History VideoGame / Depict1

* ReversePsychology: You're supposed to do the exactly the opposite of what the narrator says.

* ReversePsychology: You're supposed to the exactly the opposite of what the narrator says.

* TheComputerIsALyingBastard: A central and deliberate part of the game is that the benefactor, who provides all the info on how the game works, is lying, and working out the actual control scheme is a puzzle in itself.

* PlayingThePlayer: The tutorial character actively lies to you about everything, even the basic controls. The game also inverts many typical platform tropes- for example, [[spoiler:gems kill you but spikes are collectibles]].

* AmbiguousGender: The main character and the benefactor. The former is wearing a pink hood that obscures their face, while the benefactor has their face hidden in shadow. [[spoiler:Fittingly, they are the same person.]]

* BigBad: [[spoiler:The benefactor/[[EnemyWithin shadow]]]] wants to keep the protagonist trapped inside the prison forever.

* CallBack: [[spoiler:On the second level, your "benefactor" lies to you: "This is not the right way. The beams of light will reset you. There must be another way out." Well, on the final level, this is ''exactly what happens''. The beam of light DOES reset you. The "benefactor" says, once again, "There must be another way out," and this time, he's actually telling the truth.]]
* CheshireCatGrin: [[spoiler:The mysterious benefactor]]'s smile lands ''deep'' in the UncannyValley.
* {{Cyclops}}: [[spoiler:The mysterious benefactor turns out to be one, late in the game- they have one big, creepy eye.]]
* DeathByIrony: [[spoiler:The "benefactor", despite claiming to be a perfect mirror of the main character, dies by the one thing they can't copy: firing a spike.]]

* EnemyWithin: [[spoiler:The "benefactor" is actually your shadow, and has been lying to you to ensure you never leave the prison.]]
* FaceFramedInShadow: The mysterious and untrustworthy benefactor has their face obscured to emphasize how shady they are. [[spoiler:This is, however, subverted, as they reveal more and more of their face as time goes on. And it's [[NightmareFace not pretty]].]]

* HeroicMime: The player character never says a word. [[spoiler:Oddly, their shadow, the benefactor, is quite talkative.]]

* MissionControlIsOffItsMeds: The main gimmick is that the benefactor, who gives you the tutorials, cannot be trusted and will lie to you- they even lie about the basic controls.
* MissingMissionControl: The mysterious benefactor stops communicating with you after the first few levels. They come back for the endgame.

* MysteriousInformant: The benefactor has a FaceFramedInShadow, and their identity becomes more of a mystery as you move through the game.

* PlayingThePlayer: The tutorial character actively lies to you about everything, even the basic controls. The game inverts many typical platform tropes- for example, [[spoiler:gems kill you but spikes are collectibles]].

%%* AmbiguousGender: The main character.

* BottomlessPits: Subverted. They WrapAround instead.
* CallBack: [[spoiler:Remember how, on the second level, your "benefactor" lies to you: "This is not the right way. The beams of light will reset you. There must be another way out." Well, on the final level, this is ''exactly what happens''. The beam of light DOES reset you. The "benefactor" says, once again, "There must be another way out," and this time, he's actually telling the truth.]]
* CheshireCatGrin: [[spoiler:The mysterious benefactor's smile lands ''deep'' in the UncannyValley.]]
%%* CollisionDamage
%%* {{Cyclops}}: [[spoiler:The mysterious benefactor turns out to be one, late in the game.]]

%%* EnemyWithout: The "benefactor". [[UnreliableNarrator Maybe]].
%%* FaceFramedInShadow: The benefactor. [[spoiler:This is, however, subverted, as they reveal more and more of their face as time goes on. And it's [[UncannyValley not pretty]].]]
* GuideDangIt: The method for getting the best ending. [[spoiler:You need to jump over the gem pit, then fire a spike in midair. Your vertical motion will pause, but your shadow's won't, and they will fall to their death while you don't, allowing you to proceed to freedom. It also seems like the spike cripples the shadow's ability to jump. It won't die instantly when you throw a spike, but next time you jump over the pit, it will try to imitate you, jump too low and fall into the pit. You can also fire a spike while walking. That breaks the symmetry and allows you to send the shadow down the pit.]]
%%* HeroicMime

%%* MindScrew: The whole. Damn. Game.
%%* MissionControlIsOffItsMeds: Natch.
* MissingMissionControl: The mysterious benefactor stops communicating with you after the first few levels. They come back for the endgame, though.
%%* MultipleEndings: Kind of.
%%* MysteriousInformant: Guess.
* NoNameGiven: None of the characters have names.
%%* OneHitPointWonder
%%* PlayingThePlayer
%%* PuzzleBoss

* RiddleMeThis: Late in the game, the benefactor drops what sounds, in the context of the mind screwy game, like just one cryptic philosophical reflection among many others: "What you seek is beyond the light." [[spoiler:Well, it's not worthless. In the final level, "Deception", you actually have to wait for the goal light to disappear to find the secret passage and get the true ending.]]
* SignificantAnagram: "Depict One" -> "Deception" When [[spoiler:you kill the boss]], the level title changes repeatedly: "Depict One" -> "Pic Denote" -> "Edict Nope" -> "Cede Tin Op" -> "Dice Net Op" -> "Cope End It" -> "Epic Toned" -> "Poetic End"
* SpikesOfDoom: [[FakeTrap Inverted]]. Touching them is actually ''beneficial'', because you collect them and can then throw them as projectiles. You can't (directly) hurt stuff with them, but they will stick to walls and allow you to get to places that you otherwise wouldn't be able to reach. [[spoiler:They are also the only way to defeat the final boss.]]
%%* TheComputerIsALyingBastard: a central and deliberate part of the game.
* TimedMission: Subverted; the timer does nothing.

* WeaksauceWeakness: The FinalBoss is weak to [[spoiler:the throwing spikes. They're not able to duplicate your ability to throw them, and if timed correctly, throwing one cripples their ability to jump, forcing him/her to fall into the pit. Now, sharp spikes would not have been considered a weaksauce weakness, but ''every other minor mook in the game is immune to them''.]]

->''"You're not listening to me. Don't you [[ArcWords trust]] me?"''

You play as a [[NoNameGiven nameless]] HeroicMime who escapes from some sort of prison with the help of a mysterious benefactor who talks to him/her via a radio. However, the advisor does not seem to be entirely trustworthy, and their "advice" gets stranger and stranger as time goes on. Can the main character really trust their "friend", or will following their advice lead to ruin?

* AmbiguousGender: The main character.

* BlatantLies: Everything the shadowy "benefactor" says... [[spoiler:Except when he's actually telling the truth, that is...]]

* CheshireCatGrin / BrokenSmile: [[spoiler:The mysterious benefactor's smile lands ''deep'' in the UncannyValley.]]
* CollisionDamage
* {{Cyclops}}: [[spoiler:The mysterious benefactor turns out to be one, late in the game.]]

* EnemyWithout: The "benefactor". [[UnreliableNarrator Maybe]].
* FaceFramedInShadow: The benefactor. [[spoiler:This is, however, subverted, as they reveal more and more of their face as time goes on. And it's [[UncannyValley not pretty]].]]
* GoombaStomp: Averted.
* GuideDangIt: The method for getting the best ending. [[spoiler:You need to jump over the gem pit, then fire a spike in midair. Your vertical motion will pause, but your shadow's won't, and they will fall to their death while you don't, allowing you to proceed to freedom.]]
** [[spoiler:It also seems like the spike cripples the shadow's ability to jump. It won't die instantly when you throw a spike, but next time you jump over the pit, it will try to imitate you, jump too low and fall into the pit.]]
** [[spoiler:You can also fire a spike while walking. That breaks the symmetry and allows you to send the shadow down the pit.]]
* HeroicMime

* MindScrew: The whole. Damn. Game.
* MissionControlIsOffItsMeds: Natch.

* MultipleEndings: Kind of.
* MysteriousInformant: Guess.

* OneHitPointWonder
* PlayingThePlayer
* PuzzleBoss / MirrorBoss

* SignificantAnagram: "Depict One" -> "Deception"
** Which makes [[spoiler:the name of the final level]] something of a TitleDrop.
** When [[spoiler:you kill the boss]], the level title changes repeatedly: "Depict One" -> "Pic Denote" -> "Edict Nope" -> "Cede Tin Op" -> "Dice Net Op" -> "Cope End It" -> "Epic Toned" -> "Poetic End"

* TheComputerIsALyingBastard: a central and deliberate part of the game.

* WholePlotReference: Possibly to ''VideoGame/{{Portal}}''.

You play as a [[NoNameGiven nameless]] HeroicMime who escapes from some sort of prison with the help of a mysterious benefactor who talks to him/her via a radio. However, the advisor does not seem to be entirely trustworthy, and his/her "advice" gets stranger and stranger as time goes on. Can the main character really trust his/her "friend", or will following his/her advice lead to ruin?

* DeathByIrony: [[spoiler:The "benefactor", despite claiming to be a perfect mirror of the main character, dies by the one thing he/she can't copy: firing a spike.]]

* FaceFramedInShadow: The benefactor. [[spoiler:This is, however, subverted, as he/she reveals more and more of his/her face as time goes on. And it's [[UncannyValley not pretty]].]]

* GuideDangIt: The method for getting the best ending. [[spoiler:You need to jump over the gem pit, then fire a spike in midair. Your vertical motion will pause, but your shadow's won't, and he/she will fall to his/her death while you don't, allowing you to proceed to freedom.]]

* MissingMissionControl: The mysterious benefactor stops communicating with you after the first few levels. He/she comes back for the endgame, though.

* VillainousBreakdown: The mysterious benefactor gets more and more agitated as time goes on and you ignore his/her advice. It gets to the point [[MissingMissionControl where he/she leaves]] halfway through the game, though returns for the finale.
* WeaksauceWeakness: The FinalBoss is weak to [[spoiler:the throwing spikes. They're not able to duplicate your ability to throw them, and if timed correctly, throwing one cripples his/her ability to jump, forcing him/her to fall into the pit. Now, sharp spikes would not have been considered a weaksauce weakness, but ''every other minor mook in the game is immune to them''.]]

[[http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/546057 Depict1]] is a somewhat bizarre platformer about trust and deception, as well as themes of safety and confinement versus risk and freedom.

----

* BlatantLies: [[spoiler: Everything the shadowy "benefactor" says... Except when he's actually telling the truth, that is...]]
* BottomlessPits: [[spoiler:Subverted. They WrapAround instead.]]

* EnemyWithout: [[spoiler:The "benefactor". [[UnreliableNarrator Maybe]].]]

* GoombaStomp: [[spoiler:Averted.]]

* InvincibleMinorMinion: [[spoiler:Both types of enemies can only be killed by dropping blocks on them.]]
* [[spoiler:LightIsNotGood: In the final level, if you jump in the beam of light, unlike the others which act like goals, that one gives you a BadEnding. You are supposed to wait for it to disappear to get the GoodEnding.]]

* MissingMissionControl: [[spoiler:The mysterious benefactor stops communicating with you after the first few levels. He/she comes back for the endgame, though.]]
* MultipleEndings: [[spoiler:Kind of.]]

* RiddleMeThis: Late in the game, the benefactor drops what sounds, in the context of the mind screwy game, like just one cryptic philosophical reflection among many others: [[spoiler:"What you seek is beyond the light." Well, it's not worthless. In the final level, "Deception", you actually have to wait for the goal light to disappear to find the secret passage and get the true ending.]]

** Which makes [[spoiler:the final level]] something of a TitleDrop.

* SpikesOfDoom: [[spoiler:[[FakeTrap Inverted]]. Touching them is actually ''beneficial'', because you collect them and can then throw them as projectiles. You can't (directly) hurt stuff with them, but they will stick to walls and allow you to get to places that you otherwise wouldn't be able to reach.]]
** [[spoiler:They are also the only way to defeat the final boss.]]

* TimedMission: [[spoiler:Subverted; the timer does nothing.]]
* [[spoiler:VillainousBreakdown]]: [[spoiler:The mysterious benefactor gets more and more agitated as time goes on and you ignore his/her advice. It gets to the point [[MissingMissionControl where he/she leaves]] halfway through the game, but he/she returns for the finale.]]
* WeaksauceWeakness: [[spoiler:The shadow is weak to the throwing spikes. They're not able to duplicate your ability to throw them, and if timed correctly, throwing one cripples his/her ability to jump, forcing him/her to fall into the pit. Now, sharp spikes would not have been considered a weaksauce weakness, but ''every other minor mook in the game is immune to them''.]]

* WholePlotReference: Possibly to [[spoiler: ''Portal'']].

* [[spoiler:LightIsNotGood:In the final level, if you jump in the beam of light, unlike the others which act like goals, that one gives you a BadEnding. You are supposed to wait for it to disappear to get the GoodEnding.]]

[[spoiler:LightIsNotGood:In the final level, if you jump in the beam of light, unlike the others which act like goals, that one gives you a BadEnding. You are supposed to wait for it to disappear to get the GoodEnding]]

* CompletelyMissingThePoint / FanDumb: A surprising amount of players criticize the game because [[spoiler:the "benefactor" lies constantly]]. Even though the game's description ''outright says'' [[spoiler: he/she can't be trusted]].
** One of the frequently asked questions is, "Why aren't the arrow keys working?" (The author's response to this is simply, "Orly?")
* [[spoiler: {{Cyclops}}]]: [[spoiler:The mysterious benefactor turns out to be one, late in the game.]]

** [[spoiler:MissingMissionControl]]: [[spoiler:The mysterious benefactor stops communicating with you after the first few levels. He/she comes back for the endgame, though.]]

* [[spoiler: PlayingThePlayer]]

Now the Newgrounds Game of the Year for 2010.

* '''[[spoiler: PlayingThePlayer]]'''

Another notable feature of the game is that it creatively subverts many standard mechanics of platformers in ways that are best experienced for yourself. It is worth giving a try, especially if you are a fan of "philosophical" puzzle platformers such as ''TheCompanyOfMyself''.

* FaceFramedInShadow: The benefactor. [[spoiler:This is, however, subverted, as he/she reveals more and more of his/her face as time goes on. And [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel it's]] ''[[UncannyValley not]]'' [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel pretty]].]]