History VideoGame / Pyre

Unlike previous entries from Supergiant Games, combat in ''Pyre'' plays more like a basketball game where you control a party of three to jump, pass, tackle, or fire their Auras to take out opponents with the aim of putting a Celestial Orb into the opposing party's Pyre until it is doused, and stopping your opponents from extinguishing your Pyre in turn. And more importantly, as the game's creative director [[https://blog.us.playstation.com/2017/05/30/pyre-launches-july-25-on-ps4-pre-orders-live-now/ Greg Kasavin encourages you to]], you can continue your story even after you lose a match.

* CentralTheme: The relationship between laws and society.

* DummiedOut: There are other versions of "Never To Return", "Mourning Song", and "Vagrant Song" in the game's files that don't appear in game. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95utlmo23vQ One version of "Never To Return" in particular]] is more dire and aggressive lyrically than the version used in the game itself.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/image_954.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"[[LargeHam READER]], dare you tamper with the forbidden knowledge, so soon after your exile?"'']]

--> ''The will to overcome shall urge us on''
--> ''To brave injustice 'til the stars have gone''
--> ''The favor of the Scribes arrives at dawn''

Unlike previous entries from Supergiant Games, combat in ''Pyre'' plays more like a basketball game where you control a party of three to jump, pass, tackle, or fire their Auras with the aim of putting a Celestial Orb into the opposing party's Pyre until it is doused, and stopping your opponents from extinguishing your Pyre in turn. And more importantly, as the game's creative director [[https://blog.us.playstation.com/2017/05/30/pyre-launches-july-25-on-ps4-pre-orders-live-now/ Greg Kasavin encourages you to]], you can continue your story even after you lose a match.

* AmazonBrigade: Tamitha Theyn's triumvirate, The Essence, are this; the Nightwings can follow suit with a roster of Jodariel, the Stowaway, Pamitha and/or Bertrude.

** Dousing the Pyre by throwing the Celestial Orb is this in-universe, based on the Voice's comments. In practice, it's one of the first things you learn.

''Pyre'' is a [[{{RolePlayingGame}} role-playing game]] by reator/SupergiantGames (well known for their award-sweeping and story-driven ''VideoGame/{{Bastion}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Transistor}}'').

Described by [[https://twitter.com/ZakMcc/status/722469120977952772 some]] as "''[[VideoGame/TheOregonTrail Oregon Trail]]'' meets ''NBAJam''".

''Pyre'' is a [[{{RolePlayingGame}} role-playing game]] by ''Supergiant Games'' (well known for their award-sweeping and story-driven ''VideoGame/{{Bastion}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Transistor}}'').

* HeroicSacrifice: A nonlethal example. In [[spoiler:the final Rite, after you win, the portal to send someone up changes so anyone could be sent up, including the Reader. Whoever you anointed to ascend will attempt to give up their chance so you can go up, knowing that this means they will be stuck in the Downside for the rest of their life. You can turn it around and insist that they go, giving up your only chance to escape.]]

** At one point [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness the Lone Minstrel]] says pre-emptively that he would not accept the will of the Scribes if [[spoiler:the Rites coming to an end]] meant that [[spoiler:he and the Gate Guardian would be separated for eternity]]. The Gate Guardian chides him for this.

** The Pyrehearts get rained on during their Liberation Rite, reducing both Pyres' strength when the rain first starts and boosting each team's Pyre damage in subsequent rounds.
** The Withdrawn invoke Yslach, causing pools of ichor to appear. In a Liberation Rite, the pools appear wherever someone is banished.

-->--'''Darren Korb''', ''In the Flame'', '''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvxfmnrNj2U reveal trailer]]'''

** At the point in the campaign where the Lone Minstrel and the Gate Guardian sing the ''Mourning Song'', it continues to play even if you browse the Slugmarket.
** Prior to [[spoiler:the final Liberation Rite of the age]], the theme of [[spoiler:the True Nightwings]] plays instead of ''The Old Ways'', the usual theme that opens a Liberation Rite.

* DummiedOut: There are other versions of "Never To Return" in the game's files that don't appear in game.[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95utlmo23vQ One of them in particular]] is more dire and aggressive lyrically than the version used in the game itself.

Described by [[https://twitter.com/ZakMcc/status/722469120977952772 some]] as "''[[VideoGame/TheOregonTrail Oregon Trail]]'' meets ''NBA''".

* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: The trio that takes you in, calling themselves the Nightwings.

* RepeatedCueTardyResponse: PlayedForDrama near the end of the game. The Voice is supposed to announce "And so, the Scribes have chosen [the winning triumvirate's anointed]" [[spoiler:at the end of each Liberation Rite, when the Shimmer-Pool engulfs the anointed and carries them to the Commonwealth]]. However, [[spoiler:in the final Liberation Rite, the Shimmer-Pool seemingly fails to open]] and he is left to repeat himself in growing panic.

* PlayerExclusiveMechanic: The [=AI=] can pick up Moon Signs, but doesn't interact with other "drop" effects generated by some exiles' Masteries (e.g. Imp portals, Nomad resurrection flags).

** The Fate introduce the Moon Signs which buff anyone who picks them up. In a Liberation Rite, they pray to Jomuer with such sincerity and resolve that your exiles are shaken, increasing their respawn times.

** At the point in the campaign where the Lone Minstrel and the Gate Guardian sing the Mourning Song, it continues to play even if you browse the Slugmarket.
** Prior to [[spoiler:the final Liberation Rite of the age]], the theme of [[spoiler:the True Nightwings]] plays instead of The Old Ways, the usual theme that opens a Liberation Rite.

** On the flip side, worship of the Titans is not unknown. Besides Udmildhe seeking to revive Yslach, you can invoke the Titan Stars for a SelfImposedChallenge.

* ItHasBeenAnHonor: Just before [[spoiler:the final Liberation Rite]], your party members gather to say this to you, each in their own way.

** Throwing the Celestial Orb at one of your Exiles so that they lose their Aura followed by a quick Aura cast.
** Waiting for your Exile to exhaust their stamina before dashing past or firing their Aura their way.
** Hanging around right ''exactly'' at the edge of your Exile's Aura-casting range.
** Attempting to put one of its Exiles near your Pyre should there be an opportunity to pass the Orb.
* ArtificialStupidity: That said, the AI often unwittingly moves its Exiles straight into your Aura, and it sometimes has problems banishing your Exiles behind obstacles. It also has problems accounting for the drawbacks of cursed Talismans (e.g. repeatedly trying to pick up the Orb with someone with the Black Hoof equipped).

* PerfectPlayAI: On higher difficulties, invoking Yslach's Titan Star ("Your adversaries shall be more cunning and quicker to react") makes the AI this. Among other things, it will protect its exiles from your Aura casts by swapping to them and jumping in place at exactly the right moment, and will check almost all attempts to jump into its Pyre (where a human would have more trouble finding the right angle to check a jumper in time).

* TheReveal: All of the Commonwealth's elite, including the Voice that oversees the Rites and narrates your matches, [[spoiler:were all Exiles themselves and had been liberated through the Rites. Through the letters you receive after a Nightwing is freed, you learn that all liberated exiles are offered cushy jobs and impressive titles. Your Nightwings reject them in favour of linking up with Volfred's agents, to further his [[TheRevolutionWillNotBeVilified Plan]].]]

* TotalPartyKill: Completely possible, provided you make the right play. The camera will go into slow motion for the last kill. Invoking Shax's Titan Star will cause all of your opponent's Exiles to respawn immediately if you do this. It's also possible for both teams to wipe ''everybody'' out if they aren't careful.

** The Fate introduce the Moon Signs which buff anyone who picks them up. In a Liberation Rite, they pray to Jomuer with such sincerity and resolve that your Exiles are shaken, increasing their respawn times.

** Even better, many of these small kindnesses [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration will give boosts to those Exiles in the Rites.]]

* BackgroundMusicOverride: Prior to [[spoiler:the final Liberation Rite of the age]], the theme of [[spoiler:the True Nightwings]] plays instead of The Old Ways, the usual theme that opens a Liberation Rite.

** At one point [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness the Lone Minstrel]] says pre-emptively that he would not accept the will of the Scribes if [[spoiler:the Rites coming to an end]] meant that [[spoiler:he would be separated from the Gate Guardian for eternity]]. The Gate Guardian chides him for this.

Unlike previous entries from Supergiant Games, combat in ''Pyre'' plays more like a basketball game where you control a party of three to jump, pass, tackle, or fire their Auras with the aim of putting a Celestial Orb into the opposing party's Pyre until it is doused, and stopping your opponents from extinguishing your Pyre in turn. And more importantly, as the game's creative director [[https://blog.us.playstation.com/2017/05/30/pyre-launches-july-25-on-ps4-pre-orders-live-now/ Greg Kasavin encourages you to]], you can continue your story even after you lost a match.

* LargeHam: The Voice that narrates every Rite.

-->'''Volfred:''' [To] be quite frank, [[spoiler:there are more of us than we have chances left]]. [...] [[InvokedTrope I know this must be difficult to hear.]]