Line #53 VideoGame/Oddity


1	%%
2	%%
3	%% Speculative troping is not allowed on TV Tropes.
4	%%
5	%% We trope what DOES happen in works, not what MIGHT happen or is LIKELY to happen.
6	%%
7	%% For unreleased works where all we have to go on is advertising and other supplemental materials, we have some detailed guidelines, which can be found at Administrivia/CreatingAWorkPageForAnUnreleasedWork.
8	%%
9	%% If you have questions, please consult the Unreleased Work Speculation Cleanup thread at https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=15514631230A64268600
10	%%
11	%% Thank you.
12	%%
13	%%
14
15	[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/oddity_jan20.png]]
16	[[caption-width-right:320:''You'll make plenty of friends as you fight your way through this weird and groovy world!'']]
17	->''Truancy, adventure and an aversion to business suits!''
18	-->--'''{{Tagline}} on [[http://www.mother4game.com/ Mother 4's Home Page]]'''
19
20	Shortly after the release of ''VideoGame/{{Mother 3}}'' in 2006, Creator/ShigesatoItoi revealed that there would not be a successor. Instead, he encouraged future creators to develop games in the same spirit he had when creating ''Mother''.
21
22	''Oddity'' is a game continuing the spirit of the ''VideoGame/{{Mother}}'' saga, in development by Azure Studios. Initially planned as a full-blown FanSequel to ''Mother 3'' under the title of ''Mother 4'', the game [[DivorcedInstallment has since become]] a SpiritualSuccessor.
23
24	The game takes place in Pleiades in the year [[TheSeventies 197X]], following a young boy named Travis, the leader of a biker gang named Leo, a fortune-telling girl named Meryl, and a charming boy named Floyd. An enigmatic group known as the Modern Men have shown up, and the mysteries surrounding them only continue to pile up...
25
26	Overall, the gameplay so far seems to stay true to the ''Mother'' experience, with a few additions from other popular [=RPGs=]. In addition to keeping ''Mother's'' famous scrolling HP mechanics, Oddity also includes an ActionCommand system a-la ''VideoGame/PaperMario'', ranging from standard button timing prompts to charge meter mechanics for VOX. Additionally, there appears to be something akin to a Team Attack system like that of the ''Franchise/{{Persona}}'' franchise.
27
28	Development for ''Oddity'' has been pretty bumpy. Under the name ''Mother 4'', the game gained recognition as one of the most ambitious fangame projects. It was slated for a late 2014 release but was pushed back to 2016. The team had aimed for release in June of 2015, but stated then that, due to needing help, they will not be announcing any more prospective release dates until the game is finished to be fair to people waiting. On March 1, 2017, the dev team announced that the game would [[DivorcedInstallment rebrand itself into an original IP]], as to not encounter the [[ScrewedByTheLawyers legal issues faced by]] [[VideoGame/AnotherMetroid2Remake other]] Creator/{{Nintendo}} [[VideoGame/PokemonUranium fan]] [[VideoGame/PokemonBrownAndPrism games]]. This was done via an AMA on Reddit which can be found [[https://www.reddit.com/r/mother4/comments/5wzfjk/todays_announcement/ here.]] Notable changes included removing the series mascot Mr. Saturn, changing the user interface to less directly resemble the ''Mother'' games, and replacing the series staple PsychicPowers with an original power called VOX.
29
30	On January 2nd, 2020, the dev team [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CBwIXnbUuY released a trailer for the game under its new title]], with a release date of "[[RunningGag when it's ready]]."
31
32	For more information, including character profiles, screenshots, and samples of the soundtrack, go [[http://www.mother4game.com/ here]] (still carrying the ''Mother 4'' name).
33	-----
34	!!This work contains examples of the following tropes:
35	%%* TheSeventies: The game takes place at an ambiguous point in this decade.
36	%%* AmbiguousTimePeriod: The game is set in the year 197X. This is inspired by ''VideoGame/EarthBoundBeginnings'' and ''VideoGame/{{EarthBound\|1994}}'', which take place in 198X[[note]]1988 specifically in the original Famicom release, and 80 years after "the early 1900's" in all later releases[[/note]] and 199X respectively.
37	%%* ActionCommands: The parties attacks have ''VideoGame/PaperMario'' styled action commands to boost the power of attacks.
38	%%* AnimateInanimateObject: An Autumn Leaf to mops with eyes and arms are only a few of the bizarre baddies that can be encountered.
39	* ArtEvolution:
40	** Compare the [[http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/9215/screenie2l.png early screenshot of Travis (formerly named Chase) on his porch]] to [[http://web.archive.org/web/20130822050514/http://www.mother4game.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/relaxing-scenery.png this newer one]].
41	** [[http://i.imgur.com/CXziZMC.png A timeline of sprites as the project went on.]] [[note]]The blonde girl is an early character named Rina who was possibly scrapped in development, and Floyd didn't seem to exist at first.[[/note]]
42	*** [[https://ssl-forum-files.fobby.net/forum_attachments/0041/4083/tumblr_o42atqwGSy1rxcpnqo1_r1_1280.png Now with versions of the group from 2012 (first five rows) to what they look like in 2016.]]
43	** They've also been taking in fan feedback from the trailers released for the game in regards to certain areas. An example is [[http://blog.mother4game.com/post/122380160144/update-1-but-what-about-art the hotels, which look far plusher than they did in the trailers. They've also given the caves a more natural coloring to them.]]
44	%%* AttackReflector: When [[BatterUp equipped with a bat]], Travis has a random chance to hit enemies' projectiles back at them. This is a reference to an ability Ness and Lucas have in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros''.
45	* BadassInANiceSuit: The Modern Mind wears a suit that's dotted with stars, similar to a cosmic body. In a gameplay trailer, he's shown to be still going strong, while the main party have severely depleted HP and PP. [[HoistByHisOwnPetard He's only defeated by one of his own attacks]], [[AttackReflector which Travis hits back at him]].
46	* BearsAreBadNews: Implied in the Attract Mode trailer. While the party walks atop of some railroad tracks, they find a grizzly bear, which moves toward them in the same manner as a typical overworld enemy in Mother 2 and 3.
47	%%* BefriendingTheEnemy: One of the effects of Floyd's "Talk" command can lead to enemies wasting turns by chatting with him.
48	%%* BigBoosHaunt: One of the areas in the game is a graveyard, in the style of Main/{{Halloweentown}}.
49	%%* BilingualBonus: Meryl's home town, La Folia (formerly named Citrus Hills), is a Spanish term meaning "madness", "folly", or "empty-headedness".
50	%%* CallAHitPointASmeerp: Done InUniverse, as fits the series's penchant for LampshadeHanging. As shown in the September 16, 2015 blog update, [[spoiler:at least one NPC thinks HP means "hemopoppers."]]
51	%%* CelestialBody: The Modern Mind enemy has a glowing ball of energy for a head and has stars dotted throughout its humanoid form.
52	%%* ColorMotif: The Modern Men seem to have a sickly lime green as their ColorMotif. It's shown up on many of their structures and graffiti, and the title screen depicts a world colored green that looks like it's being drained dry.
53	%%* CoolBike: Leo has a motorcycle (a Harley-Davidson cruiser) you can actually ride in-game, much like Ness could with a regular bicycle in ''VideoGame/{{EarthBound\|1994}}''.
54	%%* DarkAndTroubledPast: Implied with Leo. In ''Mother 4''[='s=] earliest development stages, he was a homeless StreetUrchin with psychic powers. During the game's first revamp, his backstory was changed to that of being a former businessman-turned-criminal. After the second revamp, Leo was turned into a {{Greaser Delinquent\|s}} who is constantly hounded by police and was implied to have been involved in very shady activity. An unused (now deleted) song appropriately titled "Leo's Lament" plays with this trope further.
55	%%* DeliberateValuesDissonance: Leo's "SmokingIsCool" part of his characterization is mostly to play up his idealized 1950's-style {{Greaser\|Delinquents}} vibe, even though most people nowadays would agree that smoking is anything ''but'' such.
56	* DelinquentHair: In keeping with the Greasers tradition, Leo and possibly his biker gang have pompadours. In the Attract Mode trailer, at least one other biker was shown with a pompadour. Two enemies, the Punk Assassin and Punk Enforcer, wear mohawks.
57	%%* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: When you defeat a Melty Robot, you get this:
58	%%--> "The Melty Robot melted into nothingness."
59	* DerivativeDifferentiation:
60	** When it started life as ''Mother 4'', the combat mostly remained the same right down to the UI, with the only major addition being the Groovey system. Come the rebranding trailer, there's already a host of new features not seen in the ''Mother'' series. While battles are still the same first person with trippy backgrounds and the famous scrolling HP has been kept, the UI has been reworked and now features back sprites of the characters when preforming actions in battle, there is an ActionCommand system similar to ''VideoGame/PaperMario'' for attacks and there appears to be a ''Franchise/{{Persona}}''-esque team attack system.
61	%%** The male leads' tendency of wearing striped shirts has been swapped out with 70s school jackets for Travis and Zack, later in development.
62	%%* DesperationAttack: A game element called the "Final Stand" feature will be implemented, causing a character's stats to dramatically increase while their health is rolling down toward zero. Similarly, when your special points are rolling down, you can still use VOX for a cost as high as the number the meter indicates as it slowly decreases.
63	%%* DownOnTheFarm: Pennyburg seems to be this sort of place, complete with wooden fences, wheat fields, cows, and pickup trucks.
64	%%* EagleLand: Just like ''VideoGame/{{EarthBound\|1994}}'', ''Oddity'' is planned to have an American-like setting. The world of Pleiades will be mostly intact throughout the rebranding.
65	%%* TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt: Possibly hinted as the Modern Men's goal, as the Earth (similar to the mechanized planet in ''Mother 3''[='s=] logo) features a teardrop as if being drained or leaking out of the Earth itself.
66	%%* EnergyBeings: The Modern Mind has a glowing energy ball for a head. It's likely that the rest of his body is space energy as well.
67	%%* {{Expy}}: The main characters echo the protagonists of the ''Mother'' series:
68	%%** Travis wears a striped shirt, similarly to Ninten, Ness, and Lucas, and gets his love for baseball and using a baseball bat as a choice of weapon from the former two. His calm and kind personality comes from Lucas, and also has a brother like he did.
69	%%** Meryl being the only girl in her group comes from Paula, while her love for books and studying comes from Jeff. Her unusual purple hair color and reckless confidence concerning her powers has shades of Kumatora.
70	%%** Leo leads his own gang just like Teddy did. His powerful, mixed offense/defense powers, and his serious disposition comes from Poo. He also slightly resembles Duster appearance-wise.
71	%%** Zack echoes Lucas' brother Claus, having a similar hairstyle and being a brother to the main protagonist. [[spoiler:Unlike Claus, he has no VOX powers and continues to live in a loving family with his brother.]]
72	%%* ExtraTurn: When it fills, the "''GROOVY!''" meter allows a character to immediately take an extra turn. Doing damage and eating food increases it, while suffering damage, status effects, and [[PoisonMushroom bad food]] lowers it. As of the rebranding though, it's ambiguous if this mechanics is still in the game.
73	%%* TheFaceless: The Modern Mind has a glowing ball of energy for a head, with no facial features.
74	%%* FingerSnapLighter: Leo uses fire-based VOX to light his cigarettes.
75	%%* {{Foil}}: Goes both ways in the main party.
76	%%** The calm, introverted, and [[MrImagination daydreaming]] Travis contrasts the [[HotBlooded hotheaded]] and [[TheCharmer smooth-talking]] Floyd. Travis also contrasts the reckless Meryl, who also possesses more offensive-oriented powers compared to Travis' supportive and healing abilities.
77	%%** Leo contrasts both Floyd and Meryl in being calmer, older, and more cautious compared to their young impulsiveness. Floyd contrasts him the most, being a charming loudmouth with no VOX-based powers to speak of.
78	%%** Floyd could also be seen to ''Mother'' characters such as Lloyd and Jeff, who are both {{Gadgeteer Genius}}es who use guns and bazookas. Floyd has none of their intelligence, fights with a rake, a melee weapon, and has the option to talk his way out of battles.
79	* FungusHumongous: In one of the teaser gifs they posted, they showed off an area with mushrooms that are almost as big as Travis himself.
80	%%* GreaserDelinquents: Fitting of the game's 'idealized' America setting, Leo and his biker gang are based on the '50s greasers, right down to the leather jackets and greaser-style hair.
81	* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: Zack's [[http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/mother4/images/9/9e/Zack_sprite_development.png/revision/latest?cb=20160323000606 pre-2012 sprites]] used to depict him with dirty blond hair. Floyd is another example, being previously depicted with dirty blond hair before it's changed to a bright golden-yellow.
82	%%* HellBentForLeather: As mentioned above, Leo and his biker gang wear leather jackets, as per Greaser tradition.
83	%%* HotBlooded: Floyd is a loudmouthed kid who says whatever's on his mind. Meryl counts, too; with her clairvoyant abilities, she thinks she can take on anything. And while usually cool and soft-spoken, Leo has been described in a few of his bios as "impatient".
84	%%* HumanoidAbomination: We don't know ''exactly'' what the Modern Mind is; he's a space energy being that looks like an adult human male [[SharpDressedMan wearing a spiffy suit]], save for the energy ball for a head.
85	%%* InUniverseGameClock: Time passes between day and night (if you so choose it) when staying in a hotel, with a number of different tasks and events available only at certain times of the day, or with specific character combinations.
86	%%* {{Leitmotif}}: As in ''Mother 3'', everyone has their own battle sound effects. Unlike the 3rd game, they have their own level up jingles as well. See VariableMix below.
87	%%* LovableJock: Zack is a talented athlete, with several trophies and accomplishments under his belt, but he's a really nice guy and never picks on his brother Travis.
88	* MeaningfulName: Leo's name is latin for "lion", which indicates a noble and heroic character (despite him being a biker and gang leader).
89	%%** Part of Floyd's name comes from Lloyd, which means "gray". It could reference Floyd's GuileHero tendencies, how he uses "gray" methods such as talking/bribing enemies instead of outright fighting them.
90	* MundaneUtility: In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwPS5sqJpqg the video showing the WIP attract mode]], at 0:56 Leo can be seen using PK Fire to light a cigarette, apparently as an IdleAnimation.
91	%%* MythologyGag: Travis's ability to reflect projectiles with his bat is derived from Ness and Lucas's appearances in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', where they have the ability to do so with their respective bat and stick moves.
92	%%* NonLethalKO: Unlike ''Mother'' games, characters who get KO'd in combat don't become ghosts. Rather, they're dragged along the ground while passed out behind the current conscious party members.
93	%%* OhCrap:
94	%%--> "The Stickat started [[OverlyNervousFlopSweat sweating generously]]!"
95	%%* OurMonstersAreWeird: A given, considering how the ''Mother'' series had odd enemies abound. The current crowner though seems to be this odd yellow vase shaped... ''things'' with green tongues and eye stalks. The trailer showing them off said you can 'run from these things', which seems to imply they may be a [[BossInMookClothing very powerful enemy.]]
96	%%* PeopleJars: Although nothing official has been said yet, [[spoiler:some early concept art shows that, in continuing the grand ''VideoGame/{{Mother}}'' tradition, this may happen at some point to a large portion of people, with the stuff they're floating in looking eerily similar to the green blobs the spires are generating.]]
97	%%* PipePain: The Punk Enforcer's weapon is a lead pipe.
98	%%* PoisonMushroom: Eating nasty food will decrease a character's "''GROOVY!''" meter, rather than increase it.
99	%%* PoliceAreUseless: Possibly. In the gameplay trailer, the enemy roster seems to have included a police officer.
100	%%* PowerUpFood: The Ultimate Vitamin. Having a character take it in battle gives them guaranteed {{Critical Hit}}s on their turn, including ''all the combos in their combo attack!''
101	%%* PsychicPowers: "VOX", a shorthand for '''V'''oice '''O'''perated '''S'''witch, and will be centered around the theme of radio broadcasts. Would-be psychokinetics like Travis, Meryl, and Leo are "Transmitters", while [[{{Telepathy}} telepaths]] like Travis are called "Receivers". VOX is described as the broadcaster's voice switching the ambient "nothing" to "something", like fire or electricity. Floyd will be the only {{Muggle}} in the main party.
102	%%* PunnyName: Belring. [[DontExplainTheJoke Get it]]?
103	%%* RailroadTracksOfDoom: The characters can walk along railroad tracks at some point in the game.
104	%%* RedEyesTakeWarning: The Enraged Flamingo. It has red eyes, and is an enemy the main party will fight.
105	* RedIsHeroic: Leo, one of the main characters, was featured on the official ''Mother 4'' website with a red background, though his shady background as a criminal and gang leader makes him an AntiHero. The rebrand trailer also features him with a red background.
106	%%* RedOniBlueOni: Floyd's the Red Oni, in contrast to Travis' Blue Oni.
107	%%* {{Retraux}}: Shares the overall GBA design of ''VideoGame/{{Mother 3}}'', with some minor [[http://blue3.deviantart.com/art/Anti-Aliasing-Tutorial-213141706 anti-aliasing]] to make the shading of the sprites look smoother.
108	%%* SceneryPorn:
109	%%** The sprite work so far is ''amazing'', as seen on their site, and all of it was made in various versions of UsefulNotes/MSPaint. Not only that, but there's a lot of attention to detail with it, with several [=NPCs=] in the game having their own idling sprites when not walking around, a few occasional birds flying in the background of certain areas, and even being able to see the insides of buildings through their windows. All this results in a game world that feels very lively, despite being a purely 2D game.
110	%%** If what the dev who works on the games area designs is to be believed, a lot of areas in the game have tiles completely unique to them, even if it's an unimportant area. All this is to make the world feel more lively and lived in, similar to ''VideoGame/{{Mother 3}}''
111	%%* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: One of the effects of Floyd's "Talk" command, he bribes the enemy to take some of the party's own cash and make them leave the battle.
112	%%* SharpDressedMan: The Modern Mind's sprite is shown to be wearing a dark suit that is also dotted with stars.
113	%%* ShoutOut:
114	%%** The [[http://i.imgur.com/tUT9QZ4.png Modern Mind's design]] seems to be directly based on the [[http://i.imgur.com/Pf5RxkH.jpg poster]] for [[Film/TheThing1982 The Thing]].
115	%%** The VOX equivalent of Telepathy will work quite a bit like mind-reading in ''Videogame/GoldenSun''.
116	%%** Keeping in line with it's inspiration's knack for musical references, the new "Oddity" title appears to reference the 1969 Music/DavidBowie song "Music/SpaceOddity".
117	%%* SleevesAreForWimps:
118	%%** The Punk Enforcer enemy wears a leather jacket with the sleeves torn off.
119	%%** Zack's pre-2012 character design wore a blue undershirt with a white horizontal stripe around the waist.
120	%%* SliceOfLife: Emphasis is being placed on character relationships and interactivity with towns and cities beyond using them as a means to continue your adventure.
121	%%* SlippySlideyIceWorld: One of the areas of the game is a town blanketed by snow, complete with transparent falling snow.
122	%%* SmokingIsCool: Presumably Leo. Seen in the video link above, Leo is a smoker. And given [[BadassAdorable the nature of most playable characters]] in the ''Mother'' series, if there will be smoking, then they'll look cool doing it.
123	%%* SpiritualSuccessor: Has officially become one to the ''Mother'' series after the rebranding.
124	%%* StrongFamilyResemblance: Both Travis and his older brother Zack closely resemble their mother and father, respectively, even sharing their parents' hairstyles. However, their hair colors (mother has light brown hair, father has dark brown hair) are switched around.
125	%%* SweetHomeAlabama: Pennyburg, an area in the game and Floyd's hometown, is a rather rural looking town, with pickup trucks occasionally driving by.
126	%%* TalkingAnimal: Like ''Mother'' games, the heroes can use VOX abilities to talk to animals like dogs.
127	%%* TraumaInn: Hotels serve this purpose, like in the ''Mother'' series.. Stay in a [[HellHotel low-quality hotel]], however, and you might get bitten by a mosquito and ''not'' regain all of your HP.
128	%%* UnexpectedlyRealisticGameplay: Eating [[PoisonMushroom bad food]] will negatively affect how the main party will fare in battle as well as decrease their GROOVY! meter, much like eating bad food in real life can cause health problems.
129	%%* UnderTheSea: One of the areas in the game seems to take place in either a vast lake or an ocean, with what appears to be an underwater lab in the middle of it.
130	%%* VariableMix: Instead of a singular level up jingle like in ''Mother'' titles, every character will level up with their own leitmotif (Travis's is a retooled version of the original level up tune). [[http://youtu.be/-qtQWUF6-Co?t=3m8s These will seamlessly overlap with one another when two or more characters level up simultaneously.]]
131	%%%* WeirdMoon: Justified; in the official title graphic for the ''Oddity'' rebranding, one can see strange green liquid leaking out of the moon, which is likely caused by the Modern Men's meddling.
132	%%* WhatADrag: A non-fatal version occurs where fallen party members can be dragged with you as you travel. This is apparent in the gameplay trailer, where it's called "Be a drag".
133	%%* YearX: The game is said to take place in [[TheSeventies 197X]].
134	----
135	-->''Don't be nervous, you can do it!''

Context VideoGame / Oddity