History VideoGame / OracleOfTao

[[caption-width-right:320:"The hero of our story. What was her name again?"]]

An amateur RPGMaker game posted on [[http://www.rpgrevolution.com/game/oracle-of-tao_1445.html Rpgrevolution.com]]. The basic premise involves a spunky, tomboyish beggar girl, who is called on a MissionFromGod to save the world by restoring balance... or something. Also, an evil demon is threatening the world and needs to be stopped. Along the way she meets [[FiveTokenBand an assorted group of characters]] starting with her potential love interest, an [[WholesomeCrossdresser effeminate]] swordsman. Beyond the initial story however, there are numerous side tales that can be gleaned from romantic sidequests, and some random [[BlackComedy dark humor]] by exploring the world. Not to mention some hints about the nature of the hero herself, and the nature of the world. [[spoiler: Hint, the hero may or not be real, and one wonders if the world she lives in is [[DreamApocalypse just a dream]]. This isn't even the real ending, though.]]

[[quoteright:320: [[http://www.rpgrevolution.com/images/game_titles/1445.jpg (Totally blank)]]]]
[[caption-width-right:320: The game title screen. Yea, it [[EpicFail sucks]].]]

An amateur RpgMaker game posted on [[http://www.rpgrevolution.com/game/oracle-of-tao_1445.html Rpgrevolution.com]]. The basic premise involves a spunky, tomboyish beggar girl, who is called on a MissionFromGod to save the world by restoring balance... or something. Also, an evil demon is threatening the world and needs to be stopped. Along the way she meets [[FiveTokenBand an assorted group of characters]] starting with her potential love interest, an [[WholesomeCrossdresser effeminate]] swordsman. Beyond the initial story however, there are numerous side tales that can be gleaned from romantic sidequests, and some random [[BlackComedy dark humor]] by exploring the world. Not to mention some hints about the nature of the hero herself, and the nature of the world. [[spoiler: Hint, the hero may or not be real, and one wonders if the world she lives in is [[DreamApocalypse just a dream]]. This isn't even the real ending, though.]]

!!In-Game Tropes
* ActionGirl. Our female lead.

* AllAmazonsWantHercules. Defied.
* AlwaysSaveTheGirl. Inverted. The female lead seems to care little about her heroic quest, but has a mini- HeroicBSOD if the male lead leaves her.
* AnchoredShip. Until the [[spoiler: confronts and joins her evil half, she's too neurotic to embrace her feelings.]]
* AnInteriorDesignerIsYou. Sort of. [[spoiler: You can add a bed, banker, and other features to your tent. Later morphs your tent into a house, mansion, and a portable town, if you get obscene amounts of money.]]
* AscendedFridgeHorror. Something suspected by the protagonist and the audience is reprised later in the game. [[spoiler: The possibility of DreamApocalypse. Although not quite true, ItGotWorse.]]
* AxeCrazy. The main character, in one (or two) of the bad endings.
* BeatingADeadPlayer. One of the battle formulas is designed to deal random damage unaffected by armor, and immune to Reflect spells. It works, but the code is prone to do this sometimes, despite programming to do otherwise.
* BeefGate. (Simultaneously this, and GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere). [[spoiler: Much of the enemies are sort of mystical fantasy-themed, with dragons and the like. And then, if you go out of order in the plot, there are three distinct places where you can encounter [[EldritchAbomination Elder Gods]].]]
* BetaCouple. Every character besides the main two (and one extra character, who stays single)
* BetterAsFriends. One of the couples can be swapped out for another. Since it's borderline [[CourtlyLove platonic]], it may be a better choice.
* BlueAndOrangeMorality. God, who apparently is more into some sort of balance than true goodness.
* BodyguardCrush, possibly the main couple.
* BreakUpBonfire. Averted. You keep his personal items, like his diary.
* CantHaveSexEver. The not-so-evil wizard. [[spoiler: His wife dies during an experiment gone wrong, and although he joins the party, he's pretty much the only one that ends up couple-less at the end.]]
* CerebusEnding. May or may not be. Depending on the circumstances at the end of the game, and [[WhatTheHellPlayer choices you make]], the otherwise cheery story can end on several different bad notes. [[spoiler: [[FateWorseThanDeath Sorry]], [[DreamApocalypse not]] [[AxeCrazy giving]] [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt it]] [[KilledOffForReal away]].]]

* CheckPointStarvation. Probably. But given you can save on the world map, it's likely okay.
* CrapsaccharineWorld. [[spoiler: The universe and everyone in it, beside the hero [[DreamApocalypse don't even exist]]. Unlike the typical DreamApocalypse, where some people may have been there before the dream, it is kinda clear that the only option for the remaining person (who in fact turns out to be the avatar of God) is to spend eternity alone once she awakes from this dream.]] It gets better though.
* DarkIsNotEvil. A demon who joins your party uses dark powers, but is otherwise friendly.
* DerailingLoveInterests.
** Also [[spoiler: DiscountLesbians]]
* DowntimeDowngrade. Averted.
* EasyExp.
** A MetalSlime enemy or two.
* EveryoneMeetsEveryone.
** Also, PuttingTheBandBackTogether.
* GrowOldWithMe, followed by EternalLove. (In the final and best ending)
* FakeBalance. The battle balance is a little... weird. [[spoiler: Attacks in the early game barely hurt enemies, but then after the tenth epic weapon, and after beating enemies with magic, it's not really so.]]

* FiveTokenBand. Your party has everything from elves, to angels, and demons.
* FreewareGames. Duh, the game itself.
* FunctionalMagic. Some of the spells fall under various categories...

** RuleMagic. Similar to OldKingdom style exorcism.
** {{Alchemy}}. Less along the lines of FMA-style alchemy, and more JustAddWater.
** WildMagic. A FFT style geomancy system.
** SummonMagic. Percentage-based MP cost.

* GameFavoredGender. In terms of item usage and magic, most of the females have more power and versatility.
* GayOption.

* GoldenEnding. The game has multiple endings, but in order to unlock the best, you need to complete a romance event between the male and female leads, defeat the final boss, and fight the extra final boss forms (this unlocks the PlayableEpilogue which has its own GoldenEnding). Not telling you what happens. [[spoiler: It turns out you're really [[AGodAmI God]], and that your suspicion that [[AllJustADream you were dreaming]] is only half right, and that world itself [[RetGone doesn't exist]]. Ultimately, though, you can cause it to be born, making a DoubleSubversion of the notion that you were dreaming. You get to live in the world with the brand new, RealLife versions of the characters. There's also an extra ending sequence by killing an optional boss.]]
* GoMadFromTheRevelation. One of the endings has a literal [[LovecraftLite Cthulhu-style ending]] where unspeakable things [[spoiler: which we won't speak of here]] happen to our hero, driving her nuts before the universe is consumed by the Elder Gods.

* GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere. Both the monsters and the plot (some really weird twists). You have sudden jarring changes from a fantasy setting to robots and the like.
* GreyAndGrayMorality.
* GuideDangIt. Some of the puzzles.
* HomelessHero. Subverted, since over the course of the story, she gains a house.

* InUniverseGameClock. Theoretically, we have days/nights, weeks, and months, which are also tied to the weather in seasons.
* IFoughtTheLawAndTheLawWon. One of the towns.
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice. One of the final bosses gets run through with a heavy spear.
* InterspeciesRomance.
* LastMinuteHookup. The GayOption above, only is completable after the PlayableEpilogue.
* LightIsNotGood. Two distinct versions of this, one a KnightTemplar who is a party member, the other an EndgamePlus final boss.
* LoveAtFirstPunch. The female lead doesn't get to know the male lead until ''after'' a bar scene where he's beaten up over something he said.
* LoveChart. Hidden, but one made to determine possible relationships.
* LoveWillLeadYouBack. With AnAesop about how it's hard work to fix what's broken.
* LovingAShadow. In the literal sense. (Also, FightingAShadow)
* MakeOutPoint. One of the bars.
* MirrorMatch. Also an important plot point, as you have a [[LiteralSplitPersonality dark side]].
* MistakenDeclarationOfLove. One of the reasons for a breakup.
* MultipleEndings.
* MushroomSamba. If you lose a Bounty Hunt battle with a mushroom, instead of game over, you get some multi-hued fun.
* NatureHero. At least two of these.
* NoGuyWantsToBeChased.
* NoLovesIntersect. Subverted, as it boils down to a choice. If you make the BetaCouple stay together, everyone matches up as normal. Otherwise, two people are left alone, while the third has the TallDarkAndBishoujo GayOption.
* NothingIsScarier. In one town, there's an upstairs room that people nearby say "don't go upstairs, there's nothing up there." If you do it anyway, there really is ''nothing'' there (you get trapped in the room, which fades to black, until it [[CessationOfExistence swallows you up]]).
* OntologicalMystery. [[spoiler: Plus, its partner the DreamApocalypse.]]
* OnlySmartPeopleMayPass. That, or several cases of MoonLogicPuzzle.
* [[spoiler: OptionalSexualEncounter]].

* PairTheSpares. Pretty much every character.
* PelagianVillain. The demon. [[spoiler: It turns out he knows that he is doing evil, but not for any discernible benefit of anyone on Earth. He's coerced by his fellow demons to find them a homeland, even though this likely means the destruction of most current life on Earth. Likewise, he destroyed a huge number of people on Earth because he was treated like a monster and sealed into an urn.]]
* PlayableEpilogue. (Currently incomplete, having the beginning and ending, but no middle)
* PointofNoReturn. There are a few of these.
* [[ThePowerOfLove Power Of Love]].
* PowerOfTheVoid. Which is usually the ability to slowly [[CessationOfExistence consume things in nothingness]].
* PowerBornOfMadness. A special ending, where [[spoiler: the hero crosses her MoralEventHorizon by choosing to murder [[IncorruptiblePurePureness an angel]]. She then decides to become a sort of [[BalanceOfGoodAndEvil moral balance]], since there's too much good (or something), and tries to destroy everything. When they try to stop her, it turns out her madness has given her RealityWarper powers, not to mention NighInvulnerability, so she slaughters the entire party.]]
* PsychicPowers. [[spoiler: The hero's daughter is TheEmpath, with some [[PlayingWithFire pyrokinesis]] and [[EmpathicHealer healing powers]].]]
* ReincarnationRomance.
* TheRevealPromptsRomance. [[spoiler: The male lead's dark secret as a WholesomeCrossdresser.]]
* RespawnPoint. You die, and you end up in a tent (unless you don't have the tent yet, or make the choice to give up, in which case it's gameover).
* SchrodingersQuestion. [[spoiler: Pretty much the ending options you choose can determine whether the entire universe exists or not. Among other things...]]
* SettledForGay. Subverted, the two characters stance is more IfItsYouItsOkay.
** ShockValueRelationship. Same relationship. [[spoiler: The two characters make out in a bar, in full view of the original boyfriend, wrecking the place while they bang into stuff with passionate kissing.]]
* SceneryPorn. Just about every background scene is either a shot taken on a camera, or a wall painting, or some sort of fanart, with everything from gorge overlooks to pictures of fields or forests, to AlienSky or even TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt.
* TakenForGranite. One of your characters has a {{Naruto}}-style Sage transformation, complete with the risk of turning into stone if things don't work out right.
* TenMinuteRetirement.
* TheSevenBasicPlots. Most of these apply, starting with Rags to Riches.
* TomatoInTheMirror. The female lead.
* Tsundere, or possibly Kuudere (Type 3).
* WellIntentionedExtremist. [[spoiler: The wizard helping the evil demon, does do because the [[DealWithTheDevil demon promised to revive his wife]]. Also, the second game main villain.]]
* WhatDoesSheSeeInHim. An angel/demon romance.

* WhatDoYouMeanItWasntMadeOnDrugs. Seriously...
* WholesomeCrossdresser. Subverted for much of the story, though.

----

** WildMagic. A FF5/FF6/FFT style geomancy system.

* PairTheSpares. Pretty much every character.

* InUniverseGameClock. Theoretically, we have days/nights, weeks, and months, which are also tied to the weather in seasons (I say theoretically, because short of playing it for the game equivalent of 3-4 months, I have no way to test it).

* WhatDoYouMeanItWasntMadeOnDrugs. I mean seriously...

** ForMassiveDamage is a big part of this.

* FakeBalance. The battle balance is a little... weird. [[spoiler: attacks in the early game barely hurt enemies, but then after the tenth epic weapon, and after beating enemies with magic, it's not really so.]]

* TomatoInTheMirror. The female lead.
* TheSevenBasicPlots. Most of these apply, starting with Rags to Riches.
* TenMinuteRetirement.

* CheckPointStarvation. Probably. But given you can save on the world map, it's likely okay.

* SettledForGay. Subverted, the two characters stance is more Everything's Better With Gay.

* StrangledByTheRedString. Lampshaded. One of the second characters his some reincarnation issues to deal with, and is doomed to end up with one of the others.

* ClicheStorm. Subverted, because some of it is intentional.

* GreyAndGrayMorality.

* AttractivenessIsolation, possibly.

* AxeCrazy. The main character, in one of the bad endings.
* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther. Most of the characters in the story. Especially the hero, who is a bit of a Tsundere.

* AscendedFridgeHorror. Something suspected by the protagonist and the audience is reprised later in the game. [[spoiler: The possibility of DreamApocalypse. Although not quite true, ItGotWorse.]]

* DarkIsNotEvil. A demon who joins your party uses dark powers, but is otherwise friendly.

* Gainax Ending. Complete with the tendency to reuse clips and bizarre symbolism.

* LightIsNotGood. Two distinct versions of this, one a KnightTemplar who is a party member, the other an EndgamePlus final boss.

* TomatoInTheMirror.

[[index]]
* Romance Game
* Role Playing Game
[[/index]]

* GoldenEnding. The game has multiple endings, but in order to unlock the best, you need to complete a romance event between the male and female leads, defeat the final boss, and fight the extra final boss forms (this unlocks the PlayableEpilogue which has its own GoldenEnding)

* GoMadFromTheIsolation. Even if you would get the GoldenEnding, you have a choice to either [[spoiler: let the universe go on with just you [[AGodAmI ruling as God]] or do something about it]]. If you choose the first choice, [[spoiler: you get to sit by yourself and your evil half ''[[FateWorseThanDeath for all eternity]]''.]]

* NothingIsScarier. In one town, there's an upstairs room that people nearby say "don't go upstairs, there's nothing up there." If you do it anyway, there really is nothing there (you get trapped in the room, which fades to black, until it [[CessationOfExistence swallows you up]]).

* PowerOfTheVoid. Which is usually the ability to slowly [[CessationOfExistence consume things in nothingness]].

* SchrodingersQuestion. [[spoiler: Pretty much the ending options you choose can determine whether the entire universe exists or not. Among other things]]

* GoldenEnding. The game has multiple endings, but in order to unlock the best, you need to complete a romance event between the male and female leads, defeat the final boss, and fight the extra final boss forms (this unlocks the PlayableEpilogue which has its own GoldenEnding)

* [[spoiler: OptionalSexualEncounter]].

* SchrodingersQuestion. [[spoiler: Pretty much the ending options you choose can determine whether the entire universe exists or not. Among other things]]

* WellIntentionedExtremist. [[spoiler: The wizard helping the evil demon, does do because the [[DealWithTheDevil demon promised to revive his wife]]. Also, the second game main villain.]]

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[[quoteright:320:[[http://www.rpgrevolution.com/game/oracle-of-tao_1445.html http://www.rpgrevolution.com/images/game_titles/1445.jpg]]]]