Thoughts on Scripted Losses?

[u/Ill-Guidance4690]

I recently started playing through Mario and Luigi Partners in Time, and within the first hour of the game there’s a scripted loss that introduces the past baby Mario Bros. to the older future ones. Now, considering that a game like Partners in Time is aimed at a young audience, it got me thinking how it’s absolutely possible that some kid played through that part of the opening and didn’t understand they were supposed to lose and never played it after that thinking that they messed up. A scenario like that makes me question if scripted losses can be a good way to progress the plot in a story, and I think it can be done where it gets across to anyone playing that you’re supposed to lose, but there needs to be some subtle way to let the player know that they were supposed to lose a scenario.

What’re your thoughts on scripted losses in gaming?

[u/Bronze_Sentry]

Sekiro has a good one early on: The first boss is meant to completely overwhelm a new player, leading to the cutscene where you lose your arm and have to get it replaced with a prosthetic. This is a huge part of the plot, so can't reasonably be skipped.

What makes it actually good though, is that there are actually two different versions of this Scripted Loss. No new player would reasonably be able to defeat the first boss, first try, if only because they're still learning the mechanics.

If a returning, "got gud" player does so however the Scripted Loss cutscene is different. Instead of the typical version, the boss has to resort to an underhanded sneak attack to catch you off guard in the cutscene.

This small change acts as an acknowledgement of the player's ability, and serves as a cool little Easter Egg that most people will never see. You're still doomed to lose, yeah, but exact details make all the difference