This page is for the characters from the video game Façade (2005).
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Trip
"Troper, look around this apartment. It's got everything anyone would ever want. But, Grace, oh no, she's never satisfied."
An old friend from college. He's invited you over for a reunion, but the evening goes sour when his marriage problems with Grace come to a head... He's ashamed of his parents because he grew up in a poor household, his family even living in a homeless shelter for six months. As a result, he's become materialistic. He admires Grace's parents for being wealthy and successful, even though their personalities are a front. He's proud of his job, but feels like a phony for trying to separate himself from the past. He had an affair with his client, Maria.
- Berserk Button: Is prone to ejecting you from the apartment if you say specific, inappropriate words. Most infamously, he throws you out for saying "melon"note .
- Control Freak: Grace says that he's a controlling person and tried to convince her to go into advertising instead of her passion, art. At the very least, he proposed to her at a Christmas party so she couldn't say no without losing face and can't accept having an artist for a wife until you reveal Grace's secret.
- Fatal Flaw: His low self-esteem and insecurity, particularly in regards to his past, causing him to behave in a rather fake and judgemental manner.
- Game-Over Man: If you trigger the aforementioned Berserk Button, or foul up trying to save his marriage.Trip: "Okay, <player>, I think this evening is over; you've gotta leave. We'll be fine; just...GO."
- Inferiority Superiority Complex: He talks a big game about his success, class and wealth, but it's all to get away from his simple, bland and less glamorous life growing up.
- I Just Want to Be Special: He is somewhat obsessed with living the high life, desperately wanting to be seen as classy and successful. He especially doesn't want to be reminded of the fact he grew up very poor with what he perceives as ignorant and uneducated parents.
- Manipulative Bastard: It can be revealed he manipulated Grace into accepting his marriage proposal by asking her in front of her parents at a Christmas party, knowing she wouldn't be able to say no out of embarrassment. He also strongly 'persuaded' Grace to give up being an artist and go into advertising, as he was embarrassed by the thought of having an artist wife. It's hinted that he himself may not have consciously realised how manipulative he was being up until now and that he may regret it.
- Never My Fault: Trip believes that Grace's problems, such as her not going into art, are her fault, not his (even though it's indicated he 'encouraged' her to give up art because he thought it wasn't a good career).
- Old Shame: He regards the fact he worked in a crappy bar through college as this, being mortified when Grace reveals she knew about it all along.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: When his mother calls, she reveals his real name is Travis.
- Stepford Smiler: His appearance of a classy, proud, and successful man is a facade.
- Tacky Tuxedo: In the wedding portrait. Pink bowtie, green flower, mismatched trousers...
- Wine Is Classy: A firm believer; he's constantly talking about the best wines and offering wine to the player in an attempt to appear more sophisticated and worldly.
Grace
"Look, I know you love my decorating, everybody loves my decorating. Except for me. Let's talk about something else, God..."
Trip's wife. She has an interest in art and frequently snarks at Trip's boasts. She grew up in a rich family, and admires Trip's parents for being down to earth. She has had decisions made for her all her life, so she is used to avoiding responsibility. The expensive junk in her apartment is used so she can hide from that fact. She has a passion for art, something that Trip cannot accept, so she paints in secret. She also slept with an art major named Vince the night before Trip proposed, and thinks that it might have jinxed her marriage.
- Aloof Dark-Haired Girl: She's dark-haired and comes across as snarky and emotionally detached, especially towards Trip (he claims that when they're with their friends, Grace is "all over him", but that once they're alone, she is distant and cold). As the evening becomes increasingly heated, she becomes a lot less composed, although she is still generally more controlled compared to the more emotional Trip.
- Deadpan Snarker: She can see right through Trip's arrogance and regularly makes snarky comments about it.
- Extreme Doormat: It's done subtly, as on the surface she appears to be quite a stubborn person with no problem voicing her opinions. However, it's gradually revealed that she can be a pushover who goes along with what her parents or husband want to avoid conflict. Years of this has made her pretty bitter, with her primarily taking it out on Trip. Even her approach to conflict reflects this, as she initially tends to go for passive-aggressive responses rather than being more direct about disagreements.
- Fatal Flaw: Her tendency to avoid taking responsibility for her actions, causing her to avoid facing problems or just blame other people.
- Hartman Hips: Angular and polygonal, but they're there.
- Icy Blue Eyes: She has pale blue eyes and is generally aloof or downright cold, especially towards Trip (and the player, depending on their responses).
- It's All My Fault: Grace can reveal she slept with an art student named Vince shortly before Trip proposed to her and she believes this "jinxed" their marriage. Starting out a marriage with lies and infidelity certainly isn't ideal, nor does it help that Grace says she was in love with Vince and mostly accepted Trip's proposal because he asked at a party in front of her parents.
- Like Parent, Like Spouse: Grace says she regards her parents as phonies who care way too much about keeping up appearances with their wealthy friends, rather than being genuine. Her husband has much the same problem, which she resents (as does she in some situations).
- Master of the Mixed Message: Trip says that when they're out with friends she is "all over [him]" but that when they're alone she gives him the cold shoulder.
- Never My Fault: She blames the problems she has with her current career on Trip. Although it's indicated Trip strongly discouraged her from pursuing her dream of being an artist, she still chose to go along with it.
- Spoiled Brat: Her parents got her anything she wanted as a child, and as such she chooses to avoid taking responsibility for her actions in certain situations and/or lets others make decisions for her.
- Stepford Smiler: Her appearance as a jet-setting interior designer living the high life is a facade.
- Terrible Artist: A case can be heavily made for her "sculptures".
You
"Melon."
The player character. You came for a cocktail party but are staying to help fix some old college friends' marriage. Or not.
- Cloud Cuckoo Lander: You can play as one (and actually still get the good ending!).
- Deadpan Snarker: You certainly can play as one, making sarcastic comments towards Trip and Grace (though they tend to take it literally).
- Featureless Protagonist: Everything is open to reinterpretation, and you're certainly not locked into predefined gender roles, no matter how much the couple try to assert them.
- First-Person Ghost: The game is played from first-person perspective and we never seen an in-game image of the player.
- He Who Must Not Be Heard: All your in-universe communication is limited to the keyboard.
- It Amused Me: Often the reason for your shenanigans.
- I Have Many Names: Adam, Kelly, Scott, Gonzalo...
- Jerkass/Troll: If you want to be.
- Nice Guy: Same as the above.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: You can cause Trip to throw you out or the couple to break up permanently if you screw up trying to save their marriage (unless you're just playing as a Troll).
- The Voiceless: Same as before.
