!!The FPS by Criterion Games
* AntiClimaxBoss: Subverted -- Lennox's death happens so suddenly at the end of the game that it looks practically like an offscreen death. This is deliberate, because [[spoiler: Lennox isn't really dead -- the whole game was just a cover so that the US could go after the ''real'' Lennox in secret, using the events of the game as cover.]]
* CompleteMonster: [[TerroristsWithoutACause William Lennox]] is the enigmatic leader of Seventh Wave whose specialty is [[ArmsDealer arming other terrorist groups]]. Originally serving as an assassin for the CIA, he was eventually burned when he began leaving behind too many innocent casualties; in response, [[RogueAgent Lennox]] killed everyone they sent after him, caused an explosion that killed 90 people to fake his death, then led the government on a wild goose chase around the world, spreading death everywhere he went. Upon encountering [[PlayerCharacter Sgt. Jack Keller]], Lennox [[ManipulativeBastard manipulates]] him to turn his enemies against each other, and when Keller almost catches him, he kills a dozen of his friends as he retreats, leaving his own forces behind in the process.
* CultClassic: Many of those who played the Game, often consider it to be among the best shooters for the [=PS2=].
* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: It's basically the equivalent to ''VideoGame/GoldenEye1997'' in places where Playstation is more popular than Nintendo, such as Southeast Asia.
* HilariousInHindsight: The developer team of the game (though not bringing down Criterion) left EA after the perceived underperformance of ''Black'' in the market, and then joining Codemasters to develop ''VideoGame/Bodycount2011''. ''Bodycount'' then flopped, and Codemasters refocused to developing racing games. In 2021, EA acquired Codemasters, possibly bringing the remaining development team back in EA's hands.
* HypeBacklash: For all the praise it gets from 6th gen console gamers, especially [=PS2=] gamers, ''Black'' tends to get a much more negative reception from PC gamers responding to said praise (who often unfavorably compare it to much more advanced PC contemporaries such as ''[[VideoGame/FirstEncounterAssaultRecon F.E.A.R.]]'' or ''VideoGame/{{Crysis}}''), and[=/=]or firearms aficionados who are often deeply annoyed at the game being praised for authentic-feeling depiction of firearms when it actually plays ''really'' fast and loose with reality when it comes to the operation of said firearms.
* ItsShortSoItSucks: A common complaint about the game. Despite the levels being rather long, with the last one [[MarathonLevel taking a full hour to complete]] ''[[MarathonLevel if you're]] '''[[MarathonLevel very]]''' [[MarathonLevel good at the game]]'', playtime doesn't amount to more than seven hours on average.
* MagnificentBastard: [[NoNameGiven The interrogator]] who questions [[WildCard Sgt. Jack Keller]] proves himself to be an incredibly manipulative agent. Beginning the interrogation by threatening that Keller can either cooperate or die in prison, he calls Keller's bluff on the ultimatum to get him to cooperate. Purposefully asking leading questions in order to [[BatmanGambit lure Keller into traps]], the interrogator reveals that he had previously gotten statements from two of his colleagues, playing their disparaging comments at precise moments to emotionally wear him down. After successfully getting into Keller's head and getting all the information he needs, he reveals that the interrogation was all a farce; in reality, he intends to [[DeathFakedForYou fake Keller's death]], using his desire for vengeance for his own ends to hunt down [[BigBad William Lennox]] off the books.
* SugarWiki/MostWonderfulSound: ''All'' the gunshots, as per the "Symphony of Gunfire" sound design.
* {{Narm}}: The in-mission dialogue is filled with dead serious, curse-laden military talk only barely related to the situation going on. It's so at odds with the over-the-top Hollywood gunplay that it comes off as more hilarious than hardcore, and might cause one to think it's a StealthParody because of how nonsensical it can get.
* PlayTheGameSkipTheStory: For a good number of players, the level intro cutscenes are nothing but an un-skippable annoyance at first, and a skippable annoyance in later runs. These cutscenes are the part of the game that contains the thickest part of the plot, the levels contain only barely-relatable "commando chatter" between the characters as the player [[OneManArmy moves on to mow down mooks by the dozen]] to SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome, and can be ignored to no detriment.
* RatedMForMoney: Zig zagged - the violence in the game is as intense as that of any other FPS, there's a considerable amount of swearing, the protagonist is shown committing an act of torture and constantly smoking, but, bizarrely, [[BloodlessCarnage there's no blood or gore in the game]].
* SpiritualSuccessor: To EA's own ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonor'' series, which at the time, was still in its historical era.
* ThatOneLevel: The last room of the last level. Holy ''shit''. It can feel like enemies ''never stop respawning'', taking upwards of fifteen minutes to clear out entirely, and they steadily increase in difficulty as they keep coming in. To put this in perspective, the last portion requires you to face off against ''two'' machine gun nests and ''multiple'' mooks with [=RPGs=]. Couple this with a room where the best cover comes in the form of blatant {{Monster Closet}}s, and you're in for a world of pain.
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!!The Korean drama
* CompleteMonster:
** [[PsychoForHire Wang Yong-choon]] is a former hitman and sadistic SerialKiller who killed his wife for insurance money. Roped into the far-reaching conspiracy with the promise of a lofty payout, Wang killed many people for the conspiracy and murdered the father of Detective Ha-ram when he saved a child from Wang. After escaping a mental hospital, Wang begins taking revenge, torturing the hospital director to death and killing whoever else catches his fancy, even trying to revenge himself on Congressman Kim by locking him in a burning building with children, not caring if [[WouldHurtAChild they all burn]].
** [[CorruptPolitician Congressman Kim Woo-shik]] is one of the masterminds of the conspiracy. Involved in a prostitution ring, Kim [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil raped a teenage girl]] on camera, unaware he was being filmed. Having numerous people murdered to recover the tape and hide his crime, Kim personally murdered his blackmailer's boyfriend to keep the secret and in the present continues his crimes by eliminating even people close to him if they pose a danger in order to keep his political career alive.