Follow TV Tropes

Following

Context VideoGame / EXTroopers

Go To

1[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/extroopers.gif]]
2 [[caption-width-right:350:Shooting giant monsters has never been more fun!]]
3''E.X. Troopers'' is a ThirdPersonShooter released by Creator/{{CAPCOM}} in November 2012 for Platform/Nintendo3DS and Platform/Playstation3. It is a spinoff of ''Videogame/LostPlanet'' intended to bring an entirely different [[ArtShift stylistic approach]] to the franchise.
4
5Players take the role of HotBlooded [[MegaCorp NEVEC]] Academy recruit Bren Turner as he arrives on EDN III which is partway through terraforming as shown in the main series proper. There, he will fight side by side with a CastOfSnowflakes, do battle in [[{{Mecha}} Vital Suit]] robots and generally try to have a spot of fun.
6
7The game is renowned for two things: a [[YoungerAndHipper marked departure from the games it was spun off of]], both in terms of [[CelShaded style]] and gameplay, and for being a crazy case of NoExportForYou by being the best ThirdPersonShooter on the 3DS, utilizing the underused Circle Pad Pro attachment and not being released outside of Japan mainly due to "[[http://www.siliconera.com/2012/12/10/e-x-troopers-not-planned-for-western-release-say-capcom-usa/ the amount of effort required to translate the cutscenes equal to remaking them from scratch]]".
8
9Both the [=PS3=] and 3DS versions of the game received unofficial fan translations on November 22, 2022, just in time for the game's 10th anniversary.
10
11----
12!!The game provides examples of:
13
14%% * AcademyOfAdventure: The setting.
15* AceCustom: Julie's VS, Honeybunny, may be pink and with hearts stenciled on, but it is also exceptionally destructive.
16* AcePilot: Consequently, Julie herself has quite a reputation as a pilot to be feared.
17* {{Acrofatic}}: Despite varying body types, all human allies and enemies are equally mobile in combat, rendering Gota and Bell as this.
18* AerithAndBob: Julie, Chris, Max, Gota, Yamato, Luan and Bell all sound like sensible human names. Bren, Surge and Blatt? Not so much.
19* AndYourRewardIsClothes: Improving relationships with squadmates lets you DoubleUnlock new outfits for them.
20* {{Animesque}}: A bizarre Japanese example, with the main games looking distinctly Western and this SpinOff deliberately going for a CelShaded anime-like appearance.
21* AwesomeButImpractical: Yes, the Fire Gatling looks cooler than the Ice Gatling and does more base damage. It also can't hit the broad side of a barn at point blank range.
22* BoisterousBruiser: Max, the workout fanatic. His events mostly have Bren spotting him while he does a thousand situps or something equally outrageous.
23* BoringButPractical: Your starting SMG is sufficient to complete the entire game without much difficulty. Pair it with the shotgun and you're pretty much set against practically every threat - but will it look cool?
24* BossSubtitles: Used to introduce every boss, naturally, but also every story-relevant character (so Surge and Yuna don't get these, for example).
25* CatchPhrase: Everyone has one, but the one you'll hear the most is Bren's "Ichibanboshi!", "first and brightest star".
26** Another frequent one is Diana, with her "Boy!" or "Boys!" (and "Girl!" too, of course). [[spoiler: She calls Walter "Old Boy" several times.]]
27* CelShading: Using both techniques - models are rendered with procedurally-painted outlines that change as a character's position changes in relation to the camera - but also many characters' textures already have cross-hatching shading and other artistic flourishes baked into their textures.
28* ChangingClothesIsAFreeAction: Diana sheds her teacher outfit in favour of a combat suit in this manner [[spoiler: when NEVEC Academy troops storm Advance Base]].
29* ColdSniper: Chris. He gets better.
30* ColourCodedForYourConvenience: Each base has its own colour theme, both in the environments and the uniforms of the students and instructors: blue for Advance Base, green for Frontier Base and red for Tech Base. Thus, Bren's orange really stands out.
31** All human enemies are colour-coded by their elemental attacks.
32* CrossPromotion: You can enter numerical codes at WIZ terminals for extra outfits and guns you cannot get through normal gameplay. Originally, these were distributed via websites and magazines, but these days you're okay with just a trip to [=GameFAQs=].
33* DefrostingIceQueen:
34** Surge first appears to be a prim and strict person. It's a facade, she's somewhat dorky on the inside.
35** Chris warms up to Bren bit-by-bit as he sees him in action more.
36* DoubleUnlock: To get a new gun, you have to progress through the story or complete a sidequest to get the schematics first, THEN you can buy it at the store. To get a new outfit for someone, you have to improve your relationship with them, THEN you can buy it in the store.
37* EnergyWeapon: Diana's weapon of choice is an energy whip.
38* TheFaceless: Every named Snow Pirate, as none of them ever remove their hoods. Regan also spends most of his screentime without taking his helmet off.
39* FireIceLightning: The elements in the TacticalRockPaperScissors triangle of the game.
40* FormerlyFat: [[spoiler: Bell can get thin by the end of the game.]]
41* FramingDevice: Luan narrates the major important story points as well as the chapter transition cutscenes.
42* GatlingGood: Snow Pirates deploy multiple versions of a MightyGlacier gunner enemy with a minigun in his hands. On your side, Max uses one, and Bren can get his hands on two of these - the AwesomeButImpractical [[IncendiaryExponent Fire Gatling]] and its somewhat weaker but way more accurate sibling, the [[KillItWithIce Ice Gatling]].
43* GenerationXerox: Bren is pretty much a PaletteSwap of his dad.
44* GenkiGirl: Julie and Tsubaki represent two kinds of these, with Julie as the VS enthusiast and Tsubaki as the battle one.
45* TheGlassesGottaGo: Once you secure her affections, you can opt for Surge to take her glasses off, but beware - she swaps in a LuminescentBlush!
46* GoodScarsEvilScars: Regan is not introduced in battle, so his badassitude is demonstrated by the large scar on his face.
47* GratuitousEnglish: All over the place, although Diana's [[CatchPhrase "Boys!"]] (and variations thereof) is the most noticeable.
48** Many mission titles are in transliterated English (e.g. "Back To Basics" in Chapter 4). Additionally, each chapter has a dual title - an English exclamation and a Japanese subtitle.
49* GratuitousFrench: Chris sometimes indulges in PoirotSpeak.
50* GunNut: Yamato, to the point where he gets his guns confiscated by Walter for shooting indoors.
51* HeroOfAnotherStory: What Walter does after his dramatic scene [[spoiler: when he departs in his VS for Advance Base at the end of Chapter 3]] and before his return is... What, exactly?
52* HotBlooded: Bren is a [[Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann Kamina]]-scale case, infecting those around him with it.
53* HumongousMecha: Bren pilots the Gingira mecha when he needs more firepower.
54* InstantFanClub: Bren develops one after winning the VS tournament.
55** Blatt has his own cheerleaders. That follow him around the base to cheer and dance around him. They do not take his attention to Teekee very well.
56* LagCancel: Normally, Bren staggers for a bit when exiting a rocket dash. However, time the primary fire button right, and he will do a stun shot (complete with a SuperMovePortraitAttack animation) that lets him do other things sooner.
57* LivingMacguffin: Teekee, due to her ability to communicate with Akrid. Make no mistake though, she's not a friend to them.
58* LuminescentBlush: Rendered as a floaty layered effect in front of the blusher's face, giving the luminescence volume on the 3DS. Julie is a frequent offender whenever she gushes over Gingira.
59** If you switch Surge to her TheGlassesGottaGo form, she gets a permanent one.
60* MachineEmpathy: Despite appearing well-adjusted, Julie has more fun with, and understands Vital Suits much better than humans. The contrast is sometimes PlayedForLaughs.
61** To top it off, she's the only one who calls Gingira "Gingira-chan".
62* MondegreenGag: Bren mishears, and then [[InsistentTerminology stubbornly pronounces]] "Sublimatum" as "Supreme Atom".
63* MyCountryRightOrWrong: For a host of reasons including Bren's affiliation, [[spoiler: his {{Rival}} Chris]] does not participate in [[spoiler: the student rebellion in Chapter 4]].
64* TheNicknamer: Bren. Thus, Luan is "Sempai-kun" ("Teach"), Teekee is "Kirakira-chan" ("Sparkles"), Diana is "Bikabika-san" ("Thunderstrike") and so on.
65** Julie counters by only calling Bren "Ichibanboshi-kun", after his CatchPhrase.
66* NoCutsceneInventoryInertia: Since half the cutscenes are pre-rendered, they and most of the in-engine ones always show Bren in his default orange jacket and using his starting SMG.
67* OrganDrops: Defeated enemies may drop pieces of stuff that you can either sell or use for weapon upgrades. These range from pieces of Akrid gunk to nuggets of metal to literal cogs from robotic enemies.
68* PinkMeansFeminine: The idea behind the paint job of Honeybunny, Julie's AceCustom VS.
69* PowerUpFood: Anything Bren eats or drinks at the cafe will improve his stats for the next mission - but only one bonus can be active at a time!
70* RealMenWearPink: Bren's hair is bubblegum pink. Aside from [[BoisterousBruiser Max]], he's the manliest named student at the Academy.
71* RelationshipValues: Every squadmate's opinion of Bren is shown as a smiley face. Moving from :| to :) lets you choose outfits for them and allows a DoubleUnlock of their gym clothes or civvies (depending on which is their "default" outfit, the other is available from the get-go). Going to "heart eyes" lets you DoubleUnlock a swimming suit outfit.
72* ShopFodder: Though you can sell any of the OrganDrops, the only one intended to ONLY be sold is gold, and that you'll usually find in RandomDrops around the bases.
73* ShotgunsAreJustBetter: At least Yamato is convinced they are.
74* SuperMovePortraitAttack: Saved up enough T-ENG? Bren can do an EX-T attack, complete with a loud shouting of its name and a cut-in of his face doing the shouting. He also does it when you LagCancel.
75* SuperPrototype: The experimental AI-enabled VS Walter and Bren use to survive the prologue, which then bonds to Bren and is christened "Gingira" by him.
76* TacticalRockPaperScissors: All attacks have an element. Your primary weapons are "untyped", and have no bonuses applied, but your secondary weapons can have one of the FireIceLightning elements. Ice beats fire, fire beats electricity, electricity beats ice. Foes and allies alike are resistant or outright immune to their own element, while Bren starts out with zero resistances which can be upgraded.
77* UnexpectedShmupLevel: The final Gingira level of Chapter 3 is literally VideoGame/SpaceHarrier with some extra BulletHell thrown in.
78* VerbalTic: Practically half of what Bren says is onomatopoeia.
79** A good third of Kreis's dialogue is "Kekkou, kekkou", "Splendid, splendid". Variation in tone, however, manages to make it range from endearing to outright menacing.

Top