Many video games deal with traumatic events - injury, natural disasters, and disease. A great way to reinforce these moments, and lend them real power is to let them reflect on the player's avatar even as they play. If a player character is struggling in a moment of intense grief or pain, a designer can restrict their movement abilities, or suddenly remove their defenses or power. The loss of control or power in the avatar will drive the moment home for a player, who will themselves feel disempowered.
Examples[]
HYPER LIGHT DRIFTER:
Hyper Light Drifter concerns a character suffering from an unknown affliction. The player guides this character through the game, relying on quick movement and powerful attacks to stay alive against crowds of deadly enemies. However, after killing a boss, the character suffers a traumatic attack of their disease - for a few seconds their movement is heavily constrained, and after coughing blood they collapse and black out. Immediately after the frantic combat of a boss fight, which see the player dashing and slashing in a hectic action sequence, the sudden stripping of agency and power is jarring and impact. It is absolutely crucial that the player is still in control during the attack - they can feel how their power has been stripped away.