Press X to Not Die/Playing With

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


Basic Trope: A cutscene or cinema that requires the player to enter commands or risk Yet Another Stupid Death.

  • Straight: As Hawkeye and Nene enter a large dungeon chamber, a cinematic shows the player just how vast and impressive the room is, while Nene comments on the decor and starts explaining its cultural significance. Suddenly, a poison dart flies out, and the player has to hit the X button and dodge before it hits Hawkeye.
  • Exaggerated: Several darts fly out, forcing the player to mash a sequence of several buttons to avoid getting hit. Overlaps with Unexpected Simon Says Mini Game.
    • Up to Eleven: The entire game is a cutscene, where you must mash buttons to avoid random stuff thrown at you.
  • Juxtaposition: Money being thrown at Hawkeye requiring the player to press X to dodge the money or risk being hypnotized is a symbol for avoiding greed.
  • Justified: Hawkeye is a One-Hit-Point Wonder in a 2D Platformer, X is your jump button, and the cutscene ends with the dart launching.
  • Inverted: Press X to Die
  • Subverted: A cinema looks like it's leading up to a cheap shot attack, but nothing happens.
    • Or alternatively, Hawkeye dodges the dart regardless of whether or not you press X.
  • Double Subverted: ...Until, near the very end of the scene, the player suddenly has to hit a button to make Hawkeye dodge an assassin.
  • Parodied: A hidden trap launches a razor sharp "Press X To Not Die" sign at Hawkeye.
    • Poe's Law: Hawkeye has to press X at the right moment to do ridiculously mundane tasks, like opening a door, talking to people, sitting down, or eating. Begins to resemble a Context Sensitive Button by this point.
  • Deconstructed: The game features these constantly, at every conceivable opportunity, so that neither the player nor the character gets a moment's rest, and they become so routine they're no longer special.
  • Reconstructed: They're a crucial part of gameplay that's well implemented, and keeps you engaged even during the cinemas, rather than drifting off while the bad guy is talking again.
  • Zig Zagged: A poison dart flies at Hawkeye and he dodges it. Another dart flies at him, but it always misses UNLESS you hit X and accidentally move into its path.
  • Averted: Nene talks, the cutscene ends, and control returns to you without further issue.
  • Enforced: The programmers want to capture a sense of tension while exploring the dungeon, so they use this to keep players on their toes.
  • Lampshaded: See He Knows About Timed Hits.
  • Invoked: Hawkeye appears to be caught in a death trap with no chance of escape until he draws an X button on the screen and screams, "PRESS IT, ALREADY!"
  • Defied: A press X not to die button pops up as an axe starts to swing down on his head. Hawkeye effortlessly sidesteps the trap and shoots the button and states "I'm not putting up with this bullshit."
  • Discussed: Nene to Hawkeye - "Be careful! Sometimes in these ancient ruins just where you put your finger can make the difference between life and death!"
  • Conversed: "BITCH, THIS AIN'T A CUTSCENE! PRESS A! PRESS A!"
  • Played For Laughs: While Hawkeye is dodging and darting around, Nene keeps talking, eventually snapping "Are you even listening to me?!" ...Having somehow completely missed the dangerous acrobatics he just went through.
  • Played For Drama: If you don't press X fast enough, Nene dives in to save you and dies in your place. Hawkeye is crushed and is never able to forgive himself, resulting in a game over.

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