Video games often suffer from the same flaws that other mass media, such as movies and television do – lazy creators and need to make a quick profit mean that clichés are as common in video gaming as in Hollywood.  Here are a few video game clichés Couch and Controller can do without:

1. Crates – Every first-person shooter has a warehouse and every warehouse has crates.  What’s in the crates?  Who knows?  Just get used to seeing them, walking around them, jumping over them, and on the rare occasion, hiding inside of them.
2. Zombies – We get it.  Someone, at some point, thought zombies were cool.  Zombies are getting to the point of over-saturation similar to the vampire crisis of 2005. That resulted in Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight.  So, knock it off with the zombies already, or we’ll end up with a romance novel about a girl, a zombie, and the brains that come between them.
3. Escort Missions – Sad as it is to say, AI just hasn’t advanced to the point where escort missions are fun.  As a player on your own, you’ve been accustomed to zipping around the levels dealing death to all who oppose you.  Then, you’re chained to an arthritic sloth who can’t stop walking into walls.  No one has ever said, “Oh, an escort mission, I was hoping for one of these!”
4. Keys – So, I’m carrying 300 pounds of weapons and ammunition and I’m strong enough to take down giant killer robots.  But, that wooden door is locked, and it’s staying locked until I backtrack and find the key.
5. Stupid Mini-games – “So, I hear you’re off to save the last bastion of civilization from being overrun by a legion of slavers.  Care to play a hand or two of Caravan?”  At least that somewhat fits the environment; even worse is when you have to play a totally embarrassing mini-game, like rhythm dancing, in a game where you’re a bad-ass gangster.
6. Unskippable Cutscenes – It’s bad enough when you have to sit through 15 minutes of exposition once.  It’s criminal when you’re required to do it over and over again before a major boss battle or other situation that presents multiple opportunities to die.
7. Health Potions – Oh!  I’ve been hit!  Hey, you mind holding on for a sec while I refresh myself with a tasty beverage?  Pwah-ahhh!  That’s great.  Ok, back to the fight.
8. Vendor Trash – Firstly, I’ve always been uncomfortable with the idea of looting dead guys for their stuff.  Obviously, you’re not taking everything they have – the game doesn’t show you “picture of wife and kids” and “pocket lint” in the inventory – so, you’re only seeing the choice items.  Secondly, they never have anything good, so all you can do is drag this crap back to the nearest vendor for pennies on the dollar.