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But Thou Must!: Difference between revisions
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{{trope}}
[[File:1199536859361.png|link=Ace Attorney
{{quote|''"That illusion of choice was just a formality. Your task has already been decided, [[Rhymes
The video game version of [[You Can't Fight Fate]]. In video games, the main character has two jobs: in the plot, he is [[The Hero]] of his [[Ragtag Bunch of Misfits|motley crew]] of [[Rebellious Princess|rebellious aristocracy]], [[Mysterious Waif|mysterious girls]], and many others. He's the leader, the point-man, calling the shots. He's also, however, the player's avatar in the game world. Therefore, it's becoming increasingly common for the other characters to turn to you and ask (in the form of a multiple-choice question and [[Dialogue Tree]]) what they should do in any given situation.
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Another way to make these questions relevant is to tie them into [[Relationship Values]] -- your decisions might not change the plot, but they ''will'' change how other characters perceive you.
Named after one of the first instances of the trope, from the original ''[[
See also [[Railroading]]. Compare [[Stupidity Is the Only Option]], [[Morton's Fork]].
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== Action Adventure Games ==
* Princess Zelda from ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
** Also, in the same game if you say "No" when the Great Deku Tree asks [[Point of No Return|if you're ready to enter him and fight the evils inside]], he'll assume that you want to train some more and not open up until you talk to him again.
** But in the color version of ''[[The Legend of Zelda:
** A more obscure one exists in ''[[The Legend of Zelda:
*** Also in ''Majora's Mask'', if you say "No" when Kafei asks if you can keep a secret he'll say "Listen, when someone asks you something like that, you're supposed to say 'yes'" (or something along those lines).
** In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
*** [[Skyward Sword]] does this a couple of other places too, and tends to make the answer more about personality than choice, making the above a demonstration that no interpretation of Link could possibly refuse to help Zelda.
* In ''[[Nie R]]'', {{spoiler|at the end of part one, when Kaine is blocking the door in the library that a giant regenerating Shade is in, you are given the option of petrifying her, or not. The game will not continue until you choose to petrify her.}}
** Also when meeting Grimoire Weiss, you gotta pick him up and agree to make a deal or else the Shades will never stop spawning.
* ''[[
** Amusingly, if you say 'No' to Queen Himiko about calming the {{spoiler|Water Dragon}} down, she'll then say "But... you must!".
* In ''[[
** In Sasha Nein's level, the latter tells you to shoot 1000 censors to get your Marksman license and leaves you alone with the adjustable [[Mook Maker]]. Even if you try to go the boring route and leave the machine alone, at one point it shuts down giving you no other option than to turn it to the [[Up to Eleven|maximum setting]] [[Violation of Common Sense|marked with a skull]] which naturally causes all hell to break loose. {{spoiler|However, if you go back to Sasha's mind later, he <s>reveals</s> claims that he wanted you to do that all along.}}
* ''[[
** After you agree to save the princess, Steward asks you to visit the library before leaving. If you say no, Steward hints you're either lazy or stupid, and asks you again. If you say "no" at least once, Musashi responds exasperatedly that he will go to the library, but if he says "yes" the first time, he remarks that it's actually a good idea.
* The king of Dotnia in ''[[
** Near the end of the game, the [[Big Bad]] gives you the option to rule beside him. Agreeing to this (twice, [[Genre Savvy|since he was sure you'd turn him down and is in disbelief after the first answer]]) leads to a [[Nonstandard Game Over]]. After beating the [[Final Boss]], if you have found Princess Iris, then she will want to follow you on your next quest. Declining this request prompts a [[Shout-Out|"But Thou Must!"]] until you finally concede.
* At the start of Chapter 2 of the NES game ''[[
* After you defeat Curly Brace in ''[[
== Action Games ==
* In ''[[
* ''[[Rambo]]'' for the NES console [[Lampshade Hanging|hangs a lampshade]] on this trope at the beginning of the game, where Colonel Trautman offers Rambo a mission in exchange for getting out of prison. You are prompted to either accept the mission or reply that you feel safer in prison. If you choose the second answer, the Colonel flat-out tells you that the game can't begin until you select the first answer.
** It happens again after Rambo is captured by the Soviet commander. The commander demands that Rambo make radio contact with the federal agent who sent him on his mission. You can either remain silent or do as he says. If you choose the former, the commander repeats his demand word for word, and he will do this ad infinitum until you finally break down and make the damn call. Later, playing as Co trying to rescue Rambo, you run into a soldier who offers to trade you a dress for your rifle. You can refuse all you like, but you're not proceeding any further in the game without the dress. All three events happen in the movie this game's based on, ''Rambo: First Blood Part 2'' (well, Co's rescue attempt plays out a bit differently...), so it's no surprise that deviating from the script is not allowed. (Rambo ''does'' initially turn down the mission, but not because of fear, he just doesn't think life outside of prison is any better than inside it.)
* ''[[Batman:
== Adventure Games ==
* Done incredibly emotionally painfully in ''[[Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
** In ''Justice For All'' in the final case, there is one part of the trial where you can't use evidence to support your case and it's up to you to decide whether or not your client is guilty or innocent. {{spoiler|Of course, it doesn't matter what you pick since Franziska bursts into the courtroom to deliver more evidence to prove Matt Engarde's guilt, which is what Phoenix was trying to do while saving Maya.}}
*** Earlier in that case you are forced to accuse {{spoiler|[[The Woobie|Adrien Andrews]] just to stall for time.}} [[Tear Jerker|It is painful.]]
** In some cases, the games will ask you whether you want to defend a certain client. If you say no, Phoenix will think about saying no, then change his mind and say yes.
** In the rest of the series before ''[[Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney
*** When given a choice to either raise an objection or "Wait and see what happens", you will ''always'' end up objecting.
*** Not necessarily. {{spoiler|Game 1 case 5 - Phoenix is asked if he wants to present evidence incriminating Gant. If he says "yes," the player is prompted to pick a piece of evidence, as usual. But it's a red herring. There is no incriminating evidence... yet. This seems to be the ONE exception that throws off the otherwise perfect principle of "always object."}}
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*** At one point in the second game's fourth case, {{spoiler|you are asked if one of Shelly's pressed statements is relevant enough to be added to the testimony. You have to say "no" to get him to continue, at which point he makes the contradictory statement you need}}.
** A certain question in the first DS game's bonus case works like the first example, looping you back with Edgeworth telling you to think carefully about what evidence your present. {{spoiler|This is done to avert Unwinnable, since if a player produces the evidence Gant was looking, they would blunder into his trap and get a [[Nonstandard Game Over]].}}
** This also appears in the grand finale of ''[[
* ''[[Castlevania
* Parodied in ''[[Monkey Island 2:
** [[Telltale Games]] got in on the act in episode 2 of ''[[
*** Another fine gem in that same episode that Elaine tells Guybrush that he was suppose to tell Human [[Le Chuck]] that he's should be the one to save the Merfolk leader while Guybrush creates a distraction to. Once you save him and going to tell him that, a list of options pops up similar to what Elaine says. Despite choosing any of those choices, Guybrush instead says HE's the one to save the Merfolk leader while [[Le Chuck]] creates a distraction.
*** Hell, until the third episode of ''Tales'', half of the Telltale ''[[Monkey Island (
** Also, in the earlier [[Monkey Island]] games, you'd often encounter an obvious trap in dialogue - such as [[The Curse of Monkey Island
* In ''[[
* Done fairly well and "realistically" in the interactive movie ''[[Star Trek: Borg]]''. The premise is that Q is offering to take you back in time to Wolf 359 where your father was killed and alter history to save him (and his ship). The very first puzzle he presents to you after presenting the offer is a phaser in one hand to go kill Borg, and a Trekian duffel bag in the other for not wanting to kill Borg. If you pick the phaser, the game goes on. If you pick the Duffel bag, Q leaves in a huff and it's Game Over.
** It's also possible to get a rare (for ''[[
* Several missions in ''[[
** Some of these are more like "side quests" than part of the main plot, but it's still not very Starfleet Captainly to refuse.
* The [[Sierra]] game ''[[The Adventures of Willy Beamish]]'' frequently used the [[Nonstandard Game Over]] variant. An incorrect answer could get you sent to military school, hospitalised, or [[Unwinnable|denied an essential item]].
* ''Companions of [[
* ''[[Fahrenheit (
** The most annoying one happens while you're controlling Tyler who is on his couch with his girlfriend celebrating their anniversary. Then the phone rings and you ''must'' get up, answer it, grab your coat and walk out the door without much more than a quick "sorry" to your girlfriend. If you do not do this the telephone just keeps ringing for five minutes (and your partner does not consider this odd when you finally answer).
** Later you have to bust into hotel room 366, but {{spoiler|the first room they try is actually room 369 (it is a pretty crappy hotel with the final number dangling upside down). If you spot this (you have to walk past rooms 371 and 370 to get to room "366") and try to walk over to the actual room 366 the game won't let you}}.
** As open-ended as the game claims to be, there are lots of scenarios where the game will still actively [[Railroading|railroad]] the player through certain situations. For example, early on in the game there's a scene where the player character has a precognition of a police officer examining his apartment. Being able to see this precognition to the end (and learning what he has to do to avoid capture) depends on the player passing a short [[Press X to Not Die|quick-time event]] sequence, but even if the player fails he is still expected to do these things, and should the player fail to do so the game ends immediately.
* In ''[[Spycraft:
* ''[[The Adventures of Sam
* ''[[
** Earlier, Marty gets teenage Emmett to finish his rocket-drill by claiming to be from the Patent Office. After it's completed, Emmett asks when he can expect a response from the government; no matter what you choose, Marty feels too guilty to lie to his friend and confesses the truth.
== First-Person Shooter ==
* The PC FPS ''[[Operation Flashpoint]]'''s expansion campaign, Resistance, offers the player a choice to either help the invading troops' army by revealing the location of a member of the titular resistance, or be summarily executed in the second mission. Obviously, given the title of the game, you are expected to escape and join said resistance in fighting off the invading force, but you can actually accept the invitation to help the invasion force. You're even given a unique mission to find the location of the resistance's base of operations, upon which you are again given the choice to join the resistance or carry out the mission. Of course, since the leader of the invading army is not a very [[You Have Outlived Your Usefulness|rewarding leader]], he'll [[Rewarded
* Although it's at the end of the game, and you don't restart at the last checkpoint in ''[[Half-Life (
** There's also the time in ''[[
* The old FPS/RPG ''[[Strife]]'' has very limited dialogue options. When someone asks you to do something you basically have two options: "Yes, I'll do it" and "I'll get back to you on that." Sometimes you get three options: "Yes, I'll do it," "I'll get back to you on that," and "No, I won't do it, but please cause dozens of guards to spawn in and shoot me dead so I learn my lesson." Noticeably, a character named Harris gives you the option to [[Moon Logic Puzzle|make the game unwinnable]].
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{{quote| This is roughly one minute into the game and makes for a pretty cool ending that needs to be featured in more Hentai games if you ask me. It's basically you taking the option of "no, I don't want to play this game" and the game apologizes for being so shitty and you're free to leave.}}
** This game was known for having a pretty high number of endings compared to other English h-games of the time - for which reason, that wasn't the only abrupt exit to the game you could encounter. Unusually for an h-game, rape is BAD here.
* A particularly cruel variant in ''[[
** The above only applies if you haven't beaten the game at least ''once''. To get the best ending, you do have to turn her down. A [[But Thou Must!]] which shows up ''every'' time involves a choice to use magic again after putting a spell on a classmate. Even if you choose not to, Minase will brush your choice off and use it anyway.
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== [[MMORPGs]] ==
* Similarly, ''[[The Matrix Online]]'' simply closes the game if you pick the wrong pill. At least one player, who had mis-remembered the film and obstinately did not read dialogue, thought he had some sort of crash bug the first time he played.
* ''[[Star
** Sometimes averted; many quests have more than one way to complete them. Otherwise, the only way to avoid doing things you don't like is to refuse quests. Which you don't get XP for. But at least you have the opportunity to refuse quests.
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* In ''[[Rayman 2 (Video Game)|Rayman 2]]'', you are given the choice whether or not to accept a haul of treasure. You get a plot-advancing potion if you decline, and a non-standard game over if you accept.
* In ''[[Drawn to Life]]'', when Mari is pleading for your assistance as the Creator, you can break your apparent years-long silence to tell her, at her people's hour of need, that you won't help her. After hearing ''that'' from what amounts to her deity, she says she guesses it's over, and it sends you back to the [[Title Screen]]. (Selecting that file lets you skip the drawing-in-a-book stuff to go try that scene again, at least.)
* The tutorial of ''[[
* In [[Mega Man Zero]] 2 you are asked early on to help the reploid resistance, the game won't continue until you say yes.
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* ''[[Trace Memory]]'', at the end of each chapter the main character quizzes herself. Getting the answer wrong just makes her say "No, wait... that's not right" and you can guess again. Becomes really obvious in the ending.
* In ''[[Riven]]: The Sequel To Myst'' it is impossible to convince Gehn (the villain) that you're on his side. He asks you to pop into a (prison) book to prove your faith, and once you do so, he then pops in himself, freeing you. That's the expected way for the plot to go. If you decide to side with Gehn, however, by freeing him, he tells you you're an inexplicable idiot, and the game ends. If you free him in the Rebel Age, he thanks you, tells you you're an inexplicable idiot, and the game ends. What does it take, dude?
* In ''[[
== Role Playing Games ==
* The [[Trope Namer]] usage in ''[[
** It is just possible to avoid this fate by never rescuing the princess in the first place, in which case the [[Heroic Mime|silent hero]] marches off on his own in the end for a much less dramatic ending. Technically, you're supposed to rescue her so that you can get directions to a [[Plot Coupon]], but you can find it by yourself [[Sequence Breaking|if you're willing to search blindly around a swamp for half an hour.]] Essentially, this dooms the princess to rot starving to death in the bowels of a pitch black dungeon. [[Clingy Jealous Girl|But nobody liked Gwaelin anyhow.]]
*** Alternately, YOU can be the clingy one, and never take her to her throne, and thus never put her down, taking her on adventures into the darkest dungeons.
** Another instance occurs in ''[[
** ''[[
* Around the end of ''[[
* In ''[[Fallout
* In ''[[Ultima Underworld]] II'', you are offered the key to the sewers to investigate a plague of monsters. If you complain that you are 'loath to enter the sewers,' it is foisted on you anyway. Likewise, when you attend a meeting near the start and tell Lord British that you have some business to attend to first, the meeting continues regardless.
* Lampshaded in an Easter egg at the beginning of ''[[
* ''[[
* The obscure [[Game Boy]] RPG ''Great Greed'' has a scene in which a bad guy [[We Can Rule Together|asks you to join their side]]. If you say "yes" you get a [[Fission Mailed|fake Nonstandard Game Over]] - your NPC ally [[Cutscene Power to
* In ''[[Paper Mario (
** ''[[
** It also plays with it near the end of the game. {{spoiler|At one point, the shapeshifting villainess Mimi disguises herself as Merlon and tells you to hit a box, in a way that's an obvious trap. If you try to avoid it by talking to her, instead of just repeating a single response, she has a variety of responses -- including direct [[Lampshade Hanging]] in the form of mention of hypothetical [[Event Flag|flags]] that can prevent you from doing what you want unless you trigger them.}}
** Inverted later on: When {{spoiler|Dimentio offers to team up with Mario and Luigi to take down Count Bleck.}} If you answer "no" a few times like you're supposed to the game continues, but if you answer "yes" a few times - as he'll continually sweeten the pot even though you're already accepting his offer, to throw up an even bigger red flag - then he'll {{spoiler|slap a mind-control plant on your head}} and give you a [[Nonstandard Game Over]].
* Annoyingly used in ''[[
** Also used during the full moon event at {{spoiler|a love hotel}} where you are "tempted" by the Boss. To many players' amusement and/or frustration, as much as the game gives you choices to give into temptation, you cannot move on in the game unless you resist in all three choices presented to you.
** Another blatant example is when you do not join one of the athletic clubs when they are first available. On 5/27, your composition teacher will confront the protagonist and But Thou Must him into joining the club. This was implemented most likely so you would not miss your chance to open the Star social link, but most get pretty pissed when you have to waste an entire week for sports training, for a tournament you ''can't even win''.
** Really, the whole game is one big But Thou Must, thanks to the contract the game makes you sign at the beginning. "I chooseth this fate of mine own free will" my foot.
** On the New Year you can choose {{spoiler|to kill Ryoji}} and receive a [[Nonstandard Game Over]], but that's really cold comfort.
* ''[[
* ''[[Suikoden]]'' loves these, forcing you to pick the answer it wants again and again. Early on in one game, for example, you're asked if you want to carve a symbol on a rock, and if you answer that you don't, the other character just says "Sure you do! C'mon!" and you do it anyway. More frequently, the character asking something will give a verbose explanation of why you should say yes, then ask again, repeating a rotation of 3 or 4 explanations for as long as you keep refusing.
** It's subverted in the sequel, ''[[Suikoden II]]'', however -- two of the [[108]] warriors can only be recruited by saying 'No' to the same question three times in a row...
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** In ''[[Suikoden V]]'', early on you are given the option to fight as the loyal opposition in the name of the Queen or declare yourself King (an unheard of act in Falena). Choosing the latter results in a [[Nonstandard Game Over]] that tells you that you were assassinated some months later, complete with your little sister lamenting how damn stupid you were for letting yourself be manipulated into that choice.
** Later in ''[[Suikoden V]]'', an overwhelming enemy force marches on your castle. You have the option of either abandoning the castle and letting them take it, or drawing the line and taking a stand. If you choose to take a stand, several of your most experienced generals and advisers try to talk you out of it, one after another -- but if you keep insisting, they actually all fall in line, and you face the enemy head-on. A very difficult battle ensues, in which at least one of your companions ''will'' die. {{spoiler|Conversely, abandoning the castle instead will lead to a smashing victory for your side, as falling back turns out to have been part of your strategist's [[Xanatos Gambit]]. Of course, it would have been nice if [[You Didn't Ask|she'd told you that...]]}}
* A strange version of this can be found towards the end of ''[[
* Shortly before ''[[
** And again in ''[[
** When Jeff shows up in Threed in ''[[
** In the beginning of ''[[
** In ''[[
** Kumatora But Thou Must's you into taking a shower in ''[[
** Also in ''[[
* If you leave one of the towns in ''[[
** Storyline-wise, this is likely because the north exit is more ''northwest'', and thus visually leads to the next area, when you're supposed to go back to the game's first town at this point. Gameplay-wise, it doesn't matter, as any area exit just takes you back to the world map, which is why your party stopping you looks so ridiculous.
** Another example from this game: You return from the Sunken Ship with a brand new star. However, as you enter Seaside Town, the minions of Yaridovich demand the star or else they will harm the villagers. Say no and they'll send a minion to tickle the mayor. Say no again and they'll send two minions. Again and they'll send three. Then four. Then again four until you finally surrender your star.
*** This has the added effect of reducing the reward you receive later every time you choose no.
* Before ''[[
* In ''[[
** Which is kinda weird since after answering all the questions 'properly', the inner voice explains to you why your answers DO mean that you want the power, and you get punished accordingly. So why not let the player admit he wants power, and punish him for it like how it happens anyway?
* Subverted in the obscure NES RPG ''Destiny of an Emperor'' (based on the ''[[
** Early in the game, the dying Emperor Tao Qian asks Liu Bei to become his successor, and if you say no, he asks you to reconsider until you say yes. The justification is that ''Destiny of an Emperor'' is based (loosely) on actual history, and this is pretty much exactly what happened in real life. Liu Bei refused the crown the first two times Tao Qian asked him.
*** Just for the record, this is actually considered common courtesy in China. If someone offers you something valuable, you should refuse the first two times. If he offers it a third time, you may accept it; if not, he did not truly want to offer it and it would be wrong to accept.
* In ''[[
* Avoided in ''[[
** In an interesting inversion, when Nikki the rock star joins you, he offers to play you a song, and you get to choose one of several ways to tell him "no".
** In the earliest case where Kid (the female protagonist and hero's love interest - [[First Girl Wins]] be (jarringly) damned even though the first girl is the childhood friend and girlfriend of the hero) tries to join up with you in what seems to be a [[But Thou Must!]] sequence, repeated refusal will cause her to not join up with you and you will get a different party member instead. Because Kid will then join your party shortly after anyway, unless you pointlessly refuse this time and because that extra character (amusingly, the parallel world version of said first girl) who would join your party is otherwise [[Lost Forever]], you're actually better off for refusing the first time it looks like thou must.
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** You can turn down all quests in ''Daggerfall'' after reading the preamble to it. You can even turn down the main quests, and lock yourself out of the plot.
** In ''Skyrim'', in order to progress with the Companions and Thieves Guild questline you have to {{spoiler|become a werewolf}} and {{spoiler|sign your soul away to Nocturnal}} and later {{spoiler|return the Skeleton Key}} respectively, despite the former being worded to sound like it's optional.
* In order to acquire the [[Summon Magic|Guardian Force]] Bahamut in ''[[
** However, the question itself is a kind of [[Lampshade Hanging]] on the concept. The question is, pretty much:" "Why do you fight?" To protect/none of your business/{{spoiler|It's our nature. We must.}}
* A minor variation on this pops up in ''[[Ultima III|Ultima: Exodus]]'' for NES. There's an NPC in the starter town that asks "I am Sherry. Think me beautiful?". Initially, saying Yes will generate "Thank you. Next time bring some flowers" (a big hint for later) and saying No will... repeat the question. You can keep this up indefinitely, saying No. However, when you then say Yes, she responds with "Flattery will get you nowhere".
* The Japanese Famicom game ''Doraemon - Giga Zombie no Gyakushuu'' begins with Doraemon asking the player character to help him find the rest of his lost crew and save the world from the game's [[Big Bad]] in what seems like a standard [[But Thou Must!]]. If you say no multiple times, however, Doraemon finally takes the hint, and walks off crying in a [[Nonstandard Game Over]]. We hope you're satisfied. [[You Bastard|Jerk.]]
* ''[[Lunar:
{{quote| "I'm tellin' ya, you're not going to make any progress until you forgive me. You might as well get it over with and get on with this game... I can wait a lot longer than you can, believe me..."}}
* If you talk to Yai at the beginning of ''[[
* In the original ''[[
** In ''[[
*** Amusingly, you can actually deposit your money in the bank, then come back and talk to your friend. He will But Thou Must your money - except that you won't lose anything.
* ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh!
{{quote| '''Ishizu Ishtar''': The god cards must be sealed away, this time forever.<br />
'''Ishizu Ishtar''': So that this crisis is never again repeated...<br />
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* ''[[.hack]]'' brings us the big hulking green freak Piros. The people who designed the first four games must like this guy. He drags you on two quests per game. Half of which are caused by his ineptitude and gullibility. This guy is seriously annoying but the story will NOT progress until you clean up his messes. Because Kite has nothing better to do....... besides saving coma victims.
** Piros makes FAR more sense when you realize that he's the [[Author Avatar]] of Hiroshi Matsuyama, the president of CyberConnect2 and the director of the .hack series. Not only is Piros literally Hiroshi in the game universe (ie, the "graphics designer" who plays Piros' character is Hiroshi Matsuyama), but the real Hiroshi even sings his theme song in the GU games.
* In ''[[
** Also in ''Ruby and Sapphire'', there is an old lady who lives in a house in between Mauville City and Fallabor Town. She will offer to let you rest in her house and heal your Pokémon. If you say Yes, your Pokémon are healed, and she then goes on to say "Oh, dear, dear. Are your Pokémon still tired? You should take another rest here. That's a fine idea. You should do that." Saying Yes will cause her to heal your Pokémon again and loop this message until you refuse, making this a But Thou Mustn't.
*** That lady or her twin also pops up in ''[[Pokémon Diamond and Pearl]]''/ Platinum, just outside Stark Mountain, and the same scenario ensues.
** In what can only be a [[Lampshade Hanging]], there's someone in Pacifidlog Town that you can answer Yes or No to... when they ask ''where you're from''. For the record, if you say Yes, the NPC remarks that he's never heard of "Yes Town", and if you say No, he says that you have to come from somewhere....
** Spoofed in ''[[
** Also spoofed in ''Platinum''. Buck asks the player to investigate Stark Mountain because something funny is going on - if the player responds with "No", Buck says "I'll just keep asking until you say yes!" and then repeats the question.
** In the beginning of ''[[
** Subverted in another incident in the same game/s, where one trainer in Cianwood City who gives you a Shuckle to hold onto temporarily will not keep on asking for it back if you refuse to give it back to him. He will, however, tell you that [[What the Hell, Player?|what you're doing is akin to stealing.]]
** At the beginning of ''[[
* In the "Bidoof's Wish" episode of ''[[
** Even better later when Chimecho lampshades this. After Spinda's Cafe opens, Chimecho approaches you and asks if you will let your party members wait for you in the cafe instead of at the crossroads. If you answer no, Chimecho laughs at you for choosing it, claiming you did it just to see how she would respond, because whenever you pick "no", you eventually have to pick "yes" anyway, and the result is always the same.
** In ''Explorers of Time/Darkness'', when returning to the pit leading to the lair of the "grand master of all things bad", after having already fallen in and escaped/lost once, the partner suggests walking ''around'' the pit this time, when Wigglytuff runs up and pushes them into the pit, effectively But Thou Musting the team into fighting the grand master.
*** To add to that, you're only allowed to bring yourself and your partner into Mystifying Forest. If you try to bring other teammates, your partner suggests going as a pair, but the game doesn't give you a chance to say yes or no. In other words, your character automatically says "yes".
* ''[[
** In ''[[Pokémon Colosseum
* ''[[Alpha Protocol]]'' was designed around avoiding this trope as much as possible, to the point where Obsidian Entertainment [http://blip.tv/file/3491456/ put on a presentation at PAX] specifically named after the ''[[
** ....And it's then played utterly straight when you meet Madison, even if you're playing an utterly paranoid character, you have to take her back to your safehouse to keep her...er, safe
* In ''[[
** Kinda ironic, when you consider that if you want to save both {{spoiler|Miss Mari and Keisuke}} you have to give the bag to Kaido, NOT Miss Mari. If you give her the bag either {{spoiler|Kaido will not come to help you save Mari and will kill Keisuke before you can rescue him or if you save Keisuke, Mari will have to fight Kudlak alone, and will die just when the party reaches her.}} Thus you shouldn't even TALK with Miss Mari if you want to avoid both [[Player Punch|player punches.]] However, this game usually averts this trope quite well, although the results are usually [[Nice Job Breaking It, Hero|not pretty.]]
** Whenever a [[Info Dump|plot-important concept]] comes up, you're usually asked if you understand. In some instances, however, it doesn't matter how you respond -- Yuzu will protest and insist they repeat the information, simplifying it even further if possible.
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*** There's more. There's also the sea creature in the sea in the final map who gives you the same proposal as the T-Rex and the bird chief where you can join him and rule the ocean or fight him. {{spoiler|as with the other two, however, you rule the ocean with him through fear and might, but then he is caught by fishermen and left you to your own imminent doom without him. You're then force to re-encounter him and fight him without the question}}. The fourth instance of this also includes a bonus {{spoiler|if you are able to fly either as a bird or past-evolving into a flying creature, you can attack the aliens hiding in the skies. They will beg you to spare them. If you don't, the ship will explode, causing all the aliens to fly out of their ship and toward their deaths way down below. If you accept to spare them, however, they are grateful and take you with them to Mars. This is a rare subversion, however, because they promptly bring you back to Earth and you can then continue on the next level normally.}}
* In ''[[Metal Saga]]'', the very first question asked of your character, "Do you want to be a mechanic?", can actually end the game about two minutes after it started.
* At the beginning of ''[[
* A party member in ''[[
** ...then turned on its head when you complete the quest and are given the option of dropping her like she's hot.
** Done again in the PSP port, ''Second Evolution'', with the new character Welch. You are given three options, two of which are "yes" and one of which is "something's not right". The last will lead to the main character [[Lampshading]] the fact that [[Breaking the Fourth Wall|the menu is stacked against them]], and then the menu comes right back up again.
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* In ''[[Phantasy Star IV]]'', {{spoiler|when Chaz is given the choice of whether or not he wishes to learn Megid. If you say Yes, Re-Faze kills him; you have to say No to both stay alive and learn it.}}
* Averted entirely by Canopus in the original ''[[Ogre Battle]]''; when asked what you're fighting for, the [[Player Character]] is offered first one option with a yes/no dialogue, then (upon saying 'no') a second option, and finally a third, at which point, if the Player ''still'' says 'no,' {{spoiler|Canopus erupts in fury, saying that you're just barbarians fighting with no cause, your [[Karma Meter]] takes a big hit, and you can't ever get either Canopus or his buddy Gilbert to fight for you.}}
* ''[[
** There is a more straight forward example at the beginning of the game where Jenna will get pissed if you say no and will keep asking until you say yes.
** ''[[
** ''Dark Dawn'' adds emotion-based replies, which effectively work the same way, but also plays with and parodies the principle a lot more: having the [[Femme Fatale]] villain ask [[Double Entendre|if she's tempted you]] and [[Evil Is Sexy|not accept "no" answers]], or beginning a quest with this lovely dialogue:
{{quote| "Why are we doing this again?"<br />
"[[Lampshade Hanging|Because Matthew can be talked into anything.]]" }}
** Of course, ''Dark Dawn'' also takes this approach to baiting you with the option of skipping the tutorials, like you could in ''The Lost Age'', and then going "juuuuuuust kidding! [[Forced Tutorial|Here's the tutorial anyway!]]" And one wonders why the fans are peeved.
* ''[[
* ''[[
* In ''[[Mass Effect 2]]'' 's "Arrival" DLC, Shepard can ask Admiral Hackett why s/he can't take squadmates (up to and including a master thief that can practically hide in broad daylight and an expert assassin who has incredible speed and silent movement) on the covert mission to rescue Amanda Kenson, but Hackett simply responds with a statement that "if the Batarians notice, they'll kill her". Shepard has no choice but to comply, setting up his/her eventual capture on the asteroid.
** Let's not forget how you are forced to join the supremacist, terrorist group that possibly wiped out your whole unit in [[ME 1]].
** Right at the beginning of [[ME 1]], Renegade!Shepard can try to refuse to allow Ashley on his/her crew, but Anderson points out that he's still in charge and he wants her along. You don't get the option to dismiss Ashley later.
** Returns in ''[[
* In short, '''ridiculously common''' in RPGs. Illustrated with [http://i.imgur.com/bFeoW.jpg this handy flowchart].
== Simulation Games ==
* In ''[[
** Subverted at one point during the final mission. [[The Lancer]] (of the comedic variety) needs to stop to use the restroom in the post-apocalyptic [[Circus of Fear|ruins of a theme park]] overrun by an evil syndicate and begs that [[The Hero]] accompany him. [[The Lancer]] will continue to beg if the player refuses, but eventually gives up and goes on his own if the player continues choosing not to follow. There is no penalty for choosing not to follow, apart from missing the opportunity to earn a few non-notable Robo parts from a battle in the restroom.
** ''Arena'' has this too, right ''smack'' at the beginning of the game, and a few other times to boot. I read somewhere else that one of them is a subversion, though, but haven't tested it. It goes like this: Your school's ''weakest'' Custom Robo team, Team Numero Uno, is getting attacked/played with by the Grapple Gang (the school's strongest team). Your options? ''Join the weak team''. And given this takes place in a courtyard, there's massive [[Dronejam]] involved in this.
* In ''[[
** In ''Harvest Moon: More Friends of Mineral Town'', you can tell the mayor at the beginning that you don't want the farm, and get the Game Over. This is actually the only way to end the game.
** A similar event happens in ''Harvest Moon 3 GBC'', where the premise is that the farm is to be turned into a theme park. If you refuse to take the farm, a cutscene occurs where you read a newspaper article about how the farm was turned into a theme park along with a game over.
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*** Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland to the list. You're asked if you want to help... err, save the land. You CAN say no, which causes them to repeat the question several times. After enough "no"s, you collect your grandpa's stuff and leave.
*** Harvest moon: More friends of mineral town does this too. In the beginning, you buy a farm that you think is in good condition, while it's truly quite terrible. Mayor Thomas asks you if you want to stay. Saying no ends the game.
* In ''[[Wing Commander (
** In the ancient days of the [[UseNet]] group alt.games.wing-commander, there was a fan who posted a fake rumor about a seventh CD that allowed you to continue on with Confed. However, it wasn't much more than further convincing the player (or reader, in this case) that Confed was on the wrong side, concluding with a scene of bedraggled prisoners after they won a war against the UBW filing past Blair, with suggestions of some of them being UBW personnel seen elsewhere in the game.
* In ''[[Rune Factory]]'', Mist offers to let you work her farmland. You can answer, "No, I really can't do that", to which she answers, "No, I insist. You helped me out, and I want to do something for you too." Cue endless loop.
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== Sports Games ==
* ''[[
{{quote| '''HEADMASTER''': Will you ever forgive me?<br />
Choose No<br />
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** There is such a massive number of these pointless choices, it makes you wonder why they did it.
** The sequel game on the Gameboy Advance, ''Mario Tennis Power Tour'', gives you a good number of them as well; however you can choose an alternate answer and they will say something different instead of repeating forever like the original. Despite that, there's basically still no point to choosing an option as it doesn't change anything other than the sentence right afterward.
* ''[[
== Stealth-based Games ==
* In ''[[
** This is especially silly considering that in the previous game, Snake beat him to death (well, [[Not Quite Dead|almost death]]). But it wouldn't be ''Metal Gear'' without that lovely Kojima-logic.
*** After killing Gray Fox the first time, Snake had snapped and gone to live in one of the most miserable places on Earth so he could be alone, and so presumably has learned [[And That's Terrible|that killing your best friend isn't very nice]]. It's fair to guess Snake wasn't going to waste his second chance by killing his best friend ''again''.
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== Tabletop Game Adaptations ==
* There was an interesting inversion in ''[[Vampire: The Masquerade Redemption]]''. In one scene, the character giving out the quest keeps delivering "but thou must ''not''" lines for a goodly long while, and the fastest way to get on with the damn quest is to agree to not go.
* In ''[[
** Which is incredibly ''sporting'' of the Prince by ''[[
** This makes it much more enjoyable when, in the good Camarilla ending, he orders you to {{spoiler|give him the key to the Sarcophagus}}, and you resist it--causing him to fall to his knees and sob. ({{spoiler|Of course, if he knew what was in it, he wouldn't want the key.}})
** At one point you encounter a female vampire who's part of a doomsday cult spreading a disease, and she suggests you join the good cause. If your [[Karma Meter|humanity rating]] is low enough, you can actually express a desire to join... but she will respond as though you turned her down. In fact, you can insist several times you want to help them spread the plague to no avail, ending with a fight. Somewhat justified, considering she is an utter loon. Even [[Mad Hatter|Malkavians]] consider the cult members to be crazy by comparison.
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== Text Adventure ==
* Subverted in the [[Infocom]] text game ''[[The
{{quote| '''>Aft'''<br />
''The entrance leads to the Infinite Improbability Drive chamber. It's supposed to be a terribly dangerous area of the ship. Are you sure you want to go in there?''<br />
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== Third-Person Shooter ==
* In ''[[Gun (
== Turn-based Strategy ==
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** This game also has what seems to be a tongue-in-cheek reference to the [[Trope Namer]]. The king asks you to go find a historian -- a simple enough task for our [[Kid Hero]], which the king is quick to point out. If you refuse, the king's [[Evil Chancellor|probably non-evil minister]] chastises you for refusing your king's wish, and His Royal Crybaby asks, somewhat petulantly (and with weird grammar), "Does thou love me?" If you say 'no' again, the king pouts and whines, [[But Thou Must!|"...but thou must!"]]
* In ''[[Shining Force]]'', The [[Card-Carrying Villain]] boss Balbazak pleads for you to spare his life. Any response to the contrary presents the same question. When you inevitably decide to spare his life {{spoiler|the apparently omnipresent Darksol kills him out of nowhere anyway}}.
* In ''[[
== Visual Novel ==
* Used straight in ''[[
* ''[[Yo
* [[Katawa Shoujo]] has a few examples of decisions that lead you on a path to a bad ending in the first act.
** If you {{spoiler|decide not to tell Lilly that you have arrythmia}}, you will get the bad ending.
** If you make the wrong decision in {{spoiler|"Slow Recovery" or" "Home Field Advantage"}}, you will get the bad ending. This is also a case in which there is no wrong answer to choose, as {{spoiler|unlike the above choice, you do not have the option to say you have arrhythmia}}.
* In [[Don't
* In [[Rewrite (
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* ''[[College Saga]]'', a live-action spoof of ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' tropes that you can find [http://youtube.com/watch?v=wwLrgxtALWs here] on [[YouTube]], uses this when [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwLrgxtALWs#t=03m41s the main character sits down for a class] and is immediately asked "[[Trauma Inn|Sleep?]] Yes/No". He selects "No" a couple times, but it keeps popping back up...
** [[Truth in Television]], as anybody who has taken a college class can attest.
* While obviously a videogame trope, it is used in the first episode of the ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Abridged Series
== Western Animation ==
* In one episode of ''[[
{{quote| "And behind door number two is ... Door number one!" Three guesses what was behind door number three.}}
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== Action Adventure Games ==
* Most of the ''Zelda'' games use it, such as the Great Deku Tree asking for Link's help at the beginning of ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
{{quote| '''[[Nintendo Capri Sun]]''': If you say no, it's a "But Thou Must".}}
** Also, when talking to Zelda the first time, she will make a comment if you say "no." Like when she asks you to not tell anyone, if you say no, she says "Don't be a blabbermouth" and asks again.
* Subverted in ''[[
** At one point, you are asked if you want to escape (and view the worst ending). You can say "yes", but you can still move on and pursue the best ending anyway.
* ''[[Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles]]'' offers only these in its ''[[Echoes of Time]]'' spin off. Your choice of response typically only changes the very next sentence in the conversion, if that. One conversation is especially bad, and gives you the following options: "Let's hear a song", "Let's hear a song", "Let's hear a song", and "Let's hear a song".
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== Adventure Games ==
* Played with in ''[[
** Played with elsewhere in the ''[[Monkey Island]]'' series as well, generally speaking as a short gag (but considering the linear path of these games, which don't even let you die no matter how bad you screw up, you might say the whole game is nothing but a series of "But thou must!" moments). For example, the first game has a moment where your ship's crew has decided to skip out on their duties and instead sunbathe on the deck of your ship. If you threaten them, one of them responds, "Guybrush, does the word 'keelhaul' mean anything to you?" You have two possible responses...both of which result in him using the first one, "I see your point, thanks." (In fairness, "To drag under the keel of a ship as punishment or torture" probably wouldn't accomplish much.)
** In ''Curse of Monkey Island'', Guybrush is asked if he has a girlfriend. Selecting the three "yes" answers results in a normal voiceover read: selecting "no" results in a cheerful "You bet!"
** In ''Escape from Monkey Island'', you reach a point on an island where a stern man with a large cannon is drilling Guybrush, asking for his name and what he's doing. Although multiple smart-mouthed options are available, Guybrush always replies truthfully, with a nervous stammer.
* ''[[Time Hollow]]'' is unusual in that every question you face in it has a definite, factual answer, but there's no penalty for getting anything wrong. The worst that happens is that the questioner chides your stupidity or you have to try again. The only time you have to be right on the money is when you're going for the special playthrough and ending (which is a piece of cake).
* In the final case of ''[[Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
** In the final case of ''[[
* At the beginning of the graphical adventure ''[[Starship Titanic]]'', the robot Fentible asks whether you will help repair the crashed starship. Answer anything besides "yes", and Fentible replies "An odd way to spell it, but that will do. You won't regret it."
== Anime and Manga ==
* In ''[[
== Edutainment Games ==
* ''[[
{{quote| Can you see a cave?<br />
''> No''<br />
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* Early on in ''[[Sonic Battle]]'', the player is asked to give up some [[MacGuffin]] robot and is given a 'yes/no' prompt. Choosing "Yes" nets the response:
{{quote| You didn't really think I would just say "Yes," did you?}}
* In ''[[
== First-Person Shooter ==
* In ''[[
** In a particularly egregious example when you are given the mission of {{spoiler|killing your own brother}}, if you try to actually do so {{spoiler|he '''ignores being repeatedly shot''' and just says "stop kidding around, J.C.}}.
** And later in that mission, the game makes an invincible enemy and removes your escape chopper, forcing your "death". Though, to be fair, it does give you the option of surrendering.
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*** It's even possible to do so without cheating: {{spoiler|Gunther}} and his soldiers are neutral until a second after your conversation with him ends (or you get past their line), so you lure him down while staying out of his "conversation range" and then go back. You're still walled in by big metal boxes and military bots, but you can peacefully get past the boxes with microfibial muscle or speed enhancement, at which point the soldiers will attack you anyway.
*** Without even exploiting glitches: {{spoiler|By this point, you've been given more than enough thermoptic camo to escape from that area without difficulty - if you [[Too Awesome to Use|brought it along]].}}
** And even later, before going to the [[Ancient Conspiracy]]'s headquarters, you're given two dialogue options, both of which result in you getting [[Tap
* The sequel, ''[[Deus Ex: Invisible War
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== Party Games ==
* ''[[
== Platformers ==
* ''Blue's Journey'' (an obscure Neo Geo platformer) has no fewer than three instances where you're given two options and it's plainly obvious which one you're supposed to pick. If you make the wrong choice, you'll see the disastrous consequences, and even "The End"... a few seconds before "Do you believe it?" creeps across the bottom of the screen and the game continues as if you'd made the right choice.
* In ''[[
* In ''[[
{{quote| '''Ford:''' ([[Dope Slap]]) How 'bout now? }}
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== Role Playing Games ==
* The ''[[
** ...Except for one of the first times in the game, where you are asked to embark on the quest or not. You can refuse, but the game then [[Nonstandard Game Over|immediately ends]]. (The CRPG ''The Magic Candle'' does this too.)
** ...and after finishing one of the sidequests, at which point the main character is offered a lift back to the city from which the plothook originated. It takes five or six tries, but the well-meaning [[NPC|NPCs]] can be convinced to let the party walk back.
** Also, when the first Djinni Flint comes to add his powers to yours, he asks if you will take him with you. You can of course say no, which makes the But Thou Must start. But after answering no sufficient times, he'll suddenly say "But I'll come with you anyway" and join.
** The second game parodies this with an additional scene if you answer "no" to every such question at least once up until you reach Lemuria, the resident ancient civilization, in form of [[The Philosopher]] Kraden going into a longwinded rant about you not taking your quest seriously and entering Lemuria on his own if he has to regardless of what you think about it.
* ''[[
* ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' games, all of them.
** In ''[[
** In the Timber section of ''[[
*** There's also the interrogation scene at the D-District Prison, during which Squall has a choice between lying in order to stay alive and ''taunting the angry guy controlling the lever to electrocute you.'' Despite the [[Violation of Common Sense]] implicit in the latter, it is the "correct" choice and results shortly thereafter in a reward, but aside from that the decision has no real effect on the course of the game.
* ''[[
** In one of the first decisions, Lloyd, upon being told to stay behind when Kratos offers to accompany Colette into the Martel Temple, can either say "What did you say?", which prompts an argument with Kratos until Colette intercedes on his behalf, or "Gotcha", which seemingly implies agreement with Kratos, but leads to Lloyd promising to follow Kratos in on his own, at which point Kratos reluctantly allows him to follow. In most other cases, Lloyd's choices are not as diametrically opposed (such as deciding to let Regal and Presea stay, or consulting the others), or result in other party members overruling him.
** This trope also applies to certain unwinnable boss fights--you theoretically ''shouldn't'' be able to win these fights, though if you are sufficiently leveled to beat the [[Big Bad]] early on, the fight will simply fade to black somewhere in the middle. You can't beat {{spoiler|Yggdrasil}} until the end!
* The ''[[
* The ''[[Paper Mario (
** In the first game, after defeating Lakilester, his girlfriend Lakilulu will ask you to spare his life. Refusing will cause her to get mad, throw an attack at you, and ask you again. There's also the "Let there be hot dogs!" option in the second game.
* ''[[
** The best such scene is during the standard ending. {{spoiler|The princess clearly doesn't want to marry [[Gonk|Prince Charmles]], instead hoping to run off with the main character. When she asks if you'll elope with her, choosing "no" results in her weeping over the decision, her father getting comically irate, and the question posed once again to the player.}}
** Played with a bit in three. You can refuse to see the king at the very beginning of the game, and you can even lie having done so to your mother. However, your [[Personality Powers]] is changed to "Stubborn".
* In ''[[
** There are many different choices in the end, but the expansion assumes that the main character is still a Grey Warden. Alternatively, a new character replaces her or him.
*** Justified in that whatever a Grey Warden does with their life while there's no Darkspawn threat, they always remain Wardens and must always be ready to fight as one again.
** Mage Wardens have to deal with a number of these. At the beginning of the game, you are told that all circle mages have two choices; to be tested against a demon in the Harrowing, or give up their magic and emotions by being made Tranquil. Even merely asking about Tranquility causes Irving to cut you off, say that is no option at all, and put you into the Harrowing barely letting you get a word in edgewise.
** Later in the game, when the tower is {{spoiler|[[Doomed Hometown|overrun by Abominations]]}}, Uldred offers your mage the chance to [[We Can Rule Together|join him.]] The options are (roughly): no, I don't think so, and hell no.
* In ''[[
* ''[[Fallout]] 3'' forces a choice on the player at the conclusion of the main quest that ends the game either way - see its entry under [[Stupidity Is the Only Option]]. Bethesda fortunately fixed it in the DLC ''Broken Steel''. They still tell you that whoever enters the chamber will die, but even if you choose to sacrifice yourself they manage to miraculously pull you out before you die.
* ''[[
** The MC Tusk situation is actually a slight inversion, in that you can actually skip the entire Uparupa sequence if you have that ridiculous sum of money. In most RPGs, such monetary offers usually exceed the player's maximum gold-carrying capacity, forcing you to follow the alternative path (in this case, catching the Uparupa), thus creating a financially-driven [[But Thou Must!]]. However, through cheats or ridiculous diligence, it's entirely possible to have 900,000 Zenny to give to MC Tusk, so that you can avoid the Uparupa cave altogether.
* ''[[Suikoden Tierkreis]]'' uses this over and over, typically as a choice between "Yes, I know what to do" and "No, please tell me what to do" with you doing the same thing either way. Then, ''very'' far into the game, it subverts this with a default answer that [[Kill'Em All|kills the entire cast]] if chosen, with no indication this choice is any different from the others. Here's hoping you were roleplaying rather than just skipping through the conversations to get to the combat.
* ''[[Blue Dragon]]'' is full of these. You'll be asked "Do (plot required action)?" The correct answer is "yes". The characters will always just do it anyway or ask again until you answer yes.
* In the fourth part of the ''[[
** Later in ''[[The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim
* In ''[[
** Also, even when Shepard does say something different, it doesn't really matter, especially when choosing to take new party members, specifically Tali, Ashley, and Liara. For Tali, you can choose to tell her she can't come, but Ambassador Udina will pull rank and force you to. For Ashley, you can try to kick her off the crew, but Anderson will pull rank and force you to keep her. For Liara, you can also tell her no, to which Garrus will force you to keep her, even though you outrank him; there is no further options to challenge him and you are forced to take her into your group. Though Liara does end up helping you find {{spoiler|where the [[Big Bad]] is headed}}, there was no real reason to force you to take Tali, not even within the story, given the anti-alien philosophy Udina believes, nor was there a reason to take Ashley, especially once Shepard takes control of the Normandy.
** Although many conversations do play this completely straight, it is averted just as often. Especially with the Charm and Intimidate options which can completely change the outcome of an event, even to the point of preventing a party member from {{spoiler|being [[Killed Off for Real]]}} or {{spoiler|skipping the fight with the first form of the [[Final Boss]]}}.
*** On the other hand, Charm/Intimidate options are only available if you have enough Paragon/Renegade skill points. If you don't, these special options are disabled, and the enabled "regular" options usually all have the same effect.
* In ''[[
* In ''[[
* At the end of the game in ''[[Fable II]]'', Lucien, the Big Bad, will go off on a monologue. You have the option to shoot him, but if you don't, Reaver will shoot him for you and say, "Oh, I thought he'd never shut up. I'm sorry, did you want to kill him?"
* In ''[[Legend of Legaia
* Similar to the above example for ''[[
* ''[[Okage]]: Shadow King'' offers three responses to every question in the game, each of which falls under a different type of personality (which basically boil down to agreeable, disbelieving and sarcastic) which don't impact the plot, but cause different responses from whoever is talking to you. Answering most questions sarcastically will also net you a rare item late in the game.
** While in most instances it's just a case of the other party completely bulldozing your objections and going on ahead, Marlene actually traps you in a dialogue loop that won't end until you make the correct choices: yes, you have a music box. No, you're not giving it to Stan.
** One of the central jokes in ''Okage'' is that Ari, the main character, is overshadowed by everyone around him. The player is frequently given dialogue options, however, because Ari is so easily overshadowed, nobody actually listens to your opinion.
* This actually happens in the fourth ''[[
** The same happened in the first game. No matter how hard you tried to arrange it otherwise, Roddick and Millie were going to end up together.
* ''[[
* ''[[
* There's a scene in ''[[
** Also, when Alder, the Champion, tries to give you the Light Stone or Dark Stone, you are given a Yes or No option. If you refuse, he worries about you letting N fulfill his plans for a new world. If you still refuse, he'll say, "Still, I must ask you... Sincerely, I must ask you... Take this stone. Just in case it's needed!" until you say "Yes". In that case, what he says is a bit different from what he says if you just say yes the first or second time.
** Another example is in the Pokémon Theater in Nimbasa City. If you go in there with Bianca, the Musical director will give you a prop case and force you to pick a Pokémon to dress up. No matter how many times you try to exit out without choosing a Pokémon, he'll keep saying something along the lines of "No, don't be like that, I won't take no for an answer!".
* ''[[
== Simulation Games ==
* In ''[[
* ''[[Ace Combat 5 The Unsung War]]''. When your squadmates ask you a direct question there are three options: yes, no, and "no response". The choices don't matter (except if ever asked about a song), and the only thing that changes is the response dialogue from your squad.
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== Survival Horror ==
* ''[[
** The key word there is "reasonable". Any reasonable person in Silent Hill left a long, long time ago.
*** Except they wouldn't have a choice, as revealed in [[Silent Hill: Downpour]]; {{spoiler|When Murphy realizes he could hotwire a speedboat with missing keys, the owner outright tells him that would be [[Off the Rails|breaking the rules of the town]], and thus impossible. When he ignores that tidbit, he gets swarmed by [[Make Me Wanna Shout|Screamers]] [[Railroading|that drive him away from the boat]].}}
* In ''[[
== Visual Novels ==
* A lot of the choices in ''[[
== [[Web Comics]] ==
* [http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=1163 This] ''[[
** ''[[
* In ''[[
* In ''[[Homestuck]]'', one of the interactive sections involved Gamzee selling Jane "potions", with the reader having the option of "Yes" or "No" for each potion. Clicking "No" means that Gamzee either keeps pestering her until she changes her mind, or gives it to her as a free sample and then charges her for it anyway.
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== Wide Open Sandbox ==
* Upon completing the final mission of ''[[
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== Action Adventure Games ==
* In ''[[The Legend of Zelda:
** ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
** ''[[The Legend of Zelda:
** Happens a few times in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
** In ''[[The Legend of Zelda:
** In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
*** [[Tropes Are Tools|And it is]] [[Heartwarming Moments|incredibly heartwarming]].
* In ''[[Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time
* In early versions of ''[[
* ''[[
== Adventure Games ==
* Parodied in ''[[Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
* In ''[[
** Similarly, when the Voodoo Priestess asks if you want to see pictures of the kids, all of the options are variants of "Dear God, no", but Guybrush will politely say "perhaps another time."
* ''[[Hotel Dusk: Room 215]]'' contains the only example I have experienced of a But Thou Must Not - during Chapter 6, Iris (resident stuck-up rich girl) asks if you want to drink with her. You receive two options, both of which involve turning her down (since Kyle and Iris don't exactly see eye-to-eye).
** In addition, like the game ''Trace Memory'' by the same maker before it, the main character does a mini-review at the end of each chapter. Getting the wrong answer doesn't have any impact, but lets you pick again. This makes some sense as it's purely a way for the player to freshen up on the facts in case it's been awhile since they've played.
** In a complete aversion of the trope, nearly all the conversations that can be had with various people can have the wrong answers chosen resulting in at least changing how they interact with you in the future, or at worst a Game Over. And in many cases, it isn't at all obvious which the "correct" answers are and it actually takes thinking like the main character.
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*** Yes
*** Yes
* In ''[[Beyond Good
* In one Newgrounds game in which the player plays the role of a thug, the player is given the opportunity to sleep with a prostitute, and is told that the "no" option is disabled.
== Board Games ==
* [[Chess
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== First Person Shooter ==
* ''[[
* Kind of lampshaded in ''[[
** This was also a nod towards the [[But Thou Must!]] ending of the original ''Half-Life'', where G-Man gives you a choice between working for him, or a certain death. Perhaps he is in fact aware of all the assorted Freemans (''Freemen'', [[Irony|hah]]) that ''did'' prefer to go up against an army of Alien Grunts armed with nothing more than [[Heroic Mime|dead silence]].
* In ''[[The Darkness]]'', a variation of this occurs: After finishing the [[Anticlimax Boss|"boss fight"]] with Uncle Paulie, despite The Darkness ''repeatedly'' saying that if Jackie kills Paulie, he'll lose his mind and soul to The Darkness forever, you absolutely ''have'' to finish him off. The door is suddenly locked for no obvious reason, and if you delay to try to let him get away, he instead grabs a hidden gun and starts shooting, forcing the issue.
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''And if you choose the only choice available:''<br />
'''Lorena:''' I trust your common sense. }}
* Parodied for a throwaway joke at least once in ''[[
** ''KoL'' does this quite often, in fact. The options given at the door to Felonia's chamber:
{{quote| Enter the chamber<br />
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== Platformers ==
* In ''[[
* In ''[[Super Bat Puncher]]'', when the bird asks you to help collect the spirits, your options are 'OK' and 'Fine'.
* ''[[
== Puzzle Games ==
* In ''[[
== Role Playing Games ==
* ''[[
** Also, when Mario first meets Squirps, Squirps tells him, "Your only responses should be 'Yes, sir!' and 'Gotcha!' Understand, squirkle?" It goes without saying what the available responses to that question are. <ref>[[Don't Explain the Joke|They are "Yes, sir!" and "Gotcha!"]]</ref>
** Additionally, when meeting Boomer, he tests your compatibility by asking you a bunch of questions. You're only given variations on "yes" for each question. Carrie asks questions in a similar manner, but your answers vary somewhat there; she just happens to agree with you whatever you say... making the following line of dialogue possible.
{{quote| '''Carrie:''' So you think [[Hollywood Nerd|Francis]] is an awesome irresistible guy? Basically, a stallion? Well... imagine that! You and I feel the same way about him!}}
* ''[[
** Well, a voice at any rate.
* Want to prevent a companion from joining your party in ''[[Neverwinter Nights 2]]''? Sorry, that's not an option. Not even for [[The Scrappy|Grobnar]].
* An early funny moment in ''[[Shadow Hearts]]: Covenant'' is when you arrive at Le Havre for the first time. On the way to the mayor's house, a character claiming to be a Lottery Member stops Yuri and But Thou Must's him into participating in the Lottery game. All three choices Yuri can make all equal "Yes."
* ''[[Soul Blazer]]'' does this to you at the end; when the [[Love Interest]] asks if you'll come back to see her, you can literally only say yes.
* At one point in ''[[Mario and Luigi Partners In Time
* In the third battle of ''[[Valkyrie Profile Covenant of the Plume]]'' the game won't let you move or do any commands until you use the Destiny Plume on Ancel. Even if you manage to get through the battle without it (only really possible on a [[New Game+]] using counter attacks), the game continues on as if you used it anyway.
* In ''[[
* ''[[
** This is at the end of a series of questions in a school-exam, most of the others determining the skills your character will be good at. [[Crowning Moment of Funny|Note the extremely sarcastic tone when the teacher reads this last question]].
** The entire exam has no real bearing on the game, anyway. You can choose to not take it and manually assign your upgrades, or switch the upgrades after seeing which it recommends.
* At the end of the [[X Box]] Indie RPG ''[[Breath of Death VII]],'' your undead post-apocalyptic survivors encounter {{spoiler|a scientist, who asks you to hand over the [[MacGuffin]] which will retroactively prevent the apocalypse, thereby erasing the world as you know it from existence.}} Your options are "Yes" and "Sure."
* In ''[[
* [http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/495903 Super PSTW Action RPG] is a parody of RPG clichés, so it's no surprise it includes this, with a "press space to accept the quest" option. No alternative is given. Of course, space is the only button in the game, so there are no options in the whole game.
* In ''[[Knights of the Old Republic (
* A minor example from ''[[
* ''[[
* ''[[
== Rhythm Game ==
* ''[[The Idolmaster 2
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== Visual Novels ==
* In ''[[
* In ''[[
* In Rin's path in ''[[
** This can happen in Hanako's path. If you {{spoiler|decide not to go into town with Hanako}}, then the choice of whether to {{spoiler|take Lilly's advice and give Hanako some space}}, which would normally determine whether you got the good ending or one of the bad endings, means nothing; both choices take you to the worst ending; {{spoiler|choosing to take Lilly's advice, which would get you the good ending, will result in Hisao deciding only to pretend to listen}}.
* Invoked for the sake of creepiness during Shuu's ending in ''[[Hatoful Boyfriend]]''. {{spoiler|He asks the protag's severed head if she ever loved him. There are three available dialog options, all of which just say "yes".}}
* ''[[
== Webcomic ==
* ''[[
** A friendly clown welcomes you to Land of Crypts and Helium. It seems he would like to be your guide. Will you let him be your guide? (No / Fuck No)
* [[Peachi]]: [[Persona 4
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