History Main / MenuTimeLockout

* Present in the first ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing''; averted in the DS and Wii games. For example, in the latter, bees are harder to catch in a net.

* Averted and both ''VideoGame/TheLastOfUs'' and ''VideoGame/TheLastOfUsPartII''. Crafting and healing all take place in real-time, so you can be ambushed during those animation sequences; In ''Part II'', Clickers (blind Zombie enemies that need to be dodged with stealth) can even hear you opening your backpack/inventory if you are closeby. Workbench upgrades play this straight mostly, though there is one specific pre-scripted scenario in ''Part II'' where you’re ''ambushed from behind'' and forced into a fight. Also if you try to use one if you haven’t completely cleared out a section of enemies, you’re likely to get jumped.

!!Examples:

* This was an actual gameplay mechanic in earlier ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' games. There were two ways of reloading your gun: by pressing the Fire button with your magazine empty, or by pausing the game, going to the inventory section and combining your gun with your bullets. The former took a few seconds of in-game time, which could spell the difference between life and death during a fight; the latter, to the contrary, was instant in game time. Skilled players would therefore implement a functionally [[BottomlessMagazines bottomless magazine]] by mentally counting their shots during a gun fight and reloading from the pause menu instead of triggering the reload animation. This mechanic was eventually scrapped in ''4''; later, ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5'' and ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilOutbreak'' would completely avert this by having time pass freely while the inventory is open.

* The N64 game ''VideoGame/GoldenEye1997'' was a particularly mind-boggling example, where the menu was explained to be information on a watch made by Q (a watch that would change your weapons for you, somehow). So enemy would just stand and wait in the middle of a firefight while Franchise/JamesBond stared at his watch.

* This happens when you use the quick select in the ''Franchise/RatchetAndClank'' series, although you can turn it off sometimes.
** ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClank2002'' [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness didn't even have an option to pause on the quick select in the first place, though.]]
* Normal mode in ''[[VideoGame/DirgeOfCerberus Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII]]''.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'', since the game doesn't really keep track of whether or not you're in combat. This has the annoying side effect that you can't use items from the menu screen, to keep them from being a game breaker.
** Still you can be clever here and switch your equipment just before a boss is going to use a certain attack on you, taking advantage of your armor's elemental affinity so as to block the damage or even better, absorb it. Thanks for the free HP, Ultima! You can switch characters too, but not if they're being targeted by something, meaning that you can't use this to avoid attacks.

* ''VideoGame/LightningReturnsFinalFantasyXIII:'' The whole game is on a timer, but the game clock stops when you open the menu. You have limited menu access during battles (healing items, Energy Point abilities and {{Bestiary}}), but the game pauses for these too.

* Averted again in ''VideoGame/AloneInTheDark2008'', although the monsters do seem to move a bit more slowly than they otherwise would whenever the player is accessing his inventory. This still doesn't help much, considering the inventory system is [[SomeDexterityRequired agonizing to use in a hurry]].

* Unintentionally averted in Steam versions of ''TestDriveUnlimited2''. Opening the Steam overlay results in the game continuing behind the overlay. Not good if you are doing those damn licence test and someone decides they want to talk to you.

* Averted in ''VideoGame/{{ZombiU}}''. Browsing your inventory takes place in real time, leaving your character vulnerable to attack.

* In the ''{{VideoGame/Ys}}'' series, entries such as ''Oath in Felghana'' and ''Origin'' allow you to do this when fighting mooks in dungeons (playing this trope straight), but disallow this in boss battles (averting the trope).

* The first VideoGame/{{Buffy|the Vampire Slayer}} game on XBOX had this, which combined with her not suffering a FinalDeath unless a (usually drawn out) FinishingMove is used, and the game is considerably easier with the ability to heal up.

* Completely averted in ''Franchise/DeadSpace''. Accessing your inventory, buying items out of vending machines, and even upgrading your rig does ''not'' pause the game around you. A careless player can easily get killed by a necromorph sneak attack this way.

* ''VideoGame/TheLastOfUsPartII'': This is mostly played straight with the crafting benches. However, there is one specifically with a pre-scripted scenario where you’re ambushed and forced into a fight. Also if you try to use one if you haven’t completely cleared out a section of enemies, you’re likely to get jumped.

[[caption-width-right:349:Surely, they won't attack you. But they'll chatter about your stuffs inside the luggage... [[labelnote:Source]][[https://imgur.com/a/6kJWrcu Art]] by [[https://twitter.com/Sisslethecat October]][[/labelnote]]]]

* Multiplayer sessions usually does not have MenuTimeLockout since it would be quite annoying for everyone you play with, but the game may have it in Single Player. In ''VideoGame/SaintsRowTheThird'', you may check your cell phone while you fight 10-or-so enemies which pauses the game, but if a friend then joins you suddenly the game unpauses, but you're still on your phone. The result will be bloody.

* In earlier ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' games, this trope being played straight was a gameplay mechanic on its own. There were two ways of reloading your gun: by pressing the Fire button with your magazine empty, or by pausing the game, going to the inventory section and combining your gun with your bullets. The former took a few seconds of in-game time, which could spell the difference between life and death during a fight; the latter, to the contrary, was instant in game time. Skilled players would therefore implement a functionally [[BottomlessMagazines bottomless magazine]] by mentally counting their shots during a gun fight and reloading from the pause menu instead of triggering the reload animation. This mechanic was eventually scrapped in ''4''; later, ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5'' and ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilOutbreak'' would completely avert this by having time pass freely while the inventory is open.

* The cell phone menu from ''VideoGame/SilentHillShatteredMemories'' averted this. This makes trying to access the map while running away from the enemies ([[ActualPacifist you cannot fight them]]) rather frightening, especially since the lead character slows down whenever he's using his phone.

* In earlier ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' games, this trope being played straight was a gameplay mechanic on its own. There were two ways of reloading your gun: by pressing the Fire button when your magazine goes dry, or by pausing the game, going to the inventory section and combining your gun with your bullets. The former took a few seconds of in-game time, which could spell the difference between life and death during a fight; the latter, to the contrary, was instant in game time. Skilled players would therefore implement a functionally [[BottomlessMagazines bottomless magazine]] by mentally counting their shots during a gun fight and reloading from the pause menu instead of triggering the reload animation. This mechanic was eventually scrapped in ''4''; later, ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5'' and ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilOutbreak'' would completely avert this by having time pass freely while the inventory is open.

* ''VideoGame/{{Descenders}}'' applies this during a normal race, but averts this during Practice Mode; instead of completely pausing the game, it slows down time. Yes, you can see your character colliding, ragdolling through the air and falling off in slow-mo if you "pause" in Practice Mode while riding towards an obstacle or a wall.

* A rare multiplayer example of this happens in ''VideoGame/Dota2'', which has a function that lets anyone pause the entire game for all the 10 players. This function has restrictions: it can only be used in ranked competitive matches, the game may only be paused twice (except for automatic pause when someone disconnects, with the purpose of giving the disconnected player some time to rejoin if disconnection was due to bad internet), it has a 4 second delay, and established player etiquette states that you should only pause if you have a very good reason; if you pause with malicious intent (e.g. disrupting a teamfight), you ''will'' be reported.

All this comes under GameplayAndStorySegregation, except in some cases of PausableRealtime.[[labelnote:*]]Life doesn't [[ChangingClothesIsAFreeAction grind to a halt when you change your clothes]], but your body isn't helplessly paralyzed for a few seconds every time you perform a task that's not [[HotBar one of your top several most commonly done]] either.[[/labelnote]] This can also be a form of AcceptableBreaksFromReality; because it is ''very'' annoying form of game-over to be shot while you're trying to do something in the menu.

* In earlier ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' games, this trope being played straight was a gameplay mechanic on its own. There were two ways of reloading your gun: by pressing the Fire button when your magazine goes dry, or by pausing the game, going to the inventory section and combining your gun with your bullets. The former took a few seconds of in-game time, which could spell the difference between life and death during a fight; the latter, to the contrary, was instant in game time. Skilled players would therefore implement a functionally [[BottomlessMagazine bottomless magazine]] by mentally counting their shots during a gun fight and reloading from the pause menu instead of triggering the reload animation. This mechanic was eventually scrapped in ''4''; later, ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5'' and ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilOutbreak'' would completely avert this by having time pass freely while the inventory is open.

* In earlier ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' games, this trope being played straight was a gameplay mechanic on its own - the rarest thing one would see up until ''4'' came out was a manual reload, an action that is completely useless compared to the in-menu instant reload, which can be done even while the gun still has ammo in it. ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5'' and ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilOutbreak'' avert this, though: time passes freely while the inventory is open.

* In the ''{{Franchise/Ys}}'' series, entries such as ''Oath in Felghana'' and ''Origin'' allow you to do this when fighting mooks in dungeons (playing this trope straight), but disallow this in boss battles (averting the trope).

** Having it off can have it's advantages as you can click an item and then place/use/swing it by clicking, making the {{An Interior Designer Is You}} part much easier.

* Also averted with ''KnightsOfTheOldRepublic''. while you can use a medpack or a stim and change your weapons in Menu Time, you cannot swap out your armor. You are also restricted to a single medpack per turn with Menu Time.

* In ''VideoGame/BlasterMaster'', similar to ''VideoGame/MegaMan'', Jason's grenade launcher continues to deal damage when the game is paused during an explosion, which can quickly take down many of the bosses, [[ContractualBossImmunity except for the]] GiantEnemyCrab [[ThatOneBoss in Area 5]].

* ''Franchise/{{Fable}}'':

*** The other games have assessed this. Searching through your pockets for the right item (or magic) lead to many a player get killed (Especially in the early-game before you get the Cure spell), and it was part of why the [[BonusBoss Phantom]] was difficult. (As it more or less forced you to constantly open up the magic tab unless you brought Donald and let him do it, which would make it ''harder'') In the other games, you can shortcut the items to a menu. This can be interpreted as the player character having these items ready ahead of time so they don't have to search in their pockets to find them.
* Averted again in ''Videogame/AloneInTheDark2008'', although the monsters do seem to move a bit more slowly than they otherwise would whenever the player is accessing his inventory. This still doesn't help much, considering the inventory system is [[SomeDexterityRequired agonizing to use in a hurry]].

* The first two ''VideoGame/MegaMan'' games had this as an actual offensive/defensive (respectively) tool. In the first, if you paused and unpaused rapidly, large attacks like the Elec Beam would register several hits instead of one (this makes the Yellow Devil, [[ThatOneBoss an otherwise long and difficult boss]], a total joke). In the second, Mega Man's weird little transformation blip animation would allow certain small projectile attacks to pass right through him; again, almost mandatory for a certain late-game boss.

* ''[[VideoGame/GuiltyGear Guilty Gear X2: Overture]]'' normally averts this, but there is an option to turn this on. Makes the game much easier.
* ''VideoGame/TheMatrixPathOfNeo'' for X-Box, [=PS2=], PC and [=GameCube=]. Pausing reality is expected in the Matrix. Plus, walls are now see-thru. There's a bad guy!

* In the ''Franchise/MetalGear'' series, all the protagonists apparently stop time when considering their inventory, changing weapons or using items like Rations. Holding a shoulder button down to pause the game is a good way to take stock of the situation in an emergency. In the UsefulNotes/GameBoyColor game, weapons and items can only be equipped after first pausing the game.

* In keeping with its multiplayer-geared design, ''Diablo'' notably lacks this effect, with all menus inset to the MainWindow, where the game can still be played while fumbling through items and skills.