History Main / PreexistingEncounters

* All of the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 ''VideoGame/AtelierSeries'' games (''[[VideoGame/AtelierRoronaTheAlchemistOfArland Rorona]]'', ''[[VideoGame/AtelierTotoriTheAdventurerOfArland Totori]]'', ''[[VideoGame/AtelierMeruruTheApprenticeOfArland Meruru]]'', ''[[VideoGame/AtelierAyeshaTheAlchemistOfDusk Ayesha]]'', ''[[VideoGame/AtelierEschaAndLogyAlchemistsOfTheDuskSky Escha & Logy]]'', and ''[[VideoGame/AtelierShallieAlchemistsOfTheDuskSea Shallie]]'') have enemy groups shown walking around on the dungeon map. Most are skippable, but there are also some that guard the exits to each level, and have to be defeated to proceed.

* ''VideoGame/ZoidsSaga'' games for the UsefulNotes/GameboyAdvance and UsefulNotes/NintendoDS tended to switch between this and proper RandomEncounters. In the first game, all Zoids encounters were represented by wandering (and then ''pursuing'') avatars on the screen. You can out-run them if they don't get side-by-side or block your path. The second and third games used the more conventional RandomEncounters mechanic. The DS remake (story-wise) of the first game brought back PreexistingEncounters.

* ''VideoGame/AstraHunterZosma'': In the main story dungeons, enemies appear as blobs that the player can dodge to avoid encounters, though some of them carry gems above their heads. All enemies can respawn, except for the minibosses guarding optional content and the ones carrying gems.

* Some street racing games, such as ''VideoGame/RacingLagoon'', feature your rivals appearing in the overworld. They'll ignore you unless you challenge them.
* ''VideoGame/TokyoXtremeRacer'' titles centered around highway racing will have your rivals already out and about around the Expressway when you first start your night. They'll (usually) ignore regardless of what you do, but since the entire point of the games is to beat them to become the fastest... flashing your headlights at them once you're at the right distance will signal to them that you're ready to race.

* ''VideoGame/ForTheKing'': Most overworld combat encounters are stationary and visible on the map and don't trigger until the PlayerCharacter enters their hex. Zig-zagged with occasional RandomEncounters when monsters successfully ambush the PC. One [[BossBattle Scourge]]'s active effect obscures preexisting encounters so the player can see where they are but not what monsters are involved.

* A significant number of street racing games such as ''VideoGame/TokyoXtremeRacer'' and ''VideoGame/RacingLagoon'' have rival cars that exist onscreen and engage you in a duel when you pass the headlights on them (or vice versa.)

* All of the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 ''VideoGame/{{Atelier}}'' games (''[[VideoGame/AtelierRoronaTheAlchemistOfArland Rorona]]'', ''[[VideoGame/AtelierTotoriTheAdventurerOfArland Totori]]'', ''[[VideoGame/AtelierMeruruTheApprenticeOfArland Meruru]]'', ''[[VideoGame/AtelierAyeshaTheAlchemistOfDusk Ayesha]]'', ''[[VideoGame/AtelierEschaAndLogyAlchemistsOfTheDuskSky Escha & Logy]]'', and ''[[VideoGame/AtelierShallieAlchemistsOfTheDuskSea Shallie]]'') have enemy groups shown walking around on the dungeon map. Most are skippable, but there are also some that guard the exits to each level, and have to be defeated to proceed.

* ''VideoGame/ZoidSaga'' games for the UsefulNotes/GameboyAdvance and UsefulNotes/NintendoDS tended to switch between this and proper RandomEncounters. In the first game, all Zoids encounters were represented by wandering (and then ''pursuing'') avatars on the screen. You can out-run them if they don't get side-by-side or block your path. The second and third games used the more conventional RandomEncounters mechanic. The DS remake (story-wise) of the first game brought back PreexistingEncounters.

* ''VideoGame/SagaFrontier'' displays monsters on the screen as location and enemy-type relevant sprites. In many areas, it's possible to just walk around them.
* The ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyLegendII'' and ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyLegendIII'' DS remakes replace random encounters from the originals with [[ActuallyFourMooks monsters running on the world map representing battles]]. Most are possible to avoid.
* Early games in the ''VideoGame/{{Lunar}}'' series use random encounters (with the occasional set encounter), while the remakes display the enemies as monsters, making battles potentially avoidable.

* In ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories'', the only game in the series which separates the battle screen from the exploration screen, you can skip random Mook encounters. Whenever they touch you, you enter combat with them. However, if you strike them first, then they begin the battle stunned (and, if you used the right card to form the room, pre-damaged). You can avoid them as much as possible, although if you use a particular kind of card to form the room, they will chase you.
* ''VideoGame/KnightBewitched2'': The game has a setting that makes the majority of enemies either roaming or {{random encounter}}s, though some enemies in dungeons will always be preexisting while all world map enemies will always be random.

* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'': The [=RPGs=] consistently use enemies in this manner, usually with [[ActuallyFourMooks one sprite or model representing a whole band]], and often allow you to initiate battle with an attack in the overworld that will hit every enemy in the battle screen.
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG: Legend of the Seven Stars'' is the first to display enemies walking around, but like the PC [[ActuallyFourMooks a single enemy represents the whole party]].
** ''VideoGame/PaperMario'' has the monsters walk around in plain sight, with contact leading to combat. They can be avoided entirely, or the player can opt for a First Strike (leading to a bit of extra damage) by jumping on the enemy or hitting them with the hammer or certain partner skills. Some badges also provided other options. One of them instantly defeats weak enemies if you hit them on the field, while another stuns the first enemy instead of damaging it. In ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheOrigamiKing'', as you grow stronger over the course of the game, you can instantly kill weaker enemies in the overworld with by striking first instead of heading into the battle screen.
** ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigi'' games have this as well, including both the many-enemies-in-one model and the ability to initiate combat preemptively. If an enemy hits you before you hit it, however, they get the First Strike.
* In ''VideoGame/Persona3'' and ''VideoGame/Persona4'', Shadows walk the map as blobs - black blobs are normal, red blobs are EliteMooks, and gold blobs are MetalSlime. Hitting them with your weapon starts the fight. Hit it in the back and you get a surprise round; get hit first and ''they'' get the first move. If you level up enough, they ''run from you'' -- and if you happen to fight them anyway, the enemies will suffer from the Distress status effect.
* In ''VideoGame/Persona5'', enemies now have dungeon specific forms, like knights, security guards and police officers, who wander the maps. Battle starts when you attack them or they attack you. However, in keeping with the game's PhantomThief themes, you now sneak up and BackStab enemies to get an advantage in battle, instead of just hitting them.
* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' :

* Unlike ''Xenogears'', the ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'' game series is composed entirely of non-random encounters.

* In ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou'', you fight Noise by scanning your surroundings with the Player Pin and then touching those red monstrous-looking symbols to begin battle. In essence, battles that don't advance the story or clear out invisible walls are completely optional, though you miss out on pins, EXP, and PP if you decide not to battle a lot. This can make things very difficult later; even on easy mode, the final boss essentially becomes a HopelessBossFight. But you later run into a type of Noise that head towards you whenever you use the Player Pin (which you also can't run from), and near the end you'll have a chance of being forced into a battle whenever you get to a new area.
* ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireDragonQuarter'' gets rid of random encounters and has the enemies appear onscreen. It distinguishes itself from other games that do this by encouraging you to use bait and traps to lure the enemies into better positions for you to attack them.
* In ''VideoGame/PlanetAlcatraz'', besides the plot-essential encounters, there are optional locations on the map you can visit or ignore at will.
* In ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion''; enemies may be concealed by terrain or vegetation, but often can be seen at a distance, and indeed may not see the character, giving the player the chance for a missile attack or just to flee undetected. This also holds true for ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]],'' though the sheer number of Cliff Racers you face can make it seem like you're fighting random encounters every step.
* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy''
** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyMysticQuest'', unlike the rest of the series, the monsters in the dungeons are always visible and in fixed positions. There are two exceptions, but there are items to counteract their invisibility (which, conveniently, are found in that very same dungeon). Luckily for you, they don't respawn until after you leave.
** It's tradition to have Bonus Bosses roam in the overworld or a dungeon map. It began in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyV'' with Omega roaming an area in the final dungeon. The path is narrow, so the player has to be careful or else they face this monster. The most famous examples are the [=WEAPONs=] from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'': Ultima is flying over the skies, Emerald is underwater, and Ruby is buried under the desert surrounding the Gold Saucer theme park, with only its tiny head visible. Even Diamond WEAPON, which is fought as part of the story appears as a sprite in the world map advancing toward Midgar.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'' has something like this as well, although you can't ''always'' avoid the enemies. Some of them come after you. On the other hand, some of them won't attack you until you attack them first.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' has visible encounters as well. Some enemies completely block your path and you are forced to fight them. Preemptive strikes occur when you approach the enemy from behind without alerting them.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII2'' has monsters spawn on top of you, but you can still run out of their agro radius to avoid fighting all but the fastest enemies, the game also has something called the Mog clock. The Mog clock has three sections, Green means you can do a pre-emptive strike, yellow means you can't, red means the enemy begins to chase you, and running out forces you into the battle without letting you retry from the beginning of the fight if you die (putting you back in the overworld with no guarantee the mob you were hunting will spawn again).
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV'' has a combination of both random encounters and preexisting encounters: only a handful of enemies randomly spawn (usually from heavily-forested areas or the daemons at night) while most monsters and imperial soldiers can be seen beforehand and avoided should the player so choose.
* In ''VideoGame/EarthBound1994'', not only are enemies shown clearly on screen (though the sprites tend to hide their type), but the direction your character is facing when the encounter occurs makes a difference. If the enemy is facing away from you, you get an additional turn at the start; if you're facing away from it, the enemy gets the first turn. If an enemy is weak enough that you can kill it before it gets a chance to attack, it's defeated instantly. Getting an extra turn at the start of battle makes this much more likely.
** Also, very small enemies-- such as ants and slugs-- who are actually quite tough will be squashed underfoot unless another enemy attacks you while you're immobilized. The [[Literature/CaseyAtTheBat Casey Bat]] banks on hitting an enemy when they're tuned away as it guarantees a free hit on them and adds to the Casey Bat's already powerful slugger hit which is great when you'll strike out if you ''don't''.
** In an interesting variation, once you've beaten the Sanctuary boss for a given area (or are, simply, highly enough leveled), enemies will run from ''you''. This does allow you to get back-attacks on them much more readily, but at that point the experience provided is so low that it would almost certainly be faster to just call it a day and move on.
** ''VideoGame/Mother3'' has a similar system, although back attacks never lead to automatic victory; instead, if you are on a high enough level, you can just dash through the enemies, gaining no rewards but also avoiding the encounters entirely.
* The ''VideoGame/ValkyrieProfile'' games have enemies visible onscreen as shadowy shapes similar to ''Persona 3'''s blobs. These can be frozen and used as steps.
** The third game, being a Strategy RPG, has Set Encounters rather than Skippable. There are only a certain amount of story battles total, with a handful of optional fights scattered throughout.
* ''VideoGame/LufiaIIRiseOfTheSinistrals'' has enemies visible on the screen in dungeons, allowing you to avoid them if you wish. You can also stun them with arrows to dart past them with ease. Some of the enemies move in unusual set patterns, others can teleport around the room, and some puzzles even require you to lure monsters onto switches. There's even one puzzle that has you bet on which monster will win a race!
* ''VideoGame/{{LISA}}'': ''Every single enemy'' has a unique sprite and spot where they're fought. The only exception is the Figures that appear in a cave stretch in the first area.
* ''VideoGame/ManaKhemiaAlchemistsOfAlRevis'' shows enemies as blobs of varying shapes, sizes and colors, depending on their power relative to your party.
* ''VideoGame/TalesSeries'':
** ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'': Monster groups appear as somewhat unrelated models, like a floating skull, a slime, or some kind of long insect.
** ''VideoGame/TalesOfPhantasia'' normally uses random encounters but has a specific area of preexisting encounters during the Valhalla War sequence, where you are trying to find the enemy leader in the middle of the mazelike, contested Valhalla Plains. Encounters appear as skeletal ghosts in cloaks which replenish when you leave a screen and come back. Each fight takes up a chunk of your limited time to win the war, so you have to fight as few as you can to get the best reward for least cost.
* In all ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork'' and ''[[VideoGame/MegaManStarForce Star Force]]'' games, [=V2=]/Alpha boss rematches are invisible encounters set at specific points on the overworld, usually on a random dead end. You can actually tell when you have it right - Mega Man will return to his standing position right before the FightWoosh rather than freeze in the middle of a step.
* ''VideoGame/ValhallaKnights 2'' lets you see the enemies wandering around the dungeon, and if you can get around them you can even start the battle with the advantage of a back- or side-attack. Of course, if they spot you and give chase, they can do the same thing to you.
* ''VideoGame/GuardiansCrusade'' uses this, with enemy encounters represented as white ghost/tadpole-like things on the map. In addition, the ghost's appearance and behaviour denoted the kind of battle it would be - an easy battle with a weak enemy would be represent by a small, blue-eyed ghost that ran away from you, whereas a stronger enemy would be larger, have red eyes and actively come after you. The in-between ghosts had green eyes and just sort of wandered around.
* ''VideoGame/{{Robotrek}}'' has normal enemies usually meandering around the environment. If they see the player they will usually speed up and give chase. Any time the enemies touch the player's sides or back, they get the first move in battle. Though there are also a handful of mandatory, non-boss encounters.
* ''VideoGame/BlueDragon'' has enemies walking around most areas. Outside of encounters, you can attack them from behind, get the first attack on them, and use certain class skills within a fixed radius to attract, repel, stun, or sneak past them outside of battle. You can also fight them in consecutive battles, or even pit some of them against each other this way.
* In ''VideoGame/SepterraCore: Legacy of the Ancients'', every battle is a set encounter. And if you leave the map and have to backtrack later, every encounter is respawned in the exact same location. Some battles are skippable only if there's multiple ways to get to the destination, and even then, there's almost always at least one encounter on each route.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyCrystalChronicles: The Crystal Bearers'' are not only preexisting, but limited. Almost all of them are avoidable.
* In ''[[VideoGame/DotHackGUGames Project .hack and .hack Conglomerate]]'' games (that is, the first four games: Infection, Mutation, Outbreak, and Quarantine, and the GU games), all encounters are never random and can be seen clearly, though GU is less random than Infection, Mutation, Outbreak, and Quarantine. In Infection, Mutation, Outbreak, and Quarantine, enemies are represented by glyphs and while monsters correspond to area levels and keyword, it is still quite a surprise. In GU, all enemies are out in plain sight, going on a pre-existing path. Whether you want to engage or skip it is entirely your choice... to an extent. The way the Areas are mapped, usually consisting of separate "islands" or "rooms" connected by paths, you may or may not be able to prevent enemies from seeing you and hence avoid battle (except for the wide open Infection, Mutation, Outbreak, and Quarantine Fields).
* In the ''VideoGame/TrailsSeries'' games, which were remade for PSP, have their "random" encounters wandering around the overworld. They'll home in on you at close range, but if you're careful, you can pretty much avoid them completely.
* In ''VideoGame/TheMagicCandle'', enemy parties are visible to you when they're one tile away. You're visible to ''them'' at two tiles' distance, and unless they're holding a position, they'll come after you. A NitroBoost will keep you ahead of them... but may crash you right into another party. It's safer to use magic: the Locate spell will make all troops visible for a few turns, and Confuse will shake off a party that's caught your scent. (Later, the Teleport spell makes Locate obsolete -- you can't 'port right into an enemy party, so you can check where they are by preparing Teleport, noticing the conspicuous unavailable tiles, and then cancelling.)
%%* ''VideoGame/EternalSonata''
* ''VideoGame/ParasiteEve2'' uses both types. Some rooms may look clear but the minute you explore a certain part, you are ambushed no matter how much you try to get around it. For the most part, you can see enemies on the field and if you are sneaky enough, you can walk by them without triggering a battle.
* The Citadel in ''VideoGame/{{Wasteland}}'' is filled with dozens of monks and nuns, and every one has a unique name. Consequently, although it's one of the most dangerous places in the game, it's also one of the only ones without random spawns.
* All normal enemy encounters in ''VideoGame/{{Dubloon}}'' are represented as figures walking mindlessly around, [[ActuallyFourMooks with a sprite representing the "leader"]].
* ''VideoGame/{{Freelancer}}'' has encounters set as 'Patrol Paths' which can be from any faction, although the factions they belong to are easy to deduce because of location and whether they're neutral, friendly or hostile.
* Every single non-essential encounter In ''VideoGame/StarOceanTillTheEndOfTime''. Also, they are all ActuallyFourMooks.
* ''VideoGame/SDSnatcher'' shows enemies moving around on the screen.
* All of the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 ''VideoGame/{{Atelier}}'' games (''[[VideoGame/AtelierRoronaTheAlchemistOfArland Rorona]]'', ''[[VideoGame/AtelierTotoriTheAdventurerOfArland Totori]]'', ''[[VideoGame/AtelierMeruruTheApprenticeOfArland Meruru]]'', ''[[VideoGame/AtelierAyeshaTheAlchemistOfDusk Ayesha]]'', ''[[VideoGame/AtelierEschaAndLogyAlchemistsOfTheDuskSky Escha & Logy]]'', and ''[[VideoGame/AtelierShallieAlchemistsOfTheDuskSea Shallie]]'') have enemy groups shown walking around on the dungeon map. Most are skippable, but there are also some that guard the exits to each level, and have to be defeated to proceed.
* ''VideoGame/HyperdimensionNeptuniaMk2'' does away with the random encounters from [[VideoGame/HyperdimensionNeptunia the previous game]] and displays each [[ActuallyFourMooks enemy group]] on the map of the dungeon you're in. Every game in the ''VideoGame/{{Neptunia}}'' series since, including the remakes of the first three games has used it.
* ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIV'' and its sequel ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIVApocalypse'' have enemies on the overworld represented by green digital stuff. Quest encounters are represented by red digital stuff.
* In ''VideoGame/Fallout3'' and ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'', once you reach a certain karma (in the former) or faction infamy (in the latter) level, you will have hit squads sent after you. When you enter their spawning areas, they will always find you, although you can sometimes get off a few shots at them from a distance before they attack (though this counts as unprovoked attacking and thus will hurt your reputation even ''worse'').
* Although standard enemies are still random encounters, the ''VideoGame/EtrianOdyssey'' series also features several [[BossInMooksClothing Bosses in Mook's Clothing]] called F.O.E. that are visible on the map, which generally should be run from when first encountered. One thing that makes them particularly dangerous is that they can continue to approach while you're fighting a random encounter; take too long, and the F.O.E. will join in, potentially turning a difficult encounter into a deadly one.
* ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'' mostly has invisible RandomEncounters, but some Vegetoids in the Ruins are plainly visible and won't attack until interacted with.
* ''Zoids Saga'' games for the UsefulNotes/GameboyAdvance and UsefulNotes/NintendoDS tended to switch between this and proper RandomEncounters. In the first game, all Zoids encounters were represented by wandering (and then ''pursuing'') avatars on the screen. You can out-run them if they don't get side-by-side or block your path. The second and third games used the more conventional RandomEncounters mechanic. The DS remake (story-wise) of the first game brought back PreexistingEncounters.
* ''VideoGame/PrayerOfTheFaithless'': You can see enemy encounters on the map, allowing you to avoid them if you want.
* ''VideoGame/WeirdAndUnfortunateThingsAreHappening'': Only in Vedim Space, and some are avoidable, while others are not.
* ''VideoGame/EpicBattleFantasy'': In the third, fourth and fifth games, most foes appear on the map, and you initiate battles by interacting with them. The enemy encounters that don't appear on the map trigger when you step on specific tiles.
* In ''VideoGame/ChildOfLight'', standard mooks, which are often ActuallyFourMooks each, only trigger battle mode when you approach them. If one approaches you from behind, you will be Ambushed and they will attack first, if you do the same to them, you get a Surprise Attack.
* ''VideoGame/TokyoMirageSessionsFE'': Enemies spawn in set locations when you step into a particular spot and they are visible. You can choose to battle them or avoid them. They generally spawn when you are still a few feet away from them, but some are set to spawn several at a time with you right in the middle of them and with only narrow openings to escape.
* Normal enemies in ''VideoGame/BarkleyShutUpAndJamGaiden'' take the form of a wandering monster sprite that will chase you if it spots you. Catch it from behind and you will get to act first in an ensuing battle. Get caught from behind by ''them'' and they will act first instead.
* Enemies in ''VideoGame/{{Lunarosse}}'' are represented by blue flames you can touch or avoid. In some dungeons, they're represented by general soldier sprites instead.
* The first versions of ''VideoGame/RakenzarnTales'' used balls of light for its enemies, with certain colors representing certain enemies. After the development of ''VideoGame/RakenzarnFrontierStory'', they were changed to black silhouettes instead.
* ''VideoGame/The7thSaga'' has encounters appear as pixels on the minimap that you can avoid in theory. In practice, you won't be dodging most of them unless you're ''very'' skilled at it.
* A [[LaterInstallmentWeirdness major mechanics change]] for ''VideoGame/PokemonLetsGoPikachuAndLetsGoEevee'' is that the the RandomEncounters system used since ''VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue'' was ditched in favor of overworld encounters. This is one of the changes that was retained in the Generation VIII games ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'', although the games mix in a pseudo-RandomEncounters system when walking through tall grass like previous games.
* ''VideoGame/HelensMysteriousCastle'': Enemies that aren't the set version of this, instead run around and trigger a battle when they make contact with Helen.
* ''VideoGame/OkikuStarApprentice'': They're floating black cloak-like blobs with {{red eyes|TakeWarning}} that move around and fight Okiku on contact with her, or the blast from the Wand of Blasting.
* In ''VideoGame/WolfsGang'', enemies like adventurers walk around on the overworld and initiate encounters if the player comes into contact with them.
* In ''VideoGame/Haven2020'' [[ActuallyFourMooks Mook mobs]] and many of the bosses visibly wander or lie in wait until approached or they catch sight of the protagonists.

** According to the official Pokémon website, you'll be able to see all wild Pokémon in the overworld in ''VideoGame/PokemonScarletAndViolet''.

* ''VideoGame/{{Okami}}'' has several of these. A lot of them introduce a new enemy. They return in ''VideoGame/{{Okamiden}}'', where they're visible.

* Every single TableTopRolePlayingGame ever. The purpose of a GameMaster (in almost all games) is to challenge their players and adjudicate the rules, and not to arbitrarily force them into combat encounters or other "rails." Smart players know this and look for ways to get to their goal with a minimum of fuss.

*** Special mention must be made of D&D's numerous [[StoryBreakerPower Story Breaker Powers]], which would in theory allow a party to spy on a villain, buff up, teleport into his bedchambers, and slaughter him. In practice, an experienced GM should have planned for that, and many players purposefully avoid breaking the story with those story-breaking powers.

** In many other games, awarding XP for combat simply isn't done. Thus, the party has an incentive to skip mooks and other obstacles with almost no upside for taking more risk than they have to. This is doubled in games where loot from combat just isn't a thing. For example, in AllFleshMustBeEaten, which is based on many ways to do a zombie apocalypse, and where zombies aren't likely to have anything on them you want, avoiding enemies is probably the smart option in ''most'' scenarios. Likewise, in ''Franchise/TheWorldOfDarkness'' or UnknownArmies, which are both UrbanFantasy, fighting is usually very dangerous, very likely to bring unwelcome attention from law enforcement, and your real enemy's minions are likely to have nothing on them you couldn't get much more easily somewhere else, so unless destroying those minions is an objective, using your powers to just make it past them is a good idea.

** The same is true for ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles1'' and [[VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles2 its sequel]]. All enemy encounters are present in the world proper, helping to lend to the game's grand sense of scale. The player can choose to fight any of them at will (Or not. The first time you go through any given area, there will be enemies a good four or five times your level scattered about). While most enemies will mind their own business otherwise, other enemies will initiate the battle on their own; some will do so if they see you, some if they ''hear'' you, and still others if you use an Ether-based move in their vicinity. Likewise, even enemies that wouldn't pick a fight with you ordinarily ''might'' do so if they stumble upon you in the middle of a fight with another one of their species. Also as an anti-frustration measure, even aggressive enemies will stop triggering if you're ten levels or more higher than them, allowing you to freely explore certain areas with impunity after a while.
*** ''VideoGame/XenobladeChroniclesX'' continues this tradition, including a wider array of leveled enemies in each area (including many that are ''above'' the player's level cap!). Added to the mix are exceptionally large monsters that will completely ignore your party on foot, but will suddenly become threats once you get HumongousMecha. Similarly, smaller creatures will decline to mess with giant robots (unless you step on them).
* In ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou'', you fight Noise by scanning your surroundings with the Player Pin and then touching those red monstrous-looking symbols to begin battle. In essence, battles that don't advance the story or clear out invisible walls are completely optional, though you miss out on pins, EXP, and PP if you decide not to battle a lot. This can make things very difficult later; even on easy mode, the final boss essentially becomes a HopelessBossFight.
** However, you later run into a type of Noise that head towards you whenever you use the Player Pin (which you also can't run from), and near the end you'll have a chance of being forced into a battle whenever you get to a new area.

* In ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion''; enemies may be concealed by terrain or vegetation, but often can be seen at a distance, and indeed may not see the character, giving the player the chance for a missile attack or just to flee undetected.
** This also holds true for ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]],'' though the sheer number of Cliff Racers you face can make it seem like you're fighting random encounters every step.