| 1 | Characters found in ''Signalis''. |
| 2 | |
| 3 | '''Beware of unmarked spoilers!''' |
| 4 | ---- |
| 5 | |
| 6 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 7 | |
| 8 | !Characters |
| 9 | |
| 10 | [[folder:Elster]] |
| 11 | !Landvermessungs-/Schiff-Techniker Replika[[labelnote:Translation]]Land Survey/Ship Technician Replika[[/labelnote]] 512 (LSTR-512), "Elster" |
| 12 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lstr.jpg]] |
| 13 | [[caption-width-right:350:I have to find her.]] |
| 14 | |
| 15 | The player character and protagonist of the game, she is a Replika technician of the scouting starship Penrose-512 sent out to parts unknown to find new worlds for humanity to colonize. |
| 16 | ---- |
| 17 | * ActionGirl: She is this by design, being programmed to be a firearms expert and she blasts her way throughout the game. |
| 18 | * AmbiguousSituation: The identity of her original Gestalt, [[spoiler:who was a Vinetan war veteran that suffered a [[EyeScream critical eye injury]] and had a photo taken of her alongside Alina Seo with implications that she could've either been a woman named Anna Huang, or Lilith Itou [[AmbiguouslyRelated who may or may not be related to Isa and Erika]]. The game throws hints that the LSTR brainwave could've come from either person, and it's completely up in the air as to which is true.]] |
| 19 | * AnArmAndALeg: [[spoiler:Tears her own forearm off trying to open the bulkhead doors of the Penrose at the end of Chapter 2. After the fake ending, she [[AppendageAssimilation acquires a replacement limb]] from a dead LSTR inside.]] |
| 20 | * ArtificialHuman: Is somewhere between this and RobotGirl since many of her components are either organic or organic analogues, like all Replika. |
| 21 | * BadassBookworm: LSTR Replikas like Elster are designed to be hard-as-nails commandos who boast both the technical knowledge and fighting capabilities that allow them to persevere as survivalists where others would despair. This enables Elster to go toe-to-toe with numerous corrupted Replikas while solving complex puzzles to proceed with her mission. |
| 22 | * BecauseYouWereNiceToMe: This is the main reason why [[spoiler:Elster fell in love with Ariane]]. Even though it was against the Nation of Eusan's official regulations, [[spoiler:Ariane regularly treated her with kindness while eagerly sharing her passions with her]]. It's also the reason why Elster is perfectly willing to [[YouAreWorthHell endure the horrors of Leng]] just to fulfill a promise she made. |
| 23 | * CharacterDevelopment: A case where she already underwent it prior to the story, going from a standard stoic LSTR model to something more, and a major turn in the outlook of her character involves remembering this in the first place. |
| 24 | * DeadAllAlong: [[spoiler:Elster died aboard the Penrose, and her corpse can be found later in the game. The playable Elster is strongly implied to be LSTR-S2301, the unit mentioned in Adler's journals, whose memories are being overwritten by Ariane's bioresonance projecting her Elster onto her[[note]]The Spatz update cleared up the corrupted unit ID on the blue screen of death to S2301, though there's a chance 512 will be displayed instead in its place[[/note]].]] |
| 25 | * {{Determinator}}: Nothing will stop her from fulfilling ThePromise, not increasingly horrific mazes or strange puzzles, not warped and corrupted Replika units, not grievous injury, or reality falling apart, not even dying over and over again. ''Nothing.'' [[spoiler: It's also arguably a [[DeconstructedTrope deconstructed example]], as Adler believes that Elster's repeatedly trying to find Ariane is what is causing reality to fall apart in the first place]]. |
| 26 | * TheEngineer: Of both the "Combat Engineer" and "Chief Engineer" variety. LSTR cosmonauts are designed to be rugged, adaptable survivalists, capable of repairing machinery and fighting with a wide variety of firearms. |
| 27 | * EyeScream: [[spoiler:After the final battle she gets stabbed in the eye by Adler. This wound ends up being the final nail for her as she bleeds out from it regardless of the ending]]. It's also potentially invoked on purpose within the narrative: [[spoiler:her Gestalt lost an eye in the Vinetan War, echoing her PastLifeMemories in this nightmare hell of memories bleeding together.]] |
| 28 | * FailureKnight: [[spoiler:The real Elster broke her promise to Ariane, balking at having to give her a MercyKill when her radiation poisoning became too severe. Instead, Elster tried to keep the ''Penrose'' functional for as long as possible while Ariane remained in cryostasis, until she eventually succumbed to the radiation herself. This is why the Elster we play is so driven to reach Ariane and keep the promise, even as reality comes apart at the seams.]] |
| 29 | * HiddenDepths: In spite of the fact that LSTR Replikas are soldiers, one of Ariane's diary entries states that Elster doesn't like WarMovies, which unfortunately made up a majority of the [[PropagandaPiece Nation-approved films]] they were allowed to take with them. |
| 30 | * LetsGetDangerous: In the final act, Elster scavenges the [[SuitUpOfDestiny heavy combat gear]] of another dead LSTR Replika before making [[TheLastDance one last push]] to fulfill the promise. |
| 31 | * MajorInjuryUnderreaction: Granted, she ''is'' technically a robot, but even then there are in-universe documented cases of Replikas reacting to various injuries and traumas that it's an oddity how Elster doesn't. |
| 32 | ** No matter how badly she's beaten up, slashed with knives and cleavers, getting sliced with monofilament wires, or blasted with heavy-duty mining lasers, Elster only ever seems to utter the occasional grunt and nothing else. While she does hold her stomach and limp around when sufficiently injured, that's about the full extent of Elster's reaction to her body falling apart. |
| 33 | ** [[spoiler:Upon ripping herself open trying to enter the Penrose's hatch in the false ending, Elster would lose her right arm and her entire chest plate, which exposes her ribcage and synthetic organs inside her torso. Not that this fazes her any.]] |
| 34 | ** Lastly, [[spoiler:Adler [[EyeScream stabbing her in the eye]] with a large knife]] does nothing to falter her resolve, either, with Elster appearing to be more bored than hurt by the injury. |
| 35 | * OneWomanArmy: If you don't play more of an avoiding style, Elster is quick to hold up her duty as a shocktrooper model and tear her way through the horrors of Leng singlehandedly, moments of aid from Isa aside. |
| 36 | * ThePromise: What drives her. She made a promise, as she repeatedly states, and ''[[{{Determinator}} nothing]]'' is going to stop her from carrying it out. [[spoiler:The promise was to give Ariane Yeong a MercyKill when her radiation sickness became too severe: a promise Elster had [[FailureKnight failed to keep]], hesitating until she died of radiation sickness as well. The horrors of Leng are her chance to set things right, though whether she follows through depends on the ending -- in the Leave ending, Elster can decide that she ''still'' can't go through with it, to her own shame.]] |
| 37 | * SanitySlippage: Elster's mental state gradually degrades the deeper she dives into the depths of Leng. Seeing vivid hallucinations, engaging in SelfHarm, acquiring items that should be impossible to obtain, reliving memories that clearly are not her own, and waking up in areas with virtually no recollection of how she got there. |
| 38 | * ScrewThisImOuttaHere: [[spoiler:The Leave ending has Elster come to the conclusion that she's simply too cowardly or weak to even attempt to confront Ariane, and try to leave. It results in her bleeding out in the desert, curled up into a TroubledFetalPosition and ultimately DyingAlone with her failure to muster up the will to continue.]] |
| 39 | * SleepingWithTheBoss: [[spoiler:She's in a romantic relationship with her commanding officer Ariane Yeong. Unlike most examples of this trope, their love for one another isn't portrayed as inappropriate beyond in-universe manuals produced by a [[TheDictatorship dystopian regime.]] Instead, it is framed more as a [[LoveHurts tragic love]] that serves as the impetus behind every single one of Elster's actions.]] |
| 40 | * TheStoic: For the most part she expresses little concern to the horrors unfolding around her - all the descriptions written from her perspective are matter-of-fact and laconic, and she doesn't talk much to other people outside of asking about Alina Seo. |
| 41 | ** NotSoStoic: This changes in the second part of the game [[spoiler:where she fully remembers Ariane, their relationship and what the promise she made actually means, at which point a lot of her internal dialogue becomes more emotionally-charged and she shows more expressions in cutscenes.]] |
| 42 | * SurvivalMantra: ''[[ThePromise "I made a promise."]]'' |
| 43 | * TomatoInTheMirror: [[spoiler:The original LSTR-0512 died of radiation sickness on the Penrose, failing to fulfill her promise. The Elster played for most of the game is either another Elster model manufactured using LSTR-0512's brain scan as a template (as implied by the Replika Overview document, but this raises questions) or a construct dreamed into being by Ariane (which raises even more), either way in a setting where reality is malleable, Elster has not even let death stop her from fulfilling her promise to her lover.]] |
| 44 | [[/folder]] |
| 45 | |
| 46 | [[folder:Ariane Yeong]] |
| 47 | ! Ariane Yeong |
| 48 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ariane_yeong.jpg]] |
| 49 | [[caption-width-right:350:REMEMBER OUR PROMISE]] |
| 50 | |
| 51 | Elster's missing Gestalt Officer and the sole human crewmate of the Penrose-512. |
| 52 | ---- |
| 53 | * AllOfTheOtherReindeer: [[spoiler:She was heavily bullied by other girls during her time in Rotfront due to her being somewhat different from everyone else. It was a big reason to why she took on the Penrose mission, just to get away from it all]]. |
| 54 | * AmbiguousSituation: [[spoiler:Her fragmented memories indicate that she knew Isa and Erika from her time in Rotfront, but it's not clear if she was friends with either of them. On-screen flashes of German text during the school flashback section imply that Isa did consider her a friend, though.]] |
| 55 | * BeautyIsNeverTarnished: [[spoiler:In spite of developing radiation-induced cancer and leaving notes describing her hair and teeth falling out, Arianne's appearances in-game always depict her in good health and akin to how she looked on the 3000th cycle anniversary she had with Elster. Slightly subverted when the bandaged injuries Alina sports appear on her face after the Fake Ending and if one looks closely on her model one can see that her limbs have started to necrose.]] |
| 56 | * BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Logs found on the Penrose state that Ariane was happy to take part in the program. It let her leave her abusive surroundings on Rotfront and escape into the stars where she had the freedom to be herself. But later dated logs state that she developed an increasingly worse case of CabinFever [[spoiler:even before she was told she was going to die out there and started to suffer from radiation sickness.]] |
| 57 | * BlitheSpirit: Ariane was raised on a remote radio post by her mother and had access to a lot of works of art, including ones prohibited by the state. That, combined with her obsession with music, photos and painting, results in her dossier defining her as "rather odd" and "not understanding such distractions are no longer acceptable". Even compulsory military service did exactly nothing to change that. [[spoiler:[[DeconstructedTrope Unfortunately]], her inability to conform saw Ariane get bullied in school and fail to find a place in the Nation's totalitarian society, and she was soon threatened with assignment to S-23 Sierpinski, [[TheGulag a remote work camp where undesirables are sent to be re-educated]]. She only avoided this fate by volunteering for the Penrose Project, which turned out to be a SuicideMission anyway.]] |
| 58 | * CountryMouse: She was considered unusual as rather than being grown up within the dense urban areas she instead was raised in a remote radio station, a place where she cultivated her love for art and literature. |
| 59 | * CrewOfOne: Downplayed. While she is both TheCaptain of the Penrose and its sole human crewmate, she does share her responsibilities with Elster, who acts as her NumberTwo. |
| 60 | * DamselInDistress: [[spoiler:She's slowly dying of [[IllGirl radiation-induced cancer]] throughout the events of the game and it is Elster's personal mission to do whatever it takes to find Ariane and finally [[MercyKill put her out of her misery.]]]] |
| 61 | * FaceDeathWithDignity: In the "Promise" Ending, [[spoiler:she's remarkably dignified: bidding Elster to finally [[DeadlyEuphuism fulfill her promise]], [[GoOutWithASmile smiles]] and uses the last of her strength to console the sobbing Replika.]] |
| 62 | * ForbiddenFruit: Her free-spirited upbringing left her with a taste for literary works [[MediaWatchdog forbidden by the Nation]], which she was able to feed by frequenting a bookstore owned by the Itou family. One diary entry notes that she had hoped to buy ''The King in Yellow'', only to learn that Protektors had confiscated it before she had the chance. |
| 63 | * GoMadFromTheIsolation: [[spoiler:It's implied that while she initially saw getting off of Rotfront as a blessing in disguise and generally preferred being alone anyway, not even her gradual romance with Elster could keep at bay the growing depression and existential dread of being sent on a SuicideMission with the Penrose expedition, drifting through space for potentially upwards to eight years as the only Gestalt aboard. Then the radiation shielding started failing, Ariane became irradiated into unending agony, and either her theoretical bioresonant powers or something far greater took ahold of that despair and warped reality into her isolated, painful suffering inflicted upon the rest of the expedition.]] |
| 64 | * HoistByHisOwnPetard: [[spoiler:LSTR units are supposed to be left alone and not befriended. Ariane was so disdainful of the oppressive Nation government that she never bothered to even read the instructions telling her so, instead not just befriending but falling in love with Elster. This left Elster too attached to her to perform a MercyKill on her, something that the Nation's instructions recommend and, presumably, Elster would have had no problem doing if Ariane remained distant.]] |
| 65 | * MysticalWhiteHair: Ariane is potentially a [[PsychicPowers bioresonant]], and has the clear white hair, pale skin, and red eyes that denote albinism. |
| 66 | * NiceGirl: From what's shown in the game, Ariane seems to be a very kind and gentle soul. [[spoiler:The best example of this is in the Memory ending where, despite not remembering her whatsoever, Ariane is shown reaching her hand out to comfort Elster as she's dying.]] |
| 67 | * PowerIncontinence: [[spoiler:If one takes a straight reading of ''Signalis'', Ariane's hitherto unknown bioresonant powers have been unleashed on Sierpinski, flooding the station with her memories and emotions until it has been reorganized to resemble the inner-thoughts of an unconscious, depressed, irradiated girl turned dreaming god.]] |
| 68 | * {{Robosexual}}: [[spoiler:She's a human woman who started a romantic relationship with her subordinate [[RobotSoldier Elster]]. This also doubles as a ForbiddenLove as the LSTR manual given to Ariane explicitly states that Gestalt Officers are '''not''' allowed to befriend their Replika (let alone ''sleep'' with them) and are generally not supposed to interact with them any more than necessary. But considering how Ariane is a BlitheSpirit with a passion for media blacklisted by the state who pilots a ship ''far'' away from the state's prying eyes, Ariane couldn't care less. Especially since she didn't even bother ''opening'' the manual out of its sealed envelope in the first place.]] |
| 69 | * ScrewThisImOuttaHere: [[spoiler:It's revealed that she signed up for the Penrose program and left Rotfront to escape from the rampant bullying she experienced for being perceived as too different from everybody else.]] |
| 70 | * UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: [[spoiler:Heading the Penrose expedition was already going to end badly for everyone involved, because it was functionally [[SuicideMission never going to reach its goal in the first place]], but she can't be blamed for that. If one goes with the interpretation of her using bioresonant powers to trap the Sierpinski in her DyingDream, she's also subjected all of the Replikas and especially Elster to a seemingly-eternal torment of death, insanity and bottomless misery and has absolutely no way to stop it, simply for existing in the wrong place at the wrong time under her radiation sickness.]] |
| 71 | * WalkingSpoiler: Knowing the truth of Ariane's existence is half of the plot, with the other half being Elster's part in [[spoiler:fulfilling the promise of a MercyKill.]] |
| 72 | * YourDaysAreNumbered: [[spoiler:Once her expedition has gone past its 5000th cycle (the expected lifetime of a Penrose expedition is 3000 cycles), Ariane begins to suffer the symptoms of acute radiation sickness due to the failing reactor shielding of her own ship. Since she's stranded light years from any medical facility, Ariane's fate is essentially sealed.]] |
| 73 | [[/folder]] |
| 74 | |
| 75 | [[folder:Isolde "Isa" Itou]] |
| 76 | ! Isolde "Isa" Itou |
| 77 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/isolde_itou.jpg]] |
| 78 | [[caption-width-right:350:I hope you find who you're looking for.]] |
| 79 | |
| 80 | A lone Gestalt survivor who sporadically appears throughout the events of the game. Like Elster, Isa has her own enigmatic reasons for being on Leng and won't leave until its done. |
| 81 | ---- |
| 82 | * AlwaysIdenticalTwins: Based on the Mandelbrot Polytechnic flashback sequence and the small handful of photographs of Erika, the twins are largely identical in appearance, with Isa having slightly shorter hair. |
| 83 | * AmbiguouslyRelated: [[spoiler:On the photo that shows the Gestalt that would go on to be the origin of the LSTR Replika line standing alongside Alina, one of the names on the back of the photo is a "Lilith Itou". Lilith is never mentioned in any other capacity in the game, but the photo is from at least a generation ago, leaving it unanswered as to whether they were a family member. Given this [[AmbiguousSituation could also be the name of the Gestalt]], there's also a chance that ''Elster'' is tied to the Itou family by origin as well.]] |
| 84 | * DeadAllAlong: [[spoiler:Late in the game, it's revealed that the Isa Elster encounters is only a construct from Ariane's ailing mind. Then Elster finds out that Isa apparently died on Rotfront and never actually left the planet.]] |
| 85 | * DeathByDespair: [[spoiler:After searching the decaying facility from top to bottom and failing to find her sister, while catching the MysticalPlague on top of that, Isa's will to live seems to give out, and she collapses into a puddle of rotten ooze before Elster's eyes.]] |
| 86 | * {{Determinator}}: Despite being just a regular human, Isa is somehow able to progress through Sierpinski quicker than Elster in her desperate search for Erika, though [[MutilationConga her growing number of injuries]] shows she didn't pass without difficulty. [[spoiler:Though it turns out, as DeadAllAlong puts it, that she was never really in Sierpinski at all.]] |
| 87 | * {{Deuteragonist}}: She's the only recurring friendly face in Elster's quest, and her own journey serves as a major subplot. |
| 88 | * {{Expy}}: Of [[VideoGame/SilentHill2 Angela Orosco]], repeatedly coming across Elster as she pursues her own agenda while armed with nothing but a kitchen knife. [[spoiler:Like Angela, she makes it to the very end of the game, but gives into her despair and succumbs to the corruption of Leng.]] |
| 89 | * {{Fingore}}: [[spoiler:In the introduction to Rotfront, we see a horrified Isa examining herself in a mirror, with trembling, twitching fingers visibly blackened and bloody -- a sign that she's contracted the MysticalPlague.]] |
| 90 | * IJustShotMarvinInTheFace: She uses Adler's rifle to help Elster fight the Chimera, but isn't prepared for the recoil and accidentally knocks herself out. Elster notes that the rifle is designed with [[{{BFG}} a "ridiculous" high caliber]] (basically an elephant gun), so its a wonder Isa didn't hurt herself more severely. |
| 91 | * IWillFindYou: She's hunting for her sister, Erika, though given the condition of things, the likelihood of her being alive was already bottomed out. [[spoiler:Then it turns out that ''something'' happened to her long before even the events of the game when Erika tried to stop Ariane's bullying in school, presumably having either died or [[UnPerson been "disappeared"]] before even Isa's own passing.]] |
| 92 | * TheKlutz: Implied by her medical records, which describes Isa as being very accident-prone and having to be frequently hospitalized to treat numerous injuries. |
| 93 | * LivingMemory: [[spoiler:As with DeadAllAlong, the Isa encountered is implied to be reconstructed from Ariane's own memories.]] |
| 94 | * MutilationConga: She gets progressively more injured throughout the story. At the beginning she only has a few cuts, but by the end she's covered in fresh wounds and blood-soaked bandages, especially on her face, culminating in what looks to be [[EyeScream a missing eye]]. [[spoiler:She ultimately contracts the MysticalPlague, causing her hands and soon her entire body to rot]]. |
| 95 | * MyGreatestFailure: [[spoiler:Isa and her sister Erika seemingly knew Ariane in school, back at Rotfront, and were entirely aware of the bullying she was going through. Erika stepped in to stop it, whereas Isa was too scared to even attempt it. Given Erika seemingly disappeared or was killed for it, Isa's cowardice may have saved her, but she held guilt over her indecisiveness leaving Ariane out to dry nonetheless.]] |
| 96 | * TokenHuman: Is the only non-Replika NPC to show up for most of the game, not counting flashbacks. |
| 97 | [[/folder]] |
| 98 | |
| 99 | [[folder:Adler]] |
| 100 | ! Administration-, Datenverarbeitung-, Logistik-Replika[[labelnote:Translation]]Administration, Data Processing, Logistics Replika[[/labelnote]] (ADLR), "Adler" |
| 101 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/adlr.jpg]] |
| 102 | [[caption-width-right:350:I Wear No Mask]] |
| 103 | |
| 104 | The Replika subordinate of Falke and second-in-command of the Leng digsite. |
| 105 | ---- |
| 106 | * AgonizingStomachWound: [[spoiler:Takes one at the end of the game from Elster's pistol when he stabbed her in the face. Possibly a MutualKill situation, but since we never see him die it is uncertain.]] |
| 107 | * AllergicToRoutine: Ironically for a bureaucrat, Adler gets bored extremely easily. Unlike other replika models that have clearly defined [[SecurityBlanket fetish objects]], the ADLR technical docs state that Adlers need constant enrichment with new trinkets to be fascinated by in their spare time. One diary entry mentions that he attempted to cook something "adventurous" just to break up the monotony of his diet. |
| 108 | * AntiVillain: [[spoiler: His primary motivation for trying to kill Elster and Isa is the belief that their [[{{Determinator}} repeated attempts to find their loved ones]] and perpetuate the stable time loop is causing reality to fall apart. While [[AmbiguousSituation the game never gives a clear answer]] to what is exactly happening, the fact that [[RealityIsOutToLunch things only get worse]] as Elster goes to further lengths to find Ariane lends some credence to his point]]. |
| 109 | * BodyHorror: [[spoiler:In the final act of the game he becomes mutated and deformed like all the other replikas, resembling a charred and flayed corpse with his missing eye scabbed over. Amazingly, he seems to have no difficulty keeping his wits and continuing to criticize Elster.]] |
| 110 | * DespairEventHorizon: From his diaries, the loss of his commander and the slow realization that the station is [[spoiler:stuck in a closed time-loop]] erode any hope or positive feelings he once had. |
| 111 | * DramaticIrony: [[spoiler:One seeming reason why the GroundhogDayLoop occurs is that Elster [[TheHeroDies dies at the end]]. Adler's inability to stop his paranoia and blame on Elster thanks to her inability to let go of her promise for Ariane results in him causing Elster's death almost every single time she does manage to reach the end, [[SelfInflictedHell potentially trapping himself in his own eternal hell]] with him none the wiser and [[NeverMyFault unable to realize his hand in it]], despite otherwise being fully aware of the time loops he's been trying to prevent.]] |
| 112 | * EyeScream: Isa manages to sneak up on him and stab him in the right eye before dropping him down a huge hole. |
| 113 | * FacialHorror: [[spoiler:Most of Adler's face seems to have fallen off at the height of his corruption, exposing a still-bloody skull with the sole exception of his left eye.]] |
| 114 | * ForeverWar: [[spoiler:Adler is aware of the time loop and claims to have experienced it "countless times". He expresses no small amount of frustration that, no matter how many Elsters he puts down to stop her efforts to find Ariane, another one just keeps showing up. He's killed enough Elsters by shoving them into an elevator shaft that, by the time of the game, the corpses are piled high enough to break the fall of the playable Elster.]] |
| 115 | * GoMadFromTheRevelation: His mental state was already starting to suffer as the situation in Sierpinski quickly declines, but he goes over the edge when [[spoiler:he realizes the facility is trapped in a time loop]]. |
| 116 | * TheHeavy: While not at all responsible for the state of Sierpinski, he's the closest thing the game has to a chief antagonist, working against Elster and Isolde in the belief that they shouldn't be meddling. Unlike the zombified replikas infesting the station, Adler can at least ''talk'' when he tries to murder them. |
| 117 | * HypercompetentSidekick: Although Falke is actually in charge of Sierpinski station, Adler functions as the administrator and functionary who seems to run all the day-to-day bureaucratic minutiae. |
| 118 | * {{Irony}}: |
| 119 | ** Adler is somehow [[spoiler:BlessedWithSuck in the form of a RippleEffectProofMemory, with him being the only one on Sierpinski who can vividly recall the events of the previous {{Groundhog Day Loop}}s]]. This being from a line of Replikas who are known for being extremely AllergicToRoutine. |
| 120 | ** The ADLR is not a combat unit, nor intended as such. It is an administrative and support unit. [[spoiler:Adler has by far one of the highest kill counts of the setting and repeatedly kills Elster, even if it is through trickery.]] |
| 121 | * MisanthropeSupreme: Not dramatically explored, but after uttering his ''The King in Yellow'' allusory line "I wear no mask", the screen flashes red with bold text: '''And I hate everything'''. |
| 122 | * NonActionGuy: Unlike most Replika models, the ADLR series was designed for bureaucratic purposes, and as such possesses neither physical robustness nor combat efficiency. Reflective of this, Adler is never fought as an actual enemy in the game despite his plot significance. His inefficacy in combat is more or less demonstrated when Isa managed to get the drop on him despite his powerful rifle and memories of prior loops, and [[spoiler:his corrupted form going down in one gut shot from Elster's pistol where even the most basic Eule or Ara could withstand two or three]]. |
| 123 | * NotSoHarmlessVillain: He's a non-combat model who has hardly covered himself in glory, his disastrous command having helped the situation collapse to the degree it has, and it is all but impossible for him to be a threat in direct combat. He's also [[TheHeavy the closest thing the game has to a main villain]] [[spoiler:and has killed Elster more times than any other threat, likely put together]]. |
| 124 | * NumberTwo: To Falke. This is described in the ADLR series overview, with them being intended to serve as a direct subordinate to a commanding FLKR unit and take charge of the facility's bureaucratic functions in her stead. |
| 125 | * TheOneGuy: The only confirmed male Replika model, and the one seen in the game is also the only such model present. He is also the only male character in the game to have a physical presence. |
| 126 | * OtherMeAnnoysMe: Stated in the briefing about known issues with the Adler model. Whereas most other Replikas get along at least among each other in the same model, Adlers don't, and are as a result usually assigned individually to each facility as [[TheOneGuy its lone male administrator]]. Seeing as they're designed to be susceptible to bioresonance and were seemingly hard-coded to revere Falkes, part of this problem could very well have been [[CrazyJealousGuy jealousy.]] |
| 127 | * PastLifeMemories: In his diary he claims to occasionally experience the memories of his gestalt neural donor during his dreams, a symptom of persona degradation. Like the others, his donor was a veteran of the Venetian war, and the memory described was of him playing a guessing card game with another soldier, a woman with white hair. [[spoiler:It soon progresses to [[RippleEffectProofMemory memories of past time loops and encounters with Elster]], causing Adler great distress.]] |
| 128 | * RippleEffectProofMemory: [[spoiler:As the facility started to collapse, Adler began having dreams and deja vu of events that occured in previous time loops, and realized that his diary entries are all dated to the exact same day. By the time the player gets involved, Adler casually mentions having experienced the loop "countless times before"; enough to recognize the subtle differences and worsening decay each time, and liken it to the world being "taken apart and put back together, by someone who doesn't understand how it works".]] |
| 129 | * SanitySlippage: Undergoes this during the course of his diaries, after Commander Falke gets sick and [[spoiler:Adler starts to notice the GroundhogDayLoop.]] |
| 130 | * TinyGuyHugeGirl: The relatively Tiny Guy (175cm) to Falke's Huge Girl (250cm). |
| 131 | * TheUnfought: He is never confronted outside of cutscenes. He only lands blows on Elster by catching her off guard when she does not know to beware of him, or later [[spoiler:when he has a hidden knife behind his back]]. Justified, as he is in no way built or trained for combat, and any actual fight with him would be painfully easy [[spoiler:compared to the showdown with Commander Falke that immediately preceded it.]] |
| 132 | * WeakWilled: Technical docs for the ADLR model state that Adlers are highly receptive to [[PsychicPowers bioresonance]], which enables Falke commanders to easily keep them in line. |
| 133 | [[/folder]] |
| 134 | |
| 135 | [[folder:Alina Seo]] |
| 136 | !Alina Seo |
| 137 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/alina_seo.jpg]] |
| 138 | |
| 139 | The Gestalt that Elster is looking for on the Sierpinski station at the beginning of the game. |
| 140 | ---- |
| 141 | * AmbiguousSituation: It's unclear who the LSTR unit mentioned in her journal is. While likely to be LSTR-S2301, who was requisitioned to Sierpinski just before the time loop, that the same journal also described [[spoiler:her memories being merged with those of Ariane muddies the water further.]] |
| 142 | * AdvertisedExtra: [[spoiler:The photo Elster has of her is given focus in the launch trailer setting her up to be a major character or Elsters main goal… she isn’t and disappears from the narrative once Elster remembers she’s looking for Ariane.]] |
| 143 | * ApocalypticLog: Leaves a few diary pages behind describing the tense opening days of the plague, as the Protektors' numbers dwindled and efforts were made to keep a lid on things. Alina is sequestered in the hospital wing on suspicion of having the sickness, and by the time she sneaks out the remaining replikas have gone mad. [[spoiler:Her final entry sees Alina losing track of time while hiding in the mines, her hair turning white and beginning to remember a life that isn't her own.]] |
| 144 | * TheGhost: [[spoiler:Never shows up in the game proper but is referred to in many documents as well as photos. If the Rotfront section is to believed, she was a soldier before Ariane finished her education so she might've been [[DeadAllAlong dead]]. ]] |
| 145 | * IdenticalStranger: [[spoiler:She resembles Ariane so much even her mother noted they could be twins. That was one of the reasons Ariane was actively interested in a Vinetan veteran of a war that happened at least a generation ago.]] |
| 146 | * MistakenIdentity: [[spoiler:Elster is looking for her in the Sierpinski station in the first half of the game but she's clearly not the Penrose officer from the prologue segment. Only in the second part Elster realizes she was looking for Ariane all along. ]] |
| 147 | * TheNicknamer: [[spoiler:One of the notes from Sierpinski segments mentions that Alina had a close friend who she nicknamed Elster, hinting this was Elster's original Gestalt donor.]] |
| 148 | * PastLifeMemories: [[spoiler:Alina was a close friend for Elster's original neural pattern donor, who they served together with in the same unit on Vineta. Elster's Gestalt memories and Ariane's fascination with her is what brings Alina's construct in the current reality.]] |
| 149 | * RippleEffectProofMemory: Implied. Per her journal entries, Alina is one of the few people who remembers [[spoiler:an LSTR unit working in the mines]]. |
| 150 | * RedHerring: [[spoiler:Alina wasn't who Elster was supposed to be searching for at all. Once Elster remember Ariane's identity, Alina's relevance to the plot is dropped completely.]] |
| 151 | * SmallRoleBigImpact: As far as any information can be parsed, [[spoiler:she was a fellow squad member or even potential significant other of the LSTR's Gestalt, and beyond that she never has any personal influence on the plot. Despite this, Ariane researched her due to her [[IdenticalStranger startling similarity to herself]], and Alina's photo from this is kept just far enough into Elster's newest loops to help serve as her initial [[IWillFindYou objective]] when she's forgotten Ariane, stirring her into motion regardless.]] |
| 152 | * WalkingSpoiler: A key element to several plot threads [[spoiler:despite not even being present]]. |
| 153 | [[/folder]] |
| 154 | |
| 155 | [[folder:Commander Falke]] |
| 156 | !Führungskommando-Leiteinheit-Replika[[labelnote:Translation]]Operational Command Control Unit Replika[[/labelnote]] (FKLR), "Falke" |
| 157 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fklr.jpg]] |
| 158 | [[caption-width-right:350:Now we are one.]] |
| 159 | The Replika commander of the Leng dig-site. One of the elite FLKR units placed in positions of authority within the government. She fell into a coma under mysterious circumstances with an equally strange plague suddenly following not long after. |
| 160 | ---- |
| 161 | * AmbiguousSituation: [[spoiler:There are a lot of questions about her relationship with Ariane as the game seems to constantly play parallels between the two. There are some hints that their psychic powers are interacting with each other, with Falke becoming a receiver and signal-booster for Ariane's bioresonance which then corrupted the rest of the facility, but there are no concrete statements on what is actually going on between the two]]. |
| 162 | * ConvenientComa: Is in one by the time the game starts and remains in that state [[spoiler:up until the final confrontation with her at its end]]. Her coma led to the situation in Sierpinski rapidly deteriorating on many levels, as the lack of her direct oversight meant her subordinates, including her crucial NumberTwo Adler, were left leaderless in the face of the sanity-eroding plague. |
| 163 | * EyelessFace: [[spoiler:Her corrupted form appears to have a bare metallic skull with no eye sockets and ScaryTeeth.]] |
| 164 | * FacialMarkings: She has a triangular pattern of three red diamonds on her forehead, rendered black on her in-game model. Based on other characters like Kolibri, this seems to be how the Nation marks out bioresonant individuals. [[spoiler:Falke's corrupted form has the same diamonds marked into her fleshless metal skull, implying that they're actually part of some physical mechanism that allows replikas to wield bioresonant powers.]] |
| 165 | * FakeMemories: Was forcibly overwritten with Elster's memories as a result of entering the gate discovered below Sierpenski, and coming into contact with something she calls the "red eye". By the time Elster herself comes into the picture, [[DeathOfPersonality there is very little left of whoever Falke used to be]]. |
| 166 | * FinalBoss: [[spoiler:Corrupted Falke is the last major threat keeping Elster from reaching Ariane in most of the endings, except for the Artifact one, which lets the player bypass her.]] |
| 167 | * FlunkyBoss: [[spoiler:She summons Aras with each stage transition, though they're likely to be blown away by Falke's bioresonance attacks while they pursue the player.]] |
| 168 | * GoldColoredSuperiority: The most advanced replika model is a psychic super-soldier and military commander, denoted by a golden laurel wreathe, chest armor decoration and HolyHalo. |
| 169 | * GracefulLoser: [[spoiler:When Elster defeats her and inflicts a mortal wound, Falke simply places a hand on her shoulder and tells her "Now, we are one," before collapsing. In her eyes, it didn't matter ''which'' of them died, so long as only one Elster was left standing.]] |
| 170 | * HoistByHisOwnPetard: [[spoiler:Shooting Falke with your guns will only stun her; the only way to deal damage is to pick up one of her discarded bioresonant spears and interact with the stunned Commander to [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice stab her through the face]].]] |
| 171 | * HolyHalo: Has a series of floating golden rings behind her head, with no apparent function. |
| 172 | * IdenticalStranger: She looks near identical to Ariane, just with black hair. Also, her theme is Ariane's as well, just played backwards. What this actually means however is up for interpretation. |
| 173 | * IJustWantToBeYou: The culmination of Elster's memories with Ariane [[DeathOfPersonality gradually overwriting her own]]. Falke goes from struggling to understand who is the white-haired woman in her visions, to longing to be together with her just like Elster, [[spoiler:to outright seeking to KillAndReplace Elster on the belief that it will somehow [[SplitPersonalityMerge complete them both]]]]. |
| 174 | * ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: [[spoiler:Six times, and through the face no less.]] |
| 175 | * KillingYourAlternateSelf: [[spoiler:Her apparent motivation behind attacking Elster when she wakes up. Claiming they are both incomplete and need to become one. How much of this is the truth and how much is a delusion of her corrupted mind is open to interpretation.]] |
| 176 | * LargeAndInCharge: FLKR units are the highest rank Replika in the government, and also the tallest we see in game aside from the slightly taller heavy mining MNHR, and they are rendered even taller by their ability to hover off the ground. This is ostensibly to better survey a situation and respond as a leader, but likely is a way to be looked up to in both a figurative and literal sense. |
| 177 | * LivingEmotionalCrutch: While revered by all Replika in general, Falke is this trope to Adler, whose model is noted to become very emotionally dependant on their commanding officer. Her slipping into a coma caused him a titanic amount of distress that grew in severity the longer she was out of it. |
| 178 | * MindOverMatter: Her weapon of choice, both with blasts of telekinetic force and throwing spears around to channel that power. Notable is that while bioresonant powers are not unique to FLKR units, they are the only example of bioresonance we see that can directly affect the physical realm rather than the mind alone. |
| 179 | * PatientZero: Falke was the first Replika to become sick after returning from the gate, and others followed not long after her. Though with the MysticalPlague nature of the sickness it's hard to be sure if she spread that sickness or was merely it's first target. |
| 180 | * PhysicalGod: The Falke series was deliberately designed with this effect. Aside from the intentional resemblance to both of Eusan's tyrannical leaders, [[TheGeneralissimo The Great Revolutionary]] and her [[OverlordJr Daughter]], their bioresonance abilities are the most powerful of all patterns, such that they can [[MindOverMatter directly manipulate the physical world around them]], and they also subconsciously subvert the minds of Gestalts and lesser Replikas into worshipping them as physical goddesses. [[spoiler:Which makes the UnreadablyFastText during her BossSubtitles all the more significant.]] |
| 181 | -->[[spoiler:'''THIS GOD WON'T FORGIVE YOU''']] |
| 182 | * SequentialBoss: As the FinalBoss of the game, Falke has ''six'' sequential phases, each one more difficult than the last due to her dealing more damage to Elster as the fight goes on, the increased complexity of her mechanics, and the scarcity of resources during the later segments. Given that there are no checkpoints, dying at any phase of the battle means starting over from scratch. |
| 183 | * StatuesqueStunner: The FLKR is the second tallest known Replika model at 250cm, just barely shorter than the 260cm-tall MNHR, who only maintain a slight advantage because of their bulky armor suits. They're also modeled after the Eusan Nation's Great Revolutionary and her daughter, and as a result are deliberately made to be beautiful in addition to the aura of superiority they exude. |
| 184 | * TinyGuyHugeGirl: The Huge Girl (250cm) to Adler's Tiny Guy (175cm). |
| 185 | [[/folder]] |
| 186 | |
| 187 | !Replika Models |
| 188 | |
| 189 | [[folder:In General]] |
| 190 | Manufactured beings made to serve specific purposes for the government. They come in a variety of models, each for a specific role. |
| 191 | ---- |
| 192 | * AIIsACrapshoot: Zigzagged. This is a known problem for Replika, that they will develop psychological deviances that cause them to act out in unpredictable and sometimes dangerous ways. It's common enough that each model has assigned behaviors and [[SecurityBlanket items]] meant to curb this descent into instability, with protocols in place to decommission the rogue Replika should the instabilities become pronouced. [[spoiler:However, according to classified documents, these "deviances" are in truth the Replika simply developing a personality of their own. The Nation demonizes this process because it makes the Replika no longer an obedient worker drone, and thus a liability to the totalitarian regime.]] |
| 193 | * AnimalThemeNaming: All Replika models seen in the game are named after a species of bird - more specifically their German name. |
| 194 | * ArtificialHuman: An unusual mix of this and a {{Cyborg}}. They have enough organic components to have a functioning digestive system and organs that bear a degree of similarity to a humans, but even those organic parts are inedible in emergencies. The rest, more the limbs than the center torso, are more mechanical than organic. |
| 195 | * BodyHorror: The symptoms of the mysterious disease ravaging Sierpinski include internal hemmoraging, skin peeling off and rampant tumor growth. Ordinary gestalt/humans die from this pretty quickly. Replika, held together by their robotic parts, go on to become hideously disfigured and utterly deranged from the pain. Their metal exoskeletons are said to be cracked apart by the growing tumors underneath, and some of them develop more extreme mutations. |
| 196 | -->'''Alina Seo's diary:''' Something's wrong with the Protektors - those that are still around. A guard spotted me earlier sneaking out of the Medical Wing, and she let out a monstrous scream as she chased after me. When I looked back, I saw [[FacialHorror her face]], and now I can't forget. It looked like she'd been in some horrible accident. |
| 197 | * BizarreAlienLimbs: According to WordOfGod, the stumpy legs of in-game Replikas aren't just an artistic effect. [[https://twitter.com/LastStarfarer/status/1699523177519456371 They do genuinely lack human-like feet, and what they have in place of those are more akin to equine hooves instead, with small protrusions at the base that are likely their version of toes.]] |
| 198 | * BrainUploading: Downplayed. All Replika models have their personality copied from a Gestalt, but are not supposed to have their memories. Said memories CAN appear however, and are considered a symptom of [[AIIsACrapshoot persona degredation]]. |
| 199 | * ElectronicEyes: All Replikas have a tiny red and blue light inside their pupils, emphasizing their artificial nature. |
| 200 | * ExpendableClone: Seemingly the mindset Replika are supposed to have about themselves. A MNHR unit even comments upon realizing her injury dooms her that it's not a problem, because she can easily be replaced. Of course many Replika don't share this mindset and show both a fear of death and sorrow at the loss of their fellow Replika. |
| 201 | * FacialHorror: If the first MNHR encountered is any indication, one of the last, most drastic symptoms of Replika corruption is the sloughing off of external soft tissues, particularly around the head. This is especially apparent on the ones who don't wear head covers, such as Eules and Aras, whose heads have become little more than metallic skulls post-mutation. |
| 202 | * FireKeepsItDead: Infected units decomissioned to contain the plague were discovered to be [[RevivingEnemy reanimating]] and [[OurZombiesAreDifferent becoming psychotic]], even hours after death, thanks to the regenerating tumors in their bodies. With the morgue incinerator overwhelmed by the number of bodies needing to be disposed of safely, the medical staff repurposed thermite to burn infected bodies on the spot, as it could melt through replika exoskeletons to destroy the organic components inside. Elster can acquire one-use thermite charges and flares that instantly down most enemies and scorch their bodies, preventing future reanimation. |
| 203 | * FunWithAcronyms: Combine with ThemeNaming, since all Replika unit models are acronyms of their unit's role, and those acronyms are all bird names. |
| 204 | * TheGhost: Two additional replika models are alluded to, but not seen: |
| 205 | ** The Schwere Anti-Panzer Replika (SAPR), or "Schnapper", a militarized variant of the heavily-armored MNHR mining replika. |
| 206 | ** KNCR "Kranich". Their function and acronym is unknown, but the one mentioned is in e-mail correspondance with a Kolibri "blockwart" monitoring an urban area for ThoughtCrime and imperial spies, implying that they're part of the Nation's bureaucracy or SecretPolice. |
| 207 | * ImprobablyFemaleCast: Downplayed. All shown Replika models aside from ADLR present as female, but since Replika are an [[ArtificialHuman engineered race]] this was likely done on purpose, even if we don't know what that purpose is. |
| 208 | * MachineBlood: Replicas bleed from injuries and seemingly have artificial skin and muscle that resemble the real thing. The guide for operators explicitly has to note that replica flesh while looking normal is toxic to humans and should not be used as an emergency food source. |
| 209 | * MercyKill: Incinerating any corrupted Replika is this as it ensures that they stay dead and no longer suffer. |
| 210 | * OminousVisualGlitch: Corrupted replika are subtly shrouded by pixelation and screen artifacting, implying that something about them causes a BrownNote effect on Elster's senses. While spooky, it allows the player to [[ConspicuouslyLightPatch tell the difference]] between enemy corpses that could [[RevivingEnemy rise at any time]], and corpses that exist for set dressing. |
| 211 | * RevivingEnemy: Thanks to the regenerating tumors in their bodies, corrupted replikas can spontaneously reanimate even hours after death. In-game, this means dead enemies have a small chance of getting back up whenever you return to a visited room and pass near them, which can make enemies on frequently-tread paths a hassle. Fortunately, FireKeepsItDead, and thermite flares can be used to selectively dispose of corpses to make pathways safer. |
| 212 | * RoarBeforeBeating: When they detect Elster, corrupt replikas will let out a high-pitched shriek that alerts every other enemy in the room. |
| 213 | * SealTheBreach: The standard way to repair damage to them is to apply repair gel, which causes their oxidant fluid to congeal into a thick mass that seals up the damage. |
| 214 | * SecurityBlanket: Replikas have a common tendency to develop psychological instabilities (implied to be their source personalities manifesting). These can be helped by the Replika indulging in attaching themselves to an object (referred to as a "fetish") or repeated habitual behaviors. |
| 215 | * ServantRace: Their entire purpose. From combat to household cleaning, Replika are created for the purpose of carrying out whatever task the government needs handled. In a bit of a twist on the trope, Replika are shown to have greater status and authority than the actual humans, as well as having nicer accommodations in the Leng mining complex. It's implied this is due to the oppressive government finding them easier to control and direct than the Gestalt, and thus giving them the greater autonomy that they will, in theory, not use. |
| 216 | * TragicMonster: The corrupted Replika’s are all stripped of their personality and characteristics, leaving behind feral monsters that are implied to be in constant, mind-numbing pain. |
| 217 | * {{Unperson}}: [[spoiler:Classified documents state that this is the fate of the gestalt neural donors every replika model is based on -- to preserve the image of replika as an "incorruptible ideal" (and likely to lessen the risk of persona degredation from stumbling on evidence of their old lives), the neural donor's identity and history are scrubbed from all state records once they've been cryogenically preserved.]] |
| 218 | * YouAreNumberSix: All Replika are identified by their model followed by a number code, like the protagonist being "LSTR-512". Some replikas mentioned in notes go as far as to adopt their numbers as a personal nickname, typically the last digit of their unit [=IDs=], such as a Storch called Sieben (Seven), and Aras referring to themselves as Fünf (Five) and Elf (Eleven). The Eule and Star units are a notable exception to this with [[TheNicknamer their tendency to give themselves and each other nicknames.]] |
| 219 | * OurZombiesAreDifferent: For all intents and purposes, the plague-maddened replikas of Sierpinski are cyborg zombies, roaming around mindlessly until they find someone uninfected to attack. Notes indicate that things in the facility started getting ''really'' bad when it was discovered that the tumors of infected replikas were causing them to spontaneously reanimate hours after death with psychotic aggression -- up to that point, the standard procedure had been to decommission the infected to contain the spread. The added need to [[PrecautionaryCorpseDisposal burn the bodies to keep them down]] quickly overwhelmed the local morgue. [[spoiler:Adler comes to believe that it was never a conventional disease or radiation causing this, but a [[MysticalPlague "sickness of reality"]] caused by the GroundhogDayLoop.]] |
| 220 | [[/folder]] |
| 221 | |
| 222 | [[folder:STAR Starling]] |
| 223 | !Sicherheitstechniker-Aufseher-Replika[[labelnote:Translation]]Security Technician Guard Replika[[/labelnote]] (STAR), "Starling" |
| 224 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/star_42.jpg]] |
| 225 | * AloofLeaderAffableSubordinate: The known issues document for Storch controllers recommend pairing them up with an experienced Starling officer who can teach them patience and curb [[{{Sadist}} their worst impulses]]. |
| 226 | * CorporalPunishment: A document on known replika flaws states that groups of Starlings are prone to form strict social hierarchies, with physical punishments for lower-ranking members who step out of line. |
| 227 | * GunNut: Implied. They are recommended to be allowed to own their own gun as [[SecurityBlanket a source of comfort]] to stabilize their persona. You can visit a shooting range to see that one Starling, nicknamed "Hunter", held the top three scores out of a list of five. |
| 228 | * HatOfAuthority: The ShieldBearingMook variant, noted in documentation to be an officer, wears a military sidecap atop their [[SackheadSlasher shroud]]. |
| 229 | * MeaningfulName: The common starling is a highly gregarious family of birds who are known for their cohesiveness in a large flock. This is reflected in the STAR's chill and sociable demeanor, and their ability to coordinate well with each other in combat. |
| 230 | * MellowFellow: Their general demeanor outside of military matters. A laid-back attitude seems to be their general personality outside of serious situations. |
| 231 | * {{Mooks}}: They were the local security guards at one point, and now mutant Starlings are one of the standard enemy types encountered in the game. |
| 232 | * TheNicknamer: While most replika are content to go by [[YouAreNumberSix abbreviated numerical designations]], Starlings seem to prefer [[NomDeGuerre evocative callsigns]]. The scoreboard in the shooting range names two Starlings as "Hunter" and "Tank", unlike the lone Storch on the list who goes by "Seven". |
| 233 | * PassedOverPromotion: The known issues document for [=STARs=] warns against letting this happen. Starling cadres develop internal social hierarchies, and promoting a Starling of a lower standing to officer (or conversely, ''not'' promoting a particularly decorated veteran) can cause friction in the group. |
| 234 | * RevolversAreJustBetter: Depicted wielding one on a propaganda poster. It is likely her standard weapon, to leave her other hand free to use her shield. The player can eventually get their own revolver from a lockbox once belonging to Hunter. |
| 235 | * SackheadSlasher: Corrupted [=STARs=] wear shrouds or burlap bags over their heads, outlining what appears to be a [[SkullForAHead bare skull]] underneath the fabric. |
| 236 | * ShieldBearingMook: Transparent riot shields are said in technical documentation to belong to Starling officers. Corrupted Starling officers still carry them and are resistant to frontal attacks, though certain high-power weapons will penetrate through the shield. |
| 237 | * ShockStick: All those disposable stun prods you find used to be part of the Starling armory. The deranged Starlings still wield theirs, but the electrical charge has long since gone out -- instead they just use them as blunt weapons to beat you to death. |
| 238 | * UncertainDoom: A sane Starling you encounter early in the game states that she'll be leaving the building as soon as her repair patch heals her...when you renter the room later she is gone, leaving a blood stained floor behind and her unused repair patch. It's never revealed what exactly happened to her, but it probably wasn't good. |
| 239 | [[/folder]] |
| 240 | |
| 241 | [[folder:STCR Storch]] |
| 242 | !Sicherheitstechniker-Controller-Replika[[labelnote:Translation]]Security Technician Controller Replika[[/labelnote]] (STCR), "Storch" |
| 243 | [[quoteright:266:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/stcr.jpg]] |
| 244 | * AIIsACrapshoot: More so than other replika, Storches innately have a HairTriggerTemper and [[{{Sadist}} sociopathic tendencies]] that need to be trained out of them in development and constantly kept an eye on. |
| 245 | * AloofLeaderAffableSubordinate: The known issues document for Storch controllers recommends pairing them up with an experienced Starling officer who can teach them patience and curb [[{{Sadist}} their worst impulses]]. |
| 246 | * ArmlessBiped: Storches exhibit some of the most dramatic mutations of the infected replikas, becoming emanciated, losing their arms, and having their faces overtaken by huge beak-like growths which they use to [[BeakAttack attack]]. It makes them resemble a hellish parody of the very bird they're named for, the stork. |
| 247 | * BathsAreFun: Showering or bathing helps stabilize Storch units, though if it's the act itself or some degree of NeatFreak behavior is unclear. |
| 248 | * BeakAttack: Mutant Storches have had their heads overtaken by gigantic beak-like protrusions made from the same metal as their legs. Being {{Armless Biped}}s, they attack Elster by swinging their beaks around like clubs. |
| 249 | * {{Bookworm}}: Have a love for books on history or mythology, and having one can act as a source of comfort. |
| 250 | * EliteMooks: They are some of the toughest common enemies in the game. They are similarly elite to the government pre-corruption as the overseers of combat units. |
| 251 | * HairTriggerTemper: Storch units have a very short temper by default, and patience needs to be trained into them as part of the early development to change this. Demonstrated when one seems in notes to be willing to break quarantine just to make some annoying music stop playing. |
| 252 | * KickTheDog: Implied to be [[{{Sadist}} very prone]] to doing this. Notes indicate that one Storch unit grew fed up with the Eules playing one song in their dorms on an endless loop and snuck in to destroy the player with a knife. Considering music is one of the primary ways Eule prevent persona degradation, it's likely that this spread the corruption faster and made a bad situation worse. |
| 253 | * LargeAndInCharge: [=STCR=]s are among the taller replika models, and they're responsible for commanding Protektor cadres. Their overview document touts their height as a feature, as Storches "figuratively and literally keep a constant birds-eye view of any situation, ready to direct and coordinate their assigned security technicians." |
| 254 | * PerpetualFrowner: Implied by the document photograph which shows a Storch sporting an idle frown, unlike the blank expressions of every other character. |
| 255 | * {{Sadist}}: They have sociopathic tendencies and can become cruel and violent if their HairTriggerTemper isn't trained out of them. This is implied to be inherited from their neural donor. |
| 256 | * SmashMook: Unlike many other enemy types, which have some variety in how they go about attacking the player, Storches simply march single-mindedly towards Elster and smack her with their beak-like heads. They also have the huge health pool to match, with only Mynahs and other bosses possessing more raw HP. |
| 257 | * SuperToughness: Storches are resistant to the stun prod's incapacitation effects and require two hits to go down, making this tactic especially wasteful against them. |
| 258 | * {{Tengu}}: In the game's files, the corrupted Storch with its enormous, malformed beak is named after the Japanese youkai. |
| 259 | * UndergroundMonkey: There are many implications that they're a later (and larger) iteration of the STAR model, with the most obvious relations being their battle gear, as well as similar stilt-like legs meant to provide them with better line of sight. |
| 260 | [[/folder]] |
| 261 | |
| 262 | [[folder:ARAR Ara]] |
| 263 | !Allzweck-Reparatur-Arbeiter Replika[[labelnote:Translation]]All-Purpose Repair Worker Replika[[/labelnote]] (ARAR), "Ara" |
| 264 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/arar.jpg]] |
| 265 | * AmbushingEnemy: Thought the room was [[EmptyRoomUntilTheTrap safe]], or that you could just sneak past some Eules staring at the wall? Guess again! Aras lie in wait until you get too close, then suddenly crawl out of an innocuous section of floor. Expect to then stumble into a bunch more Aras as you try to get distance from the first one. |
| 266 | * AntiFrustrationFeatures: Since their floor tiles are impossible to detect without advance knowledge, Aras are the only enemy type that doesn't [[RoarBeforeBeating scream]] to alert other enemies when they detect Elster, to avoid ruining the player's stealth through no fault of their own. So long as you don't panic and start sprinting/shooting, you can continue quietly navigating a room even while Aras are shuffling after you. |
| 267 | * BodyHorror: Even considering the state of other corrupted Replikas, Aras seemed to have gotten the short end of the stick. Their arms have lengthened considerably and swollen into clubs that they swing about to hit the player, while the backside of their bodies have become seemingly flayed to expose their spinal structure and synthetic muscles. The result is a hunchbacked creature that can only awkwardly shuffle around while barely managing to maintain balance. |
| 268 | * BoringButPractical: Described as such by their unit overview document. Although their design is relatively old, and they also lack the bells and whistles of their successors that would make those models excel in certain fields, Aras are robust and easy to manufacture, and make for incredibly cost-efficient {{Worker Unit}}s such that they make up the majority of the Eusan Nation's Replika population. |
| 269 | * DidYouThinkICantFeel: Aras are described as quiet and unemotive, and documents uncharitably liken them to "simpletons". However, the same document warns that Aras will privately judge anyone who treats them poorly and share those feelings with their cadre, potentially alienating a [[TheEngineer vital]] workforce. It's noted that Aras get along best with Eules, who are [[NiceGirl patient and empathetic enough]] to understand their subtle body language and emotional cues. |
| 270 | * TheEngineer: They serve the Nation as repair workers, maintaining everything from hard machinery to electrical systems, while [[InsideAWall honeycombing facilities with hidden tunnels only they know the layout of]]. The one friendly Ara the player meets is nice enough to quickly give Elster's flashlight a patch-job, after it shorts out upon entering her home beneath the floor. |
| 271 | * TheGoomba: Like the Eule, Aras are among the more common enemy types Elster can run into, and they almost always come in groups. To compensate, they also possess only a measly 30 HP[[note]]For comparison's sake, Eules have 35 base HP, while their mutated version encountered during the latter half of the game has 50[[/note]], making them much easier to put down. |
| 272 | * InsideAWall: They tend to build maintenance paths only they can reach, and retreat into them if they have a mental breakdown. According to documents, [[NoodleIncident it is not recommended to try and retrieve them]]. The corrupted version use these to act as an AmbushingEnemy, crawling out from beneath floor panels when they sense prey. |
| 273 | * NatureLovingRobot: It is recommended by official documents to allow Aras to keep plants to tend on their own time. The living Ara you can meet has pots of bamboo shoots growing under an ultraviolet lamp. |
| 274 | * RippleEffectProofMemory: [[spoiler:At least strongly implied in the case of Sierpinski's lone surviving Ara, who recognizes Elster upon being talked to, and expresses confusion when the former didn't remember meeting her in the past. Specifically, she seems to remember LSTR-''S2301'', who was requisitioned as an advisory unit for Sierpinski's mining divisions.]] |
| 275 | * SleptThroughTheApocalypse: The SoleSurvivor of Sierpinski's Ara cadre. After [[spoiler:discovering classified documents detailing the true nature of persona degredation]], she ditched her job and retreated into a hidey-hole to read and look after her bamboo shoots, seemingly oblivious to the downfall of the facility above her head. |
| 276 | * WorkerUnit: Their purpose, which is reflected in their naming. As all-purpose workers, Aras are responsible for any kind of industrial construction and maintenance required by the Eusan Nation and the most mass-produced of all Replika patterns. Such is their ubiquity that Aras have [[JobStealingRobot effectively replaced human Gestalts as the primary workforce of the Nation]], especially in the more hazardous lines of work like terraforming and explosive ordinance disposal. |
| 277 | [[/folder]] |
| 278 | |
| 279 | [[folder:EULR Eule]] |
| 280 | !Einfache Universelle Leichte Replika [[labelnote:Translation]]Simple Universal Light Replika[[/labelnote]] (EULR), "Eule" |
| 281 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/eulr.jpg]] |
| 282 | * {{Ballet}}: The neural pattern used to make EULR was originally from a ballet performer. This is why music is a good way to keep them in a stable mental condition, and why they will often sing and dance together on their off time. |
| 283 | * BandagedFace: Corrupt Eules (based on a corpse that can be examined early in the worker dorms) have their bloody heads wrapped in medical gauze. |
| 284 | * GasMaskMooks: The Eules in [[spoiler:Rotfront]] hide their disfigurements with gas masks, [[spoiler:reminiscent of the bullies from Ariane's school]]. |
| 285 | * TheGoomba: Eules are the first and least dangerous enemy in the game, only posing a threat in numbers. Justified due to their minimal combat prowess and toughness even before corruption, having never been designed for any kind of dangerous situations. |
| 286 | * NiceGirl: According to user manuals, Eules are known to be highly social, patient and empathetic, getting along easily with most other replikas (even the infamously withdrawn Aras, as that model's manual points out). This is no doubt part of their role as an all-purpose domestic robot. |
| 287 | * TheNicknamer: Eules organize themselves into cliques of roughly ten units and give each-other [[ThemeNaming themed nicknames]]. In the hospital wing, you can read a note from "Juni" (June) to "Mai" (May) regarding an autopsy performed by "November". |
| 288 | * PsychoKnifeNut: The corrupted [=EULRs=] are armed with knives, apparently taken from the kitchens they used to work at. In the worker dorm kitchen, an Eule can be found mindlessly chopping a lump of tumorous mystery meat, oblivious to Elster unless provoked. |
| 289 | * UndergroundMonkey: They have the most variations out of all corrupted Replikas at three. Aside from the basic variant encountered at the start of the game, there's also a mutated black version found in Nowhere that also boasts slightly more health, and the gas-masked ones seen in Rotfront that have a unique appearance. |
| 290 | * VanityIsFeminine: The most overtly feminine and dainty model of all known Replika patterns, and their design notes recommend the installation of at least one mirror in their living quarters as the units inherit their neural donor's habit of frequently admiring themselves. |
| 291 | * WorkerUnit: They fill this role alongside the Ara. Where Aras are responsible for heavy industrial labor, Eules are designed for domestic and social work, meaning they're often employed as cooks, nurses, janitors, and teachers. |
| 292 | [[/folder]] |
| 293 | |
| 294 | [[folder:KLBR Kolibri]] |
| 295 | !Kommando-Leiteinheit Bioresonaztechnik-Replika[[labelnote:Translation]]Commando Control Unit Bioresonance Technology Replika[[/labelnote]], "Kolibri" |
| 296 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/klbr.jpg]] |
| 297 | * {{Bookworm}}: Per their model overview, a recommended method of maintaining the Kolibri's persona stability is to give them access to a well-stocked library. The lone uncorrupted Kolibri in Sierpinski is found holed up in the dorm level's reading room as well. |
| 298 | * CalmingTea: Implied by the state of the Kolibri dorms, which contains [[MessOfWoe "a concerning number" of half-finished tea mugs strewn across every available surface]]. |
| 299 | * DemonicHeadShake: Kolibri sit in place and rapidly wobble their oversized heads like something out of ''Film/JacobsLadder''. |
| 300 | * BrownNoteBeing: A noted feature of normal Kolibris is their tendency to subconsciously create an emotional feedback loop as psychic "bleeding" of their own bioresonance. As a result, when a Kolibri becomes degraded or corrupted, she would act as an amplifier to massively damage the mentality of those around her as well. This is reflected by how the corrupted Kolibris don't even seem to bother attacking the player, with Elster taking damage simply by being near them, which gets worse with proximity. As well, due to the psychological nature of their "attack", [[HPToOne Kolibris cannot directly kill Elster this way.]] |
| 301 | * DoppelgangerSpin: Whenever Elster encounters a corrupted KLBR, it always appears like there are four of them scattered around the room. Shooting the duplicates does nothing, while the real deal will die in a single hit. Clues can be seen amid the SensoryAbuse, but if the duplicates are bunched up it might be simpler to try CuttingTheKnot with a [[HitScan shotgun]]. |
| 302 | * FacialMarkings: Has three small red stars on their forehead, mimicking the ones on the national flag. Since this is a design only Falke units also have, it is presumably to indicate bioresonance powers. |
| 303 | * FeedbackRule: Weaponized against them. One of the ways to fight Kolibris is to tune your radio to the frequency they're broadcasting from, which emits a metallic howling noise that hurts them and forces them to switch channels. |
| 304 | * HiveMind: Kolibri cadres are said to form one by constantly communicating among each other with bioresonance, sharing memories and experiences. This allegedly makes them resistant to persona degredation, as they can reinforce each-other's personality. Unfortunately, this means that when enough kolibri ''do'' degrade, they can drag the rest of the cadre down with them, so even slightly deviant kolibri are decommissioned at the first sign of persona degredation. After the MysticalPlague hits Leng, the SoleSurvivor you meet is heartbroken that she can't understand the other kolibri anymore, leaving her completely alone for the first time in her life. |
| 305 | * HPToOne: While it does continuous damage, their psychic assault is incapable of actually killing Elster. The problem is that they're usually accompanied by other enemies, which are easy to lose track of under the relentless SensoryAbuse. |
| 306 | * MyBrainIsBig: The mutated Kolibris have their heads swollen to an enormous size, presumably due to their PsychicPowers. |
| 307 | * NonMaliciousMonster: Unlike other corrupted Replikas, mutated Kolibris don't go out of their way to antagonize Elster or other survivors, being content to sit where they are and sulk under the massive psychological weight of their now-haywire bioresonance, that they inadvertently "bleed" out to those around them which can cause real harm. A note found in the dorm level describes how the author encountered the corrupted Kolibri in the 7th floor painting room, who just sat there weeping rather than getting up to attack, though her ambient psychological afflictions were still at full strength. |
| 308 | * OneHitPointWonder: Kolibris die in one hit from any weapon, assuming the player nailed the real one and not her mimics. |
| 309 | * PhlebotinumOverload: You could try to get past them, or kill them, but all of that SensoryAbuse actually comes with a weakness: broadcasting radio signal numbers onto the screen if you're able to make it out amidst the carnage. If you pull out your radio and tap into the frequencies as they appear (or just play by ear until the sound hits a peak), they'll be injured by the feedback. Do this three times, and they'll drop dead. This weakness is obliquely hinted at in one document. |
| 310 | * SensoryAbuse: Their MindRape attack fills the screen with chaos and UnreadablyFastText, ranging from error messages from Elster's internal operating system, radio frequences on bright red backgrounds, creepy quotes from ''The King In Yellow'', and straight demands for Elster to just give up and die already. It'll start the very instant you transition between rooms, throwing in a nice JumpScare for good measure. Between this, the DoppelgangerSpin, the steady HP drain, possible additional enemies and the shrieking combat music, fighting kolibri can be very panic-inducing. |
| 311 | * ShorterMeansSmarter: Not in the sense of intelligence, but in that they are one of only two Replika models that use bioresonance, the other being the super-rare Falke commanders. They're also the shortest replika model at a mere 5'0". |
| 312 | * {{Telepathy}}: Their primary function is the use of bioresonance to stabilize the personas of other Replika, signal-boost their Falke commander's own telepathy, [[{{Thoughtcrime}} monitor for dissent]] and [[MindManipulation ensure orders are obeyed without question]]. This appears to have backfired once the MysticalPlague hit, as corrupted Kolibiri were able to [[BrownNoteBeing spread their insanity to other replikas]]. On closer inspection, their powers seem to be based on broadcasting electromagnetic waves -- the player can weaponize their radio to [[PhlebotinumOverload create a deadly feedback loop]]. |
| 313 | * {{Thoughtcrime}}: In urban areas, Kolibri are assigned as blockwarts (block wardens) to monitor gestalt populations for dissenting thoughts and conspiracy against the state. |
| 314 | * TroubledFetalPosition: Corrupted Kolibri sit on the floor like this while doing a DemonicHeadShake, while the last normal Kolibri is found hiding in the library this way. |
| 315 | [[/folder]] |
| 316 | |
| 317 | [[folder:MNHR Mynah]] |
| 318 | !Minenarbeit-, Nukleartechnik-, Hochsicherheits-Replika[[labelnote:Translation]]Mining, Nuclear Technology, High-Security Replika[[/labelnote]] (MNHR), "Mynah" |
| 319 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mnhr.jpg]] |
| 320 | * AttackItsWeakPoint: Their heavy armor makes them impervious to gunfire. They can only be harmed when they open their visors, allowing you to shoot (what remains of) their face. Launching a thermite flare into the gap will cause a OneHitKill. |
| 321 | * {{BFG}}: Their weapon is a massive and heavy laser cutter. While a tool first and foremost, it works just fine to put huge holes into whatever they are aiming at. Elster finds several discarded ones and comments that she can't possibly pick one up. Beo tells Elster that even if she ''could'' lift it, it requires much more energy than Elster's power source could provide. |
| 322 | * TheBigGuy: Not only are they taller than any other unit, they are far broader too, and their armor protects them from extreme hazards like radiation and the vaccum of space. They're so robust that there's a militarized variant model, the Schnapper, that is implied to be mostly unchanged from the baseline Mynah. |
| 323 | * BloodFromEveryOrifice: An exceptionally extreme version of this for the corrupt models. Their entire face seems to liquidate and pour out as a geyser of blood. Becomes their AchillesHeel when they have to regularly lift their visor to let out a torrent of red. |
| 324 | * DegradedBoss: The first Mynah-class replica is treated as an unavoidable boss battle, complete with her own intro, but later on shows up as a regular (if rarely used) enemy. |
| 325 | * FlunkyBoss: The Mynah battled in the hospital wing has the ability to call in reinforcements, which causes Aras to emerge from the floor and dead, non-burned Aras to reanimate. The UnreadablyFastText that appears indicates that she's using some sort of distress beacon to call for help. |
| 326 | -->''MNHR-S2305 beantragt assistenz R-Kader.''[[labelnote:English]]MNHR-S2305 requests assistance from R-Squad.[[/labelnote]] |
| 327 | * GentleGiant: Is the largest Replika model in the game. But they are very calm and polite, needing only a stuffed animal to keep mental instability down. The one sane Mynah encountered, named Beo, is very friendly if [[ExpendableClone somewhat bleak]] in outlook. |
| 328 | * KindheartedCatLover: The Mynah personality is described as being very kind and motherly, with a love of stuffed animals. Technical documents warn about using plushies themed on cats, however, as they're known to awaken the latent memories of the Mynah neural donor. |
| 329 | * LaserCutter: Their primary tool for mining operations is a large laser device for carving into stone, the corrupt ones use it to attack from range. |
| 330 | * MeatMoss: The blood that flows from her head spreads red tendrils when it comes into contact with the floor. This makes getting around her dangerous even when she falls on her knees, as stepping on this substance hurts Elster. |
| 331 | * MightyGlacier: They boast a very beefy 200 HP, the highest of all non-boss enemies, and are armored in bulletproof plating to boot, while their mining lasers can quickly tear through Elster's health should they manage to get a few shots in. As a trade-off, their bulk makes them extremely cumbersome to move around, such that Elster can outpace them without sprinting, their laser cutters need to be slowly engaged every time they attempt to shoot (and disengaged if they lost sight of the player), and have to sit through several seconds of charging even then, making them easy to outmaneuver should the map allows for it. |
| 332 | * MiniMecha: Mynahs zig-zag between this and PoweredArmor. On the one hand, they still possess biomechanical internals that render them susceptible to corruption like other Replikas. On the other, their armored chassis is mostly mechanical on an operational level, as Beo claims standard sealant gels won't work on her busted hydraulics, and fixing her back up to fighting shape would require substantial maintenance that wouldn't be worth the hassle for Elster. |
| 333 | * PunnyName: They are mining units named after the myna bird, which is pronounced a lot like "miner". |
| 334 | * TeamMom: Their profile describes them as being very submissive, kind, and motherly, which helps them get along well with other Replika types. |
| 335 | * UnskilledButStrong: Mynah are not meant for combat and have no training for it. They don't suffer too much though, as it's implied in notes that the main difference between a MNHR Unit and it's combat counterpart is what head is attached to the massive body. |
| 336 | * TinyHeadedBehemoth: While it looks like she is wearing PowerArmor, all that bulk is in fact her actual body. She just has a regular replika head bolted into what would otherwise be the inside of the helmet, in order to make social interaction easier. |
| 337 | [[/folder]] |
| 338 | |
| 339 | !Other |
| 340 | |
| 341 | [[folder:Chimera/Nue]] |
| 342 | A monster encountered deep in the mines beneath S-23 Sierpinski. |
| 343 | ---- |
| 344 | * BodyOfBodies: Like something straight from ''Silent Hill'', the Chimera is a blob of melded flesh inside a box frame, with two pairs of Storch legs and four pairs of arms sticking out of the mass. |
| 345 | * DamageSpongeBoss: With a whopping 900 hit points on the standard difficulty, the Chimera is effectively impossible to kill outright without cheating. The player has no choice but to fend it off until Isolde loads up Adler's high-caliber rifle and blows it away. |
| 346 | * MeaningfulName: In the game files, the creature is named Chimera, after the ClassicalChimera made from the body parts of multiple different animals. The kanji flashing on screen as BossSubtitles, and the name of its battle music, is "Nue". In Japanese folklore, a {{Nue}} is a creature very similar to the Classical chimera. The name [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nue nue]] also originally referred to a type of bird (the component characters literally translating as "fabulous night bird"), fitting the AnimalThemeNaming of the replikas. |
| 347 | * TimeLimitBoss: Inverted. The boss is nigh-impossible for Elster to kill, but the distraction allows Isolde Itou to load up Adler's rifle and shoot the thing dead herself. Damaging the Chimera reduces the time Isa spends fumbling with the rifle's ammo. |
| 348 | [[/folder]] |
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