Tricks games use to fake smart enemies, ranked by sneakiness

A tier list by abafa · filed under Gaming · published 26 September 2026

My opinion: the tricks games use to make enemies seem smarter than they are, ranked by how sneaky they are. From F.E.A.R.'s shouts that are chosen after the soldiers already decided what to do, to Alien: Isolation's behaviours that unlock over time. Explained with sources in my How Games Work videos.

S tier

  1. Shouts chosen after the fact (F.E.A.R.)
  2. Behaviours that unlock to seem like learning

A tier

  1. Only two enemies attack at once
  2. An AI Director placing enemies

B tier

  1. Every enemy gets a personality
  2. Rubber banding in races

C tier

  1. The first shot always misses

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