Line #6 VideoGame/Rune


1	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/250px-Runecover_7858.jpg]]
2	''Rune'' is a {{third\|PersonShooter}}-person HackAndSlash game developed by Human Head Studios and published by Creator/GatheringOfDevelopers, released in 2000 for [[Platform/MicrosoftWindows Windows]] and [[Platform/AppleMacintosh Macintosh]]. The game uses a modified version of the [[MediaNotes/GameEngine Unreal Engine]] to utilize third-person melee combat instead of first-person gunfights.
3
4	It is based on Myth/NorseMythology, and follows the story of Ragnar after his initiation into Odinsblade when an allied village gets attacked. When sailing out to the village, he is attacked by Conrack who betrays his fellow Vikings and sides with Loki in his conquest for power, with his boat being destroyed by the power of the mad trickster god. Ragnar is called by Odin, who saves him from his untimely demise, and swims into an undersea cavern. Ragnar must fight his way through the legions of monsters, dwarves, Vikings, and the undead that awaits him if he wishes to exact his vengeance against Conrack and stop Loki's schemes.
5
6	A standalone expansion pack, ''Rune: Halls of Valhalla'', was released in 2001 that features new multi-player modes, new characters, and new maps. The game was later ported to the Platform/PlayStation2, subtitled ''Viking Warlord'', followed by a Linux port by Loki Software in the same year, as well as a series of pen and paper role-playing games by Atlas Games. ''Rune Gold'', a compilation re-release of the original game and expansion pack, was also released at the time. Another re-release, ''Rune Classic'', was released digitally via Platform/{{Steam}} in 2012 and on Website/GOGDotCom in 2013 with the extra enemies from the [=PlayStation=] 2 version, streamlined levels, and the game's soundtrack as a bonus.
7
8	There was also a TabletopRPG based on the video game, designed by Creator/RobinLaws and bearing the same title. It is notable for being one of the few truly competitive-by-design pen-and-paper [=RPGs=].
9
10	A sequel titled ''Rune II'', once again developed by Human Head Studios, was released on November 12, 2019 ([[SequelGap nineteen years]] after the original). It was the last video game to be developed by Human Head Studios as an independent company; they closed their doors almost immediately after the game's release, and the entire team was relocated to Roundhouse Studios under [=ZeniMax=] Media. On November 2021, the game was removed from digital distribution.
11
12	----
13	!!This game provides examples of the following tropes:
14	* AllThereInTheManual: The game's backstory and Ragnar's upbringing in Wotankeld can be found in the game's manual.
15	* AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence: [[spoiler:After Ragnar finishes off Conrack and Loki's plans are foiled, Odin takes Ragnar to Asgard and leads him into Valhalla where his Viking comrades awaits.]]
16	* AccentUponTheWrongSyllable: Loki is fond of this while going through his rapid mood swings.
17	* ArmorMeter: Shields have their own durability meter next to the Rune Power meter, and when it reaches zero, the shield in the player's or enemy's possession shatters.
18	* AutoSave: ''Rune Classic'' automatically saves your game at certain checkpoints of the game although manual saves are possible.
19	* BackFromTheDead: Even though you fall into the underworld, you get revived by Odin.
20	* BarbarianHero: Ragnar, the lone surviving Viking who sets out to avenge his father and comrades after Conrack betrayed and killed them.
21	* BoobyTrap: Some levels are rigged with traps, such SmashingHallwayTrapsOfDoom and blade traps that messily kills you instantly.
22	* BottomlessMagazines: The Goblin Axe's Infinite Throw power lets you hurl the axe endlessly for a short period of time.
23	* BottomlessPits: Some levels of the single-player campaign have them, such as mountainous regions of Hlora's Pass and Dwarven aqueducts.
24	* TheBerserker: Ragnar can go into [[SuperMode Berserk]] mode after slaying many enemies at once before the Bloodlust meter depletes or picking up a Rune of Bloodlust. Once full, any damage he takes goes to his Bloodlust meter instead.
25	* BigBad: Conrack, a rogue Viking who allied himself with Loki in the name of conquest and power, and he'll kill anyone who dares stand in his way.
26	* BigGood: Odin, the Allfather, acts as Ragnar's spiritual advisor and guides him through his journey to stop Conrack and ultimately prevent Loki from bringing Ragnarok onto the world.
27	* {{BFS}}: The Dwarven Battle Sword, a huge, curved, two-handed sword that makes mincemeat out of your enemies. There are also the Dwarven Battle Axe, a massive double-bladed axe, and Battle Hammer, a huge metal hammer, for the respective axe and hammer weapons.
28	* ChainedToARock: Loki. In this variation, the poison drips onto his chest.
29	* ChunkySalsaRule: If it's splattered into pieces, it's boned.
30	* {{Combos}}: A string of attacks can be done with properly timed swings.
31	* CameBackStrong: [[spoiler:After Ragnar hacks up Conrack for betraying and kill his Viking comrades, Conrack's dip into Loki's blood turns him into a hulking monster.]]
32	* CameraLockOn: Players on controllers can lock-on to an enemy by pressing a button that will focus your sights on a target.
33	* CompetitiveMultiplayer: The game features some competitive multiplayer modes such as deathmatch and team deathmatch where players battle against each other. The game's expansion pack adds new multi-player modes such as an Arena mode and a Headball mode, new character skins, and new multiplayer maps.
34	* CompilationRerelease: ''Rune Gold'', which comes with the original game and the ''Halls of Valhalla'' expansion pack.
35	* ConvectionSchmonvection: The hellish temperatures of Hel won't stop Ragnar from exacting vengeance against Conrack.
36	* DemBones: The skeleton enemies in the [=PlayStation=] 2 version and ''Rune Classic''.
37	* DoomedHometown: [[spoiler:After coming back as an immortal monster from Loki's blood, Conrack leads an army of Loki's monsters to raid your village for their runestones.]]
38	* DifficultyLevels: Stock easy to hard settings. Hard difficulty is more noticeable in the first boss fight, where Ulf has much more health than he would have otherwise.
39	* DownerBeginning: After the introductory level/tutorials, a Viking bursts through the training hall to inform Ulf and Ragnar that an allied village is under attack by Conrack, another Viking who has betrayed Odin and serving under the trickster god Loki in his thirst for power and conquest. The game follows with Jarl and the Vikings setting sail out to help out the village under siege only to run into Conrack along with Sigurd by his side as they demonstrate their allegiance to Loki by calling upon his powers to strike down Jarl's longship with lightning, all while Ragnar watches in horror as his father and allies are being killed off moments before he dies and their longship is reduced to shambles, sinking into the abyss below. Odin, however, spares Ragnar from his demise to give him an opportunity to exact his vengeance on Conrack.
40	* DuelToTheDeath: [[spoiler:Ragnar defeats Conrack in a One on One sword battle, and knocks him into the acid of Loki's venom. It doesn't stick.]]
41	* EliteMooks: The Sarks, which are essentially hulking and very pissed off undead warriors that are capable of wielding deadly dwarven weapons, jump super high, and can withstand a lot of punishment before going down.
42	* EmergencyTransformation: [[spoiler:After defeating him in human form, Conrack falls a pool of Loki's that mutates him into a Sark, then he uses his newfound powers to escape and leaves Rangar to die in a pit as monsters keep attacking. The only way to proceed is to transform into one of the EliteMooks too. Loki laughs and mocks Ragnar, saying that Odin would not accept him after he willingly gave his humanity to become one of Loki's monsters.]]
43	* EternalEngine: The land of the Dwarves.
44	* ExpansionPack: The ''Halls of Valhalla'' standalone expansion pack, which adds more multi-player modes, character skins, and maps. It also adds the ability to deflect thrown weapons with a well-timed attack.
45	* ExposedToTheElements: The goblins strips Ragnar of everything above the belt yet this doesn't stop him from hunting down Conrack through the icy mountains of Hlora's Pass.
46	* EvilLaugh: Loki makes many of these.
47	* FireAndBrimstoneHell: The Hel levels which follows from the caverns section, where Ragnar fights his way through Hel's domain and her legion of undead, gruesome torture devices and traps, all while she taunts Ragnar every step of the way.
48	* [[FirstTown First Village]]: The game's starting point, where you learn the basics of survival and fighting.
49	* GameBreakingBug: There's an issue with the game crashing in the Rune Extended mod's Halls of the Dishonored level due a missing wall-breaking sound effect. The only way around this is to mute the game, break the walls in the hallway area, save the game, and restart with sounds enabled unless you go out of your way to fix the map manually.
50	* GameMod: The game, being an Unreal Engine 1 title, has a niche modding community who has created unofficial patches, custom game modes/servers, and alternate weapons and extra characters for the original release of the game.
51	* GardenOfEvil: Those snake-like enemies seen in the first few levels are actually the local plant-life. And the mushrooms [[PoisonMushroom release their toxic spores]] when someone steps on them.
52	* GiantMook: The Trial Pit Beast, Frost Giants ([=PS2=] and ''Rune Classic'' only), and Dwarves in mech suit that are bigger than the standard enemies and Ragnar.
53	* GodMode: The computer version of the game has a God Mode cheat that can be activated though console command but also requires using the "cheatplease" code to enable cheat codes for it to work. Once activated, the player is invincible against enemy attacks, traps, and bottomless pits, however the player can still be killed if they're crushed by heavy objects such as boulders or a collapsing building. The [=PlayStation=] 2 port also has a God Mode code that can be entered in the pause menu.
54	* TheGoomba: The goblins in the early game. They pose little threat to Ragnar as wield one of the two weaker maces and sometimes a simple shield, and simply charge into Ragnar with lunging strikes.
55	* HeartContainer: Runes of Health and Runes of Power respectively raises your health and rune power.
56	* HeavilyArmoredMook: There are some rogue Vikings, Dwarves, and Sarks that wear a heavy suit of armor and stronger weapons to stand out from their basic variants.
57	* HellBentForLeather: Ragnar dons a suit of leather and chainmail suit of Viking armor at the start of the Dwarven levels.
58	* HellHound: Found in the Hel levels in ''Viking Warlord'' and ''Rune Classic'' as huge, demonic dogs with red claws and glowing eyes.
59	* HeroicMime: Ragnar, who doesn't speak at all other than his reactions to pain despite being able to speak in his backstory.
60	* HisNameReallyIsBarkeep: Ragnar's father, the village Jarl (chieftain), happens to be named Jarl.
61	* HornyVikings: You, your fellow Vikings, and Conrack's minions.
62	* HyperactiveMetabolism: You can recover health by consuming lizards, food, and mead.
63	* HyperspaceArsenal: You can carry all 15 weapons (one per class being visible at a time) without them slowing you down and switch between them on the fly.
64	* ImprovisedWeapon: Severed limbs and heads can be used as weapons or to trigger traps.
65	* InASingleBound: The Sarks you deal with near the end of the game are capable of jump at great heights and uses this to sneak up the player. [[spoiler:After becoming one himself, Rangar possesses the ability to jump much higher than he could before.]]
66	* ItsAWonderfulFailure: [[spoiler:If you fail to stop Conrack and his minions from destroying the last Runestone in your village (or you break it yourself) in the final level, you're treated to a cutscene where Ragnar is bound in Loki's den along with some text stating Loki will be freed and Ragnarok is coming, then you're kicked back to the title screen.]]
67	* KillItWithFire: One of the only ways to kill zombies.
68	* LethalLavaLand: Hel, with lava as far as the eye can see in some parts of it.
69	* LifeMeter: The Health meter (red), which displays the player's vitality and can be extended with Runes of Health.
70	* LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe: You can use a shield with small or one-handed weapons to block enemy attack, but your shield will eventually break from abuse. The Viking Short Sword (or Viking Axe in ''Rune Classic'') lets you create a large, impenetrable magic shield temporarily.
71	* LudicrousGibs: The player and enemies can be brutally killed if they take a severe amount of damage and be reduced to a pile of gibs and body parts. Dead bodies can also be reduced to gibs by attacking it.
72	* ManaMeter: The Rune Power meter (yellow), which governs the player's ability to use rune powers with their current weapons and can be extended with Runes of Greater Power.
73	* ManOnFire: The player and enemies can be set on fire if they run into an open flame, hit by a lit torch, or fall into lava. There are rune powers that imbue certain weapons with fire magic.
74	* TheMaze: One the levels in Loki's castle has you trying to through a maze where entering the way doorway will send you back into the beginning.
75	* NecessarilyEvil: [[spoiler:After your EmergencyTransformation you will have to traverse your home village, and fight your former comrades who cannot tell you from other EliteMooks.]]
76	* NoGearLevel: After clearing the Skerkir Ravines, Ragnar falls victim to the goblins' trap and get knocked out. In the following level, Ragnar finds himself half-naked and all of his equipment gone, ready to become dinner for a carnivorous beast.
77	* OffWithHisHead: Doable with bladed weapons. This is also the other way to kill zombies. Decapitating skeletons can cause them to wonder around aimlessly as they try to fight Ragnar without their head.
78	* PuzzleBoss: The Dark Dwarf cannot be beaten by brute force thanks to the PowerArmor he's using to amplify his strength with Runestones. [[spoiler:Instead, Ragnar must open up portals and overload the Dark Dwarf with power so he'll explode.]]
79	* RageHelm: Ragnar puts one on as part of his "[[DarkIsNotEvil Dark Viking Armor]]" that gives him an intimidating appearance at the start of the Dwarven levels of the game.
80	* RealTimeWeaponChange: How you switch between your different weapons and weapon types.
81	* RedEyesTakeWarning: During Berserk mode, your eyes glows red. Hell Hounds' eyes also have glowing demonic eyes.
82	* RiseToTheChallenge: Performed with lava near the end of Bridge Over Girvimul.
83	* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: Throughout the single-player campaign, Ragnar slaughters his way though goblins, the undead, dwarves, Conrack's Vikings, feral beasts, and the undead on steroids to claim the head of the guy who murdered his father and fellow Vikings.
84	* SaveGameLimits: On the computer versions of ''Rune'', you only have nine save slots to use to record your progress during the single-player campaign.
85	* SetAMookToKillAMook: The Viking Axe (Broad Sword in ''Classic'') has the Ally power, and (almost) anything it strikes turns an enemy against each other. It is possible to have enemies to fight each other to without this power if you can get them attack one another.
86	* ShowsDamage: As you or the enemy lose health, you can see them bleed and have cuts on their bodies.
87	* {{Spellblade}}: All of your weapons have a unique magical effect that can give you an edge in battle. These effects include:
88	** CharmPerson: The Viking Axe's Ally power makes whoever you hit with it fight for you temporarily. The Broadsword has this power instead in ''Rune Classic''.
89	** DishingOutDirt: The Dwarven Battle Sword's Avalanche power allows hurling huge boulders against your enemies. The Dwarven Work Hammer also has Earth Attack, where slamming the hammer causes three earth blasts to run across the ground.
90	** FlamingSword: The Roman Sword's Flame power cloaks the blade in flames.
91	** GroundPound: The Rusty Mace's Blast power causes a shockwave that knocks surrounding enemies back.
92	*** The above two combined are the Trial Pit Mace's power, Blaze.
93	** HarmlessFreezing: Sigurd's Axe's Freeze power freezes enemies. Hitting them while they're frozen [[LiterallyShatteredLives shatters them to pieces]], killing them instantly.
94	** {{Invisibility}}: The Hand Axe's Spirit power gives you this effect.
95	** LifeDrain: The Viking Broadsword's Vampire power, where each slash drains your victims' health and gives it a shiny red glow. In ''Rune Classic'', this power was given to the Viking Shortsword.
96	** LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe: The Viking Short Sword's Magic Shield power creates an invulnerable shield for a limited time. ''Rune Classic'' gives this power to the Viking Axe instead.[[note]]It's however possible to keep the Magic Shield if you enter a level transition while the Rune Power is active.[[/note]]
97	** OneHitKill: The Dwarven Battle Axe's Super Damage does this to your enemies when it's activated.
98	** ShockAndAwe: The Dwarven Work Sword's Lightning power temporarily adds electricity to your attacks and can summon balls of lightning with each swing.
99	** SuperScream: The Bone Club's Sonic Blast power adds sonic waves to your attacks.
100	** SwordBeam: The Goblin Axe's Infinite Throw power allows casting illusionary axes whenever you perform an attack.
101	** TakenForGranite: The Dwarven Battle Hammer's Stone power petrifies enemies and turns them into stone. Hitting enemies while they're petrified will also shatter them.
102	* SuspendSave: The computer versions of the game gives you the option to quicksave the game at anytime by pressing the F5 key by default and the quick save can be load by using the F7 key.
103	* SuspiciouslyCrackedWall: If you see one, smash it to proceed or find goodies.
104	* SwordLines: Every time you swing your weapon, including the hammers.
105	* TakeUpMySword: [[spoiler:After being fatally wounded from being overpowered by Loki's undead minions under Conrack's control, Sigurd gave Ragnar his axe with his dying breath.]]
106	* TinTyrant: Conrack, the BigBad of the game, wears a black, spiked suit of armor.
107	* TheBadGuyWins: Happens in the last level if you destroy the last Runestone instead of defeating Conrack, or he or his minions do it; we get to see Loki laughing and Ragnar being crucified inside his lair and the texts states that Loki will soon be freed and unleash Ragnarok.
108	* TheLowMiddleAges: The game's setting, which is based off Norse mythology and centered around the Vikings.
109	* ToHellAndBack: Performed twice. First was fighting the way out of Hel and back to the surface. The second time, Ragnar needs to re-enter Hel, although the exit trip is ''much'' faster.
110	* UndergroundLevel: The next cavernous area that follows after Hel has Ragnar falling into an ambush setup by some goblins that want Ragnar dead for chopping down their kind.
111	* UnderwaterRuins: The first couple of levels of the game takes place in an underground aquatic ruins, that slowly leads into an cavern system and then Hel itself.
112	* UnstoppableRage: The game features a Bloodlust meter that fills as the player deals damage or pick up a Rune of Strength/Bloodlust, causing the player to go into a temporary berserk state where they deal greater amounts of damage and any damage received goes to the Bloodlust meter instead.
113	* UpdatedRerelease: ''Rune Classic'' adds the new enemies seen the [=PlayStation=] 2 version while streamlining or removing some of the game's more larger levels.
114	* WalkingShirtlessScene: Ragnar becomes one by the time he gets to Hlora's Pass, but he kills off an enemy Viking and steals his armor later on.
115	* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: [[spoiler:When Sigurd began to have second thoughts about siding with Conrack in aiding Loki, Conrack had no use for Sigurd as he got Loki's monsters fighting for him, then orders his minions to kill off Sigurd and his men.]]
116	* YouKilledMyFather: Conrack killed Ragnar's father (and his fellow Vikings), and he won't rest until he claims Conrack's head.

Context VideoGame / Rune