Video games, like any long-running creative medium, develop their own shared language—a collection of familiar patterns and playful expectations between creator and player. These patterns, often called tropes, are the comforting rhythms of interactive storytelling. For over four decades, one particular environmental cue has whispered a silent promise to adventurers: if you see a cascading wall of water, there's probably something worthwhile tucked behind its misty veil. Obsidian Entertainment's 2025 fantasy RPG, Avowed, doesn't just acknowledge this tradition; it warmly embraces it, weaving the classic "waterfall secret" into the very fabric of its world as both a nostalgic wink and a core tenet of its exploration philosophy.
The Timeless Allure of the Hidden Cascade
The tradition is practically ancient in video game years. While its precise origin is lost to the digital mists of time, the trope of concealing secrets behind waterfalls has been a staple since at least the 1980s. One of the earliest and most iconic mainstream examples appeared in 1986's The Legend of Zelda, where players could bravely walk through a pixelated waterfall to find a cryptic old woman offering hints for a price. That simple act—pushing against the expected boundary of the environment—created a magical sense of discovery.
From that point on, the waterfall became more than just scenery; it became a universal symbol for hidden potential. Game developers worldwide adopted it as a shorthand, a way to tell players, "Hey, look closer here." The rewards varied wildly, creating a delightful spectrum of possibilities:
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Substantial Rewards: Entire optional zones, powerful gear, or key story items.
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Playful Subversions: A joke item (like Undertale's old tutu) or a silly Easter egg.
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Meta-Commentary: References to other games or pop culture, such as the retro costume unlock in Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands.
It's a trope that, frankly, just makes the world feel more alive and mysterious. Who wouldn't check behind a waterfall? It's gaming instinct at this point.
Obsidian's Homage in Avowed
Avowed plants its flag firmly in this rich tradition. Remarkably, the lesson begins almost immediately. On the game's introductory tutorial island, players encounter a modest, picturesque waterfall. Driven by decades of collective gaming intuition, they'll investigate... and sure enough, find a weathered backpack tucked into a crevice behind the falling water. Its contents aren't game-breaking—just some basic supplies—but its purpose is profound. This is Obsidian's way of shaking the player's hand and saying, "We speak your language. Exploration will be rewarded here."
This early moment establishes a contract of trust with the player. It's a tutorial that doesn't need text boxes; it uses a shared cultural understanding of game worlds. The message is clear: Avowed's Living Lands are meant to be poked, prodded, and thoroughly scoured. And the game doesn't stop there. The waterfall trope reappears in more significant ways, cementing its role as a core exploration pillar.
Beyond the Tutorial: Secrets Worth Finding
The true test of any tradition is how it evolves. Avowed doesn't just repeat the trope; it builds upon it. A later waterfall, located in the more treacherous Emerald Stair region, guards a far greater prize. Here, the cascade conceals the entrance to a secret cave system. For players diligent enough to seek it out, the reward is the unique and formidable Death Knight armor set—a tangible, powerful incentive that validates the player's curiosity.
This design choice highlights a key philosophy in Avowed: respect for the player's time and intelligence. The game assumes you know to look behind the waterfall, and it makes that knowledge worthwhile. It’s not just a cute reference; it's integrated into the loot and progression systems, making the classic trope feel fresh and meaningful.
A Legacy of Hidden Depths
This isn't Obsidian's first dance with this particular tradition. Long-time fans might recall a similar moment in their 2019 sci-fi RPG, The Outer Worlds. In the settlement of Fallbrook, a waterfall also hid a stash of loot, proving the studio's fondness for this classic environmental puzzle is a consistent thread in their design tapestry. It shows a thoughtful, almost affectionate approach to game design history.
| Game | Year | What Was Behind the Waterfall |
|---|---|---|
| The Legend of Zelda | 1986 | An old woman offering hints |
| Super Mario 64 | 1996 | A Power Star |
| Uncharted 4 | 2016 | A hidden cave in Madagascar |
| The Outer Worlds | 2019 | A loot cache in Fallbrook |
| Avowed | 2025 | Tutorial supplies & the Death Knight armor set |
Why the Trope Endures
So, why does this simple idea—hide thing behind water—remain so effective after all these years? A few reasons stand out:
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Psychological Intrigue: A waterfall naturally creates a "veil." It obscures our view and sparks curiosity about what's on the other side. It plays on a fundamental human desire to see what's hidden.
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Environmental Storytelling: It makes the game world feel less like a constructed level and more like a place with forgotten corners and natural secrets.
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A Shared Cultural Moment: For seasoned players, finding a waterfall and instantly knowing to search behind it creates a warm sense of community and shared history. It's an in-joke between generations of gamers.
In Avowed, this trope is more than a checklist item. It’s a foundational part of the game's exploratory soul. By honoring this decades-old tradition, Obsidian connects Avowed to a grand lineage of adventure games while simultaneously using it to teach players how to engage with its own rich, reactive world. The waterfall isn't just hiding loot; it's hiding a promise—a promise that wonder and reward await those brave enough to look beyond the obvious. And in a world as vast as the Living Lands, that’s a promise worth chasing.
This perspective is supported by reporting from GamesIndustry.biz, where developer-focused coverage often examines how classic level-design conventions become trusted player “promises”—exactly the kind of expectation Avowed leverages when it uses waterfalls as quiet signposts for optional loot, hidden caves, and curiosity-driven progression.