There are plenty of games that exist in the same genres and feature remarkable similarities, like comparable settings or gameplay mechanics, or titles that take inspiration from others. One example is the slew of Soulslikes that have flooded the market after the popularity of FromSoftware games like Dark Souls, but for the most part, video games are as diverse and distinct as they could be, with each one offering its own experience and introducing players to its own unique world. Games in the Red Dead Redemption and Dragon Age series could not be more different in so many respects, and yet they have one surprising similarity.
Both the recent Red Dead games and the three Dragon Age titles that have been released have one surprising aspect that seems to characterize their stories – a predictable twist embedded in the narrative that doesn't actually negatively impact the game. In both Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2, the main protagonist that players have been getting to know throughout the course of the game dies, and gamers then see the story's conclusion through the eyes of another character. In Dragon Age's case, while the narratives always explore moral gray areas and complicated alliances, there's always a mage who develops into an antagonist. These twists may be predictable, but they rarely, if ever, become detrimental to the games.
The Fate Of Red Dead's Protagonists
Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2 have been praised for their environments and visuals and both received critical acclaim and commercial success, but their stories have always been a critical part of their construction. There are elements of fast-paced action and adrenaline-pumping gunplay, but there are also quieter, character-focused moments that make up the heart of each game. Red Dead Redemption 2, in particular, presented players with a heartbreaking and somber tale of outlaw living and the moral quandaries it often causes, and the game was considered by many to be a masterpiece.
While both titles keep characters at their center, they also follow a trend of killing off their protagonists before the game has even finished. Both Arthur Morgan and John Marston fail to survive their respective narratives, and the last part of each game is instead focused on Jack Marston in Red Dead Redemption and John Marston in Red Dead Redemption 2. The deaths have significant meanings for the themes of each game, such as the endless cycles of violence and the tragedy of trying and failing to survive in such a challenging environment, and really encapsulate the elegiac sensibility of the series as well.
Dragon Age's Mages
The world of the Dragon Age series is complex, with complicated and nuanced relationships between races that dominate a lot of the stories of the games. Another aspect that features prominently in each title is the fate of mages in Thedas; in some areas they're feared and persecuted, while in others they're revered and dominate the hierarchy. The games attempt to convey the questionable morality of magic and magical practitioners, with the never-ending conflict between mages and templars characterizing a lot of the games' subplots. Players can choose to play as a mage and experience the suspicion or admiration for themselves, and they can also have a number of mage companions as well.
The games explore how diverse mages can be, with several unique characters and companions, as well as the dangers they can pose with the possibility of becoming possessed or transforming into an abomination. Mages are not straightforward, in the same way that magic is not straightforward in the Dragon Age series, but players are often led to sympathize with them because of the prejudice they face. This is further complicated by the fact that a mage often turns out to be a villain, or at least an antagonistic force within the narratives. An infamous example is Anders' decline from a wise-cracking companion in Dragon Age 2 to a militantly pro-mage terrorist, or Solas' villain reveal at the end of the Dragon Age: InquisitionTrespasser DLC and status as the main antagonist in the upcoming Dragon Age: Dreadwolf.
The Predictable Twist
Some series that have predictable patterns can come across as unoriginal or even tiresome, with players growing bored with the same old formula recycled again and again. In the case of the Red Dead Redemption games and the Dragon Age series, their repeated twists serve to compliment the story structure rather than detract from it. The predictable twists are still executed in fresh and interesting ways, and instead of ruining the games, they actually make them better. The fact that fans may easily be able to anticipate these fairly momentous plot points, and yet that knowledge in no way damages the gameplay experience, shows the excellent construction of each of the game narratives.
Red Dead Redemption 2 also has an added layer of pathos because the player probably already knows the fates of so many of the characters due to its status as a prequel. The fact that they know that the Van der Linde gang disintegrates, or that even though John Marston successfully escapes his life of crime he's only pulled back in again later, doesn't make the story any less beautiful or the ending any less emotional. Knowing that Arthur Morgan isn't likely to survive to the end of the game doesn't make players care about him any less – in fact, it has the opposite effect. It also ties into the dying days of his way of life perfectly and adds another layer of bittersweet drama to the entire game.
Dragon Age's mage trend similarly doesn't hurt the narrative or paint mages as all villainous traitors that are not to be trusted. Often, even the mages that turn "bad" like Anders and Solas have layers to their treachery or antagonism that transform them from simple "bad guys" to nuanced foes. Players may have expected to see a mage-related villain crop up at some point in Dragon Age: Inquisition, but that didn't make Solas' eventual betrayal any less shocking. Both of these series handle their predictable parts to perfection, making sure that their familiar twists help craft an incredible story.