History VideoGame / Paratopic

''Paratopic'' is a short, experimental atmospheric horror game developed by Arbitrary Metric and released for [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer PC]] on UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} and itch.io on 6th September, 2018. It tells the story of three different people in different times and the same place. One is a smuggler bringing VHS tapes across the border. Another is a birdwatcher. And the third is an assassin.

* AmbiguousDisorder: There's definitely something off about the smuggler's handler and his weird fixation on professionalism. At first it may just seem like the game being quirky and random, but then every other character you interact with (the neighbor and the two gas station attendants) seems reasonably normal.

* {{Retraux}}: The game is presented in a deliberately pixelated, low polygon style reminiscent of the early PS1 era, with liberal use of effects such as VHS-like artifacting.

* RightForTheWrongReasons: The second gas station attendant (who seems to believe in aliens like the first attendant) believes that the ruins of the power company's plant were given over to aliens as an offer. ''Something'' not of this world is definitely occupying that site.

* MadeOfPlastacine: Shooting the handler in the body will cause his entire arm and shoulder to be partially ripped off his torso.

* MeaningfulName: Paratopic is not a real world; broken down into its components, "para" means "besides" or denotes alteration (as in paramilitary or paramedic, aka like a military or medic but different) while "topic" means subject and is derived from the Greek word for "place". So the title could either mean "an alternate place" (or alternate reality), or literally "to change the subject" (which fits with the frequent scene changes and AnachronicOrder).

* EldritchAbomination: The "tape demons" who pursue the smuggler, and kill the birdwatcher. They're shadowy beings whose mere presence causes technology to freak out, and they seem to obsessively consume the material produced on the tapes.

* VillainProtagonist: Subverted. While her name implies dastardly deeds, the assassin is arguably the most heroic figure in the story, taking down the tapes and collecting them so that they don't fall into the wrong hands. The only person she kills is the smuggler's handler, who is either heavily involved in the tapes or is outright a demon.

* BodyHorror: Bad things tend to happen to anyone who watches the tapes. The border guard has his head turn into a TV before his body withers and vanishes, while the smuggler's neighbor has her head split open like a flower. However, the dialogue of the smuggler's neighbor indicate that in some circumstances they act like a drug instead, and it takes special circumstances (or watching a particular tape) for things to really "pop". The "tape creature" also decapitates and skins [[spoiler: the birdwatcher]] and impales her body on a pole, but this is more gory rather than unnerving.

...and that's all we can really tell you. Due to being a short experience, ''Paratopic'' is better left experienced. As such, '''all spoilers will be untagged.''' You have been warned.

* BodyHorror: Bad things tend to happen to anyone who watches the tapes. [[spoiler: The border guard has his head turn into a TV before his body withers and vanishes, while the smuggler's neighbor has her head split open like a flower.]] However, the dialogue of the smuggler's neighbor indicate that in some circumstances they act like a drug instead, and it takes special circumstances (or watching a particular tape) for things to really "pop". The "tape creature" also decapitates and skins [[spoiler: the birdwatcher]] and impales her body on a pole, but this is more gory rather than unnerving.

''Paratopic'' is a short, experimental atmospheric horror game developed by Arbitrary Metric and available on UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} and itch.io. It tells the story of three different people in different times and the same place. One is a smuggler bringing VHS tapes across the border. Another is a birdwatcher. And the third is an assassin.

* VillainProtagonist: Subverted. While her name implies dastardly deeds, the assassin is arguably the most heroic figure in the story, taking down the tapes and collecting them so that they don't fall into the wrong hands. The only person she kills is the smuggler's handler, who is either heavily involved in the tapes or is outright a demon.

* VillainProtagonist: Subverted. While his name implies dastardly deeds, the assassin is arguably the most heroic figure in the story, taking down the tapes and collecting them so that they don't fall into the wrong hands. The only person he kills is the smuggler's handler, who is either heavily involved in the tapes or is outright a demon.

''Paratopic'' is a short, experimental atmospheric horror game developed by Arbitrary Metric and available on UsefulNotes/Steam and itch.io. It tells the story of three different people in different times and the same place. One is a smuggler bringing VHS tapes across the border. Another is a birdwatcher. And the third is an assassin.

* EldritchAbomination: The "tape demons" who pursue the smuggler, and kill the birdwatcher. They're shadowy beings who's mere presence causes technology to freak out, and they seem to obsessively consume the material produced on the tapes.

* VillanProtagonist: Subverted. While his name implies dastardly deeds, the assassin is arguably the most heroic figure in the story, taking down the tapes and collecting them so that they don't fall into the wrong hands. The only person he kills is the smuggler's handler, who is either heavily involved in the tapes or is outright a demon.