One-Man Army

Overview

This concept is most common in single-player action games where the player usually has a major advantage over AI-controlled enemies. In such scenarios it is possible for the player to be aided by ally AI characters or other players in co-operative play, however, for various reasons, including empowerment of the player and style of the game, the player often remains unaided as they kill vast numbers of enemies. Older games were more liable to employ this concept, due to ally AI being more primitive, and thus a potential liability for the player, and co-op play being a less common feature.

Despite often being viewed as unrealistic, it has become very widely utilised among certain types of games, such as action-adventure titles, and first-person shooters. Sci-fi, fantasy, and other games more detached from reality are more prone to employing this concept, while more realistic games such as modern military shooters are likely to make the player part of a squad or team taking on enemies.