History VideoGame / AnarchyReigns

''Anarchy Reigns'' (known as ''Max Anarchy'' in Japan) is a multiplayer online [[BeatEmUp beat 'em up]] game by Creator/PlatinumGames for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 and the UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}}. It is a [[SpiritualSequel pseudo-sequel]] to the UsefulNotes/NintendoWii game ''VideoGame/{{MadWorld}}'', using several of the same or similar characters in a separate canon.

[[quoteright:250:~~VideoGame, BeatEmUp,ActionGame~~]]

* RatedMForManly

* BadassNormal: [[{{Ninja}} Zero]], [[AnIcePerson Sasha]], and the [[TattooedCrook Rin sisters]] qualify, being the only fully human playable characters [[note]]Edgar Oinkie doesn't count thanks to his SuperSerum-based moveset[[/note]] in the cast. They all use nanomachines as an alternative to say, Jack's cyborg-ish moveset. The Rin sisters all have mechanical feet, however.

* ComboBreaker: The 360 spin gets you out of a ground combo and sends your enemies flying away at the cost of some of your life (except when someone equips the [[EverythingsBetterWithSpinning spin master]] perk)
* CompetitiveBalance: An unusual form of it. At the basest level, all characters fall into categories of [[FragileSpeedster light]], [[JackOfAllStats medium]], and [[MightyGlacier heavy]] characters. All characters have "Killer Weapons" which are PurposelyOverpowered and do ludicrous damage to other players. Adding to this is that a primary feature of the game is well, [[SerialEscalation complete and total chaos.]] When players in a Battle Royale are of about equal skill, the top spaces on the scoreboard is constantly shifting as random nuclear submarines nuke the stage, large groups of mutants run on a rampage, [[HumongousMecha Cthulhu]] isolates the top three players, players are marked for death (bonus points), and various other events constantly ensure that equilibrium is nonexistant. It's possible to have multiple events occur simultaneously, making things even more chaotic.

* GainaxEnding[=/=]DiabolusExMachina: [[spoiler:Subverted. During the Red Story, where both characters work together to kill Nikolai after he had gone mad, they win the battle. Just as the finishing blow is about to be landed, Nikolai ends up stabbing and killing both Jack and Leo, talking about how the winners write the rules to their corpses, and how he was the winner. PSYCHE... Nikolai was daydreaming before he got cut in half horizontally. They really end up bringing Max and the upper half of Nikolai back.]]
* GameplayAndStoryIntegration: During the ending of "Black Fire, White Ice" Sasha manages to knock Baron and Matilda out long enough to walk away from the battle. During the opening assault Baron runs in swinging wildly and barely putting up any defense before getting swept aside. In game when fighting lighter characters skimping on defending and rushing in after missing the first hit usually gives light character the opening they need to knock heavier characters around pretty hard.

* [[IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming Idiosyncratic Achievement Naming]]: Every achievement has the term "Anarchy" somewhere in the name, even if it doesn't really sound right.

* KillSat: The Satellite laser. Instant death for the target, but can be dodged with strict timing.
** The Microwave Array event, which kills everyone who hasn't rushed to the safe zone once it goes off.

* LightningBruiser: Anyone can qualify with the Sprinter perk, with the heavy class of characters being the most appropriate example of the trope.
* LimitBreak: Rampage Mode, which makes you invincible and gives you unlimited Killer Weapon usage, as well as make it that your regular attacks quickly transition into RapidFireFisticuffs on whatever enemy you hit. This can quickly deal huge amounts of damage to other characters... But considering the sheer effectiveness of blocking and dodging, [[PowerupLetdown you're more than likely to not be able to kill anything.]]

* MadeOfIron: While this would normally be self-explanatory to some degree, one of the videos has shown that the most often-used way to brutalize {{mook}}s in Madworld, impaling them with a pole, has made it into this game as well. So in other words, you can throw traffic signs at other characters, they firmly lodge themselves through the target's head, and all they do is cause a minor amount of damage and dizzy them.
** Not to mention when it comes to killer weapons. Apparently, every character can survive being cut vertically by Jack's double chainsaw without as much a scratch.

* MovesetClone: The Rin sisters have very similar movesets, with the only major difference being their Killer Weapons.

* PowerTrio: Leo, Sasha, and Nikolai are part of the same unit. Jack also ends up forming one with Baron and Mathilda.

* SequelReset: The game is not a straight-up sequel to ''Videogame/MadWorld'', story-wise, though it contains some of the same characters, and characters whose designs are at least inspired by its predecessor. The game's engine, however, is basically a souped-up Madworld with a combo system and additional attacks, the underground Hip-Hop soundtrack is back (with several artists returning from ''Videogame/MadWorld''), and the game is riddled with nods and throw-backs to ''Videogame/MadWorld''. Jack is still with the Chasers, along with his contact Amala, who references a prior rescue of Mayor Borras's daughter Naomi. Mathilda is, apart from a new robotic body, also the same. The Black Baron is back, and Blacker than ever, and Big Bull, Leo, and Rin Rin also make return appearances. Garuda's design also echoes Herr Frederick von Twirlen killer, especially his arms, while Oinkie is an obvious nod to Yee Fung in many ways.

** One of the events that can occur during a large-scale match, on a couple stages, is an [[VideoGame/{{Vanquish}} orbital Microwave energy blast]] (if you don't find cover, it will instant-kill you without exception, and even being in its targetting area when it charges up rapidly drains your life).

** The line "Must be hard out here for a pimp." is one to movie Hustle & Flow.

** Rampage Mode itself seems to be inspired by the Black Baron's second phase in Madworld. The animation for going into Berserk is similar to the Baron's power-up sequence, and the dueling sequence initated when two Berserk characters clash is straight out of the final power struggle against the Baron.
** When playing Mad Survival in the Excavation Pit, Wave/Round 4 pits you against Jack, Baron, Mathilda, and Rin Rin, all of whom are 100% [[DeliberatelyMonochrome monochrome black and white]]. [[Videogame/MadWorld Now where does that sound familiar...?]] For bonus points, the Subtitle for this wave is "Madworld" and even plays a song exclusively from the game's soundtrack.

** Cybrid Joes are largely remiscient of Tiger Joes from ''VideoGame/GodHand'', both in name, overall fighting style, and being the toughest human-sized enemies fought during the main storyline.

** A potential CallForward to VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance: when Max makes his presense known at the end of the second area, he throws an uppercut aimed at Jack's chin that he barely manages to avoid by bending backwards. In Rising, Raiden (whose real name is also Jack) attempts to do the same thing multiple times, although he's usually not as successful at it, causing his metal chin to take at least some damage in the process.

* SecretCharacter: When you complete both White Side and Black Side, you unlock [[spoiler:[[MechaMook Gargoyle.]]]]

* BadGuyBar: The title screen is a bar where the playable cast hang around and do various things; Mathilda is the bartender, two of the Rin sisters play poker (Ai Rin is playing on a handheld instead), the Baron is watching a virtual poledancer, Bayonetta (if unlocked/downloaded) is shown from behind on a big screen, and [[spoiler:Gargoyle (when unlocked) shows up there as well in its flight form with the text "[[VideoGame/BadDudes Are you a bad enough robot to join the Gargoyles]]?" next to it.]]

* BattleInTheRain: In story mode, every time the map starts raining, all the low level {{Mooks}} high tail it out of there, while tougher enemies arrive.

* BigDamnHeroes: In some free missions and at least one story mission, allied characters may appear during the battle to help you out (Normally these missions involves a lot of mutants or armies of mooks).

** One of Bayonetta's colors looks like Creator/BruceLee's GameOfDeath suit, while one of Mathilda's looks like [[VideoGame/PN03 Vanessa Z. Schneider.]]

* HollywoodCyborg: Nearly every character is this due to replacing one or all of their body parts with [[AnatomyArsenal weaponized versions]].

* {{Nanomachines}}: Sasha and the Rin sisters use these to operate their Killer Weapons. In fact, it's implied that everyone in the world who isn't a HollywoodCyborg has nanomachines in them to counter the plagues caused by the war.

** One of Bayonetta's colors looks like BruceLee's GameOfDeath suit, while one of Mathilda's looks like [[VideoGame/PN03 Vanessa Z. Schneider.]]

** [[spoiler:'''"[[BadDudes ARE YOU A BAD ENOUGH ROBOT TO JOIN THE GARGOYLES?]]"''']]