Favorite unexpected details in games?

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

What are some of those tiny things that just blew you away upon discovering them and made the games you were playing stand out as a result?

Some of my favorite examples include...

- The fact that you can retrieve any item given to an NPC after killing them in the original Deus Ex.

- The fact that your parachute has a chance of not opening on Combat Flight Simulator (and that you get to hear your pilot's bloodcurdling screams as he plunges to his doom).

- The fact that Strife actually punishes you without telling you by making the game impossible to continue hours after killing random NPCs that turned out to be key for the story (that's cruel, but took balls).

 

[ATenderLad]

In Fallout 2, if you ask for a magazine while donating sperm a dirty mag will in fact be added to your inventory.

 

[DunkeyKong]

The Metal Gear Solid series in general always has so many details I still haven't discovered yet like how in MGS1, the camera angle changes after Solid Snake got close to a dead person. And MGS2, the ice details...it's so satisfying...
MGS3, The End dies after changing the calendar. That's not even the craziest details too

 

[Cu-Neo]

I like when games for example survival horrors shows the extra costumes in the cutcenes. Or when the NPC of the game remember what you did (for example the court in Chrono trigger or a lot of moments in Fallout new vegas)

 

[fake-kun]

In Star Fox 64, if you fly Arwing close to water, trails will appear on the surface.

Also, in first-person mode, you can actually see player character's face reflected in the control panel.

 

[rye608]

Shinobi for master system has the Warhol Marilyn graffiti on level 2. Always thought that was so dope for such an early game.

 

[Dyne]

Recently I was playing Echoes of Wisdom when it suddenly dawned on me that the map was essentially the Link to the Past map, with the outer edges extended out further to reveal more Hyrule. Not 100% the same, mind you, but you can tell it was very intentional.

 

[SaebaSan86]

I like when games for example survival horrors shows the extra costumes in the cutcenes. Or when the NPC of the game remember what you did (for example the court in Chrono trigger or a lot of moments in Fallout new vegas)

Fallout New Vegas is fantastic!

 

[ObscureJigglypuff]

I always liked Mery's ass.
Nice detail, Hideo.

 

[Num]

you see kojima understands. the art of the pantyline showing through the pants is all about the hint its just enough to make the mind wander but not enough to answer any questions. this design choice is the real reason why hes hailed as a great artist he understands the perfect moments to let the imagination do half the work

 

[J.F.C]

Recently I was playing Echoes of Wisdom when it suddenly dawned on me that the map was essentially the Link to the Past map, with the outer edges extended out further to reveal more Hyrule. Not 100% the same, mind you, but you can tell it was very intentional.

Didn't Nintendo also reuse ALTTP's map for A Link Between Worlds? At this point it seems like they are being lazy rather than it being a well meaning callback to ALTTP.

 

[Lee__Kanker]

Silent Hill 3 has so many Examine Item descriptions, some of which are context sensitive
Even the most mundane thing like a box on the floor, Im still finding out new ones!

 

[ThunderBoy]

Duke Nukem 3D.

See the character in the mirror

 

[Aziamuth]

The only that comes to mind right now is that in Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2, after a character takes plenty of damage, sometimes they'll have some physical change on their model (such as bruising or blood; Faust gets a comical band-aid on his head) and that change will carry on to the victory screen.

 

[for.we.are.many]

Really minor, but I loved the lights in the prison in Chrono Trigger

 

[ObscureJigglypuff]

When Sindri throw the apple, Kratos cut it because in antique greece if you received an apple it was considered a declaration of love.

Nice detail <3

 

[Pandaprewmaster325]

The way infantry reacts in red alert 3 when you click on them they be fooling around and once you click they go full discipline mode "oh shi the commander called me" like bro I been watching you playing with your gun like a toy for the past 30 minutes.

Also the way infantry fly in RA3 when they get hit by an explosion nearby you couldn't send men flying in the air when dropping kirov bombs in ra2 well its something real in ra3.

Oh and I like the difference between the way policemen use their guns in gta SA holding it more professionally than gang members who use it sideways.

And the victory dance enemies do in half life ranging from HECU soldiers checking up the foe they killed to bullsquids eating their newly slain prey.

There is also a dead HECU member in the cliff section in half life crushed by a rock I never noticed him before until my latest playthrough I like the detail cuz it shows how dangerous and unstable the cliff is.

 

[Blamhammer]

Also, in first-person mode, you can actually see player character's face reflected in the control panel.

Oooh I love the face reflection details in games, such as in Metroid Prime when a bright flash causes Samus's face to reflect on the inner visor. Really adds to the overall immersion.