.
-->'''Brad Garrison:''' You're one hell of a journalist, aren't you, Frank? A hotheaded, underhanded, hotshot paparazzi with nothing better to do than to invade people's privacy.\\
'''Frank West:''' I try... You got a point?

* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'':

* ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'':
** During the intro to the "Salsa vs Guacamole" Splatfest, Pearl accidentally compliments Marina when she tries to diss her:
--->'''Marina:''' Guac is more expensive because it's good. It's the Gold Dynamo Roller of dips.\\