Ill-equipped

Related:
* Lost equipment
* Lost resources
* Unexpected situation
* Obsoleted assets
* Lost powers
* Lost equipment

Any game that starts out with the protagonist having far lesser equipment than the task they were given demands. Especially when the task is given by someone of authority and wealth.

This is not, however, for cases where you're sent out to do something fairly simple, but events somehow blow out of proportions. E.g. in Doom 3 you're a security guard and the only perceived problem you should have is unarmed humans. Survival horror games also has the protagonist in completely unexpected situation.

Especially common in RPGs.