Have you ever completed a game and realised you’d completely missed a key game mechanic?

[DaivRules]

I wouldn't say I completely missed it, but Magichange in Disgaea is such an important aspect of doing the major damage needed post-game and I have an absolute aversion to using it for some reason I can't explain. Even now to get the last two trophies, I need to figure out the right prep which includes a significant amount of Magichange and the struggle is real.
 

 

Also: "Defend" exists in Disgaea???

 

[Slava]

For me, its not missing the mechanic, but rather completely forgetting about one right after the tutorial - the slo-mo button in Mirror's Edge. 

 

I'll try to think of a better example and edit the post if I remember one.

Edited September 12, 2022 by Slava

[PotrikBerger]

Lol @DragonCrossGamer the only tales of game I’ve played was the recent one...tales of arise I think or something like that. For a big chunk of the beginning of that game I couldn’t work out how to complete side quests when Npcs were asking for so many boxes of something and I had more than they were asking for but couldn’t get their acknowledgement

 

@Slava I’ve definitely forgotten things from the tutorial many a times in games so I empathise with that. Recent example I can think of but Not important to the game at all,  was only months after completing Elden Ring I realised there was a pouch that could be used for more shortcut key stuff in your inventory. That’s because I saw my brother in law playing it and was like ‘what was that you just did?....’

[SaAlLoAg]

I completed all of DBZ Budokai 1 & most of Budokai 3 without ever realizing you could charge ki. Needless to say, I felt like a complete dumbass for platting a game and a half with only fists and kicks and transforming on my own only if the enemy wipped my ass long enough for the meter to charge up 

[LastMinuteSavior]

1 hour ago, VigilantCrow said:

Parrying in Dark Souls. 

Never knew about it until after the plat. Always assumed it was just a spin in circles and stick the pointy end into the enemies stink. 

 

?

 

I swear I never use parry in any game that has it. But that's just 'cause I'm lazy.

Roll around like a fool will do just fine.

 

 

@Slava I can totally relate.

Some games overwhelm me with huge tutorial sections when I'm just trying to have fun and enjoy the scenery.

Often, by chapter 2 I can't remember half the stuff from the opening tutorial.

 

Edited September 12, 2022 by LastMinuteSavior

[JPtheNeurotic]

In xenoblade 2, I didn’t figure out full burst in chains attacks into the final area 

 

tbf I never needed it before but when I saw it happen because I stacked so many orbs I was like …

[Raidou Kuzunoha XIV]

I can think of a few times I've forgotten or been unaware of game mechanics while playing the game. For example, I kept forgetting about the "thief sight" or whatever it's called in both Persona 5 and Persona 5 Strikers, but given you need to use it a few times to progress, I'd always end up remembering it existed after stumbling around for a few minutes being confused on what it is I'm supposed to be doing. Then I'd often proceed to forget about it again at some point.

 

I know I can probably think of some better examples, but that's the best I got right now.

[rebelkiller93]

Played through Kena: Bridge of Spirits without realising you could fast travel via the map and didn't have to go to a warp stone

Edited September 12, 2022 by rebelkiller93

[Phlegeth]

In Digimon World, I did not use the Gym outside Baby and In-training stages.  I only fought wild Digimon to get stronger.

 

And cooking in general, I always forget about cooking and food buffs.

 

7 hours ago, Squirlruler said:

Yes.

 

"Using Items."

Every time. Damn hording.

 

That is one thing I've never had a problem with.  I've used Megalixers instead of backtracking to a save point before.

 

7 hours ago, DrBloodmoney said:

I played all of Oblivion, and a good portion of Fallout 3, without realising there was fast-travel ?

 

 

 

Related, I didn't know there was a taxi in Skyrim until like 3+ characters and 100s of hours into it across multiple platforms.

 

[Slava]

2 hours ago, LastMinuteSavior said:

Slava I can totally relate.

Some games overwhelm me with huge tutorial sections when I'm just trying to have fun and enjoy the scenery.

Often, by chapter 2 I can't remember half the stuff from the opening tutorial.

 

I guess in the case with Mirror's Edge it has to do with the specific utility of everything else. The tutorial shows you a type of object/obstacle and what you're supposed to do with it. Slo-mo - you can just do whenever. Some Pavlovian instinct is probably what was missing for me, so it never crossed my mind that I could use it.

 

(I'm making excuses) ?

[Remain-Vigilant]

The last of us Remastered ( Early 2015). I played the game for my first playthrough in grounded difficulty (maximum difficulty) without knowing the game. I finished the game with barely upgrades and only had 3 guns out of probably a dozen. I also didn't use the sound mode to my advantage. Anyways, this game ended up being my all time favorite in story and multiplayer. I low-key have this game platinum twice for different accounts, but I have the platinum for this new account.

Edited September 12, 2022 by Remain-Vigilant

[PotrikBerger]

1 hour ago, rebelkiller93 said:

Played through Kena: Bridge of Spirits without realising you could fast travel via the map and didn't have to go to a warp stone

 

Wow. Strike number 2 for me it seems

 

It’s a game I gotta go back to as I kinda stopped mid game for some reason that I can’t remeber now, but mate, I did not know I could warp without going to a warp stone

[DaisyVilla102]

Not really a key mechanic, but I spent the entirety of my first playthrough of Until Dawn wishing I could go faster than a walk.  It wasn't until I started playing from the beginning the second time that I noticed the hint about walking faster.

[Sunny]

This just happened, After 200+ hours and playing through it again for 100% I just noticed using spirit stones in Nioh recovers the amrita gauge.....I would always kill a few enemies to recharge it before battles and never considered you can use them to recharge mid battle.

[JourneySilvers]

5 hours ago, Slava said:

For me, its not missing the mechanic, but rather completely forgetting about one right after the tutorial - the slo-mo button in Mirror's Edge. 

 

I'll try to think of a better example and edit the post if I remember one.

Seconding the forgetting after a tutorial thing. Spent hours in Fallout 3 back on the Xbox 360 days and never remembered V.A.T.S. was a thing. I think back then I was so stressed over action games that I was erratically trying to shoot everything in the beginning and the tutorial for V.A.T.S. was too complicated for me to take seriously in the moment. Then once I was out in the world of Fallout 3, it never crossed my mind again. 

[the1andonly654]

Not exactly completed but I did it twice in the same game... I'm a person who skips repeating animations, is annoyed if things go too slow without any logical reason, hates when a game forces me to walk instead of run. Gameplay needs to be responsive, menus need to be as snappy as I want them to, etc. 

 

I spent most of Death Stranding not realizing I can press a button to drive faster. Felt kinda slow, but I thought it was just a design choice. 

I replayed the game on PS5 recently. Did the exact same thing. Granted, I realized it a bit sooner, but still... Not my brightest moment.

[Guest]

I completed Duke Nukem 3D without opening the map once. some levels are quite long and ingenious, with countless paths and secret rooms where you come and go to get a key, activate a button, etc. I remember having to memorize everything in my head. including the extra eps. later, i realized that by pressing select there was a complete map in each level, and i could have completed the game much faster.

 

I'm playing classic far cry, and only now halfway through the game I discovered that you can tag enemies using binoculars to see their positions on the radar and make things easier. haha

[HaserPL]

I don't remember which one, but I have beaten one of the older (PS2) Call Of Duties/Medal Of Honors without ever sprinting. My controller was messed up a bit, and it just wouldn't register me pressing the button, so I assumed there was none. (smart 7 year old me cries in repeated deaths)

[DEI2EK]

I’m on the last legs of Metal Gear Solid 2, I knew you could peak around the corner but could never remember the button combination so I never bothered. I did use it a bit for the last VR missions but in the main game I didn’t even think to use it.

[Don_Chipotle]

As a kid playing FF9 i started playing but didnt know much later in the game that you can activate pasive skills that help you in combat and are very helpful for some bosses

[EqualityEarth]

11 hours ago, Kefka1986 said:

I don't remember which Final Fantasy, but you could change your party from front row to back row (you are stronger in the front row but also take more damage, and the other way around in the back row), I finished it without knowing you could do that!

Final Fantasy IV. I’d guess a fair reason for slipping one’s mind could be the lack of a trophy supported release and all that entails (regrettably, nothing prior to the franchise eclipsing FFVII has trophies). I am however wondering how you reacted to the early fiend battle that swapped your rows by script due to it being a “Back Attack” (among other random encounter back attacks). It’s a no brainer who to put into which row at any time (so it’s more of a chore than a strategic option) but the option to swap the rows during a battle is in the secondary drop down menu (press Right) with Defend (running away in some final fantasies is done with an R button so it’s not a menu option leading you to find Swap Rows) while in the main menu I think you have to go under Party first to see the option there.

Edited September 12, 2022 by EqualityEarth

[StraightVege]

Not that I can remember, but I've completely ignored stuff which I found to be useless or more trouble than it's worth. For example, I never bothered using the roll move in Spyro (does anyone?).

[AJ_Radio]

On 9/12/2022 at 4:09 PM, DEI2EK said:

I’m on the last legs of Metal Gear Solid 2, I knew you could peak around the corner but could never remember the button combination so I never bothered. I did use it a bit for the last VR missions but in the main game I didn’t even think to use it.

Ugh. This game is on my backlog and I’m definitely NOT looking forward to the VR/Alternate missions.

[Shinoda_2qx]

It took me about 6 years to realise you can strum up as well as down on the guitar hero games. ?‍♂️ By that point I was too set in my ways and I just could never learn to strum both up and down, meaning I was never able to master the expert trophies in the games. ?‍♂️ 

[DEI2EK]

1 hour ago, AJ_Radio said:

Ugh. This game is on my backlog and I’m definitely NOT looking forward to the VR/Alternate missions.

Theyre so awful, i'm on the last 10-15 and theyre getting on my nerves. I'm not good with the pressure sensitive buttons so holding up as MGS1 snake with an M4 is not going well

Edited September 14, 2022 by DEI2EK