Rousing Speeches in video games.
- Downplayed in Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies. One of these is made near the end as you select your plane for the final mission. Here's the transcribed version."Good morning, troops. I have an important announcement. In one hour, each one of you will take part in the most important mission in our history. A mission that will result in the defeat of the vile enemy who has brought chaos to our continent. Although we are from different nations, and of different races, we have fought, suffered and died together, fighting for what we believe in, fighting for freedom! Today, we shall gather for our final battle, to liberate our beautiful continent and restore freedom to our people, our friends, and our families. Our victory will herald the beginning of a new era of prosperity for the Usean continent. Victory will be ours! We shall return peace to our people, and win back our freedom, and our future! The skies belong to everyone! Now, let us take back our Shattered Skies!"
- Played straight in Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War. The president of Osea and the prime minister of Yuktobania broadcast a joint one worldwide on TV, which gives you some reinforcements for the second-to-last mission.Vincent Harling, President of Osea: This is President Harling of the Osean Federation. Attention, all Osean and Yuktobanian officers and soldiers currently on the battlefield. Let us put down our guns and come out of the trenches. The Osean capital of Oured has been freed of the people who took advantage of my absence to usurp control of the country. Once robbed of my freedom and of my ability to do the right thing. I now stand again under the light of the golden sun, and I do so with the honorable Yuktobanian Prime Minister Nikanor by my side. We have resolved our terrible and unfortunate misunderstandings, and the war is now over.
Seryozha Viktrovich Nikanor, Prime Minister of Yuktobania: This is Prime Minister Nikanor, head of government for the Union of Yuktobanian Republics. Attention, all officers and soldiers of Osea and Yuktobania currently on the battlefield. Please watch as President Harling and I stand shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand. President Harling’s words are true. The war is over, but there is one more battle that still needs to be fought.
Harling: We believe that those who have tired to stir hatred between us are now preparing a weapon that could wipe out half of all metropolitan areas in either one of our counties. Our comrades are in flight as I speak, determined to stop this plan dead in its tracks. Which country is under the threat of mass destruction? That, we do not know.
Nikanor: However, that is no longer important. No matter which country is hit, it would be a severe blow to all of us.
Harling: So now I ask you, members of the military. If you see it in your hearts, please utilize the resources available to you and help out our brave pilots. Right now they are flying east to meet the enemy.
Nikanor: To those who still dare to hide behind the power of their hateful weapons. Bring yourself before the light of peace and harmony. - Ezio delivers a combination of this and The War Has Just Begun to the people of Florence at the end of the War of the Vanities DLC of Assassin's Creed II."Don't follow me. Don't follow anyone!"
- Call of Duty:
- "Remember Great Comrade Stalin's order — not one step backwards!" Subverted in that the speechmaker is not exactly heroic, and the soldiers first try to escape and then get killed en masse.
- An excellent one in Modern Warfare 2: The real Big Bad is only revealed after his plan has already succeed, Washington lies in smoking ruins, the entire team was killed, and Price and Soap are hunted as traitors and terrorists. But there's still one thing left to do:"The healthy human mind doesn't wake up in the morning thinking this is its last day on Earth. But I think that's a luxury. Not a curse. To know you're close to the end is a kind of freedom. Good time to take... inventory. Outgunned. Outnumbered. Out of our minds. On a suicide mission. But the sand and the rocks here, stained with thousands of years of warfare... They will remember us. For this. Because out of all our vast array of nightmares, this is the one we choose for ourselves. We go forward like a breath exhaled from the Earth. With vigor in our hearts and one goal in sight: We. Will. Kill him."
"This is for the record. History is written by the victor. History is filled with liars. If he lives, and we die, his truth becomes written, and ours is lost. Shepherd will be a hero, 'cause all you need to change the world is one good lie and a river of blood. He's about to complete the biggest trick a liar ever played on history. His truth will be the truth. But only if he lives, and we die." - A speech along the lines of the first, but a bit more heroic, comes from Call of Duty: Finest Hour. As our rookie protagonist looks on at the hell that is Stalingrad, Commissar Viktor Durasov speaks to his men, accompanied by some serious Awesome Music:"Welcome to Stalingrad. You're about to begin the greatest moment of your life. The Germans have lost hundreds of tanks and planes. Hitler's brutalized hordes are now advancing toward Stalingrad over mountains of their own dead bodies! Our Bolshevik party, our nation, our great country, have given us the task not to let the enemy reach the Volga, and to defend the city of Stalingrad. Forward against the enemy! Up into the unremitting battle, comrades! For Stalingrad, for our great country, not one step back! Cowards and traitors will be shot! Do not count days, do not count miles; count only the number of Germans you have killed! Kill the German; this is your mother's prayer! Kill the German; this is the cry of your Russian earth! Do not waver! Do not let up! Kill! Death to the German invader!"
- Reznov gives an epic Rousing Speech in the Call of Duty: Black Ops mission "Vorkuta":"Brave comrades of Vorkuta, the time has come to rise against our oppressors! Today, we show them the hearts of true Russians! We have all given our blood for the Motherland. We have answered her calls without question. We gave our youth, our hearts, our very souls for her protection..As brothers, we fought side by side against the German fascists. We crawled through dirt and blood and sand to achieve our glorious victory..Not for medals, or glory...but for what was right. We fought for revenge...When Berlin fell, how did our leaders repay us? We returned not to the rapturous welcome...but to suspicion and persecution. In the eyes of our leaders we were already tainted by the capitalist West. Torn from the arms of our loved ones, we found ourselves here... this place... this, this terrible place. Here we have languished, with no hope for release... No hope for justice. We have toiled in Dragovich's mines until the flesh peeled from our bones... We have watched our comrades succumb to sickness and disease... We have been starved. We have been beaten. But we will not be broken! Today, we will send a message to our corrupt and arrogant leaders. Today, my comrades... Vorkuta — BURNS!!!"
- City of Heroes: In Grandville, Lord Recluse has a villainous Rousing Speech on loop in the main courtyard.Lord Recluse: I must therefore rely on all of you to spread the word of Lord Recluse's vision. A vision of a glorious future, in which man is not encumbered by the desire for truth, peace, or justice. A future where you no longer must obey others, where you must no longer bow down to those who deem themselves your superiors, a world in which you can finally say "No more." No longer will you have to listen to those who tell you that you must earn what you wish, that you must work hard to achieve your goals. You will have the strength to take what you desire. Through my way, the way of villainy, you can have what you want now. You can leave the weak lying in your wake as you grasp with both hands the glorious future of havok. The heroes are doomed! Join me now, or you will suffer the same fate that awaits all those who defy me. I, Lord Recluse, shall cover this world in darkness!
- Command & Conquer: General Sheppard, the GDI commander, gives one of these as the final mission briefing.We've found it, Commander — Kane's temple and base of operations. This field operative's covert transmission came to us live just five minutes ago, so there's no doubt that Kane's inside. He's surrounded himself with his own crack militia. Getting to him... won't be easy. Ironic, isn't it? Kane's planted his temple just outside of Sarajevo. If that sounds familiar, it's because that's where another madman started World War I. And here we are, trying to stop this madman from doing it again. Commander, there is to be no quarter given. No leniency in dealing with Kane and his zealots. Wipe his temple off the face of the earth. Destroy the bastard!... Or prepare to die trying.
- The restate (a text summary of the briefing) is also rather inspiring, ending with the following words:"Nod is rumored to have developed its own nuclear weapons, so it's do or die this time. Let's do it."
- The restate (a text summary of the briefing) is also rather inspiring, ending with the following words:
- In the end of both games of Danganronpa, the player must give one at the last minute to the other survivors, convince them that there's still hope and that they'll fight together until the very end. This is mixed with a Shut Up, Hannibal! to the Mastermind and Dare to Be Badass sidelines.
- In Disgaea 4, Valvatorez has a habit of giving these, whether they be about the importance of keeping one's word, the strength of comradery, or... sardines.
- Dragon Age:
- Prior to the Final Battle of Dragon Age: Origins, depending on how you resolved the Landsmeet, either Alistair or Anora will deliver a Rousing Speech to the army you gathered. A speech that uses you as a source of inspiration.
- There's also Sophia Dryden's rousing speech. Faced with the prospect of death as the entire Fereldan army is sieging the fortress — and there were only maybe one hundred Wardens in Soldier's Peak — with very little food left over, she manages to turn their morale from piss-poor to shouts believing in victory, all while fighting against the tyrant king. Even if it went against what the Wardens stand for by being neutral — which is funny, considering the events of the game that the Player Character ends up solving the issues that plagued on the respective leaderships of the people they sought help to end the Blight — she deserves credit for being a great leader. Although the idea of summoning demons was definitely not a good thing to do and backfired horribly.Men, I won't lie to you. The situation is grim. Our forces outnumbered, our bellies empty, and our hearts are sagging. But WE ARE WARDENS! Darkspawn flee when they hear our horns, Archdemons die when they taste our blades. So are we to bend knee to a mere human despot? NO! I for one will never give up! I for one will never surrender just to dance on Arland's gallows. So I propose, here and now, in these hallowed halls where generations of our brothers stood vigil against Darkspawn and evil... that we send a message to that fat bastard! In this sacred place, proud men, strong men, stood defiant and would rather DIE then submit to tyranny!
- There's also Sophia Dryden's rousing speech. Faced with the prospect of death as the entire Fereldan army is sieging the fortress — and there were only maybe one hundred Wardens in Soldier's Peak — with very little food left over, she manages to turn their morale from piss-poor to shouts believing in victory, all while fighting against the tyrant king. Even if it went against what the Wardens stand for by being neutral — which is funny, considering the events of the game that the Player Character ends up solving the issues that plagued on the respective leaderships of the people they sought help to end the Blight — she deserves credit for being a great leader. Although the idea of summoning demons was definitely not a good thing to do and backfired horribly.
- In Dragon Age II, Hawke gives an inspiring speech to his/her compatriots prior to the final battle. Silly!Hawke's memorable subversion includes the line "I can fight harder scared than they can angry!"
- "We're getting out, and I'm buying when we do!"
- Prior to the Final Battle of Dragon Age: Origins, depending on how you resolved the Landsmeet, either Alistair or Anora will deliver a Rousing Speech to the army you gathered. A speech that uses you as a source of inspiration.
- The Elder Scrolls:
- In Oblivion, Martin Septim gives a rousing speech to his assembled soldiers before a giant portal to hell opens and legions of demons begin to pour out. The player then gets to go inside and close it.
- Skyrim:
- Ulfric Stormcloak possesses "the power of The Voice" in more than one sense; he specializes in dramatic, inspirational speeches that are Punctuated! For! Emphasis! and liberally sprinkled with testosterone, and it doesn't hurt that they're delivered in Vladimir Kulich's voice. General Tullius, Ulfric's opposite number in the civil war, gives quite a speech himself when the time is right. Finally, if you've sided with the Imperials, Jarl Balgruuf will give a speech after the Battle of Whiterun.Balgruuf: Revel in your victory here today, even as the gods revel in your honor! They already sing of your valor and skill! The halls of Sovngarde are no doubt ringing with your praises! In defeating these Stormcloak traitors, you have proven the hollowness of their cause and the fullness of your hearts. The citizens of Whiterun are forever in your debt! But Ulfric will not stop here. No, he will continue to strike out against any true Nord who remains faithful to the Empire. He will continue to sow discord and chaos wherever he can. And so, we must each one of us, continue to fight this insurrection, lest our fallen brothers have died for naught! Lest our honor be lessened should we allow these bloodthirsty beasts to prowl our lands! Carry on men, my gratitude and blessings go with you! For Whiterun! For the Empire!
- Tullius can give a pretty impressive pep-talk when he has to.Tullius: All right. It's time to deliver the final blow to the Stormcloak rebellion. You have all fought bravely, and sacrificed much to bring us to this point. Ulfric thinks he can hide behind the walls of his castle. But we will fight our way in and drag him out through the rubble to face justice. Because this is the end for them, the Stormcloaks will fight like cornered rats. They will be fierce and crafty. But they are no match for Legionnaires. You are the best and the brightest warriors in Tamriel. Professional soldiers, fearless and devastating. The Emperor will be paying close attention to what happens here today. Men who distinguish themselves will be well rewarded. Ready now! Everyone, with me! For the Empire! For the Legion!
- Ulfric isn't half bad either. The only problem as such with him is Values Dissonance, since he wants a Skyrim only for Nords, which to modern sensibilities, has quite a few
Unfortunate Implications. Made Harsher in Hindsight with the revelation
that he was once a Unwitting Pawn to the Thalmor, who still consider him a "dormant asset" in Skyrim, even if "uncooperative to direct contact".Ulfric: I fight for the men I've held in my arms, dying on foreign soil! I fight for their wives and children, whose names I heard whispered in their last breath. I fight for we few who did come home, only to find our country full of strangers wearing familiar faces. I fight for my people impoverished to pay the debts of an Empire too weak to rule them, yet brands them criminals for wanting to rule themselves! I fight so that all the fighting I've already done hasn't been for nothing! I fight...because I must.
- Ulfric Stormcloak possesses "the power of The Voice" in more than one sense; he specializes in dramatic, inspirational speeches that are Punctuated! For! Emphasis! and liberally sprinkled with testosterone, and it doesn't hurt that they're delivered in Vladimir Kulich's voice. General Tullius, Ulfric's opposite number in the civil war, gives quite a speech himself when the time is right. Finally, if you've sided with the Imperials, Jarl Balgruuf will give a speech after the Battle of Whiterun.
- In The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard, a Gaiden Game set much earlier in the history of Tamriel (with The Empire as the villains), the protagonist Cyrus delivers a great one to rally La Résistance after their attempt to revive the fallen Prince instead results in his soul inhabiting his sword.
- Gre Nade of Evolution personifies his trope, not only in how he speaks to his charge, Mag Launcher, but in that his combat abilities which heal, boost stats, and even revive from death, are all various forms of rousing speeches.
- In Fallout: New Vegas, President Aaron Kimball of the New California Republic gives one before the battle of Hoover Dam. Depending on which faction you side with, your mission is to either assassinate or protect him. If you let him finish his speech, he will also have a is this thing still on-moment."Okay, let's get the fuck out of here. What the hell are you waiting for –- do you think I want to get shot? Let's go."
- In Fallout 4, Arthur Maxson gives one to all of the new Brotherhood of Steel recruits. Unfortunately, it quickly turns into a Kick the Dog moment as he declares that all Synths need to be killed, and you've probably already befriended at least one synth by this point.
- Final Fantasy:
- Squall, of all people, gives one of these speeches during the Battle Between the Gardens in Final Fantasy VIII:"SeeD was formed to fight the sorceress; at least, that's what I heard. And Garden was created to train SeeDs. So this battle is Garden's destiny and also our destiny. It's a grueling battle, and I'm sure you guys are all exhausted. But I don't want to have any regrets. I don't want anyone to look back and regret this day. So just this once, I want you guys to give everything you've got! For yourselves and for me!"
- Auron, from Final Fantasy X: "Now! This is it! Now is the time to choose! Die and be free of pain, or live and fight your sorrow! Now is the time to shape your stories! Your fate is in your hands!"
- At the end of Final Fantasy XII, Vayne gives a very rare villainous Do Not Go Gentle speech as he faces the protagonists in battle, realising that he will probably not live through this.
- Squall, of all people, gives one of these speeches during the Battle Between the Gardens in Final Fantasy VIII:
- Fire Emblem:
- Before the final chapter of Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance Ike gives one of these speeches, one notable bit is he states that he finally understands the meaning behind True Companions.
- Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn has a villainous Rousing Speech, given by Disc-One Final Boss Jarod as your troops close in on his position.“Listen up, all of you. This is our last chance to die as we've lived. As proud soldiers of the empire. If we survive this fight, imprisonment and a hushed-up execution await us. If we run from this fight, dishonor and pursuit will dog our miserable days. So I say, let's give those Daein curs a fight to remember, and let the glory of our deaths light our way! We've lived as proud soldiers of the empire! Let us die as proud soldiers of the empire! Now GO!”
- Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes: On the Scarlet Blaze route, when Count Bergliez gets caught in a Leicester Alliance pincer attack, he rallies his soldiers and tells them to have faith that Edelgard and the main Imperial army will come to their aid. Claude, the leader of the Leicester forces, is surprised that the Bergliez troops haven't broken despite their supply disadvantage until Judith reminds him that Count Bergliez had faced even tougher odds as a veteran of the Dagda-Brigid campaign several years ago.
- In Freedom Fighters (2003), after the rebels take the Soviet-controlled tv studio.Chris Stone: New Yorkers, fellow Americans...I am Chris Stone, the so-called "Freedom Phantom". I stand before you today a free man and I vow to die a free man. Like you, my world was shattered eight long months ago. I watched as my family and friends were tortured, captured, and killed. I have nothing left of my former life...except the hope for a better future...a better future for our children — the American dream. I for one still believe in that dream. We've read this in our schoolbooks as children, now is the time for us to embrace those ideals and stand up against the weight of tyranny. We have a duty to ourselves to throw off our oppressors. When I look around this city, I do not see smoldering ruins...no, instead I see a sleeping army, ready to awaken. The world is watching us now...how we respond will prove our claim. I stand before you now to reaffirm the pledge our forefathers made to each other, and for each of us — to protect our lives, our fortunes, and our self-worth. So I ask you now to take up arms against the evil invaders and yell in their faces that they will never take our freedom!
- In Gears of War 2, Chairman Prescott launches into one as he sends the gears on an offensive against the Locust. See for yourself.
- Goodbye Deponia: Rufus (disguised as Argus, disguised as Cletus) accidentally calls Argus an ass on the microphone and then has to hastily construct an inspirational speech based on this slip-up. Hilarity Ensues.
- Who can forget Sergeant Johnson from the Halo games?Johnson: Dear humanity, we regret being alien bastards, We regret coming to earth, and we most definitely regret that the Corps just blew up our raggedy-ass fleet!
Pilots: Oorah!- Captain Cutter gives a great one in Halo Wars 2:Cutter: We are just one ship, and an old one at that. But here we are, thirty years past what anyone could ask of us. Our war is gone. The lives we had are gone. The worlds we knew have moved on. And now, all that we may have left are those standing beside us, and the duty that defines us, battle after battle, fighting side-by-side, together. Where you see half a crew, Isabel, I see family. Courage. And a thousand heroes who swore to fight their way through Hell before they ever, ever turned their backs and run. And where you see one old ship, I see home. And that is always worth fighting for!
Crew: Oorah!
Cutter: If we don't stop Atriox now, we leave the galaxy at the mercy of a monster! So no, Isabel, we won't be running anywhere today!
- Captain Cutter gives a great one in Halo Wars 2:
- In Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, Princess Zelda gives a speech after the battle of Fort Hateno, leading to all soldiers raising their swords in ovation.
- Scolar Visari, the leader of the Helghast in the Killzone games is very adept at making hair-raising, inspiring speeches. His truly epic speech in the intro to Killzone 2 has inspired many a player to fight for cause of the Helghast.
- Rean Schwarzer in The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel has a habit of delivering these that his friends and classmates wonder how he even manages to put on a straight face whenever he says these things.
- In Lost Planet 2, the EX-NEVEC commander gives a rousing speech unifying the snow pirates of EDN III against a massive Akrid that threatens to drive the planet into an even worse ice age than the one before.
- Dave Miller gives one to his team at the start of Maniac Mansion:Okay, this is the old mansion. I'm sure I saw Doctor Fred take Sandy here. And it's up to us to get her out. This could be real dangerous. If anyone wants to back out..
- The responses (from the kids chosen):Sid: Let's do it!
Wendy: This would make a great story. (in early versions, she says nothing)
Michael: Hey, did you guys see that movie on television last night? These four kids went into this strange house and...uh, never mind.
Razor: I heard Doctor Fred was kinda cute.
Bernard: Okay, I'm outta here! (goes to leave)Jeff: I thought we were going to the beach.- "Alright, let's go rescue Sandy!"
- The responses (from the kids chosen):
- Commander Shepard of the Mass Effect series has a penchant for rousing speeches, such as the one given upon taking command of the Normandy in Mass Effect, which was real nifty since you choose your speech piece by piece, and unlike Knights of the Old Republic, your character does talk. You also give one in Mass Effect 2, at two stages during the Suicide Mission. Again, you choose how the speech unfolds, and it really takes on a different tone in the second speech — at that point, more than half Shepard's team can have been killed. It's either "one final effort, and then we can all go home" or "don't let their sacrifices be in vain". In Mass Effect 3, Admiral Hackett gives one to the entire multi-species fleet before the final battle, while Shepard gives one to their personal squad before the last push.
- Additionally, in the first game, Captain Kirrahe of the Salarian special forces gives a pretty good Do Not Go Gentle speech on Virmire. Made even better by the fact that it's impressive to the (obviously human) player, despite Kirrahe being an alien that refers to events that the player had never heard of before. Even more impressive as a it comes from a salarian, whose hat throughout the game has been Mad Science. A nice little subversion there. Lampshaded in the sequel by Mordin, who mentions Capt. Kirrahe briefly and says he always went a little heavy on the dramatic speeches, specifically mentioning "hold the line" as an example. Of course, Mordin also mentions that he liked the speech, but doesn't exactly see the need for them himself. And then calls back to it if he's killed during the suicide mission. "Tell them... I held the line..."
- In the Omega DLC for Mass Effect 3, Aria T'Loak gives one to every lowlife on the titular station, which is currently in the hands of Cerberus, inspiring them to join her in retaking the station.
- Additionally, in the first game, Captain Kirrahe of the Salarian special forces gives a pretty good Do Not Go Gentle speech
- Colonel and General deliver this to Repliforce in Mega Man X4. While General's speech is more of a New Era Speech, Colonel's speech following General's is more of this trope.General: Brave soldiers of Repliforce, we have all been wrongfully judged as Mavericks by the humans. We cannot suffer this indignity and live in disgrace. We will build our own nation of Reploids. But remember, this is neither about insurrection, or rebellion against our human creators. This is about our liberty and security. We must battle for our own individual rights, and our own survival. Together we will build our own nation, a sanctuary for all Reploids, our own Utopia. Let us forge onward towards a new golden era for the Repliforce.
Colonel: I, too, share the General's sentiment. Take heed, we have no other choice. Let us fight vehemently, with courage and pride, without fear — for we are the Repliforce. The most powerful army in history! - Gray Fox towards the finale of Metal Gear Solid. "We're not tools of the government, or anyone else. Fighting was the one thing, the only thing that I was good at, but at least I always fought for what I believed in. Snake... farewell." Echoed in the sequel by the Older and Wiser hero.
- "One must die and one must live. No victory, no defeat. The survivor will carry on the fight. It is our destiny. The one who survives will inherit the title of Boss, and the one who inherits the title of Boss will face an existence of endless battle. I'll give you ten minutes. In ten minutes, MiGs will come and bomb the hell out of this place. If you can beat me in less than ten minutes, you'll be able to escape in time. Jack, let's make this the greatest ten minutes of our lives!"
- New Legends has the Otherworld stage you enter after nearly dying. You then encounter your deceased father, who tells you to never give in to tyranny and fight to reclaim your kingdom, at which point you regain consciousness in the world of living to fight another day.
- The Saints Row series has the "It's our time now!" speech as a recurring motif, variations of which appear in every mainline game. In the first game, it is delivered by Julius to his newly formed Third Street Saints, although later lore reveals that he stole most of it from Benjamin King, his Best Friend-turned-frienemy, who originally wrote it for his own newly-formed gang, the Vice Kings (of whom Julius was a member). In later games, it's the Boss who delivers the speech to the Saints (after they are disbanded and reformed, have to start from scratch in a new city, and reduced to a handful after aliens destroy Earth, respectively).
- In Saints Row, in addition to the series' main speech (delivered before the sandbox is opened), Julius also delivers a shorter one at the very start of the game:Julius: Every mothafucka here knows what we need to do. Now those bitches be ridin' around thinkin' they own these streets. I don't care what flags they flyin'; Rollerz, Carnales, Vice Kings, nobody's making this nigga scared to walk the Row. We got to lock this shit down, right now!
- Saints Row IV mixes the series' rousing speech with a Badass Boast or two:Boss: I know over the years, you've heard this speech a hundred time...
Ben King: Heard it? Bitch, I wrote it!
Boss: ...but we need to remember why we do what we do, and today the stakes are even higher. Earth is gone. It's not coming back, and nothing we do today is going to change that. But one thing we can do is get Revenge, and you better believe we're showing this motherfucker humanity isn't dead, because we're still alive! This isn't about hope, or faith, or even about winning. Kinzie's right: those things died on Earth. This is about will. This is about saying 'I don't give a shit how many times you knock me down, if I'm still breathing, I'm standing back up, and you know what?! You can hit as hard as you want, 'cause when I hit back, I'm gonna lay your ass out, bitch!' It's our time now! Let's get this shit started!"
- In Saints Row, in addition to the series' main speech (delivered before the sandbox is opened), Julius also delivers a shorter one at the very start of the game:
- StarCraft: "...because some things, are just worth fighting for."
- "You represent what is greatest in us all, and all our hopes go with you. En Taro Adun, brave sons of Aiur!"
- Raynor delivers one prior to the final battle of Starcraft II Wings Of Liberty. It is played out in the cinematic entitled "Fire and Fury". Ironically, Raynor may not have intended to give a speech, but the troops were all listening to him anyway as he delivered his badass lines.
- Zeratul and the other protoss commanders give several speeches through "In Utter Darkness", a vision of a Bad Future where the protoss are exterminated by the Dark Voice. Artanis takes the cake, though — even his incidental lines sound like they're part of his speech:Strength in unity!
Faith before fear!
Dawn will come! - In Legacy of the Void, Artanis gives a few throughout the campaign, the biggest one before the final mission, similar to his In utter Darkness speech."...Trust each other in the fight ahead! Strike as one will! Let our last stand burn a memory so bright, we will be remembered throughout eternity!"
- Zeratul and the other protoss commanders give several speeches through "In Utter Darkness", a vision of a Bad Future where the protoss are exterminated by the Dark Voice. Artanis takes the cake, though — even his incidental lines sound like they're part of his speech:
- Star Wars Legends:
- From The Force Unleashed.Senator Bail Organa: It is settled then. My wealth will fund the Rebellion, while Garm provides our fleet, and Mon Mothma our soldiers. And with you leading us, we have the power of the Force on our side. Therefore let this be an official declaration of rebellion! Today, we all vow to change the galaxy, and one day the galaxy will indeed be free!
- Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords allows the player to choose from one of four rousing speeches before a climactic battle on Dantooine. It loses something since the player character can't, you know, talk, but the reaction from your soldiers if you choose the right speech is pretty nifty.
- Also a partial subversion, since you can twist it around give a huge bummer of a speech and utterly destroy their morale to make it easier for the invading army to kill them. You know, if you're a Jerkass.
- Interestingly enough, when you give that speech, the militia leader comments that you shouldn't worry, as they always react like that after a rousing speech... at least, after his. In unrelated news, La Résistance has about five members.
- From The Force Unleashed.
- While it's not exactly at a moment where all hope seems lost, when Dashell is obtained in Super Paper Mario, he gives quite the rousing speech, including the line "You! Must! Treasure! Life! You've got to! Got to! GOT TO!"
- In the Total War series you general will, depending on the game, give an inspiring speech before the start of a battle. The content alters depending on the enemy, troop types present and the commander's personal traits. The content ranges from Do Not Go Gentle oratory, through insults of the opposing faction and tactical insight, to complete non-sequiturs, if your general's either mad or drunk.
- Some speeches actually praise the enemy but acknowledge that they must still die. This is especially evident in Total War: Shogun 2.
- Malfurion Stormrage, just before the last mission of the regular game in Warcraft III, sounds a battle call to the allied forces — the Horde, the human Alliance, and the Night Elves — as they face down an endless army of undead and demons, not even trying to win, just trying to hold them back.
- Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War has several, the most notable being Governor-Militant Lucas Alexander's speech when an army invades Victory Bay in Dark Crusade. If Chaos is the attacker, Chaos Lord Eliphas the Inheritor even notes "What a rousing little speech, Governor..."
- Likewise, when Eliphas attacks the Blood Raven stronghold in North Vandia he comments "Such inspiring courage. Perhaps we'll mount your corpse on a golden chair and make an idol out of you as well."
- Subverted in Soulstorm, with Indrick Boreale's infamous:
- The final mission briefing of 2's Retribution expansion pack, no matter who you're playing, is one giant speech to the followers of Azariah Kyras, formerly Chapter Master of the Blood Ravens, now fallen to Chaos worship and is speaking to his cultists/traitor marines/daemons. He's the mastermind behind the last decade of strife in the sector, and the speech proclaims a vision of the meaninglessness of the universe SO bleak that Nietzsche and Kafka would probably prescribe him some Prozac... But he progresses from his standard Creepy Monotone to screaming "LET! THE GALAXY! BURN!" in such a steady buildup that instead of being outright Narm, it's terrifying.Kyras: (...) And what is this path? This meaning, this purpose to which we gather the skulls of our foes? It is nothing. There is no meaning, no purpose. We murder. We kill. It is mindless savagery, this UNIVERSE IS MINDLESS! In mere hours, billions will die. Innocent! Guilty! Strong and weak! Honest and deceitful! ALL of them! They will scream, they will burn, and for no purpose but that mighty Khorne may revel in their bloodshed! And united in this void of purpose, fear, or duty... we shall at long last be FREE!
Blood for the Blood God! Skulls for the Skull Throne! LET! THE GALAXY! BURN!
- Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus ends with the heroes giving a rousing speech to rally the Americans to rebel against the Nazi occupation. The exact speech depends on the timeline. In the Fergus timeline, Horton and Grace whip up the populace with a fiery speech, while in the Wyatt timeline, Wyatt gives a somber, but no less inspiring, call to rise up and reclaim their homeland.
- World of Warcraft: behold the pure awesome that is High Overlord Saurfang:I am Saurfang. Brother of Broxigar. You know me to be the Supreme Commander of the Might of Kalimdor. An orc — a true orc warrior — wishes for one thing: To die in the glory of battle against a hated enemy. Some of you have fought in battles. Peace has been with us for many years. Many years we sat idle but many years we battled. In those years — where strife the land and Legion and Scourge sacked our homes, killed our families — these insects dwelled beneath us. Beneath our homes — waiting. Waiting to crush the life from our little ones. To slay all in their path. This they do for their god. And for our gods? We defend. We stand. We show that as one. United. We destroy. Their god will fall. To die today, on this field of battle, us to die an orcish death. To die today is to die for our little ones. Our old ones. Our... loved ones. Would any of you deny yourselves such a death? Such an honor?— High Overlord Saurfang, address to the combined forces of the Horde and the Alliance, during the Ahn'Qiraj War
- Highlord Tirion Fordring gives a similar speech in Icecrown Citadel as the raid engages the first of the trash:This is our final stand. What happens here will echo through the ages. Regardless of outcome, they will know that we fought with honor. That we fought for the freedom and safety of our people. Remember, heroes, fear is your greatest enemy in these befouled halls. Steel your heart and your soul will shine brighter than a thousand suns. The enemy will falter at the sight of you. They will fall as the light of righteousness envelops them! Our march upon Icecrown Citadel begins now!
- In Operation Gnomeregan, one quest required players to consult various NPCs on a speech to give to the troops. The finished result referenced several movies.
- In Mount Hyjal, the player can give one to the Twilight Hammer cultists in order to encourage them to riot against the ogres of the cult.
- The prince of Gilneas, Liam Greymane, delivers a voiced speech before launching an attack that liberates three quarters of his capital city:The Forsaken think we're weak, a broken people. They think we'll roll over like a scared dog... how wrong they are. We will fight them in the fields until the last trench collapses and the last cannon is silenced. We will fight them on the streets until the last shot is fired, and when there is no more ammunition, we'll crush their skulls with the stones that pave our city. We will fight them in the alleys until our knuckles are skinned and bloodied, and our rapiers lay on the ground, shattered. And if we find ourselves surrounded and disarmed, wounded and without hope; we will lift our heads in defiance and spit in their faces. But we will never surrender! FOR GILNEAS!
- Owing to the Victorian theme of the Gilneans overall, it's fairly obvious that Greymane's speech is a Shout-Out to Winston Churchill...
- Highlord Tirion Fordring gives a similar speech in Icecrown Citadel as the raid engages the first of the trash:
