Line #46 Main/ReverseEscortMission


1	The EscortMission is the bane of all gamers; having to lead an NPC who seems hell-bent on finding their demise. Every so often, however, you'll get an NPC you need to lead to a destination who actually seems capable of taking care of themselves. In the most extreme of cases, it's less that you're escorting the NPC and more that [[RussianReversal the NPC is escorting you]].
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3	Unfortunately, this usually means that '''''you''''' are the squishy bullet magnet in need of protection.
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5	There are a few reasons to use this trope: The most obvious is to highlight how badass the NPC is, in particular if it's a single character, or a small group against an army of enemies. Conversely, it can also highlight how weak the player character is against enemies you can't fight off alone. Finally, having other characters escort you can give a break in the action, or change the gameplay up.
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7	Sometimes, the reason you are being escorted is not one of weakness, but because the character could not find the destination without help. This is especially common in cases where a new path opens only if you have the proper escort with you.
8
9	Inverse of EscortMission.
10	----
11	!!Examples:
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13	[[foldercontrol]]
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15	[[folder:ActionAdventure]]
16	* In ''VideoGame/{{Okami}}'', Kai of the Oina Tribe escorts you through Yoshpet, the forest of confusion. She isn't really necessary--unless you lose all sense of direction. However, she stops and waits for you if you get sidetracked.
17	* One mission of ''VideoGame/MegamanLegends'' has you being escorted by Roll in the Support Car. The car is invincible and can be used as a shield against the Bonne Family's tanks and turrets, and ultimately smashes open the gate for you to access the first Sub-Gate. Enjoy it: it's the only vehicle mission in the game where said vehicle [[EscortMission isn't made of tin foil]].
18	* In order to approach the [[AnimalMecha Divine Beast]] Vah Naboris in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'' without getting [[ShockAndAwe struck by its lightning]], Link has to stay within the circle of protection that [[AChildShallLeadThem Riju]] projects with the Thunder Helm as they're towed along [[ShieldSurf on shield]] by [[SandIsWater Sand Seals]]. This means having to keep pace with Riju and steering with care, while getting in range to shoot bomb arrows at the feet of the HumongousMecha.
19	* ''[[VideoGame/DeadRising2 Dead Rising 2: Case West]]'' has you teamed up with a fellow survivor throughout the whole game. However, unlike the survivors from the vanilla game, this time it's ''[[VideoGame/DeadRising Frank West]]'' who's covered wars, you know. You're very quickly told by the game that Frank doesn't need your help, outside of you giving him weapons sometimes, and that he's protecting you a lot more than you're protecting him:
20	--> Frank West helps alongside Chuck. You can give Frank weapons and he'll be able to use any weapon you find. These aren't the first zombies Frank has encountered. He can take care of himself.
21	* One mission of ''VideoGame/BloodstainedRitualOfTheNight'' has you tasked with charging through a train overrun with enemies and defeating the monster that's controlling it, a massive demon that has possessed the engine, and all with [[TimedMission only five minutes to do it]]. It'd be tough, but you have ''Zangetsu'' backing you up through the level. Yeah, remember the samurai who [[WakeUpCallBoss probably kicked your ass about 10 times]] before you finally beat him? He's on your side for this one casually doing 350 to 400 hp damage to your 30-50 depending on your weapon.
22	[[/folder]]
23
24	[[folder:ActionGame]]
25	* A very early prologue chapter mission of ''VideoGame/GatlingGears'' has a huge helicopter gunship of TheEmpire you're working for escort you, and it makes pretty short work of the durable enemy Freemen turrets, but halfway through it becomes an averted escort mission once it's forced to pick up and carry a power generator but is also invulnerable to enemy fire. Since your character defects to the Freemen later, this also means you'll encounter the very same huge helicopter gunships later in the game... as rather tough enemies.
26	[[/folder]]
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28	[[folder:ActionRPG]]
29	* The first tutorial level in ''[[VideoGame/DotHackR1Games .hack//INFECTION]]'' has Kite being escorted through a basic dungeon by his friend Orca, who's teaching him how to play The World. Orca is level 50 and can basically 1-hit kill anything you meet. This pleasant state of affairs continues [[OhCrap until you come face to face with Skeith...]]
30	* You may want to keep one of your earlier saved games in ''VideoGame/InfiniteUndiscovery'' around, because there's an {{inverted\|Trope}} Escort Mission near the beginning of the game, where you are rendered completely unable to attack due to carrying an injured companion, and the [[VideoGameAI AI]] must escort you to your destination. Too bad they only escort you halfway to your destination. Then they all leave and you're stuck having to run through the last area totally helpless...with a dragon shooting fireballs at you.
31	* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' has a couple of these.
32	** Near the end of ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI'', Sora loses the Keyblade, and Donald and Goofy are [[FaceHeelTurn forced to join]] the RivalTurnedEvil, leaving him with only a wooden sword that doesn't even deal any damage. Sora now must completely[[note]]Your magic is still as effective as before.[[/note]] rely on the world-specific companion for survival. Fortunately, that world-specific companion just so happens to be [[WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast the Beast.]] [[spoiler:His Keyblade and friends come back at the first boss battle of that world, but Beast sits the battle out]].
33	** Similar scenario and even in the same location happens in ''VideoGame/{{Kingdom Hearts\|coded}} [[UpdatedRerelease Re:coded]]'', where [[spoiler:Maleficent breaks Sora's keyblade at the end of previous level]]. This time however your companions stay and the gameplay shifts towards you issuing them orders when advancing through the world. [[spoiler:Sadly, this time you get the kKyblade only before the final BossRush of the Hollow Bastion]].
34	** Around the quarter-point of ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'', Sora must escort Queen Minnie to the throne of Disney Castle. The throne sits in a '''massive''' audience chamber flooded with Heartless that can seize Sora with bolts of electricity. [[RunningGag Fortunately]], Queen Minnie has a Reaction Command activated just by getting close to her, and ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' fans already know their job got a lot easier when they learn that Reaction Command is called [[HolyHandGrenade Faith]]. Getting across the audience chamber in the period between the end of the escort mission and the cessation of Heartless in Disney Castle is actually '''harder''' than getting Minnie there.
35	[[/folder]]
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37	[[folder:AdventureGame]]
38	* ''VideoGame/KingsQuestIII'' - Rosella is escorting Alexander back to the palace. She's perfectly fine with the stairs and the crevices in the landscape. He can still fall to his death. This is cranked up in the AGD remake with firepits and an unstable rock bridge.
39	* ''VideoGame/TheLastGuardian'' is to the Reverse Escort Mission as ''VideoGame/{{ICO}}'' is to the traditional; an entire game of two people guiding each other through RuinsForRuinsSake
40	[[/folder]]
41
42	[[folder:Driving Game]]
43	* The final stage of ''Emergency Call Ambulance'' has your ambulance being accompanied by a squad of police vehicles, which will remove key obstructions along the road for you.
44	[[/folder]]
45
46	[[folder:EasternRPG]]
47	* Franchise/FinalFantasy:
48	** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' has this for the flashback in Kalm. Cloud is a twig, while Sephiroth nukes everything.
49	** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'' has this for the tutorial level. Reks is with a small army that contains several generic soldiers that have infinite potions and will instantly use them on you if your HP is low and a captain that hits very hard with his sword. It's practically impossible to die for this part.
50	* In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn'' you go up against [[ClimaxBoss Jarod]] and two cronies, with [[MessianicArchetype Micaiah]] [[SquishyWizard alone.]] However, immediately after the battle begins, the [[MightyGlacier Black]] [[BlackKnight Knight]] appears, and proceeds to wreck the shit out of the enemy reinforcements; your task is to use the Black Knight to protect Micaiah. Unfortunately the enemies who have ranged weapons will prioritize attacking Micaiah if they can reach her, and unlike most Franchise/FireEmblem {{escort mission}}s, you can't simply have the Black Knight carry Micaiah through the mission.
51	* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'':
52	** ''VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl'' downplays this. In certain areas [[spoiler:(Eterna Forest, Iron Island and Stark Mountain)]], you get another trainer following you, helping you through what would otherwise be a hard dungeon and healing your Pokémon after every battle. However, one could possibly clear these areas without help; they're just there to [[AntiFrustrationFeatures make life easier for you]].
53	** ''VideoGame/PokemonScarletAndViolet'' plays this straight. Early on in the game, you fall down a cliff and encounter the box legendary. After feeding it so it can regain some of its strength, it guides you through a cave path and scares away mobs of wild Pokémon, before eventually outright grabbing you to carry safely to the exit when too many high-level Mons suddenly appear at once.
54	* ''VideoGame/GoldenSunDarkDawn'''s tutorial has the first two MainCharacters escorted by their fathers, the MainCharacters of the first game. They can, and will, one-shot anything they face, but are under AI control.
55	[[/folder]]
56
57	[[folder:FirstPersonShooter]]
58	* ''VideoGame/HalfLife2: Episode One'' is noteworthy for its "Lowlife" chapter, [[BlackoutBasement a dark, underground level]] [[DroughtLevelOfDoom with (at least to begin with) very little ammunition for Gordon to use]]. You're being escorted by Alyx, who [[BottomlessMagazines has unlimited ammo]], which means that you spend the first half of the level illuminating enemies with your TenSecondFlashlight so Alyx can shoot them.
59	* ''VideoGame/Halo3'' has the final assault on Truth's sanctum, where the Master Chief is being protected and escorted by [[spoiler:wave after wave of Flood. Unfortunaly, those bastards will attack you after killing Truth, and they're numerous]].
60	* In ''VideoGame/SoldierOfFortune II: Double Helix'', when you're heading off to the extraction point in Colombia, you're plot-wise escorting a team of American military and a rescued POW. In practice, though, they're the ones escorting ''you'' – they're invulnerable and absolutely ''lethal'' with their gunfire, having better aim than the terrorist {{mooks}}. If you bother with following their pace and staying behind them, the stage is a total cakewalk.
61	* ''VideoGame/Doom3'': Sentry Bots will escort you to a certain point of the map, and in one instance unlocking doors in the way that you can't open yourself. They chew Hell's forces up and spit them out to such a degree that you don't have to lift a finger[[note]]except for making sure no ExplosiveBarrels detonate near your bot buddy, as realistically they're the only things that can destroy it[[/note]] in the core game when a fight happens and one's with you. The same doesn't quite go for the ''Resurrection of Evil'' ExpansionPack's campaign, though, where you're set up against higher tier enemies like Revenants and Commandos in Sentry Bot sections, so you ''need'' to get your own pound of flesh to make sure the bot survives to the end. Thankfully it provides a handy distraction for you to get in close with the [[ShotgunsAreJustBetter Super Shotgun]].
62	* An early, ''skippable'' mission in ''VideoGame/ModernWarfare 2'' orders you to "follow Makarov's lead". By "follow", the game means "watch as he shoots up an airport full of innocent civilians and [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential optionally assist him]]."
63	* ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonor: Underground'' has one of these for the first mission. You play as French ActionGirl Manon Batiste and you fight with your brother through the Milice-infested streets of Paris to secure a truck full of ammo for the French Resistance. He has an MP-40, a much better weapon than your dinky pistol, and he is a pretty good shot with it as well. He only really needs your help whenever he gets overwhelmed or needs to bend down to pick a lock on a door. [[spoiler:Then he is caught in an ambush and killed, leaving you to seek refuge in the catacombs and the aid of the Resistance.]]
64	* ''VideoGame/Payday2'' features the "Hoxton Breakout" heist, in which the players, as the titular Payday Gang break one of their old members, Hoxton out of jail. Hoxton himself takes shelter in the bed of a heavily armored pickup truck while in theory, the rest of the gang escorts it through layers of police barricades and heavy weapons fire, with [[MissionControl Bain]] outright telling them to draw fire from the truck. In practice however, said truck actually doesn't have a health bar and is one of the sources of cover the gang can use against the heavy machine gun turrets the gang will have to brave to get to the end of the map.
65	[[/folder]]
66
67	[[folder:MMO]]
68	* One potential threat to Innsmouth Academy in ''VideoGame/TheSecretWorld'' is an entire basement full of not-yet-activated familiars of the type who are rampaging feral over the grounds. One quest has you meet the surviving student, Carter, as she slips out to clear the basement out. As Carter will tell you early on, she's "tougher than she looks", and while not quite invulnerable is entirely able to both tank and kill the enemies (you still can be useful during a couple of fights). The problem is that Carter has control issues: She really needs you around just to be there, and the heavier stuff in her arsenal is entirely indiscriminate. The critical step in this mission is to first develop defenses against ''her'' and to be ready to use them.
69	* In ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', there's a Northrend escort quest featuring an AdventurerArchaeologist by the name of Creator/{{Harrison\|Ford}} [[Franchise/IndianaJones Jones]], who escorts ''you'' out of the catacombs.
70	** It's zigzagged with Prince Farondis. On the one hand, the player is the one escorting him and if you fall behind he insists that he can't do this without you. On the other hand, he proceeds to OneHitKill every enemy you'll encounter along the way, often before you even have a chance to attack them.
71	* A few quests in the ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' expansion ''Heavensward'' require teaming up with [[spoiler:Alphinaud]] and/or [[spoiler:Yugiri]]. While neither one has the greatest AI, they're both fairly sturdy and useful. The former, especially, functions about as well as a typical healer in a PickUpGroup, making the quests he accompanies you on ''much'' easier.
72	* In ''VideoGame/DungeonFighterOnline'', most NPC allies (with only a handful of exceptions) will be able to clear through most of the dungeon on their own. Special mention goes to GSD's escort quests in the first version of the game. The quests involve taking GSD, the Slayer job trainer, through the highest difficulty of the dungeons of the second major area of the game. He massively outlevels the player, even breaking the level cap at the time, and will easily wipe out everything in one hit.
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75	[[folder:Platform]]
76	* Some missions/challenge acts in ''VideoGame/SonicGenerations'' have one of Sonic's friends help you get through a mission with a usually impossible level design, by pressing a button to make them appear temporarily and help out. For example, in ''Amy: Taking the Leap Together'', Amy uses her Piko-Piko hammer to push Sonic higher than normal.
77	[[/folder]]
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79	[[folder:Real-Time Strategy]]
80	* ''VideoGame/WorldInConflict'': In one mission, you only initially have command of a small force consisting of light units and repair units. Later on, you hook up with another allied force under [=AI=] control which has much heavier weaponry able to stave off Russian assaults. A good portion of the rest of the mission involves you relying on the [=AI=] to protect your vulnerable units while you keep the [=AI=]'s units repaired and ready to fight.
81	* ''VideoGame/WingsOfLiberty'': One mission has you steal a ginormous warmachine called the Odin, which then proceeds to wreck four Dominion bases under AI control. Your role is to send the occasional SCV to fix it up (or Science Vessel, if you have them) and produce Wraiths to take out air units.
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83
84	[[folder:Roguelike]]
85	* In ''[[VideoGame/AncientDomainsOfMystery ADOM]]'', the FirstTown's carpenter has wandered into a nearby dungeon, so you have to go there. A few levels down you find a healer. At the bottom of the dungeon is the carpenter, altered and driven mad by TheCorruption, so now he's on the side of the monsters. You have to catch his attention, then start running back upstairs to the healer, with him following and taking potshots at you all the while, hoping that you don't get stuck in a corridor between him and another monster.
86	[[/folder]]
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88	[[folder:SimulationGame]]
89	* ''VideoGame/AceCombat''
90	** In what is possibly the first example of the "being escorted" concept in flight sim history, "Grand Flight" from ''[[VideoGame/AceCombat Ace Combat X2: Joint Assault]]'' has the player flying the personal Boeing 747-200B of Olivieri Life Insurance CEO [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Andre Olivieri]] in order to get the man through the Turkish region of Mora, which is filled to the brim with Valahian forces. This mission may be '''the''' game-stopper of the Ace Combat series, outclassing even Four Horsemen from ''The Unsung War''', because 1) The 747 is slow and has average armor, 2) you're forced to fly into a ravine to avoid the insta-kill SAM network in the area AC5 style (Ghosts of Razgriz), 3) there's gunboats & choppers everywhere, and 4) if you manage to escape the Mora ravine, you have to survive a fighter jet ambush at the end. [[ThatOneLevel Yes, it's as difficult as it sounds.]] And don't even get me started on [[HarderThanHard Ace difficulty]]...[[spoiler:At least, Olivieri gets the dubious honor of being killed by you, the player, at the end of the game. [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill While he's on foot. With man-sized anti-vehicle weaponry.]]]]
91	** ''VideoGame/AceCombatAssaultHorizon'' has a mission where the player's squadron is assigned as the dedicated anti-ship wing for an air-to-sea mission, meaning your plane selection is limited to dedicated attacker aircraft. While they carry all the bombs you'll expect, they also handle terribly, have very limited air-to-air abilities, and most damningly cannot enter Dogfight Mode or counterattack if an enemy initiated DFM on you. Fortunately they have decent armor, and your AI escort wings place appropriate priority on taking out anything focused on you. Amusingly, the player actually plays the part of a Leeroy Jenkins Escortee during this mission, as your airstrike paths tend to plow right through the enemy's defenses headlong and clearing objectives is the best way to make enemies leave you alone.
92	[[/folder]]
93
94	[[folder:StealthGame]]
95	* In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty'', during the battle against swarms of [[EliteMooks Arsenal Tengu]] you have Snake back you up by sniping the foes.
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98	[[folder:SurvivalHorror]]
99	* ''VideoGame/AlanWake'' has this happen to you ''twice''. The first is when Alan is escorted in the woods by Mott [[spoiler:Alice's kidnapper]] after Alan loses his stuff when the lift crashes. [[spoiler:And because you don't like each other, he doesn't give you a weapon, only a flare, so you really need to rely on him.]] The next time is when you're escorted by Sheriff Breaker, who totes a pump-action with unlimited ammunition to escort you. But before that, she gives you two guns, a flashlight and plenty of ammunition and batteries.
100	* In one mission in ''VideoGame/TheLastOfUs'', Ellie has to escort an injured Joel to safety (with the player controlling Joel).
101	* Most of ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'' is an EscortMission proper (and one of the few done properly to boot), but for one period of the game ''Leon'' is being escorted by Mike piloting a ''UH-1N Twin Huey gunship'' armed with twin Gatling Guns and Hellfire Missiles.
102	[[/folder]]
103
104	[[folder:ThirdPersonShooter]]
105	* ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidVThePhantomPain'' opens with an emaciated [[PlayerCharacter Venom Snake]], who's barely able to walk at first, being escorted out of a hospital under siege by XOF troops by a man named Ishmael [[spoiler: who's later revealed to be the real Big Boss]].
106	* In ''VideoGame/JediAcademy'', then Vjun stage, you are followed around by your teacher, Jedi Master Kyle Katarn, who's far more capable of defeating the enemies in the level than your character. Well, if you play normally, you'll probably kill more of them than he does due to being more proactive, but he's almost invulnerable against them, whereas you're facing the normal level of challenge.
107	[[/folder]]
108
109	[[folder:WesternRPG]]
110	* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'':
111	** The Lyon's Pride faction of the Brotherhood of Steel will likely be escorting you through the DC Ruins during the quest "Following in His Footsteps". The quest comes early in the game, so you probably aren't likely to survive against the numerous Super Mutants (and a Behemoth) otherwise. If you [[SequenceBreaking sequence break the story]], though, you'll have to go it alone when you decide to pay a visit to GNR later.
112	** Much later, [[GiantMecha Liberty Prime]] escorts you and the Brotherhood into Project Purity, making short work of the Enclave defenses while you mop up whatever he leaves behind.
113	* ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'': The finale of the ''Honest Hearts'' DLC has you "escorting" [[ImplacableMan Joshua Graham]] to deal with the White Legs tribe once and for all. While by the point you do this quest you should be plenty powerful, you can easily leave Joshua to do all the fighting as he's a better OneManArmy than even a max-level player.
114	* ''VideoGame/{{Gothic}}'' likes to invert escort missions by having other [=NPCs=] escort you. When the normal order is the mission, if your NPC partner gets too far away, however, his character can go spastic trying to find you or may even un-spawn. For some missions, the tendency of this NPC to vanish accidentally was anticipated and he will appear at the last waypoint, waiting for you (Escort to the Sect Camp and Escort to the New Camp missions).
115	** The solution to one "get someone's support" mission in the Sect Camp is to instigate another person to "escort me to [this part] of the camp".
116	* In ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', there is a sequence during the SuicideMission where you have to take a path full of seeker swarms. In order to not be attacked and captured by them, you have to pick a squadmate to keep a biotic barrier surrounding you and two other squadmates. If you step outside of the safe bubble they create, the swarms will instantly begin to drain your shields, then your health. If you pick the wrong escort, one of your team is taken by the swarms while picking an escort who's not loyal to you will result in them being killed.
117	* In ''VideoGame/TheWitcher2'' Phillipa takes owl form multiple times to help you through the deadly mists that are spawning an undead army. Leaving her bubble of protection causes you to take damage rapidly and die.
118	[[/folder]]
119
120	[[folder:WideOpenSandbox]]
121	* In ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV'', after you become friendly with Dwayne; you can call some guys to escort ''you''.
122	* In some plot missions in ''[[VideoGame/{{X}} X3: Terran Conflict]]'', you may get an order to escort a convoy that starts in another sector, where the convoy spawns the moment you get the order, but the enemy only spawns when you arrive in the sector the convoy is in. So if you stay away and never see the convoy, the enemy never spawns and they get to their destination unopposed. Mission complete.
123	* The first real mission of ''VideoGame/{{Gun}}'' has you defending a steamer from an army of renegades and ''would'' be difficult, since all you have is a weak six-shooter, rifle, and bowie knife. Thankfully Ned White, who happens to be equipped with the ''strongest rifle available in the game'', is leading the way and covering your back. He never misses and can one-shot enemies. Unfortunately he's TooCoolToLive.
124	[[/folder]]

Context Main / ReverseEscortMission