Foreshadowing is a literary device used in literature to build tension and engage audiences within a story. It’s one of my favorite literary devices to come across because of the fun nature of its use, especially in video games. Like, do you ever wonder why we always say “I knew it!” during a significant plot twist in movies or even in video games? Or why we become suspicious of every little insignificant thing when the camera pans to it just a second too long? I’ve compiled a list of 5 of the best plot twists with obvious foreshadowing in video games.
Resident Evil Village
Village is one of my favorite Resident Evil games, especially in terms of story. Ehtan and his family are such interesting characters that we got the chance to know, even after his death at the end of Village. And even though we all were secretly hoping for a happy ending, the inevitable happened. I say this knowing that some people probably weren’t expecting it. However, there were so many things that pointed to Ethan’s eventual death, there’s just no argument.
First, the amount of body horror Ethan was unlucky enough to experience throughout the whole game. From his hand being bitten off by a werewolf-like infected, to pulling hooks straight through his hand, to having his hand cut clean off by Lady Dimetrescu, and to his literal heart being ripped out by Mother Miranda, and still waking up from that! There are no excuses. Ethan was bound to die by the end of Village, and these were just a few of the obvious foreshadowings that led to it.
God of War Ragnarök
Screenshot of God of War Ragnarök, courtesy ofPlayStation Publishing LLC
God of War is steeped in mythology and lore, and once again, we get to experience another tragedy of Kratos’s life. In this game, we are witnesses to Odin’s manipulations of events within the game and his impersonation of Tyr, the God of War, in this land. If you were paying attention, many moments hinted at this type of manipulation from Odin. For instance, the drastic change in Tyr’s character, from how he was described by everyone in the game, to actually meeting “Tyr”, and his adamant aversion to fighting the upcoming war, should have been a dead giveaway.
The writers probably had a field day writing Odin, probably because of all the fun uses of foreshadowing they could put between all his trickery. It’s such a clever way to write villains like Odin, given his personality and the characteristics he displays throughout the game. He seemed more like Loki than Loki himself, and it was brilliant writing altogether.
Kingdom Hearts 2
A huge plot point of Kingdom Hearts 2 was the introduction of a new enemy called the Nobodies in the second game. Nobodies are created from the bodies and souls of individuals who have lost their hearts to Heartless, so after the events of the first game, a Nobody was formed from Sora’s soul, giving us the main character (at least for the first couple of hours of the game) of Kingdom Hearts 2.
When this game first came out, this was a pretty huge shock, with players first discovering that we initially were not playing as Sora, and the discovery of Roxas’ true identity. However, looking back at certain key moments of the game, there were signs that literally uncovered this hard truth. Probably the biggest foreshadowing is the fact that, in certain moments, Roxas can see Sora’s memories. It’s a bit confusing if you’re playing the game for the first time, but this, coupled with the fact that he can wield a keyblade, just made him too similar to Sora. We also get a huge exposition when Nobodies were introduced in the game, another indication of obvious foreshadowing.
BioShock
Image from BioShock courtesy of 2K Games
This one still haunts players to this day. One of the best plot twists in BioShock is when we find out that Atlas, the mysterious voice that talks to us throughout the game, is actually the villain, Frank Fontaine, who has been manipulating Jack this whole time. The most significant foreshadowing was Atlas’ constant use of the phrase “Would you kindly?”, which successfully manipulated Jack and players 100% of the time.
Also, Atlas’s encouragement of killing innocent mutated children is such a defining factor that tells us, blatantly, if I might add, that Atlas isn’t who we think he is. Players have the choice of killing these children or saving them, getting less immediate rewards but allowing for a payoff later. As much as it acts as a test of character for players, it shows Fontaine’s true nature as a villain.
Little Nightmares 2
The plot twist at the end of Little Nightmares 2 had my jaw on the floor for about 20 minutes. It was so shocking, I rethought everything I experienced while playing the game, from Mono meeting Six for the first time to all the trials and tribulations they face together on their journey. However, Six’s betrayal and the identity of the Thin Man revealed to be Mono actually were actually foreshadowed many times throughout the game, if you really paid attention.
The first and most significant was Mono’s shadow that shows up every time he is near a TV. It becomes long and slender, mirroring The Thin Man’s physical appearance. Also, Six’s betrayal is foreshadowed through certain drawings we see throughout the game. They depict a lot of moments from both games, such as the Maw, Six bting the lady, Mono and Six running from the Thin Man, etc. It’s really cool if you decide to play the game a second time or just watch videos on it. The amount of obvious foreshadowing you can pick up in the game.
In storytelling, there is such importance in using literary devices to capture and engage your audience, and to express different feelings that you want your audience to feel when going through a story. In games, they are super important, not just to tell a story, but to create atmosphere and tension and immersion for players to experience more than just playing a game.
This article first appeared on Total Apex Gaming and was syndicated with permission.
