Line #45 VideoGame/InTheHunt


1	[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ITH_5011.png]]
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3	''In the Hunt'' (Japanese: ''Kaitei Daisensou'', "Big Sea Battle") is a 1993 HorizontalScrollingShooter arcade game by Creator/{{Irem}}. It was later ported to the Platform/SegaSaturn, the Platform/PlayStation, and Windows 95 for the PC.
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5	''In the Hunt'' is particularly unique as the player takes the role of a submarine in [[UnderTheSea underwater environments]]. There are a total of six levels in the game. Power-ups can be obtained by shooting down supply helicopters and submarines. Unlike most shooters, the screen did not automatically scroll, to which the player had to move in a certain direction to scroll the screen themself.
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7	The game's development team would later create ''VideoGame/{{Gunforce}} II'' for Irem. After leaving Irem, they had formed their own company, Nazca Corporation. With their new company, the team would go on to create ''VideoGame/MetalSlug'' for the Platform/NeoGeo. The similarities in both games are clearly seen in the artistic style used.
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9	And for some reason, there is a comic for this game. [[http://www.ecrater.co.uk/p/5641727/kaitei-daisensou-in-the-hunt-manga Yes, really]].
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11	'''Story:'''
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13	An organization known as the D.A.S. (Dark Anarchy Society, or [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Destroy And Satsujin]]--"Satsujin" meaning "Massacre" in JP) used [[DoomsdayDevice magnetic doomsday machines]] on the polar ice caps, causing them to melt. The entire world was quickly flooded, but a few societies survived to build over the highest land masses they could find and continue living. In this [[AfterTheEnd post apocalyptic scenario]], the D.A.S., who were prepared for this catastrophe, [[TheEmpire reigns supreme over the survivors with martial law]] and [[MechaMooks military weapons]] of [[HumongousMecha extraordinary power]]. After learning of D.A.S.'s efforts to create an even more powerful superweapon, "Yugusukyuure", the remaining survivors who are terrorized by D.A.S. secretly organize a [[LaResistance rebellion force]] using a [[UsefulNotes/SuperiorFirePowerMissileSubmarines newly developed submarine known as the Granvia]]. The [[ItsUpToYou Granvia's mission is to dive into D.A.S. enforced waters, territories and eventually the D.A.S. headquarters itself to destroy every single D.A.S. weapon in sight]].
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15	Though no continuation has surfaced to date, the Platform/PlayStation2 title ''Sub-Rebellion'' (which was published by Irem in Japan) shares many similarities. The Granvia appears as a DLC unit for ''VideoGame/RType Tactics II: Operation Bitter Chocolate'', while the game itself has been retconned outright as part of the same universe with ''R-Type Final 2''.
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17	----
18	!!This game provides examples of:
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20	* AdvancingBossOfDoom: The boss of the [[UnderwaterRuins Seabed Ruins]] stage, the gigantic living statue Sougon, chases your character up to the surface, [[PuzzleBoss where you can finally damage it]].
21	* AfterTheEnd: The game takes place after a DoomsdayDevice submerges most of the world.
22	* AirborneMook: Several, the first of which you will face are the irritating missile-dropping helicopters. You'll face a ''much'' more dangerous threat in the form of bombers shortly.
23	* AnimalMotifs: The first three bosses, all of them HumongousMecha, are actually based off animals.
24	** The boss of the South Pole, Argock, is based off a giant mechanical fish
25	** The [[DualBoss bosses]] of the Sunken Town are based off cowrie snails, [[NonIndicativeName although they're called the Trumpet Lilies]].
26	** The boss of the Channel, Manriki, seems to be some weird [[StationaryBoss stationary]] robot hanging on the ceiling...until it extends its laser tendrils into the water, giving it the impression of a jellyfish.
27	* AttackItsWeakPoint: Many of the {{Giant Mook}}s can be defeated quickly by attacking their underside.
28	* AutoScrollingLevel: Averted in non-boss sections. Unusually for a ShootEmUp, levels don't scroll automatically. The only thing keeping you moving other than enemy fire is the time limit.
29	* AwesomeButImpractical: The blue [[PowerUp power-up]] gives your submarine a missile that generates a horizontal ultrasonic vortex that sucks nearby enemies in, as well as damaging them. Unfortunately, it has a slow rate of fire, the missile itself isn't too strong, and for it to be effective it must not be blocked by enemies.
30	* BittersweetEnding: The [[spoiler:no-continues ending]] has you successfully stop the rocket and destroy the D.A.S. base. Unfortunately, [[spoiler:you also get caught in the rocket's explosion and die alongside enemy subs.]]
31	* BolivianArmyEnding: The special ending you get if [[spoiler: you beat the game with one credit]] may be an aftermath of this. It shows a whole load of enemy subs/ships wrecked up on the floor of the still-collapsing D.A.S HQ, [[spoiler:followed by your submarine wreck in the middle of them]].
32	* BoringButPractical: The red [[PowerUp power-up]] just makes your ship shoot larger, more damaging versions of the standard weapon. Fortunately, it has the best rate of fire out of the three primary weapons.
33	* BossArenaIdiocy: [[PuzzleBoss Sougon]] would be undefeatable if not for the floating blocks of stone at the top of the arena, as it was [[ImmuneToBullets immune to all your attacks]] until its head was partially destroyed.
34	* BottomlessMagazines: All your attacks have infinite ammunition, so you can just keep spamming without having to worry.
35	* CanonWelding: The release of ''VideoGame/RType Final 2'' declares this game to be part of the ''R-Type'' universe, with the Granvia being a playable craft and the DAS referenced as an enemy the Space Corps has fought against.
36	* CollisionDamage: Only happens when you collide with enemies. Colliding with the terrain will not destroy your character, thankfully.
37	* CombatTentacles: The first boss uses grappling hooks to try to kill the player's submarine.
38	* CruelTwistEnding: At the end of a 2-player game, [[spoiler:both players must fight each other, without any explanation for why they've suddenly turned against one another, until either is exhausted of lives, with the winner becoming the new leader of D.A.S. If time runs out before either is wiped out, whether due to the fight dragging on that long or both players refusing to kill each other, ''both of them are destroyed''.]]
39	* DeathCourse: Two points in the game, in the sunken town as well as the enemy HQ. Your character has to pass over a series of rocket hatches that fire out large, long, indestructible missiles with rocket boosters near the top and bottom. Attacking the top rocket booster slows the rocket down, and attacking the bottom speeds it up. The problem lies in the fact that there is not enough space to squeeze in the area between two rocket hatches. You will have to use depth charges to slow down any rockets coming from below you, and regular torpedoes to speed up those in front of you, navigating across about 8-15 hatches or so of these at one go.
40	* DifficultyByRegion: The Japanese version (which is what the console ports are based on in all regions) takes you through all the levels in a slightly different order as compared to the western release, leaving the Deep Dark Sea as the fifth stage (instead of fourth), the Sunken Town as the fourth (instead of second), and the Ruins as the third (instead of fifth).
41	* DownerEnding: [[MultipleEndings Two of them]]. [[spoiler:When you beat the game with another player, you are [[FightingYourFriend forced to fight your friend]]. If you succeed in destroying in the other player, you [[FaceHeelTurn become the new leader of the D.A.S]]. If the time runs out before any of the players are destroyed, both characters sink to the bottom of the ocean.]] The [[spoiler: two player endings]] are exaggerated examples of ItsAWonderfulFailure as well.
42	* DualBoss: The boss fight of the Ruined City stage has you fighting two... robots. They're the control units for the missiles you had to weave your way through.
43	* DubNameChange: The English manual for the console version renamed the Granvia "Crimson Fire" and its unnamed blue counterpart "Azure Scourge".
44	* EarnYourBadEnding: Beating the game on a one-credit run without continues will give you a BittersweetEnding.
45	* EyeScream: When low on health, Sougon's face explodes, revealing an organic interior with eyes dangling out of their sockets. It then gains an attack when it releases eyeballs inside Sougon's mouth which home in on the player.
46	* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler:You pull this off if you [[FightingYourFriend destroy your friend]] after beating [[FinalBoss Yugusukyuure]] with two players.]]
47	* FloodedFutureWorld: In the past, the powerful D.A.S. terrorist organization unleashed a doomsday device that caused the polar ice caps to melt and flood most major cities in the world. Players assume control of a powerful prototype submarine as they battle through legions and legions of D.A.S. enemies in six underwater-themed levels.
48	* FourIsDeath: The fourth stage in the arcade version was the Deep Dark Sea. Which had a lava vent DeathCourse, waves of silver submarines, and the [[OurDragonsAreDifferent three headed dragon-whelk J3]].
49	* FreezeRay: Stage 1 has these attached to the sides of icebergs. While they cannot kill you, they immobilize your character in a block of ice for a short period of time, allowing other enemies to finish the job.
50	* FunnyBackgroundEvent: The GoldenEnding's credits has the survivors cheering in the city. Some of them chase after the subs and fall into the ocean.
51	* GiantMook: Not to mention that [[MookMaker they can also spawn smaller mooks...]]
52	* GimmickLevel: The Channel, a river running through a city overrun with the D.A.S.'s [[MechaMooks death machines]]. The water is dreadfully shallow, severely limiting your movement. Almost all of the enemies here will attack you from above the water, including the HumongousMecha [[StationaryBoss boss]]. You will have to use your UsefulNotes/SuperiorFirepowerSurfaceToAirMissiles extensively here.
53	* GlassCannon: Your submarine has a [[MacrossMissileMassacre TON]] of firepower and can make short work of almost everything [[OneManArmy by itself]]. However, it [[OneHitPointWonder goes down in one hit]]...
54	* GoldenEnding: [[spoiler:After destroying the final boss, the player character's submarine manages to escape the base in time and, as they cruise around the city, they are celebrated by the townspeople (with some humorously falling on to the water) and hailed as a savior. The scene ends with two D.A.S. attack helicopters briefly patrolling before leaving the scene.]] In a twist though, [[spoiler:getting this ending requires playing solo ''and'' losing all of their lives and continuing, otherwise, they'll get a BittersweetEnding or DownerEnding instead.]]
55	* HarmlessFreezing: The {{Freeze Ray}}s in the first stage couldn't destroy your [[OneHitPointWonder submarine]], but would immobilize it for a short while.
56	* HitboxDissonance: Sorta. While the length of your sub's hitbox is the same as the sprite's, the height is a lot smaller. You're going to utilize it well during the FinalBoss' "''[[BulletHell lots]]'' [[BulletHell of red mines attack]]", by the way.
57	* HotSubOnSubAction: You play a submarine, and a few of the enemy types you shoot down are submarines. Yep.
58	* HumongousMecha:
59	** Argock is a giant robotic fish that [[MacrossMissileMassacre fires LOADS of torpedoes from its mouth]].
60	** The Trumpet Lilies are two large cowrie robots that fire missiles and generate whirlpools in a bid to wreck your sub via CollisionDamage.
61	** Manriki is a large, [[StationaryBoss stationary robot]] that hangs from the ceiling.
62	* ImprobableWeaponUser: The anti-aircraft weapon, when [[SecondaryFire used in the water]], allows you to fire out ''balloons'' that float up to the surface and explode on contact. More useful than you'd think, as they can be rapid-fired into an enemy (as long as not many balloons are on screen), and the floating balloons will protect you from DeathFromAbove.
63	* LoadBearingBoss: The enemy HQ gets destroyed when [[FinalBoss Yugusukyuure]] blows up. If you're playing in the one-player mode, [[BittersweetEnding you either get destroyed along with the base]] or [[GoldenEnding escape in time]].
64	* LivingStatue: Subverted. Sougon, the boss of the Seabed Ruins level at first glance is initially this... until its head takes enough damage to reveal that it is, in-fact, an organic creature with a stony hide. Even before the reveal, there are subtle hints to his organic nature seeing as his cheeks ''visibly'' expand when holding his breath.
65	* MacrossMissileMassacre: Some of the enemies just love to spam missiles, like the boss of stage 1 pictured at the top of the page.
66	* MadeOfExplodium: [[JustifiedTrope Justified]], as all the enemies (bar three of them) are crew controlled vehicles.
67	* MercyInvincibility: Like many other arcade {{Shoot Em Up}}s, this game has it.
68	* MiniBoss:
69	** The Channel: A gigantic bulldozer tank that fires napalm missiles that rain from above. No kidding.
70	** Deep Dark Sea: A rather long, [[SegmentedSerpent segmented fish]] that has an appetite for submarines. [[AttackItsWeakPoint Aim for the head.]]
71	** D.A.S. Headquarters: Some hi-tech looking submarine that [[MacrossMissileMassacre LOVES to spam missiles]].
72	* MirrorMatch: [[spoiler:You have to [[FightingYourFriend fight against the other player]] in a one-on-one duel if you beat the FinalBoss with both players.]]
73	* MookMaker: One of the {{Giant Mook}}s does this. Also, the FinalBoss does this in a few of its phases.
74	* MultiArmedAndDangerous: Once [[PuzzleBoss Sougon's]] health has been lowered to a certain extent, it reveals its hideous organic central face, as well as an extra organic arm that will try to MegatonPunch the player.
75	* MultipleHeadCase: The three-headed dragon-snail.
76	* MultipleEndings: Two of which are {{Downer Ending}}s, one is a BittersweetEnding, and another one is a Golden Ending.
77	* MutuallyExclusivePowerups: Your regular attack had three powerups to choose from while your SecondaryFire had two.
78	* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: While the English version calls D.A.S. "Dark Anarchy Society" (bad enough by itself), the original Japanese (which admittedly ''wouldn't'' seem like a viable organization name in English) is "Destroy and Satsujin". Fully translated: "Destroy and Massacre". Then there's the Deep Dark Sea boss J3. That's as in J-cubed, and the J seems to stand for "ja"--Japanese for "wicked".
79	* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: The boss of the Deep Dark Sea, J3, is a three-headed, fire-breathing dragon-whelk.
80	* NintendoHard: Your submarine, besides being a OneHitPointWonder, has quite a large hitbox and is really slow. This makes dodging attacks a pain in the rear. Thankfully, most enemy projectiles can be destroyed, but the ones that cannot...well. In a way, this is an act of ''mercy'', because [[spoiler:[[EarnYourBadEnding the game "rewards" a no-continue clear]] by having your sub be destroyed at the conclusion]] of the FinalBoss fight.
81	* OneHitPointWonder: Played completely straight. The fact that your sub's collision box is large doesn't help at all...
82	* OneManArmy: Your Submarine in one-player mode. A Two Man Army if player 2 is playing along.
83	* OurDragonsAreDifferent: The boss of the Deep Dark Sea stage is a three-headed, fire-breathing [[MixAndMatchCritters cross between a dragon and a shellfish]].
84	* PainfullySlowProjectile: Played straight with the non-destructible ones.
85	* PuzzleBoss: One of the bosses, Sougon, is a gigantic ancient statue that's chasing you throughout the entire level. In order to damage it, you must attack the stone blocks floating on the top of the water so that they will drop on the statue's head to damage it.
86	* RammingAlwaysWorks:
87	** The first boss tries to ram into your character as one of its attacks.
88	** The boss of the Channel also tries to do the same, hope you stayed low in the water!
89	* RewardingVandalism: In the [[GimmickLevel Channel stage]], you are able to destroy the houses as well as skyscrapers. This not only nets you points, but the fallen wreckage also prevents the yellow robots from spawning underwater via tunnels.
90	* RiseToTheChallenge: The living statue in the seabed ruins stage.
91	* RocksFallEveryoneDies: In a two-player game, [[spoiler:both players at the end are forced to fight each other. If both players refuse to fight and instead just let the time run out, the game will punish them with an ending where ''both'' players die.]]
92	* SecondaryFire: You sub's secondary fire was to both drop depth charges, AND use anti-surface/anti-air (depending on whether it was at the surface) attacks.
93	* SegmentedSerpent: The MiniBoss of the Deep Dark Sea is a long, serpent-like fish that tries to eat the player. [[AttackItsWeakPoint Aim for the head]].
94	* SequentialBoss: The FinalBoss has you destroying the rocket piece by piece with each section having their own attacks.
95	* SharedUniverse: With ''VideoGame/{{GunForce}} II'' and ''VideoGame/UndercoverCops'', both being set in an era where D.A.S. ruled the world.
96	* ShootTheBullet: Most of the enemy projectiles can be destroyed using your shots.
97	* ShootOutTheLock: In the Channel Stage, you will come across a bridge pillar blocking your way into the factory where the boss resides. You will have to destroy the bridge while a never-ending train carrying bombs (that drop on you) comes out of the factory.
98	* ShoutOut:
99	** The game's name bears more than a passing resemblance to ''Film/TheHuntForRedOctober'' which also involves submarines.
100	** And more {{Shout Out}}s to ''VideoGame/SubmarineAttack'', another HorizontalScrollingShooter involving a submarine. Submarine Attack also had a LivingStatue boss in the ruins level. There are also bomb-dropping ships and helicopters that attack in the ''exact same manner'' as Submarine Attack.
101	* ShowsDamage:
102	** The {{Giant Mook}}s, as well as the bosses of [[GimmickLevel The Channel]] and the [[UnderwaterRuins Seabed Ruins]]. Doesn't apply to you [[OneHitPointWonder for obvious reasons.]]
103	** If you manage to destroy Argock's grappling hooks, part of its body will detach, showing a mechanized fishbone interior.
104	* SlippySlideyIceWorld: The first stage takes place in Antarctica. Thankfully, you don't have to slip on the ice, and crashing into icebergs doesn't destroy you via CollisionDamage. You do, however, have to fend off loads of submarines, turrets, helicopters, mines, and annoying {{Freeze Ray}}s.
105	* SpiritualSequel: ''In The Hunt'' is probably a spiritual sequel to the submarine ShootEmUp ''Sqoon''. Both are made by Irem and involve submarines, as well as taking place after the [[AfterTheEnd world gets flooded by the sea]].
106	* SpreadShot: The green powerup, of the exploding shot variety. You submarine shoots out a torpedo that explodes into armor-piercing shrapnel after a short distance. Unsurprisingly, it's the best weapon of the three.
107	* StationaryBoss: The boss of The Channel Stage is a large robotic control unit for the factory, hanging from the ceiling. In its first phase, it cannot move; however, it has cannons on it that fire lasers which cause a laser-like spark to appear on the surface of the water.
108	* StuffBlowingUp: Almost all your enemies are mechanical (in fact, only three of them are organic) and [[MadeOfExplodium explode when destroyed]]. Furthermore, as all your attacks and most enemy attacks are explosives of some sort, you'd definitely be sure to see a lot of explosions in this game.
109	* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: [[spoiler:In the two player ending where one player comes out on top, the ending shows their Granvia decimating surface cities with massively destructive ease. Given the sheer amount of firepower the subs have to tear their way through D.A.S. in the first place, it makes sense they would be just as capable of potentially wiping out civilization.]]
110	* TimedMission: Like ''VideoGame/MetalSlug'', there is a timer at the bottom of the screen that resets if you lose a life. If it runs out, you lose a life.
111	* TurnsRed:
112	** The DualBoss of the sunken town stage also exhibits this: once one of the two Trumpet Lilies is destroyed, the other will spam its missiles constantly instead of just trying to suck the player towards it.
113	** The StationaryBoss of the [[GimmickLevel Channel]] drops down into the water and floats about once it has taken enough damage. Manriki then tries to destroy the player via CollisionDamage as well as periodically throwing out bombs.
114	** Happens literally for the three-headed dragon snail -- it gets redder when it is near death. Its attacks don't get any faster or deadlier, though.
115	** [[PuzzleBoss Sougon's]] central face gets partially destroyed once you damage it enough, revealing its organic face. It then gains access to an attack where it [[EyeScream emits eyeballs]] as homing projectiles.
116	* UnderTheSea: Naturally bound to happen as the player character was a submarine.
117	* UnderwaterBossBattle: Naturally, all of them, as your character is a submarine. The only one that isn't a Type 1 is the boss in "The Channel" stage (it's a Type 4, where the boss hangs above the water).
118	* UnderwaterRuins: Complete with a [[AdvancingWallOfDoom giant living statue]] trying to [[RiseToTheChallenge chase your character to the surface]].
119	* UnexpectedGameplayChange: Defeat the FinalBoss in a 2-player game and [[spoiler:the game turns into PlayerVersusPlayer. Whoever depletes the other player's lives first becomes the new ruler of D.A.S. If both players are still around when the timer hits 0, both players are destroyed in a DownerEnding.]]
120	* VillainBasedFranchise: The Dark Anarchy Society/Destroy And Satsujin are also the bad guys in the otherwise unrelated shooters ''Gunforce 2'', ''Air Duel'', ''VideoGame/FireBarrel'', and the beat-'em-up ''VideoGame/UndercoverCops''. Presumably having a SharedUniverse as some of them are also set in a post-apocalyptic timeline.
121	* ViolationOfCommonSense: You'd expect that beating the game on one credit will get you a GoldenEnding that's even better than the GoodEnding, but no. Doing a perfect run will [[spoiler:net you a BittersweetEnding instead]]. If you want to get the good ending, you must use up more than one credit (read: see the Continue? screen at least once) before you tackle the FinalBoss' final form.
122	* ViolenceIsTheOnlyOption: At the end of a 2-player game, [[spoiler:both players must fight each other. No matter what happens, at least one player will die. If the fight is conducted as normal, one player will destroy the other; if neither player runs out of lives before time runs out, ''both players will die''.]]
123	* WarmUpBoss: The first boss, Argock, a giant mechanical fish. Its [[MacrossMissileMassacre torpedo spam]], while not easy to destroy, is ''very easy'' to avoid. Its next attack, where it tries to kill you with CombatTentacles, is slightly harder to avoid -- use your [[SecondaryFire depth charges]] to push them away and avoid getting killed.
124	* WreakingHavok: [[GimmickLevel The Channel]] has tons of destructible environment, due to it taking place in a city.
125	* YourHeadASplode: This is what happens to [[PuzzleBoss Sougon]] when you defeat it.

Context VideoGame / InTheHunt