History Creator / ChoiceOfGames

** In ''Choice of Romance'', you can't be bisexual, though the [[AnythingThatMoves King/Queen is]].

[[http://www.choiceofgames.com/ Choice of Games]] is a limited-liability company dedicated to producing high-quality, choice-based InteractiveFiction, in the style of [[{{Gamebooks}} Choose Your Own Adventure games]]. The games are written in [=ChoiceScript=], a scripting language that they developed to allow new authors to [[GameMaker create games easily with no programming experience]]. They produce their own in-house games, and also have a second label called ''Hosted Games'', that hosts user-created games (giving the authors a cut of the profits). In December 2019, they also launched the ''[[https://www.heartschoice.com Heart's Choice]]'' label, which focuses on romance.

** This is possible in ''Choice of Kung Fu'', but unlike the other games, gender can get in the way if you don't have sufficient resources (status, honor, or loyalty to a cause) to [[ParentalMarriageVeto convince Daddy to tolerate his son or daughter becoming a "companion."]] TheRival and the [[FantasticFoxes foxgirl]] don't care.

* ''VideoGame/CuriousCuisine''

* DeadlyDecadentCourt: The entirety of Choice of Romance/Intrigues, and New Orleans in Choice of the Vampire.

* BiTheWay: Possible in ''Choice of the Dragon'' and ''Choice of the Vampire'' but not ''Choice of Broadsides'' or ''Choice of Romance''. ''Choice of Romance'' makes sense in that by choosing what gender you are attracted to you choose the gender of your love interests, but ''Choice of Broadsides'' seems to deliberately invoke NoBisexuals - you can only have an affair with Villeneuve if you choose that you don't want to get married because you aren't attracted to the opposite gender. Otherwise, you'll just have a drink together and end up good friends. Explicitly asked and possible in Heroes Rise, though if you choose this option, you are asked a follow-up question of what you were last attracted to since this determines the gender of your romantic partner.

* GayOption: Choice of Games consider this important, and every game with romance elements has one of these (Hosted Games, being a separate company, doesn't necessarily require this). In Choice of the Dragon, you can decide which gender you want your mate to be (or if you [[BiTheWay don't care]]), in Choice of Broadsides you can have an affair with Villeneuve, who is always the same gender as yourself, in Choice of Romance you choose at the outset what gender your love interests will be and that will be the only thing that changes about them, and in Choice of the Vampire there are two main love interests, Clotho and Silas, regardless of what gender you are. (You can also engage in some pseudo-sexual actions with your Dominus and Jesse, both of whom are always male, regardless of your gender.) Choice of Broadsides is especially interesting in that Villeneuve is much more vital to the plot than any of the opposite-sex choices, and their route is arguably the "main" one.

* CuttingOffTheBranches: Certain games such as ''Choice of Romance'' and ''Psy High'' have sequels that follow certain endings.

* GayOption: Choice of Games consider this important, and every game with romance elements has one of these (Hosted Games, being a separate company, doesn't necessarily require this). In Choice of the Dragon you can decide which gender you want your mate to be (or if you [[BiTheWay don't care]]), in Choice of Broadsides you can have an affair with Villeneuve, who is always the same gender as yourself, in Choice of Romance you choose at the outset what gender your love interests will be and that will be the only thing that changes about them, and in Choice of the Vampire there are two main love interests, Clotho and Silas, regardless of what gender you are. (You can also engage in some pseudo-sexual actions with your Dominus and Jesse, both of whom are always male, regardless of your gender.) Choice of Broadsides is especially interesting in that Villeneuve is much more vital to the plot than any of the opposite-sex choices, and their route is arguably the "main" one.

** Averted by some games.

* CuttingOffTheBranches: You can save your game at the end of Choice Of Romance (the first part of ''VideoGame/AffairsOfTheCourt'') to continue in the sequel, but only if you ended up with [[spoiler: the Queen/King]]!

* DialogueTree

* HelloInsertNameHere

* InMediasRes: Many of their games start out with an action scene (yes, even ''Choice of Romance''). Afterward, they segue into [[{{Flashback}} flashbacks]] about your childhood that determine your stats.
* InteractiveFiction

* MultipleEndings

* ''VideoGame/{{Diaspora}}''

[[http://www.choiceofgames.com/ Choice of Games]] is a limited-liability company dedicated to producing high-quality, choice-based InteractiveFiction, in the style of [[{{Gamebooks}} Choose Your Own Adventure games]]. The games are written in [=ChoiceScript=], a scripting language that they developed to allow new authors to [[GameMaker create games easily with no programming experience]]. They produce their own in-house games, and also have a second label called ''Hosted Games'', that hosts user-created games (giving the authors a cut of the profits). In December 2019, they also launched the ''Heart's Choice'' label, which focuses on romance.

[[http://www.choiceofgames.com/ Choice of Games]] is a limited-liability company dedicated to producing high-quality, choice-based InteractiveFiction, in the style of [[{{Gamebooks}} Choose Your Own Adventure games]]. The games are written in [=ChoiceScript=], a scripting language that they developed to allow new authors to [[GameMaker create games easily with no programming experience]]. They produce their own in-house games, and also have a second label called ''Hosted Games'', that hosts user-created games (giving the authors a cut of the profits).

----
!!Choice of Games provides examples of the following tropes:

[[folder:Tropes Present in Multiple Games]]
* AnythingThatMoves: The King/Queen from ''Choice of Romance''.
** The PC in ''Choice of the Vampire'' will be this unless you expressly play them otherwise.

* WideEyedIdealist: There's usually at least one in the more-cynical titles, like Silas Hope or Gabriel(a) de Mendoza.
[[/folder]]

[[Notable Works in Progress]]

* StoryBranching: Nearly all games under the Choice of Games label go with a braided version. Taking different story paths will lead to different and often mutually-exclusive changes to your stats, and may lead to altered outcomes later in the game, but by and large, you'll be hitting the same major events in every playthrough. A couple of games have split paths that last for about a chapter or so, but they usually re-merge after that (unless it's the ending, of course).

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: Games with their own pages]]
* ''VideoGame/AffairsOfTheCourt''
* ''VideoGame/ChoiceOfMagics''
* ''VideoGame/ChoiceOfRobots''
* The ''VideoGame/CommunityCollegeHero'' Series
* ''VideoGame/FallenHero''
* ''VideoGame/HeroesRise''
* ''VideoGame/KeeperOfTheSunAndMoon''
* ''VideoGame/TheLostHeir'' Trilogy
* ''VideoGame/SabresOfInfinity''
* ''VideoGame/SamuraiOfHyuga''
* ''VideoGame/AStudyInSteampunk''
* ''{{VideoGame/Tin Star|ChoiceOfGames}}''
* ''VideoGame/TheWayhavenChronicles''
* ''VideoGame/WayWalkersUniversity''
* ''VideoGame/ZombieExodus''
* ''VideoGame/ZombieExodusSafeHaven''
* ''VideoGame/{{Guenevere}}'' (A Work In Progress)
* ''VideoGame/{{Diaspora}}'' (A Work In Progress)

[[folder:Broadway 1849]]
Written by Robert Davis.
----
* AndTheAdventureContinues: [[spoiler:The game covers only the first year of the protagonist's presumably long and illustrious career. The climax is even in the second-to-last chapter, leaving the last one devoted more to determining exactly ''how'' the adventure continues.]]
* TheArtfulDodger: Nell Niblo is a female version, albeit one is mistaken for a male at first by the protagonist. Instead of a criminal, she's a cheeky newsgirl the player can befriend by protecting from the authorities and get extra information from, and who eventually [[spoiler:dabbles in actual journalism]].
* BadBoss: Hamblin to Miller. He tries to pressure them into renewing their apparently very demanding contract with him against their will by threatening to withhold pay otherwise, uses them to spy on the protagonist, and forbids them from attending social events due to his own distaste for them.
* BenevolentBoss: The protagonist, at least if they want a high Cast Loyalty.
* BigBadEnsemble: Hamblin and Buntline take turns inconveniencing the protagonist, with Hamblin being more prominent for most of the game before Buntline takes the spotlight in the climax. The protagonist even has their final confrontation with the two right after each other. However, the player can choose to make friendly with them and even call in Buntline for assistance against Hamblin.
* BigDamnHeroes: Whomever the player picked to come with them [[spoiler:arrives with reinforcements just in time to save the protagonist from Buntline in Chapter 9]].
* FantasyForbiddingFather: Miller's mother is not happy with her child's decision to get into acting, to the point of [[spoiler:hiring thugs to physically drag them away from the protagonist's theatre so they can get a more respectable job in business]].
* {{Foreshadowing}}: Buntline mentions early on that [[spoiler:he has "explosive" plans for the city. Explosive as in a bomb.]]
* HistoricalDomainCharacter: This game contains many, some of them even main characters.
** The protagonist's chief rival is [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_S._Hamblin Thomas Hamblin]] of the Bowery Theatre, with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisa_Medina Louisa Medina]] as his wife and writer.
** One of the possible {{Love Interest}}s is Louisa Missouri Miller (or, if the player so chooses, Nathaniel Miller) who, just as in real life, works for Hamblin at the start of the game. Their mother [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adeline_Miller Adeline Miller]] also appears.
** The player can choose to oppose or team up with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ned_Buntline Ned Buntline]] and his ally [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaiah_Rynders Captain Rynders]]. [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadie_Farrell Sadie the Goat]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Poole Butcher Bill]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie_Walsh Battle Annie]], and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell-Cat_Maggie Hell-Cat Maggie]] make appearances as acquaintances of his. [[spoiler:The climax of the game is the Astor Place Riot, which Buntline helped instigate in real life as well.]]
** [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Macready William Macready]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Forrest Edwin Forrest]] with their famous feud play a large part in the later chapters.
** [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caleb_Smith_Woodhull Caleb Smith Woodhull]], the mayor at the time, is a possible ally for the protagonist.
** [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Cary Alice]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoebe_Cary Phoebe Cary]] are reoccurring characters.
** Over the course of the game, the protagonist has brief encounters with several famous writers.
*** They can have a drink with Washington Irving in the first chapter.
*** Irving argues with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Russell_Lowell James Lowell]] about the merits of fine art vs. wider public appeal.
*** They watch a concerto with Creator/HermanMelville and can later play his short story "Bartleby, the Scrivener" at their theatre.
** [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Cora_Mowatt Anna Mowatt]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Kean Charles Kean]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_Cushman Charlotte Cushman]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ira_Aldridge Ira Aldridge]], and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matilda_Heron Matilda Heron]] are all actors the protagonist can hire, and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josephine_Clifton Josephine Clifton]] and Charles Mestayer are members of their company.
** One of the protagonist's actors in the beginning is one Junius Brutus Booth, and at one point there's an offhand mention of his sons Edwin and John Wilkes.
** The protagonist is interviewed by [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horace_Greeley Horace Greeley]].
** [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Keene Laura Keene]] has a minor role, though as manager of the Astor Place Opera House rather than Laura Keene's Varieties.
** The protagonist has a short conversation with future president UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln.
* HistoricalVillainUpgrade:
** While Thomas Hamblin was violent and womanising in real life, in this game he also [[spoiler:sets the fire that historically burned down the Park Theatre]].
** [[spoiler:While Ned Buntline did help instigate the Astor Place Riot in real life, in this game he's more directly involved and tries to blow up the opera house, and William Macready with it, with a bomb.]]
* HookerWithAHeartOfGold: Abby Meade is a friendly prostitute with extensive knowledge about the theatre that the protagonist can befriend.
* TheMole: Hamblin assigns Miller to spy for him on the protagonist, though with a successful skill check they'll spill the beans almost right away.
* OppositesAttract: The player can choose this as the reason the protagonist is attracted to Miller; the option even name-drops the trope.
* ParasolOfPain: Abby uses a parasol to fend off rowdies during [[spoiler:the riot in Chapter 5]].
* PluckyGirl: Nell, a street urchin the protagonist can befriend.
* StalkerWithACrush: One scene tasks the protagonist with chasing away a DoggedNiceGuy flavour of this, who insists on visiting one of the actresses and giving her flowers despite her making it clear that she's not interested.
* TermsOfEndangerment: [[spoiler:Buntline calls Macready "my dear man" and a male protagonist "my darling sir" when planning to kill them in the climax.]]
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: [[spoiler:Mrs. Miller never appears nor is even mentioned again after her first attempt at "encouraging" her child away from the theatre business, even though nothing causes her to change her mind and the game mentions that she slips away scot free while everyone else is distracted.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Champion of the Gods]]
Written by Jonathan Valuckas. Comprises of ''Champion of the Gods'' and ''Exile of the Gods''.
----
* ActionGirl: Many, if you play as female. The Lieutenant will also be one if you state you're attracted to women.
* AndManGrewProud: The First Age of Argossa, where the original humans wielded more power than modern men, [[BewareTheSuperman and became horrifying lawless monsters in rebellion against their creators while oppressing their fellow men]]. Their defeat and destruction resulted in the modern age. [[spoiler: The story is mostly-true, but not completely. To restrain the excesses of the First Age, the gods created the Weavers, and destiny, which simply alters events to prevent humans from noticing and learning how to harness the awesome power of the natural world to become like the corrupt beings of the First Age, and ensuring only those champions they desire will wield such power.]]
* BecauseDestinySaysSo: In Argossa, destiny is quite real, as people's destinies are controlled by the Weavers. Your character can agree with this state of affairs if you have a high Faithful stat, and there is an argument to be made that in the [[AndManGrewProud First Age]], before destiny, people like you [[BewareTheSuperman ran amok]], only contained when destiny began to tie them down.
* BewareTheSuperman: The vestiges of the First Age you encounter are all incredibly deadly and morally-warped beings who have long since lost their humanity to their lust for power and immortal life.
* BrutalHonesty: Your character can be this if you have a high Brutal stat and a high Integrity stat. [[spoiler:However, if you're playing a character who despises the gods and destiny, this isn't a good trait to have: if you openly tell the gods your real feelings too much, then near the end they'll use a control-device around your head to force you to kill their enemy, even if you wish to help their enemy destroy destiny.]]
* TheChosenOne: You play as a child that was chosen by the gods to fulfill a great destiny [[spoiler: though you can choose either to follow their wishes or to rebel against them]].
* CallToAdventure: The first sign of your player character's future greatness is when your village is attacked by a boar, and your character is able to defeat the boar by either great strength, great speed, or great endurance.
* TheChiefsDaughter: An inverted example of the usual connotations of this trope, as rather than the child of the chief being a romance option for the protagonist, you're playing as the chief's son or daughter yourself, as your father is the Archon of your village.
* CompetitiveBalance: During the tutorial fight against the boar that attacks your village, you will be asked to choose your character's greatest trait, either in strength, speed, or endurance. Later, you will be asked to choose something you're also slightly good at, which will lead to your remaining stat being your weakest. [[spoiler: Your demigod lieutenant will specialize in whichever stat you yourself are weakest at.]]
* DivineParentage: Demigods exist, but they're actually weaker than "champions" like the PlayerCharacter, and suffer because they're ImmuneToFate, and need to find a great destiny to tie themselves to in order to ever do anything of note. [[spoiler: The player's trainer and faithful sidekick is one.]]
* DyingCurse: The second major Vestige of the First Age does this after the player destroys him, [[spoiler: summoning a terrible plague over the player's adoptive city and kicking off the hunt for the final one]].
* TheEvilsOfFreeWill: One of the themes of the game is whether free will is worth the risks that come with it. [[spoiler:The gods created destiny to keep humanity in check, because they feared they would destroy themselves and the world if allowed free will, while Daggoras believes that everybody should have the ability to control their fate.]]
* FantasyCounterpartCulture: The story takes place in Argossa, a fantasy counterpart of ancient Greece. The gods and goddesses of the setting are also based on the Greek gods and goddesses, though here they have different names and, in many cases, genders.
* FarmBoy: Chara/Chiron, the shepherd's daughter/son, whose name and gender are determined by the gender your character is interested in. They are the first person you can pursue a relationship with, although when your character is informed of your great destiny, you have to leave them with full knowledge that leaving them will mean the end of the relationship [[spoiler:unless you are adamant and insistent enough about not following the gods' will, in which case you can take Chara/Chiron with you on your journey. But doing so will end in him/her being put in terrible peril by your possessed father, and the fallout ''will'' ensure they don't accompany you.]]
* FragileSpeedster: If your greatest skill is speed, and your weakest is endurance.
* GlassCannon: If your greatest skill is strength, and your weakest is endurance.
* GrayAndGreyMorality: Ultimately, both the gods and the villain claim to want what's best for humanity--the gods [[spoiler:created destiny to protect humanity from [[BewareTheSuperman those who would abuse great power]] and prevent another First Age from rising, but at the cost of limiting human potential and leaving mankind in the cruel, calculating hands of the weavers]], while Daggoras [[spoiler:wants to free humanity from destiny, but at the cost of potentially allowing them do great evil.]] However, both sides could also be seen as having selfish motivations--the gods [[spoiler:wanting to remain in control of the world]], Daggoras [[spoiler:wanting to increase his own power by filling an orderly world with chaos]]--and in the end there is no definitive "right".
* HonestyIsTheBestPolicy: [[spoiler:Played straight if you sincerely follow the gods, but averted if you despise the gods: if you tell them so too many times, then near the end of the game they'll force you to obey their will at a crucial moment using a control device around your head. If you're playing a character who wants to destroy destiny, you'll only be able to do so successfully if you carefully deceive the gods about your true motives.]]
* HumbleHero: If the player leans toward the Humility pole, many {{Non Player Character}}s will admire their down-to-earth approach to their supernatural powers.
* ICanRuleAlone: [[spoiler: It's possible to help Daggoras destroy destiny then immediately kill him, ensuring that he's not present to benefit from the resulting chaos.]]
* LoveInterest: There are three in the game, though the original draft only included one and thus one is a bit more obvious than the others. Chara/Chiron is potentially one to begin with [[spoiler: though pursuing that romance leads to potentially-deadly consequences at the start of the adventure]], the prince/princess is the second [[spoiler: and, as part of the plot, the one you are "destined" to fall in love with, to ensure that you will take certain actions later for his/her sake]], and, finally, the player's faithful sidekick, who [[spoiler: is a demigod]].
* MightyGlacier: If your greatest skill is strength, and your weakest is speed.
* {{Necromancer}}: All three Vestiges [[LifeDrinker absorb the life force of other humans to remain immortal]], but the first one fits the best, because her "family" of bone-monsters are fueled by the drained souls of her victims.
* OlderSidekick: The player character gets one early on, in the form of a local wise person who is accused of being a witch/sorcerer by the superstitious children, but is actually more of a clever mentor figure. They go a bit OutOfFocus later on, but stay a part of the narrative to the end, [[spoiler: and potentially put themselves into exile by killing the protagonist's possessed father to save them.]]
* OrderVersusChaos: The other gods of Argossa are gods of stability and control, but Daggoras is the god of chaos, and their goals are at odds. [[spoiler: It is why he is the only god who desires the destruction of destiny, and, consequently, you.]]
* PairTheSpares: If the player doesn't attempt to woo the heir, they [[spoiler: start dating the demigod]].
* {{Pride}}: A low or high amount of pride is represented in this game by Humility and Haughtiness stats.
* RasputinianDeath: Because of their tremendous vitality, all of the Vestiges will take a ''lot'' of killing to make it stick for good.
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: Potentially. The PC's main LoveInterest, the heir to the throne, is either an iron-willed politician, a warrior and general, or a sensitive artist.
* ScrewDestiny: Your character can believe in doing this if you have a high Heathen stat.
* StarCrossedLovers: You and Chara/Chiron are not destined to be together. [[spoiler: There's no way to get them in the end, even if you destroy destiny.]]
* StoneWall: If your greatest skill is endurance, and your weakest is strength.
* StoryBranchFavoritism: Thanks to the way the original title was constructed, the prince/princess's RomanceSidequest is much better-developed than the other two. [[spoiler: It is also the only romance you can get an unambiguously happy ending with, considering that it is ''impossible'' to go for the demigod sidekick without one of the two of you cheating on a romantic partner and having a very dark BittersweetEnding]].
* TakenForGranite: The second Vestige does this to sailors he lures to his island with his CompellingVoice. [[spoiler: It's reversible for the fresher ones, but those that have lingered too long and been drained too dry, or just [[LiterallyShatteredLives shattered]], cannot recover.]]
* WellIntentionedExtremist: The god of chaos seeks to destroy destiny so that mortals can again reach their full potential, no matter how much suffering or collateral damage results. He does seem genuinely sorry whenever you meet him in person, though it's all mixed up in his desire to again be free and allow true chaos and freedom in the world. [[spoiler: Arguably, the other gods, who created destiny in the first place, and punish the king's hubris if the player decides to date their demigod sidekick by destroying his kingdom. At the very least, the game refuses to pass judgement on their actions in that first matter, instead leaving it up to the player to decide for themselves how justified it was, and in the latter, the goddess responsible [[MamaBear is trying to look out for her child]].]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Choice of Alexandria]]
Written by Kevin Gold.
----
* ActionGirl: Queen Berenice is an accomplished warrior as well as queen. The pirate queen Nefertari is also a fearsome warrior.
* AllohistoricalAllusion: Several endings have these. [[spoiler: If Alexandria survives as a major power, Caesar sells out Rome to Cleopatra. And two endings have alternate happenings for Hypatia of Alexandria in 415 CE, when she historically was murdered by an anti-pagan mob.]]
* AlternateHistory: Possibly. You can invent technology far ahead of its day, and [[spoiler: ensure that the Alexandrian Empire survives into the present day, instead of becoming a Roman colony.]]
* BadassBookworm: You can't be a warrior as such, but with good Techne, you can make weapons that do your fighting for you. With Rhetoric, you can be an effective commander in a crisis, and Medicine lets you be a CombatMedic.
* CompositeCharacter: The protagonist is a composite of the historical characters Eratosthenes, the tutor of Ptolemy IV, and Heron of Alexandria, the inventor of the first steam engine, among other things (c. 40 C.E.) - essentially, Eratosthenes with the ability to create the inventions of Heron.
* DarkSecret: Berenice II [[spoiler: killed her first husband because she caught her mother and her husband sleeping together.]] This becomes a small plot point when Berenice asks you if she should tell Ptolemy what happened or keep it a secret from him.
* DeadpanSnarker: Euclid
* EvilChancellor: Sosibius wants to ruin Ptolemy IV and become this so that he can live a life of luxury. [[spoiler: In one ending, you make Sosibius look like an amateur.]]
* FalseFriend: Sosibius to Ptolemy IV and possibly the rest of the royal family, if you don't cast enough doubt against him early on in the game.
* GayOption: If playing as a female, Berenice II [[spoiler: if Ptolemy III dies before her]] and Nefertari. If playing as a male, Ptolemy III [[spoiler: if you cure his illness and Berenice II is executed]].
* IJustWantToHaveFriends: How Ptolemy feels when you two visit the Musaeum.
* ManipulativeBastard: Sosibius. However, it's possible for you to influence just how manipulative he is.
* MeetTheNewBoss: [[spoiler: A Greek revolt against Ptolemy IV is not really a revolution. Ptolemy's death doesn't necessarily mean the end of Alexandria's glory, especially if you save the Library.]]
* OccupiersOutOfOurCountry: [[spoiler: Nefertari wants to overthrow the Greek Ptolemies and establish a new Egyptian dynasty.]]
* PrecursorHeroes: In some endings, inverted. [[spoiler: You can become a Precursor Hero for Hypatia, who will take over the role of either Copernicus, Newton, or Einstein in 415 CE if she avoids her historical fate.]]
* RoyalBrat: Under Sosibius' influence, Ptolemy IV is destined to grow into a useless brat, unless you do something about that.
* ShiningCity: Alexandria is the greatest city in the known world. It's a center of art and science, with at ''least'' two Wonders of the World, and the military (at least under Ptolemy III) is formidable as well.
* ShoutOut: This game is littered with them. Every character in the game except for Nefertari actually existed in history, along with the Great Library.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Choice of Broadsides]]
Written by Adam Strong-Morse, Heather Albano, and Dan Fabulich.

A sea and sails adventure in which the player character is the crewmen of a naval ship belonging to a nation suspiciously similar to Britain.
-----
* BadassInCharge: You, eventually.
* BlondeBrunetteRedhead: A trio of potential LoveInterests you encounter at a social gathering should you decide to look for a wife (or husband).
* TheCaptain: You eventually. How old you are when you achieve it depends on the success of your choices.
* ElitesAreMoreGlamorous
* FightingYourFriend: You will eventually be sent to [[spoiler:capture Villenueve, who you may have grown to be a good friend of yours.]]
* GrowOldWithMe: Can happen in ''Choice of Broadsides''.
* HelloSailor: In ''Choice of Broadsides'', you can choose to say that you aren't attracted to the opposite sex. If you do so, the game will note that that sort of thing isn't unusual for navy men or women, but it's not the sort of thing you can generally talk about.
* HonorBeforeReason: Your "Honor" stat, which goes up as you pass by opportunities to be a CombatPragmatist.
* IstanbulNotConstantinople: ''Choice of Broadsides'' is set in the royal navy of Albion (Britain), who is at the time at war with Gaul (France).
* MarryForLove: You can choose to aim for this rather than finding a spouse with connections. If you marry the right person, it'll help towards creating a happy ending but won't boost your score much. [[spoiler: However, if you marry the well-connected partner after announcing your intention to marry for love, it'll be a very bad match, while if you explicitly go looking for a bride for reasons of social position, the two of you will get along well and be happy together anyway.]]
* MasterSwordsman: If you have a high "Fighting" skill, your ability with a blade is unparalleled. It even lets you [[spoiler:turn the final fight against Villenueve into a CurbStompBattle]].
* {{Nepotism}}: Your "patronage" score. If you choose to start with it set as one of your high scores, the narration will state your father is an Admiral, it's also possible to boost the score later in the game by marrying another Admiral's daughter. Though you can subvert it by also being competent if you want to.
* OnlyAFleshWound: You get shot and sliced with a sword in almost every confrontation, how bad the injuries are depends on your fighting ability but none have any lasting effect. You can even lose a hand in the final fight with Villeneuve and it's never even mentioned again.
* RelationshipValues: If you treat Villeneuve well early in ''Choice of Broadsides'', he/she is [[GayOption a viable romantic interest]] later.
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections: A game mechanic in ''Choice of Broadsides''. Your patronage stat determines just how much leeway the brass gives you if you don't do perfectly.
* ATasteOfTheLash: Doesn't happen to you but does happen to others during the game.
* WhatYouAreInTheDark: The Bloodthirst and Honor stats don't actually do much of anything, and they will often be adjusted based on your reasoning rather than action. Doing the honorable thing simply because you fear the punishment for cowardice... not actually honorable.
* WoodenShipsAndIronMen: Or Iron Women, if you choose the appropriate option.
* WorldOfActionGirls: Choosing for your character to be female also makes the navies staffed entirely by women, while men are hidden away to tend to housekeeping and other less exciting tasks. It also gender flips the ruling monarch and the [[ICallHerVera convention of referring to inanimate objects as female]].
* WorthyOpponent: How you and Villenueve can regard each other.
* WouldHurtAChild: When you find a young boy on an enemy ship, you have the choice of shooting him or knocking him unconscious to stop him from raising an alarm.
* WouldntHurtAChild: Another solution to the situation described under WouldHurtAChild, although the child risks causing an alarm.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Choice of the Deathless]]
Written by Max Gladstone. The games share a setting with the ''Literature/CraftSequence'' novels.

The series comprises of [[https://www.choiceofgames.com/deathless/#utm_medium=web&utm_source=ourgames Choice of the Deathless]], in which you play as an employee in the [[OccultLawFirm Varkath Nebuchadnezzar Stone demonic-law firm]] and [[https://www.choiceofgames.com/deathless-the-citys-thirst/ Deathless: The City's Thirst]], where you are a different Craftsman or Craftswoman trying to secure a water deal for a city suffering from a drought.
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* AerithAndBob: There are names like Damian Stone and Ashleigh Wakefield mixed with names like Cassoway Chen and Golan Varkath.
** It's there for the preset PC names, too. You can make names like Jamie Shepard or Ailing Cavendish.
* AFoolForAClient: The goddess Ajaia is immensely powerful, and thinks that that means that she can win a court case against a firm as powerful as Varkath Nebuchadnezzar Stone without an attorney of her own. Your firm would like to keep it that way.
* TheAllegedHouse: The cheapest housing option for the player character is a rickety shoebox of an apartment above a bar in the very worst part of town. Which leads to a SugarWiki/{{Funny Moment|s}} when [[TheBeautifulElite Wakefield]] first shows up for a visit.
-->'''Wakefield:''' ''(standing on your doorstep)'' [[DeadpanSnarker "Care to let me in before a local unfortunate decides to slit my throat?"]]
* AmoralAttorney: Your law firm can be extremely ruthless in its dealings and especially its internal politics, and there are plenty of chances for you to act out this trope. [[spoiler: Varkath barely comprehends the ''concept'' of morality.]]
* BackFromTheDead: Can happen to the PC more than once.
* BadassBookworm: Your PC can easily become this if they have a high enough craft skill.
* BadassBureaucrat: Everyone. Manipulating the rules of a contract is an even more powerful weapon than magical combat. (In fact, in many ways it ''is'' magical combat, but you can do a lot more with Exploit Loophole than Magic Missile.)
* TheBeautifulElite: Wakefield exemplifies this trope, being tall, blonde and (metaphorically) sculpted from marble alongside being fabulously wealthy.
* BelligerentSexualTension: The PC and Wakefield have BST that takes several ''years'' to resolve, going back to their college days.
* BlackMagic: As Nebuchadnezzar points out, the Craft is very cruel. The fact that it's powered by sold souls that are [[EnergyEconomy traded as currency]] is just the start.
* BloodMagic: Blood is used to sign [[MagicallyBindingContract Magically Binding Contracts]].
* CelestialBureaucracy
* CrusadingLawyer: Cassowary Chen and possibly the PC.
* TheDarkArts: Craft.
* DealWithTheDevil: Contracts between humans and demons. Which, of course, requires lawyers to sort out.
* DemBones: Skeletal undead are apparently fairly common, but special mention goes to Golan Varkath. Unnervingly, he wears a painted leather mask with glass eyes. [[spoiler:You can also be turned into a skeleton if you're injured too severely in the final battle.]]
* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu:
** With enough stats, you can depose a goddess. This is a StealthPun; you're actually ''taking a deposition'' from her...but it's a harrowing mental battle on par with the ''other'' kind of "deposing a goddess."
** [[spoiler: The final battle allows you to defeat John Smith, an EldritchAbomination with limitless power due to a broken contract. You can do it yourself, or call on allies to do it. Golan Varkath's method of defeating him would be particularly exemplary if Varkath weren't so powerful himself; doing it yourself without [[BrokeYourArmPunchingOutCthulhu destroying yourself in the process]] shows everyone how lesser mortals do it.]]
* EnergyEconomy: The currency of this world is "thaums," which are a measure of soulstuff. Used both for the Craft and as currency.
* EvilCounterpart[=/=]ShadowArchetype: You can conduct a meeting with a mirror image of yourself that just feels ''wrong'' inside the Demon Embassy.
* EpicHail: It is possible for you to do this during the final battle. If you helped people, you can call on [[spoiler: Ajaja or R'ok's massive family]]; if you have a high enough reputation score with [[spoiler: Varkath]], you can call him.
* FriendsWithBenefits: Possible with Chen and Vega, with room for a RelationshipUpgrade.
** Wakefield claims that their relationship with the PC is this, if you chose to drop the big L word during their IUhYouToo moment. Though it's quickly obvious to both parties that they don't really mean it.
* GlassEye: Nebuchadnezzar has one.
* GreatOffscreenWar: The God Wars, from which much of the planet is still recovering.
* GentlemanSnarker: Ashleigh Wakefield. S/he is almost constantly sarcastic and superior while being polished, dignified, and dressed to the nines.
* HowWeGotHere: The game begins with the PC facing off against the BigBad and having their body and mind shattered into pieces. It then flashes back to the PC's early days in the firm and works its way forward as the PC tries to piece him/herself back together.
* HumanoidAbomination:
** John Smith, a major client of Varkath Nebuchadnezzar Stone. [[spoiler: Until the end where he switches to his real form.]]
** Golan Varkath, Deathless King and senior partner at Varkath Nebuchadnezzar Stone. An undead skeleton who hails from the early years of the God Wars, who has produced children [[GenderBender both as father and mother]], who wears a mask of human skin, and who [[spoiler: barely even comprehends the concept of morality.]] He also [[spoiler: can trivially destroy a being of unlimited power with a quick interpretation of a standard contract.]]
* InappropriatelyCloseComrades: Your law firm has no rules against fraternization among their people, [[spoiler: but Wakefield's does, so if you go to work for Kelethres, Albrecht and Ao, that'll scuttle any romance you have with them.]]
* IUhYouToo: All of your love interests give statements to this effect during their confession scene. You can chose to respond in kind, or outright say you love them back.
* TheLegionsOfHell: Aren't really bad sorts, just [[EldritchAbomination completely inimical to the laws of physics in our universe and vice versa]].
* LoopholeAbuse: It's primarily your job to prevent these. Unless it's your job to commit them; being a lawyer puts you on either side of it.
* ManInWhite: Wakefield has a penchant for wearing very light-colored clothing, and wears an all-white suit while attending your PC's workshop. Though, their choice of dress in said chapter becomes very ironic when [[spoiler: they suffer from DemonicPossession.]]
* MundaneMadeAwesome: Courtroom drama (admittedly rather awesome even in its unrefined form) that involves magical battles, in a world where you can ''really'' sell your soul if you get into a bad contract.
* MyLifeFlashedBeforeMyEyes: When the PC's body and mind are shattered, he/she has to review his/her memories over the years in order to piece him/herself back together.
* NaiveNewcomer: Cassowary is very new to the lawyering business and makes several mistakes that could prove disastrous for her or the firm. You get to choose whether to help her out or stand by and let her take the fall.
* NearDeathExperience: Or actual death experience, if your stats aren't high enough.
* ObviouslyEvil: John Smith. ''Everyone'' can tell that he's up to no good, but he's a valuable client, so...
* OccultLawFirm: Varkath Nebuchadnezzar Stone, where the PC, Chen, Ngabe, and Vega are employed. There's also Kelethres Albrecht & Ao, the law firm where Wakefield works.
* {{Pride}}: The goddess Ajaia is well aware of how powerful she is. So powerful that she doesn't think she needs a lawyer to represent her at her deposition.
* PsychicPowers: Craft can function this way.
* ReallyGetsAround: If your PC plays their cards right, it's possible to sleep with all three potential love interests on the same playthrough.
* RescueRomance: You have to save Wakefield from [[spoiler:demonic possession]] while keeping him/her in one piece in order to romance him/her.
* ScarsAreForever: In this business, your body's as much at risk as your soul. Multiple characters have injuries or lost body parts, or can lose part of themselves over the course of the game. That includes you.
* SesquipedalianLoquaciousness: Wakefield and, occasionally, the PC. This naturally leads to...
* SophisticatedAsHell: The PC moreso than Wakefield, who cusses about once or twice the entire game.
* SurprisinglyEliteCannonFodder: [[spoiler:On the mission to depose the goddess, you're not supposed to win, you're supposed to make your firm look weak so she doesn't retain counsel. That doesn't mean you can't actually win it.]]
* TripleShifter: Working for a law firm does not leave much time for sleep. That goes double if you live in a bad part of town, because you have to spend more time commuting when you could be sleeping.
* {{Tsundere}}: Wakefield is very Type A. Their EstablishingCharacterMoment is sweeping into your house, insulting you, and then asking you out for dinner -- [[BlatantLies just to catch up on old times, of course]]. And they gain approval even when their tone is very insulting. This continues all the way right up to your RelationshipUpgrade.
-->'''Wakefield:''' Above all else is the question of whether you do or should trust the obviously pseudonymous Mister Smith.
-->'''PlayerCharacter:''' Oh, gods. You're actually worried about me.
-->'''Wakefield:''' (while blushing) [[BlatantLies Certainly not. I have a classmate's modicum of concern for your welfare.]]
* UptownGirl: Wakefield can be this for the player character, especially if the latter comes from a poor or beggar background.
* VideoGameCaringPotential: If you want to play as a CrusadingLawyer, you're going to do a lot of this. The most noticeable example is after you discover that the firm was outright expecting you to [[spoiler: lose the case against Ajaia.]] With this information in mind, you can choose to either offer her a chance to get counsel by referring her to Wakefield, or outright leak your battleplans to her so she's on more even footing. Playing this way nets you a lot more opportunities for your PC in the endgame.
* VideoGameCrueltyPotential: If you're going down the AmoralAttorney route, there ''lots'' of opportunities to be a total jerk in the story. If you wish, you can join Stone's slow smear campaign of Vega just to suck up to him, outright force you demon pro-bono client to return to the demon world with his parents, completely ignore [[spoiler:Wakefield's DemonicPossession]] and double cross a goddess in order to get the upper hand in a case. And that's not even taking into account all the mean dialogue choices you can pick...
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Choice of the Deathless: City's Thirst]]
Written by Max Gladstone.
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* ArtificialLimbs: You can choose to have one at the start of the game.
* FantasticSlur: 'Bugs' for the Scorpionkind.
* FleshGolem: [[spoiler:Jess was built by a Craftswoman to assist her during the Wars]].
* IntrepidReporter: Caspar Jones. When the player meets him, he's sneaking into the King in Red's estate with a forged invitation, an act that could get him imprisoned or killed, to get a story.
* MuggleMageRomance: The player character is a practitioner of Craft. Two of the potential love interests, Jess and Caspar Jones, are not.
* ShellShockedVeteran: The player character may be one of these depending on how high the "trauma" stat is and how the player chooses to have their character deal with their trauma.
* SleepingWithTheBoss: The player character can sleep with Alana Mezatchul, a senior executive at Red King Consolidated.
* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity: Appears in a few of the possible scenarios offered for war flashbacks at the beginning of the game.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Choice of the Dragon]]
Written by Dan Fabulich and Adam Strong-Morse.
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* AGodAmI: You can believe this if you choose. You can also set up a cult as a way of raking in more tribute.
* BlasphemousBoast: The dragon can come to legitimately believe themself to be a God. The universe's gods may not actually mind if the dragon still respects them, but otherwise...
* BoltOfDivineRetribution: If the dragon refuses to let the goblins worship their god, raids the sacred temple for the universe's Gods, and deliberately starts their own cult of worshippers, the universe's Gods will respond with this in accord while [[HaveANiceDeath the narrator berates you for this]].
* TheBully: Axilmeus, one of your dragon's elder clutchmates, who even as a hatchling always tormented others hoping to take what didn't belong to him. No matter what choice you make as a hatchling, he always succeeds in stealing your golden shield, but [[spoiler:as an adult, you have an opportunity to teach him a lesson after he encroaches on your territory with designs on your treasure hoard.]]
* CurbStompBattle: [[spoiler:When your hatchling-hood enemy Axilmeus reappears as an adult, if you choose a method of dealing with him in which you have a high enough statistic, you can vanquish him very quickly without suffering any injuries.]]
* DragonHoard: In ''Choice of the Dragon'', you play as a dragon and one of your objectives is to acquire and protect a pile of treasure.
* DragonsPreferPrincesses: The player can choose whether their dragon follows this trope or not.
* TheDreaded: A dragon with high Infamy becomes this. Fear can be as powerful a weapon as a dragon's claws.
* DumbIsGood: Well, not "good" per se, but in ''Dragon'', Honor and Cunning are mutually exclusive.
* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: the player is a dragon in a fantasy world.
* NobleDemon: An Honorable dragon will [[IGaveMyWord keep its word]], not betray allies, and protect its vassals. A dragon with high Finesse and Honor fits this trope to a T and is likely to be a fairly decent being for a dragon. A Brutal and Honorable dragon fits in a different way; keeping your word doesn't mean you won't commit mass murder for the hell of it.
* OurDragonsAreDifferent: ''Choice of the Dragon''.
* PersonalityPowers: ''Choice of the Dragon'': A dragon's physical traits are bound to his personality. A brutish and cruel dragon is also a mighty dragon, while a dragon who focuses on PragmaticVillainy (or a NobleDemon) will be swifter and more agile. Honorable dragons are also more skilled in direct combat.
* PragmaticVillainy: Generally a sign of high Finesse.
* RomanceSidequest: There is an optional mission in ''Choice of Dragon'' where the player is able to search for a mate. As the player can choose what gender they are looking for, a GayOption is available.
* SweetAndSourGrapes: Early on, an elder dragon drives you away from his lair no matter which of the five choices you make, but you then find a "perfect lair" afterward.
* VillainProtagonist: In ''Choice of the Dragon'', you're a CardCarryingVillain who kidnaps princesses and defeats knights because that's the dragonly thing to do, though you can play as a NobleDemon if you so choose.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Choice of Kung Fu]]
Written by by Alana Joli Abbott
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* ArmourIsUseless: In Choice of Kung Fu when dueling against the western heavily armoured knights, it's very easy to turn the enemy's armour into a disadvantage.
* ArrangedMarriage: In ''Choice of Kung Fu'', most of the possible romances are begun by meeting the boy or girl's father and being introduced to their child, and the marriage is expressly for the purpose of securing a political alliance or (for the farmer) to ensure that his family will be provided for. However, this isn't a forced marriage, and the partner must be courted and give their consent as well. In addition, should you meet the requirements, a father will allow the protagonist to court [[GayOption their child of the same sex]] as a "companion," though the irregularity of the situation is noted.
* AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence: [[spoiler: If you ask the Dragon Sage the right question, you will become the next Dragon Sage.]]
* BloodKnight: Sun An is the "wandering martial artist" type, forever seeking new opponents to battle against. [[spoiler: In one ending, you likewise become an immortal warrior, accepting all challenges in pursuit of ultimate martial skill.]]
* CaptainErsatz: Zhuge Miao from ''Kung Fu'' is a gender-flip of [[Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms Zhuge Liang]].
* FantasticFoxes: Feng from ''Choice of Kung Fu'' is a fox spirit.
* {{Flight}}: For most of the game, flight relies on WireFu empowered by chi and magic, but there is a way to gain the power to fly unconditionally.
* HeirToTheDojo: If you particularly impress [[spoiler: Zhuge Miao, you can be adopted as the heir to the Zhuge family and style of kung fu, abandoning your previous family and martial style.]]
* LaResistance: The Blue Scarves, although in an unusual variation of this trope, instead of rebelling against the Empire for abusing its power, they are rebelling because they feel the Emperor is doing ''nothing'' with the Empire's strength, even as foreigners invade and drive citizens from their livelihoods.
* MasterApprenticeChain: A complex example, because there are a lot of sifus in this story and it's common to learn from more than one. Zhuge Miao trained Master Shen, who then trains you. Then you're sent to learn directly from Zhuge Miao, and after that you take on students of your own, possibly including [[spoiler: Sun An]].
* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane: While there's a lot of open magic in the game, the existence of immortals still fits this trope. Among others, Zhuge Miao and Sun An are both rumored to be immortals, but according to Zhuge Miao, even she won't live forever (though she is LongLived), and Sun An is an open question. Of course, there's also spirits and the Dragon Sage, but they don't really count. [[spoiler: You can, however, become an immortal for real in one ending.]]
* MindGameShip: InUniverse in ''Choice of Kung Fu''. One of the possible romance options is Feng, the nine-tailed fox spirit, who is playing tricks on you from your first meeting, [[spoiler: and continues to do so even if she becomes your lover]].
* MundaneWish: In ''Choice of Kung Fu'', one of the questions you can ask the Dragon Sage is "Why do kites fly?"
* SupernaturalMartialArts: The Magic stat in ''Choice of Kung Fu'' combines [[WireFu flight]] and KiAttacks with more straightforward magic, such as divination and command over the forces of nature. It's all part of the same thing.
* TheFourGods: In ''Choice of Kung Fu'', the challenge where you lift the cauldron sears your wrists with two brands; either [[TigerVersusDragon the tiger and the dragon]] or the tortoise and the phoenix.
* TheRival: Lu Jin is your rival in your martial arts order, but is an unusual example because you can befriend him/her early (Lu Jin's gender is randomized each time you play a new game) if you share his/her political views and if you express approval instead of resignation at being teamed up with Lu Jin on a mission.
** Later in the story, you get another rival, [[spoiler:Sun An, a wandering hero, who challenges your school to test your worthiness. He can be befriended like Lu Jin if you beat him and then invite him on as a teacher in the school.]]
* TheThreeTrials: To advance in the Order, you eventually need to pass at least two out of three trials: [[spoiler:making it through a room full of attacking monks, carrying an urn full of hot coals to the river, and retrieving and interpreting a scroll from behind a waterfall]].
* TricksterMentor: Feng, the [[FantasticFoxes nine-tailed fox]] in ''Choice of Kung Fu'' is screwing with your head from the very beginning, but she's quite helpful if you can match wits with her. [[spoiler: Also a StealthMentor. It's her purpose to test monks and lure them away from enlightenment, but succeeding in the tests builds character.]]
* {{Wuxia}}: Choice of Kung Fu. One possible character is someone who was a ''xia'' before they joined the Order.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Choice of the Ninja]]
Written by Katherine Buffington.
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* AndTheAdventureContinues: [[spoiler:At the end of a successful playthrough, assuming you didn't switch sides, Lord Matsuya is defeated and Lord Sano's interests are protected. However, General Araki escapes during the final fight and takes his loyal samurai with him, planning a rebellion, so the story ends with Lord Sano tasking you with another job, that of tracking General Araki down and stopping him.]]
* BigGood: Lord Sano is a more gray example, as technically your ninja village is only supporting him because he's the village's patron, but ultimately you do find out that Lord Sano is a far kinder and more reasonable man than his enemy, Lord Matsuya.
* BigBad: Lord Matsuya is a more gray example, as technically he's only your ninja village's enemy because he's against the village's patron, but ultimately you do find out that Lord Matsuya is a nastier person than Lord Sano.
* ConservationOfNinjutsu: It depends on how you play. If you play a martial arts-oriented ninja, you can curb-stomp the enemies you face, but if you focus mostly on stealth and still get involved in fights, the fights are a lot more even and can turn against you.
* CoDragons: Lord Matsuya, the BigBad, is backed up by General Araki, [[spoiler:who killed Maki's parents and is rumored to be getting supernatural help]], and by [[spoiler:your childhood friend Kaoru, who can optionally persuade the player to switch sides and become another Dragon to Lord Matsuya]].
* EtTuBrute: [[spoiler:You can optionally turn on Lord Sano and your allies and join Lord Matsuya.]]
* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler:Subverted. If you character still has feelings for your childhood friend Kaoru, then during the last mission, you get a dialogue option to try to persuade Kaoru to join your side. Kaoru considers it briefly, looking as if in pain, but ultimately refuses and fights you anyway.]]
* HighlyVisibleNinja: You can optionally play like this if you constantly fight every enemy instead of trying to hide or turn invisible.
* {{Ninja}}
* NinjaBrat: After you rescue Lord Sano's son Ryousei, you impress Ryousei so much that he wants to be a ninja when he grows up.
* NotCheatingUnlessYouGetCaught: At the very beginning of the game, your ninja character and all your classmates are put through a "final exam" consisting of finding one of ten hidden coins (which would fail at least half the class, as there are twenty students including you) and then putting that coin into a pot without getting caught. You're allowed to fight people for a coin, lie to teachers and use illusions to get away, etc., the only thing that would disqualify you is if a teacher outright catches you putting the coin into the pot.
* PayEvilUntoEvil: Maki wants to do this to [[spoiler:General Araki, who killed her parents]], and [[spoiler:Lady Sano, Lord Sano's wife, will ask you to kill Lord Matsuya since Lord Sano is too noble to do it.]] It's up to you if you wish to follow this trope yourself.
* RomanceSidequest: You can optionally romance [[spoiler:your childhood friend Kaoru, who is simultaneously both a straight option ''and'' a GayOption, because you pick both your gender and Kaoru's gender.]]
* StockNinjaWeaponry: But not as much as you might think, as most of the fights involve martial arts or swords.
* TrueCompanions: Your classmates Maki and Kenta, each of whom accompanies you on a mission, and both of them will accompany you on the last mission [[spoiler:where, optionally, you can subvert the trope by betraying them if you think Lord Matsuya's on the "winning side".]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Choice of the Petal Throne]]
Written by Danielle Goudeau
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* AdorablyPrecociousChild: You first meet Rayána, a low-clan cobbler's daughter who nevertheless eagerly applies herself to studying military strategy and who as an adult becomes a potential second-in-command and potential love interest, as a little girl while you are being grilled on how to resist an enemy's "crab" strategy during an exercise.
* AmbitionIsEvil: Inverted if your patron deity is Hrü'ü, for Hrü'ü encourages you to be ambitious and avoid complacency.
* BackFromTheDead: [[spoiler:If you choose to let one of your soldiers face the soldier insulting your legion instead of either ignoring him or facing him yourself, Rayána will face the soldier in a duel and fall in battle. However, it is later possible to get a priest to bring Rayána back to life in a ritual, although since the priest is taking a heavy risk, you are asked to pay a ''lot'' of money for the resurrection. You even get an achievement for this resurrection.]]
* BattleHarem: It's possible to end up romantically involved and married to all of your love interests who love you very dearly and who each have deadly combat knowledge.
* BloodKnight: If your patron deity is Vimúhla, you're encouraged to act like this.
** NobleDemon: However, if your patron deity is Karakán, while you're still encouraged to be a warrior, more emphasis is placed on being honorable.
* ButForMeItWasTuesday: When asked why an assassin's coming after you, you can reply that you "don't have time to enumerate every grievance brought against me by lesser men." This isn't even a sign of ignoble character - Tsolyáni nobility are pretty much expected to act like this.
* CombatByChampion: Downplayed. At the beginning of the battle, if you're fighting in the line or on the platform, an enemy insults your legion as a means of delivering a challenge, and you or Rayána can accept. However, this doesn't [[DuelsDecideEverything decide the battle]], it's just a chance to show off and collect a worthy prisoner before the real fighting starts.
* CountryMouse: Rayána is a low-clan cobbler's daughter who is ecstatic to be part of the military she admires. She beams at the chance to play the folkloric hero if you win the battle and then choose to restore order instead of allowing your soldiers to take loot, says her prayers to herself at one point during the investigation of the catacombs (Wave mockingly thinks of her as a "country bumpkin" for this), [[spoiler:if she's promoted the officers wince at her forthright ways, and if you marry her, she's nervous at the wedding due to being more familiar with battlefield courage than with social graces.]]
* GambitPileup: [[spoiler: The mission into the Underworld ruins involves three separate agendas. Your mission is to get the artifact deep in the ruins and bring it back to your Prince. Wave, however, is a spy for Emperor Eternal Splendor, and wants to bring the artifact back to him instead. And then Nirun is under orders to kill you over the vendetta that was mentioned at the beginning of the game, and make sure you don't come out of the ruins with the artifact and the glory that comes with it.]] You can lampshade this if you want.
-->Seriously? Is anyone else actually trying to accomplish this mission?
* GenderBlenderName: Your character always begins the game with the name of "Tiúni", regardless of whether you're male or female, but you're given a different, gender-specific name later on during the naming ceremony.
* GreenEyedMonster: Jealousy is one of the few traits that are considered ignoble no matter who your patron deity is; you can raise the Noble Action meter early on by not responding jealously to Wave's description of Mottán.
* TheHedonist: If your patron deity is Dlamélish, you're encouraged to act like this.
* JustFollowingOrders: Encouraged if your patron deity is Hnálla, as Hnálla is considered the supreme deity of stability and values order and conformity.
* KarmaMeter: This game has an unusual variant, as there is a stat called "Noble Action", which increases every time you do something your clan considers noble. The twist is that there are some behaviors that all clans consider noble or ignoble, while other behaviors differ from clan to clan. Jealousy, for example, is considered "ignoble" no matter what clan you're a part of, while some clans will consider conformity to be noble, others consider independence to be noble, etc.
* MeaningfulRename: In this game's world, when young people reach the age of majority, they undergo a "naming ceremony" where they are given both adult names and adult rights and responsibilities to go with them. This applies to your player character as well, who always starts the game as Tiúni but is given a different name later in their naming ceremony.
* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: [[spoiler: If you're commanding from the platform, winning the battle does ''not'' excuse disobeying orders to do so; the chain of command and the status of your commander are more important than something as trivial as saving the battle and capturing the city.]]
* SlidingScaleOfGenderInequality: In general, a "more traditional role for women" still exists, that of the "good clan girl", but a woman can take up the rights and responsibilities of men if she declares herself aridáni at her naming ceremony. Your own player character's two mother figures exemplify both choices: Mama Halé chose the route of the "good clan girl", although she still has a formidable personality, while Dzái named herself aridáni.
* StarterVillain: Your first major obstacle in Choice of the Petal Throne (other than the assassin you face in the tutorial, who you always defeat eventually regardless of choices) is an older youth named Mottán, who's partially responsible for Wave getting himself/herself into debt. Mottán is also a SkippableBoss if, instead of choosing to confront him, you choose to either tell the elders about the debt, or to confront the head of the gambling establishment instead.
* StayInTheKitchen: Inverted if you're playing a female character, as you're made to stay ''out'' of the kitchen rather than in, as it was clear from birth that Dzái expected you to name yourself aridáni, take up the rights and responsibilities of men, and follow her into the army. When given a choice of what to think about this, you can either be pleased at the opportunity for glory, that you would've preferred being a good clan girl, or that you're happy not to be stifled as a good clan girl but aren't so sure about the soldier part.
* TeamMom: If your patron deity is Avánthe, you're encouraged to act like this, with a commitment to justice and a slight dash of OldSchoolChivalry and NatureHero.
* VictoriousChildhoodFriend: Your "clan-cousin" Wave (whose gender you can pick, along with your own) can be this if you romance Wave (it should be noted that "clan-cousins" in this game refers to "other children of the clan", so you and Wave are not actually related).
** UnluckyChildhoodFriend: If you don't romance Wave.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Choice of the Pirate]]
Written by Alana Joli Abbott.
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* BadassInCharge: You will become this, eventually.
* TheBigGuy: Caesar Lord.
* BoardingParty: Occurs a few times throughout the game.
* TheCaptain: Captain Blackguard in the beginning, but eventually you become a captain yourself. Anne Read counts as well. There are also many other captains throughout the story, though only Blackguard and Anne have main roles.
* DealWithTheDevil: If you die at sea, [[spoiler: you can make a deal with Davy Jones for an extra seven years of life serving him as captain of a ghost ship.]]
* DressedToPlunder: As to be expected in a pirate game. As your fame grows, you can choose to have a piece of signature clothing that varies from a coat to a hat and more. Other {{NPC}}s are decked out in nearly all of the typical pirate gear.
* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: You play as an aspiring pirate hoping to rival the Pirate King himself.
* FunctionalMagic: Cambiar is the art of altering the world around you through magic.
* GhostPirate: [[spoiler: Granny, who will become a useful ally throughout the rest of the game if you manage to defeat her (or convince her to join forces with you) and capture her ship for your fleet.]]
* GhostShip: The Sea Queen is a ship haunted by the cantankerous ghost of its previous owner, an old woman called Granny O'Malley. [[spoiler:A more malevolent example shows up later.]]
* HookHand: [[spoiler: After a battle towards the middle of the game, the decisions that you made during it can cause you to lose a hand. It will get replaced with this. You can even get your Moniker changed to Hook to accompany the new change.]]
* ImprovisedWeapon: Making weapons out of things that are around you is something you will rely on if your Skullduggery stat is high.
* LaResistance: How you and your crew can be against the Crown.
* MasterSwordsman: If your Pistols & Swords stat is quite high.
* ThePiratesWhoDontDoAnything: If you treat your crew terribly, they will become this.
* {{Privateer}}: You can choose to be this for the Crown.
* PortTown: San Alfonso
* ScaryBlackMan: How Caesar can come across during battle.
* ShoutOut:
** If you get a hook hand, your moniker is changed to [[Literature/PeterPan Captain Hook]].
** The treasure of Ishmael the Lost is buried in a chest depicting scenes of whale hunting, suggesting he's the same Ishmael who narrates ''Literature/MobyDick''.
** Captain Flint's treasure is a direct reference to ''Literature/TreasureIsland'' and John Gunn, who wants to find it, is named after the book's characters of Long John Silver and Ben Gunn.
** Anne Read is named after [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfPiracy real-life pirates]] Anne Bonney and Mary Read.
* TheStarscream: You can backstab Captain Blackguard at the beginning of the game to become a Captain, [[spoiler:and at the end of the game you can kill the Pirate King to take his place]].
* TalkLikeAPirate: Captain Blackguard. Notably, he's the only character in the game who does talk this way.
* WorldOfActionGirls: There are quite a few female captains sailing and fighting throughout the game, and not only pirates as at least one merchant ship is also captained by a woman. Anne Read is a main character and, of course, you, if you're playing as a woman.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Choice of Rebels: Uprising]]
Written by Joel Havenstone.
----
* AllianceMeter: There's a lot of them, due to the complex politics of rebellion in the Hegemony. There's three axes (Compassionate/Ruthless, Devout/Skeptical and Homelander/Cosmopolitan) that display the politics of your rebellion, a stat for your relationship with each of the five classes (aristocrats, helots, merchants, yeomen and priests), one meter for Anarchy, which is a measure of just how much damage your rebels have done to the social order of the Rim, and [[spoiler: Notoriety, a hidden stat measuring just how much you've pissed off the Hegemony by your actions]].
* BloodMagic: Theurgy relies on either the blood of the user or on refined blood acquired by Harrowing people.
* CrystalDragonJesus: The Compassionate Angels of Xthonos are fairly Christian in their priesthood, tithes and such, though actual doctrine and dogma are significantly different. In addition, a major plot element (should your character be involved in religion at all) is that the Karagonds have allegedly altered the true Xthonic scriptures to justify their Hegemony. Finally, one of the options for starting your own religion is directly based on the Protestant-Catholic schism.
* FantasticCasteSystem: The Karagond Hegemony ideally divides people into aristocrats (who rule) and helots (who serve). There's also yeomen and merchants, who are de facto castes of their own, and priests (who as a social group are largely separate from their birth castes).
* HellHound: The Plektoi, giant dogs mutated by Theurgy to hunt down the enemies of the Hegemony.
* TheHeretic: The Hegemony would like to portray your revolt as inherently heretical, by virtue of rejecting an established theocratic Order. The extent to which you actually engage in heresy is up to you, but a religiously-devout PC implicitly rejects the Karagond Canon at several points, which in turn leads them to be seen as champions of the original Shayardene Codex (whether or not the latter exists).
* JustLikeRobinHood: You can easily take wealth from nobles and merchants to redistribute to helots and yeomen, which can easily get you status as a folk hero.
* MartialPacifist: Simon/Suzane is the finest warrior in the Shayard Rim, a Blademaster whose abilities are near the limits of what we'd call human capability (though a couple of tiers down from the top) and who deplores unnecessary violence. They'll fight to defend the rebellion, but they won't seek out battle and will only join a rebellion that's gone out of its way to avoid breaking things.
* OccupiersOutOfOurCountry: A Homelander PC is driven by a desire to restore the old Shayard and expel the Karagond occupiers. A Cosmopolitan rebel, meanwhile, is largely assimilated into Karagond culture and fights to liberate all the lands under Karagond rule.
* PeopleFarms: Helots are not only slave labor, they are harvested by the Harrowers to provide blood for the Hegemony's Theurgy.
* LaResistance: That would be you and your merry band of outlaws, hiding in the Whendward Pass and scheming against the Karagond Hegemony. That said, a major issue in this book is that you're really not in a position to do much rebelling: At best, you can hit a tax collector, some outlying Hegemony garrisons or noble estates during the winter.
* TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized: You can play your rebellion this way, making brutal examples of Hegemony officials, terrorizing the people for funds and grain, and running around the Rim breaking things just so that the Hegemony will be less able to respond to your actions. It's actually easier than the latter.
* TheRevolutionWillNotBeVilified: You can certainly try to be this, to lead a compassionate band of outlaws who rob from the rich, give to the poor and avoid unnecessary collateral damage. This is much more difficult, however; you have to feed your bandits somehow, which usually involves collecting grain or gold from someone else. Furthermore, directly attacking the Hegemony's institutions (such as their tax collectors) is a fast road to Anarchy. And remember that the rich have lives too; robbing them won't make them particularly sympathetic to your rebellion.
* UnequalRites: Played with. Theurgy is magic that is granted by the Compassionate Angels, while Goety is magic that is granted by bargains with Xaos, and Wisardry is the old magical art of Shayard. [[spoiler: Actually, they're all different names for the same thing, and they aren't granted by bargains with any outside power. The terminology is purely based in politics.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Choice of the Rock Star]]
Written by Jonathan Zimmerman.
----
* AllDrummersAreAnimals: If neither you nor your brother plays the drums, the game gives you a drummer for free before you start picking other musicians to fill out the band, and she's described this way.
* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Inverted with your player character's brother, Casper, who is older. But it's possible for your character to be close to him anyway. [[spoiler:If you have a close relationship with him and ask him to split the cost to get into the Battle of the Bands, he'll reveal he has spare cash and ''pay the entire cost'', since you've been so awesome about the whole band thing.]]
* ButThouMust: A very minor example, but when choosing your character's gender, if you pick the "alien from the planet Rocktopia" option, the narration says for the sake of argument that you're assuming a human form and have forgotten life on Rocktopia, and then asks you to pick male or female.
* ConsummateProfessional: You can play as this if you have a high Role Model stat and constantly keep practicing and rehearsing.
* HappilyMarried: [[spoiler:One possible ending, if you agree to support Layla/Marq Gold's goals. This will cause a break-up of your band, but you later have children and start a happy and successful rock-and-roll-family.]]
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: If you choose, as a child, to skip out on your birthday party to go on a joyride because you think the party will be boring and you don't like the classical instrument your parents had you play, you later get grounded and sent to your room without any cake or presents--and one of the presents was to be a ''record player'', something your player character badly wanted.
* ParentalIssues: Both you and your brother have a rocky relationship your strict, anti-rock music parents (especially if you play a character with high Bad Influence.)
* {{Sellout}}: Some people will express fears that you've become this if you [[spoiler:sign on to Joey Greenback's company.]]
* SexDrugsAndRockAndRoll: Sort of. You can either play a hard-partying lifestyle (although it's mostly the "alcohol" type of party) with a high Bad Influence stat, or avert the trope and concentrate on high-quality music with a high Role Model stat.
* ShoutOut: When asked to select your character's gender, you can either pick male, female, non-gendered, or alien from the planet Rocktopia. The non-gendered option is labeled "Bowie", and choosing it has the narration compare you to Ziggy Stardust.
* SiblingTeam: You and Casper play music together and eventually end up in the same band (assuming you don't become estranged from him.)
* TheRockStar: Your goal as the player character is to become this.
* YokoOhNo: [[spoiler:If you sign on to Joey Greenback's company, he helps you start dating Layla/Marq Gold, whose gender and first name are determined by the gender your character is interested in. Layla/Marq is a very creative artist, who even makes his/her own music, but eventually, he/she will ask you to place one of his/her songs on your album. If you agree, this can cause a break-up of the band. You can compromise by having Layla/Marq do backup vocals instead, but this will later lock you out of a possible marriage as Layla/Marq will leave later.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Choice of the Star Captain]]
Written by Dorian Hart.
----
* DeadpanSnarker: Lloyd the computer, and the PC has the option to be one too.
* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: You play a freelance starship captain with a smarmy AI as your companion.
* HumansAreBastards: Or at least [[spoiler: Strat-Comm are bastards, they staged a war to harvest dead Blobs as a power source. The rest of humanity didn't really know about it.]]
* TheQuisling: The protagonist can become one [[spoiler: if they decide to make peace with the Blobs but fail to actually achieve it. Sure, it is a rather sympathetic variation considering how they were treated by Strat-Comm and that they are planning on becoming an interstellar diplomat... but it still involves taking advantage of humanity getting enslaved]].
* ServileSnarker: Technically Lloyd as he's your computer, thus is either your property or your servant, whichever way you want to look at it.
* WrenchWench: Gressle the mechanic, who upgrades your ship.
* YouNoTakeCandle: The Blobs' attempts at speaking English.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Choice of the Vampire]]
Written by Jason Stevan Hill. Consists of [[http://www.choiceofgames.com/vampire/ Choice of the Vampire]] and the sequel,[[https://www.choiceofgames.com/vampire-2-fall-of-memphis/ Choice of Vampire: The Fall of Memphis]].
----
* BoyMeetsGhoul: There are several mortals whom you can befriend and woo. [[spoiler:It never ends well.]]
* BreakHisHeartToSaveHim: [[spoiler:You have to do this to Clotho and Silas if you want them to live. Otherwise, they die.]]
* CharacterCustomization: There's a ''lot'' in this game; you have a say in your race, religion (or lack of), creativity, political views (both mortal and undead), romance, favorite type of human to eat...
* ComfortTheDying: The PlayerCharacter can choose to comfort their grandmother on her deathbed by talking with her, leave her to [[DyingAlone die alone]], or brush off her hopes of seeing an afterlife.
* DeadManWriting: [[spoiler:If Clotho is killed by your Dominus]], you can find a letter in [[spoiler:her]] remains detailing how [[spoiler:she]] knew this was coming, and asking you not to blame yourself.
* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: You play as a vampire in America
* ForegoneConclusion: You become a vampire, Vicksburg goes under siege, and [[TitleDrop Memphis falls]].
* FunetikAksent: Often used in ''Choice of the Vampire''.
* HollywoodAtheist: In ''Choice of the Vampire'', the choices necessary to reduce your level of superstition generally involve openly mocking religion. You can be quiet about your lack of belief, but the stat won't go down as far that way.
* HypnoticEyes: Some vampires possess the ability to use these. You can learn how to do it yourself.
* IHateYouVampireDad: It's possible to turn on you Dominus at the start of the game and kill him out of hate for what he did to you.
* {{Irony}}: In ''Choice of the Vampire'', you decide that [[TheSiege Vicksburg]] is a good place to wait out the [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar squabbles between slave and free states]]. [[ForegoneConclusion It is not.]]
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Jesse is an asshole, no doubt, but if [[spoiler:Clotho is killed by your Dominus]], and if you're on decent terms with him, he'll try, in his own rough way, to comfort you.
* LesbianVampire: You can play as one.
* LoverNotAFighter: Though faithful to his principles, army is not for the meek Silas.
* MayflyDecemberRomance: Downplayed, since you can romance Clotho as a fledgling vampire and Silas in your 60s or 70s [[spoiler:and neither affair lasts]], although Clotho {{lampshade|Hanging}}s the trope if she asks to become a vampire as well.
* MeaningfulName: Silas '''Hope'''.
* MortonsFork:
** When romancing Clotho, [[spoiler: either you petition your Dominus to turn her into a vampire and she gets killed instead, or you turn her yourself and your Dominus kills her in retribution.]]
** When romancing Silas, [[spoiler: if you wait to turn him into a vampire, he dies in battle the next day; if you turn him against his will, he goes berserk and runs into the sunlight.]]
** You are inevitably run out of [[spoiler:St. Charles]] if you settle there; the last straw that incites a TorchesAndPitchforks mob is either [[spoiler:you ignoring an injured child's cries for help, or going to help him but inevitably losing control of your HorrorHunger when you see his blood. This is notable as a later addition, since in the original game, the mob would run you out even if you were a [[FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire benign]] philanthropist with a HundredPercentAdorationRating.]]
* OptionalSexualEncounter: If you have a good enough relationship with him, you and Jesse can participate in a "[[IsThatWhatTheyreCallingItNow thrilling hunt]]" during ''The Fall of Memphis''.
* OurVampiresAreDifferent: ''Choice of the Vampire'' actually fits in pretty well with the standard modern vampires - they can't go out in sunlight, must drink blood to live, and can have some supernatural powers. Whether they're affected by holy symbols depends on their own beliefs.
* ParanormalRomance: Optionally.
* ProneToTears: Samantha Withers cries quite easily.
* ReassignedToAntarctica: Samantha Withers.
* ScaryBlackMan: Apollo Carothers seems like one at first glance, though he's quite amicable and kind unless you get on his bad side. By the end of The Fall of Memphis, though, he's rather more unstable.
* SickeninglySweethearts: You and Silas.
* SinisterMinister: You can be as evil as possible and still not only be a priest, but fervorous in your devotion to god.
* UselessUsefulSkill: Unfortunately, things like "technology" and "lore" seem to have little purpose at all in the game.
* UndyingLoyalty: It's possible to cultivate this in several people, depending on your actions, including Jesse, Samantha, and Estefania.
* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Another power you can learn.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Choice of Zombies]]
Written by Heather Albano and Richard Jackson.
----
* ActionSurvivor: The protagonist can develop into this, along with a hint of BloodKnight depending on choices.
* ActionGirl: If the protagonist is female. The companions will then also all be female, although not all of them is this trope.
* BadAssAndChildDuo: If you only managed to save Kayden in the end.
* BadAssBookworm: Chris/Carrie, sort of. They have some zombie knowledge from various sources, one of which is zombie video games.
* BackToBackBadasses: Hard to tell, but during the horde in finale, it can be assumed the protagonist is doing this with Brian/Bonnie. Only if you choose the route to take them as your companion, of course. For the other route, it's harder to tell if the protagonist is doing this with the other characters in that moment, where they choose the route to take Michael/Michelle and/or Lev/Lisa instead, since none of them are straight Bad Ass.
* BiTheWay: [[spoiler:Anita, the refugees leader in church. She's heavily implied to had sex (perhaps outercourse sex and without naked... possibly) with Justin/Jennifer.... OR, if Justin/Jennifer and Kayden are not present, she will target on you (the protagonist). You can turn her down, though, and fortunately won't affect your survival.]]
* BigBadWannabe: [[spoiler:Anita.]]
* BloodKnight: Brian/Bonnie are obviously this. The protagonist can be one, too!
* BribingYourWayToVictory: For an extra buck you can unlock an extra job during character creation: recently retired from Delta Force.
* TheBrute: [[spoiler:Luke.]]
* BuryYourGays: If you choose to [[spoiler:kill Anita, either by electrocuting her, or knocked her unconscious and then burn down her church while she's still inside.]]
* ChurchMilitant: Implied.
* CrazySurvivalist: Brian/Bonnie, sort of, for a very good reason. They have some shades of GreatWhiteHunter, too, though.
* DarkActionGirl: The female protagonist can be sort of be this. Especially if she treats the other companions in very nasty way, loves doing KickTheDog moments, and kills zombie more for their own satisfaction than saving other people! [[spoiler:UpToEleven if you choose to burn down the church full of non-infected humans.]]
** [[spoiler:Implied with Anita, with some shades of FauxActionGirl.]]
* DrJerk: Michael/Michelle is pretty much this trope. Thankfully, he/she has HiddenHeartofGold.
* TheDragon: [[spoiler:Laura, to Anita.]]
* DyingMomentOfAwesome: One of the better ways to end up in Zombies, staying behind to fight the zombies alone after you get bitten and giving the rest of your group a chance to get away, as they promise that everyone in the world that comes after the Zombie Apocalypse will know your name.
* FauxActionGirl: Lisa, who is very smart in setting traps for many zombies, but still needs to be rescued when being directly confronted by a single zombie.
* TheFriendNobodyLikes and TheLoad: Justin/Jennifer, unsurprisingly. In fact, his/her special role is only telling the protagonist about the exact location of [[GadgeteerGenius Lev/Lisa]], or [[BadAssBookworm Chris/Carrie]] in alternate route, so you can save them.
* GadgeteerGenius: Lev, or Lisa in female version.
* GunsInChurch: If you choose church as the shelter.
* FiveManBand
** TheLeader: The protagonist.
** TheLancer: Michael/Michelle/Brian/Bonnie, they're first adult character to join you, regardless of the route (not counting Kayden who is a kid). Also, they are very often giving some advice during survival, despite how Jerkass they are.
** TheSmartGuy: Lev/Lisa/Chris/Carrie, obviously.
** TheChick: Justin/Jennifer
** TagalongKid: Kayden, both version, the only child in your group. Interestingly, s/he is more useful than Justin/Jennifer who is an adult.
* JerkAss: Michael (or Michelle in female version), and also Brian/Bonnie in alternate route. Unsurprisingly, the protagonist can be this one, too.
* JerkAssHasAPoint: Michael/Michelle/Brian/Bonnie are actually pretty often (if not always) showing this. [[spoiler:Especially if they're concerning things about [[TheLoad Justin/Jennifer]]. See [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome Crowning Moment of Awesome above]].]]
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: If you know how to deal with the {{Jerkass}}es, it'll be revealed that they're actually this.
* KatanasAreJustBetter: Hidden weapon. Can only be used once, unfortunately.
* KickTheDog: [[spoiler:The protagonist can do this, to an extreme, towards [[TheLoad Justin/Jennifer]] by throwing him/her to the horde of zombies. Doing so will cause your companion lose their faith on you, naturally.]] Ironically, [[{{Jerkass}} Michael/Michelle and Brian/Bonnie]] hardly ever have this moment.
%%* NeverMessWithGranny: Bonnie.
* PetTheDog:
** Jerkass characters are naturally have this moment of their own, though perhaps only if you know how to deal with them in right way. The protagonist can have some, such as being nice toward the kid Kayden, and/or later comforting Justin/Jennifer when he/she feels very stressed by the situation.
** Anita has this moment, too, especially towards Justin/Jennifer (see [[BiTheWay Bi The Way]] above, though). The old lady Laura is also very nice towards Kayden.
* ZombieApocalypse: What the player deals with in this game.
[[/folder]]


[[folder:Créme de la Créme]]
Written by Hannah Powell-Smith

* BlackSheep: The occult loving Delacroix sticks out from the rest of their socialite family like a sore thumb. [[spoiler:The divide between them can get so bad that their parents pay Lady Renaldt a significant amount of money to have Delacroix disappear from their lives forever.]]
* BlueBlood: The majority of Archambault students are nobility of some sort.
* BoardingSchool: Both Gallatin College and Archambault Academy are exclusive, expensive boarding schools. Most characters spent their majority of their schooling in a boarding school, with Freddie (who went to state funded schools before getting a scholarship to Gallatin) and Rosario (who's education was handled by royal tutors) being the only two exceptions.
* TheDandy: The Honourable Florin, a beautiful, shameless hedonist who is always impeccably (and scandalously) dressed.
* DarkSkinnedBlond: Delacroix.
* DistressedDude[=/=] DamselInDistress: [[spoiler: Blaise, who is enslaved in the Gallatin mines after being 'expelled'.]] The final act of the game is kicked off by them managing to pass an SOS message on to the protagonist.
* TheFashionista: Miss Dalca wears a dress for the Winter Ball that makes her look like she's just stepped out of a fashion magazine. A female Auguste also counts, being effortlessly fashionable in all her scenes.
* GetIntoJailFree: A manipulative protagonist can choose to goad [[spoiler:Lady Renaldt]] into [[spoiler:throwing them into the mines]] so that they can get a chance to [[spoiler:talk to Blaise.]]
* GoldDigger: The protagonist's parents strongly and actively encourage their child to be one, as they're counting on them to restore the family's fortune and honor by marrying well. The protagonist can either play this straight (by courting either Rosario or Auguste purely for their wealth and social standing) or defy this trope by marrying someone with no fortune whatsoever.
* HeKnowsTooMuch: If the protagonist refuses to go along with the BigBad's scheme after discovering it they're [[spoiler: thrown into the Gallatin mines]] to make sure they don't talk.
* IfYoureSoEvilEatThisKitten: If the protagonist indicates to the BigBad that they're willing to work for them, the ''very'' first task they're given is to [[spoiler:help kidnap their best friend at Gallatin.]]
* IHaveNoSon: [[spoiler: Delacroix's parents disown them in all but name in certain endgame senarios, even going as far as to order Lady Renaldt to make them vanish without a trace.]]
* ImpoverishedPatrician: The protagonist's family lost their entire fortune thanks to some bad decisions on the part of their parents, which in turn ruined Blaise's family (who had backed the protagonist's parents with a signficant amount of money that was subsequently lost forever). Blaise is just a tad bitter about this.
** The protagonist can come across rumors that the [[spoiler:Renaldt]] family almost became this, but somehow managed to refill their coffers. [[spoiler:This sudden windfall was due to Lady Renaldt's human trafficking scheme taking off.]]
* LessonsInSophistication: They make up Gallatin's entire curriculum due to it being a finishing school. Students are drilled extensively on everything a proper high society socialite should know, from etiquette to the arts to how to horse ride.
* MadeASlave: [[spoiler:The people Lady Renaldt makes disappear are forced to work in the Gallatin mines.]]
* MarryForLove: A possible aspiration of the protagonist, even though they're under significant pressure to marry well.
* MealTicket: Archambault Academy is the home of titled aristocrats, and so it's student's are ''highly'' sort after by everyone in the market for a spouse.
** Two of the biggest meal tickets from Archambault are Auguste Renaldt, Lady Renaldt's only child and heir, and Rosario, heir to the Zaledoan throne.
** During the course of the game Gonzalez inadvertently becomes a prime one in the eyes of many after a flattering story about them winds up the newspapers - to their absolute horror.
* MRSDegree: It's widely acknowledged that the main goal of most Gallatin and Archambault students is to find a suitable spouse during their time at college. The protagonist is packed off to Gallatin with explict instructions to do their best secure the most high profile engagement they can manage.
* NotWithThemForTheMoney: The protagonist, if they genuinely love whichever wealthy love interest they get engaged to.
* RagsToRoyalty: A protagonist who becomes engaged to Rosario goes from being an ImpoverishedPatrician to the future consort of the next ruler of Zaledo.
* RescueRomance: [[spoiler:Blaise]], who can only be romanced if [[spoiler:the protagonist manages to rescue them from Gallatin's mines.]]
* ReverseMole: The protagonist can become this twice over. The first time is when they're roped into [[spoiler:Lady Renaldt's]] investigation of Gallatin's staff, where they can blindside the task giver by working to protect a teacher instead of gathering dirt to get them fired like they were supposed to do. The second opportunity occurs during the climax of the game; [[spoiler: they can pretend to go along with Lady Renaldt's kidnapping scheme to buy themselves enough time to gather the evidence needed to bring her down once and for all.]]
* SharpDressedMan: A male Auguste. A male protagonist is a slightly downplayed example of this, in that they can only get their hands on one, show stopping, outfit which they then reuse throughout the game.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:The Daring Mermaid Expedition]]
Written by Andrea Phillips.
----
* BoldExplorer: You can play as an adventure-seeker.
* {{Determinator}}: You can play as this if you have a high Persistence or Passion stat.
* KarmaMeter: In this game, you have a "Credibility" stat that tracks how likely you are to be believed by the Society you seek to join.
* OurMermaidsAreDifferent: In this game, the mermaids call themselves the Meramaida, according to the man who interrupts your hearing just before the "free" portion of the game ends.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Diabolical]]
Written by Nick Aires
----
* {{Adorkable}}: The player character certainly acts this way in some scenes. For example, some of their evil plans seems more like harmless pranks than anything else and at one point after hearing their name mentioned on the news, they bounce up and down on the coach in excitement.
* AffablyEvil: Your character can actually be pretty friendly if you play them that way. If you work together with Angel Steelheart and eventually [[spoiler:become romantically involved with them]] they'll admit that they don't think you're a bad person deep down.
* AmbiguousGender: You're not given an option to be male or female in this game, and the other characters never refer to you by gender. Even the romance options.
* AntiVillain: You can play a villain as this.
* ArmiesAreEvil: If you play a villain that uses a soldier's tactics.
* BackFromTheDead: By the end of the game, you have the option to revive one of your dead friends.
* BigBad: Dr. Arachnus
* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: Dr. Arachnus is defeated and the world is saved, but most (if not all) of your friends have died, and depending on your actions, Earth is in a far worse condition than it's ever been before.]]
* TheBrute: Slog if chosen as your sidekick.
* CardCarryingVillain: It is very easy to play a villain like this.
* CallingCard: You can choose to leave one of these behind. Your options are a single feather, a confetti cannon, a riddle, or a card with your initial on it.
* DeadpanSnarker: The player character.
* TheDragon: There's a part that requires you to choose one for your operation.
* TheDreaded: If you play a villain that strikes terror into the hearts of others.
** Dr. Arachnus as well.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: In this game, it turns out even the villain community has one villainous act that is explicitly forbidden: [[spoiler:killing children. Therefore, when your player character attempts to rob gold bars and finds children on a field trip, your character has to come up with a creative solution, as harming the children is not an option. ''Threatening'' the children is an option, but it's a bluff.]]
* EvilGenius: Hackmaster, and if you play a villain that specializes in technology, the player character as well.
* EvilVersusEvil: You're a supervillain who's the only one who can stop another supervillain from destroying the world.
* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler: If chosen as your sidekick, Hackmaster will attempt to betray you and join Dr. Arachnus. [[RewardedAsATraitorDeserves It doesn't go well for her]].]]
* FallenHero: The Star was originally the most renowned hero of all before being believed to have been killed years ago by Dr. Arachnus. If chosen as your sidekick, you'll find out that The Star's gone insane and grew to be more violent, and is perfectly willing to commit evil.
* FissionMailed: When your character undertakes a mission to commit a crime in a rural area, whether you go after the largest ball of twine, the corn maze, or the rural bank, [[spoiler:you will always eventually be foiled by the local Sheriff. However, the game continues regardless, as this failed mission motivates your player character to choose a sidekick.]]
* ForTheEvulz: You can choose to play a villain who commits evil for its own sake.
* HarmlessVillain: Nautilus is a MadArtist who doesn't kill and just wants to make the world a wackier, more wonderful place. Downplayed for a player that tries to keep their Lethality down, since they'll still be stealing stuff and knocking people out.
* HeroAntagonist: Agent Steelheart acts as one in most playthroughs. [[DatingCatwoman They are also a love interest]].
* LargeHam: When you get a chance to speak there's usually one option that let's you ham it up. This goes right from IncomingHam all the way to jumping out of the window to make your exit bellowing ThisCannotBe
* LaughablyEvil: Thought you play a supervillain, most of the game tends toward the comedic.
* {{Supervillain}}: You play as this.
* TheSyndicate: Minotaur is this game's equivalent to SPECTRE, complete with an underling called "[[TheBaroness The Countess]]."
* WellIntentionedExtremist: You can choose to play as a villain who wants to change the world.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: The Eagle's Heir]]
Written by Jo Graham and Amy Griswold.
----
* ActionDressRip: A female protagonist [[spoiler:and Amalia]] will wear dresses to Napoleon's grand ball which are fitted with a rippable train.
* AllLoveIsUnrequited: It is possible for a protagonist who's in love with Alexandre to never breath a word of that attraction to him, convinced that he sees them as a sibling. They can even successfully get him married to someone else to either increase his chances of getting the throne, or [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy just to make him happy.]]
** Alexandre has a definite attraction towards Princess Victoria, but she can easily reject his proposal unless the [[TheMatchmaker protagonist works their magic.]]
** [[spoiler: Successfully romancing Alexandre will reveal that he's been harbouring feelings for the protagonist - but never acted on them because he also thinks that they see him as a [[LikeBrotherAndSister brother]]]].
* AlternateHistory: Ignoring the fact that the game is set in a {{Steam Punk}} universe, the main historical divergence point is that France won the Battle of Waterloo, causing Napoleon to remain Emperor of France.
** The actions of the protagonist can cause history to veer even more off the beaten track. It is possible to get an Austrian prince on the throne of France or create a Franco-British Union through the marriage of Emperor Alexandre of France and Queen Victoria of England.
* AltarDiplomacy: Both of Alexandre's potential marriages carry significant diplomatic weight - a marriage to Princess Victoria has the benefit of preventing England and Austria from allying if war breaks out, and also may lay the foundations for a Franco-British Union, while a marriage to Eugenie is a way of signalling to the people of France that Alexandre is Napoleon's chosen heir without directly antagonising the Austrians.
* AltarTheSpeed: Alexandre and Victoria's wedding is a rather hurried affair in order to prevent any form of protest from England.
* AwesomeMomentOfCrowning: Whoever becomes the next Emperor of France has one near the end of the story.
* BattleButler: The player character is Alexandre's bodyguard first and foremost. [[spoiler: The same goes for Amalia, though she takes great pains for this not to be apparent at first glance.]]
* BodyguardCrush: A protagonist can harbor one towards Alexandre, with the impression that he doesn't feel the same way. [[spoiler:Romancing him will reveal that their crush was reciprocated all along]].
** Franz and Amalia [[spoiler:avert this, but she keeps up the ruse so that people will assume that she's nothing more than arm candy rather than a dangerous bodyguard.]]
* CheeseEatingSurrenderMonkeys: Averted. The main divergence point in the AlternateHistory the story is set in is that France was the victorious party in the Battle of Waterloo. It is also possible for France to win a war against Austria.
* ChessmasterSidekick: By the end of the game the player can be juggling managing Alexandre's day to day activities with engineering an alliance between France and England, stopping an Austrian assassination plot and thwarting (or aiding) underground revolutionary schemes.
* ChildhoodFriends: The protagonist and Alexandre - in a move delibrately engineered by Napoleon and the protagonist's grandmother.
* ChildhoodFriendRomance: If the protagonist romances Alexandre.
* {{Deuteragonist}}: You're not the heir, you're his most trusted ally.
* Elopement: Alexandre and Victoria may elect to smuggle the latter into France so that they can get married, though the [[TheMatchmaker protagonist]] needs to [[GuideDangIt jump through several hoops]] in order to get both parties to agree to do so.
* EndOfAnAge: The protagonist muses that they've just witnessed the end of an era after seeing [[spoiler:Napoleon collapse and die in front of them]].
* GildedCage: Franz has been kept in one while in Austrian care. Depending on what ending you get this can even carry over into the epilogue, where he's kept a 'comfortable prisoner' in a luxurious French estate.
** Princess Victoria has been severely smothered by both her mother and Lord Conway all her life. One of the things that Alexandre can use to convince her to accept his suit is the promise that she'll have much more freedom than she's ever been allowed previously.
* HistoricalDomainCharacter: The story features whole boatload of them. From the well known (Napoleon, Princess Victoria of England) to the slightly more obscure (Alexandre himself and Madame St Elme, who was quite the spy in her day).
* HyperCompetentSidekick: [[spoiler:Amalia is this for Franz. In addition to keeping him safe from both external and internal threats she's actively scheming to clear a path to the French throne for him.]]
* IOweYouMyLife: Expressed by Franz if the protagonist saves him and his crew during the ship race. The protagonist can capitalize on this sentiment during the climax of the game.
* LadyInWaiting: Constance is one of Princess Victoria's ladies in waiting, and tags along if Victoria choses to elope with Alexandre.
* LikeBrotherAndSister: The protagonist will see Alexandre as a brother if they're not romantically interested in him. A protagonist who ''is'' attracted to him assumes that he feels this way towards them, and thus doesn't pursue the attraction further until the events of the game.[[spoiler:Romancing Alexandre will reveal that he never acted on this attraction to the protagonist under the assumption that ''they'' saw him nothing more than a sibling.]]
* MakingLoveInAllTheWrongPlaces: If the protagonist plays their cards right, it's possible for them to have a ménage à trois in a shadowy corner of Tuileries Palace [[spoiler:on the eve of Napoleon's death.]]
* MarryForLove: If Princess Victoria's decision to marry Alexandre sees her removed from the line of succession the English public will view her as romantic figure who gave up her throne for love. The protagonist can also convince Alexandre to abandon his pursuit for the throne and marry them instead.
* TheMatchmaker: The actions of the protagonist are vital in securing a successful match for Alexandre. Special mention goes to marrying him off to Eugenie as they're the one who first suggests the idea to both Napoleon and Alexandre himself.
* TheMistress: Romancing Alexandre usually sees the protagonist ending up as his side piece due to him needing to [[MarriageOfConvenience marry well]] to strengthen his claim to the throne.
* PairTheSpares: Happens if the protagonist manages to secure a match between Alexandre and Princess Victoria and then romance [[LadyInWaiting Constance.]]
* PlatonicLifePartners: If he's not romanced, then this is the dynamic between Alexandre and a female protagonist. [[spoiler:This also applies to Franz and Amalia, [[BodyguardCrush despite all apperances to the contary.]]]]
* PuppetKing: Lord Conway fully intends for Victoria to be nothing more than a figurehead when she's crowned, with him, as her reagent, calling all the shots. The Austrians also expect Franz to be one when he gains the French throne - it's the only reason that he's been allowed to live.
* RaisedByGrandparents: The protagonist. Their father died before they were born, and their mother passed away several years later.
* RebelliousPrincess: Princess Victoria is chafing against all the restrictions her mother and Lord Conway have placed on her. If Alexandre gives a decent proposal she jumps at the chance to elope to France with him.
* RebelPrince: [[spoiler:Franz jumps ship to the French side incredibly quickly should he and Alexandre bury the hatchet between them. Even in the endings where Alexandre gives him the throne, he promises not to become the PuppetKing the Austrians expect him to be.]] Alexandre himself can if one if [[spoiler:he gives up his claim to the throne so [[MarryForLove he can be with the protagonist]]]] - especially if Franz is out of the picture by this point.
* SilkHidingSteel: Victoria, who has a backbone of iron and is very much not content to just sit back and let Lord Conway use her as a [[PuppetKing puppet Queen]].
* SoProudOfYou: The protagonist's grandmother, if they manage the feat of [[spoiler:getting Alexandre named Napoleon's heir while also successfully reconciling the Bonaparte family.]]
* SuccessionCrisis: France is on the cusp of one at the start of the story - Napoleon's days are numbered, but he has yet to chose which heir should succeed him. [[spoiler:Should he name Alexandre his successor a full-blown inheritance war will erupt between France and Austria.]]
* SupportingProtagonist: The story revolves around Alexandre, the titular Eagle's heir, and the politics which he's embroiled in during the end days of Napoleon's rule. The protagonist, being their bodyguard, is just along for the ride.
* TragicKeepsake: For Napoleon, it's [[spoiler: Franz's childhood room in Tuileries Palace]], which has been kept untouched since it's occupant last lived in it.
* UptownGirl: Princess Victoria, heir to the English throne, is this to Alexandre, the bastard child of Emperor Napoleon. Though this is rendered moot should Alexandre be legitimised in the finale.
* TheWrongfulHeirToTheThrone: Though Franz is technically Napoleon's legitimate heir, the general consensus is he's the worst candidate for the French throne due to the fact that he'll just serve a PuppetKing for the Austrians. His detractors are proven right should he gain the throne, as he undoes all of the more progressive reforms passed by Napoleon.
* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: Franz is killed in mysterious circumstances should he return to Austria without gaining the French throne.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fatehaven]]
Written by Devon Connell under the ''Hosted Games'' label.
----
* ChildhoodFriendRomance: With Brigid/Bregan, should the player choose to romance them.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fog of War: The Battle for Cerberus]]
Written by Bennett R. Coles
----
* BadassArmy: The Astral Corps.
* EnsignNewbie: The main character starts out as a sublieutenant who only recently graduated from the Astral College.
* MajorlyAwesome: The rebel Major Zhang is famous throughout the entire galaxy.
* SergeantRock: Sergeant Shah serves this role.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:For Rent: Haunted House (formerly Eerie Estate Agent)]]
Written by Gavin Inglis
----
* AmbiguousGender: You don't get to choose in this one, the narration just avoids mentioning your gender at all.
* BadBoss: The Crocodile.
* NoHuggingNoKissing: Unusually for these games, there is no romance option in this one at all.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Your boss. Though the narration tells you her real name, it also tells you that everyone calls her The Crocodile and she's then referred to as The Crocodile throughout.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: [[spoiler: The TV host running an episode on your haunted house is sucked into the afterlife by the ghosts. No one ever comes looking for her or makes a fuss about her disappearance.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:The Fleet]]
Written by Jonathan Valuckas
----
* DeathFromAbove: The initial enemy attack on your homeworld involves many pod-like ships appearing in orbit and wiping out whole cities with deadly beams.
* FeaturelessProtagonist: In ''The Fleet'', you're just the Fleet Captain. Not ''quite'' a NonEntityGeneral, as you can become directly involved in personal combat or captured at some points.
* GondorCallsForAid: Your job in ''The Fleet'' is to bring the Alliance to reclaim your homeworld.
* NumberTwo: Lieutenant Demian is loyal but decidedly anti-Alliance and [[spoiler:will turn on you after the enemy is defeated in an attempt to strike at the Alliance, if you're not anti-Alliance as well]].
* SpaceWhale: You encounter a bunch of space-dwelling creatures that begin to eat at your ships. Depending on how decisively you fight them off, they may come back later.
* WeAreStrugglingTogether: In ''The Fleet'', the members of your fleet hate TheAlliance even more than they hate the invading aliens who have taken over your homeworld.
** Not only that, but the civilians are for the Alliance, which may cause a rift between them and the military personnel.
* YouAreInCommandNow: As Admiral Kalla's fleet is getting pounded by the enemy, he gives command of the remaining ships (minus a small squadron) over to you, promotes you to Fleet Captain, and tells you to get out, protecting the civilian ships, and find allies.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Grand Academy for Future Villains]]
Written by Katherine Nehring
----
* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: You attend a [[AcademyOfEvil training school]] for villains of all genres.
* VillainProtagonist: Well, yeah, obviously.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Heart of the House]]
Written by Nissa Campbell.
----
* ByronicHero: Reaves, who is brooding, attractive, and possessed of dark secrets.
* DancesAndBalls: Reaves throws a massive ball at the house [[spoiler: as a way to attract people for it to eat.]]
* DreamingOfTimesGoneBy: When in the Manor, the PC has dreams that are the past memories of [[spoiler:Reaves' missing parent.]]
* FourthDateMarriage: If romancing Reaves, you can either choose to have this, or tell Reaves that you want to wait at least until you're out of mortal danger to talk about weddings and then take things more slowly.
* GoldenEnding: The easiest way is to max out a stat and rely almost exclusively on it while making friends with Reaves (as you ''will'' need another pair of hands to save everyone at the ball). You should also investigate as much as you can while [[spoiler: you're trapped by the house.]]
* TheHeroDies: [[spoiler:It is possible for the PC to die if they chose the wrong decision at a low percentage of will.]]
* IWillFindYou: The story starts with the PC looking for Kent who went missing three years ago.
* LaserGuidedAmnesia: [[spoiler:Oriana]] is capable of removing certain memories from people, [[spoiler: including Reaves and Loren.]] Should your Arcana stat be low enough [[spoiler: you can also fall victim to this.]]
* LastNameBasis: Everyone calls the PC's uncle Kent, even the PC themselves.
* MaliciousMisnaming: The ghost of Lady Amelia calls Oriana "Lilith".
* MissingMom: Lord/Lady Reaves' mother Penelope.
** DaddyHadAGoodReasonForAbandoningYou: More specifically, Mommy was [[spoiler: mindwiped by Oriana after trying to escape the manor with Reaves.]]
* {{Nephewism}}: When your parents died, your uncle, Kent, was the one who took care of you.
* OccultDetective: The PC and Kent are occult investigators.
* OlderThanTheyLook: [[spoiler: Oriana]] appears to be about the same age as the PC or slightly older, but has spent generations at the house [[spoiler: as she is actually a HumanoidAbomination.]]
* PairTheSpares: If the PC is not actively pursuing Dev and/or Loren, they will both go into a relationship with each other.
* TwoFirstNames: The stats reveal that Kent's full name is Joseph Kent.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: [[spoiler: Oriana]] sometimes removes memories simply to take away pain rather than for personal schemes. You can point out that by erasing those memories, this character deprives people of agency and the ability to learn from bad experiences.
* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: Your character can have a number of fears such as [[AfraidOfBlood blood]], spiders and snakes, to which your nightmares and whatever you see upon entering the creepy tower will be tailored.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: The Hero of Kendrickstone]]
Written by Paul Wang. Comprises ''[[https://www.choiceofgames.com/hero-of-kendrickstone/#utm_medium=web&utm_source=ourgames The Hero of Kendrickstone]]'', with the sequel ''[[https://www.choiceofgames.com/cryptkeepers-of-hallowford/#utm_medium=web&utm_source=ourgames The Cryptkeepers of Hallowford]]''.
----
* ActionPrologue: You begin The Hero of Kendrickstone fighting and about to slay a dragon, but it's AllJustADream, the real adventure happens after your character wakes up.
* AdventureFriendlyWorld: Plenty of ruins around to plunder, bandits and monsters to fight, to the point where "wandering adventurer" is a recognized occupation.
* AfterTheEnd: 216 years ago, the Flowering Court ruled a magical empire over the lands that are now controlled by the Concordat. Then it vanished, and left behind ruined cities full of monsters and magical treasure.
* ArtifactOfDoom: In ''Cryptkeepers of Hallowford'', [[spoiler: the Heart is a malfunctioning and dangerous Flowering Court artifact that's also the source of Hallowford's prosperity.]]
* BeingGoodSucks:
** In the endgame, you have to decide how to punish [[spoiler: the captured bandits, who committed hanging-worthy offenses under MindManipulation. The compassionate thing to do is to pardon them all, but the crowd wants them hung and isn't interested in excuses. Freeing them will put a serious tarnish on your name. You can placate the crowd by sentencing the bandits to ten years of hard labour - more compassionate than hanging, and it gives the bandits a chance to repair the damage they have done to the city.]]
** In ''Hallowford'', the guy who's [[spoiler: trying to cover up a ZombieApocalypse for his own profit, and willing to murder to keep the secret]] is also the guy who's signing your paycheck. On the other hand, [[spoiler: working with the Captain to bring the issue to a vote]] isn't exactly a negative outcome, as you can get some loot and a massive rep boost for it. No, this trope ''really'' applies if [[spoiler: you decide to destroy the Heart, stopping the problem for good but forfeiting any reward at all]].
* BlackAndGrayMorality: The game's villain is a bad man [[spoiler: (using MindManipulation to turn innocents into murderous bandits isn't the behavior of an upstanding citizen)]], but Kendrickstone's elite aren't always nice chums themselves; William of Hallowford is a mafia boss and Isan of Korilandis is an amoral wizard most concerned with his own research. Even Dame Mildred is willing to engage in underhanded behavior to serve the needs of the city, such as [[spoiler: ordering her squire to cooperate with William of Hallowford and break into someone's house to catch a smuggler]].
* CharacterAlignment: Played with. "LawfulGood" and "ChaoticEvil" are available as achievements, and you have two [[KarmaMeter Karma Meters]] for Compassion/Pragmatism and Order/Freedom. However, the game itself avoids passing moral judgment on your actions. [[invoked]]
* CourtMage: Isan of Korilandis, a foreign wizard who works for the Duke of Kendrickstone.
* FantasyCounterpartCulture: Korilandis is a counterpart to medieval Mali, ruled by a Mansa and with an economy based on gold and salt.
* GloryHound: You, to a greater or lesser extent. Part of your motivation for adventuring is inevitably going to be fame and glory.
* KeepTheReward: In this game, refusing the reward for a heroic deed is generally not purely altruistic, it's a publicity stunt that earns you fame.
* KnightInShiningArmor: Dame Mildred of Sonnemerci, Knight of Kendrickstone and the only one of the possible {{mentors}} who can be unambiguously called "good." William of Hallowford does make the claim that he and she are NotSoDifferent, though, in that they both enforce order in the city.
* LegitimateBusinessmensSocialClub: William of Hallowford is an honest, upstanding merchant of Kendrickstone who provides, among other services, protection from the city's criminal element. Of course, sometimes his men need to remind everyone why they should buy his writs of protection. Order must be maintained in the city, after all. The achievement for joining his organization is even called "Legitimate Business."
* {{Mentors}}: There are three possible mentors who you can sign up with, each of whom favors a different stat and influencing each of the three quests, though you also have the (harder) option to go it alone. Regardless of who you join, each of the mentors also gives you one of the game's major quests; if you're working for another mentor, they bring their own agenda into each of the other mentors' quests.
** Dame Mildred of Sonnemerci is a KnightInShiningArmor and defender of the Duke's peace. She offers you a position as her squire if you impress her in your first encounter, and a servant-at-arms if not. Either way, she helps train the Prowess stat.
** Isan of Korilandis is the CourtMage. If you impress him, he'll take you as an apprentice; if not, he'll make you a servant in his tower. If you're an apprentice, he'll help train your Willpower stat and magic lores. (He's not much help, statswise, if you're a servant.)
** William of Hallowford is a "[[LegitimateBusinessmensSocialClub legitimate businessman]]" who controls all criminal activity in the city. If you work for him, he'll either train you in Subterfuge or give you a rich piece of the action.
* MoraleMechanic: Good food, fine clothes and quality alcohol keep you in good spirits, which give you a boost to all of your stats. Conversely, if you live like a pauper, all the privations wear down on your ability to get anything done. Abandoned in the second game.
* MurderIsTheBestSolution: William of Hallowford's plan for stopping the BigBad starts with "s" and ends with "-litting his throat."
* NeighborhoodFriendlyGangsters: William of Hallowford certainly tries to put on a front of this, and he does do a fine job of ensuring that those who buy his writs don't have to worry about criminal activity. He's also extremely willing to chip in to defend the city when it's in trouble - it's his larder he's guarding.
* PowerupLetdown: Becoming an "associate" in William of Hallowford's organization means that you get a little more money from your job, but you miss out on the practical training in Subterfuge you might get if you remained as an enforcer and took one of the other rewards from the relevant quest.
* ShameIfSomethingHappened: The mission in Chapter 5 is undeniably a bit on the skeevy side, and William is not above obliquely threatening to ruin your life if you don't play ball, forcing you to go through with it.
* StandardFantasySetting: Young adventurers go out slaying dragons for gold and glory, using swords and spells. It's a very self-aware one, though.
* ZombieApocalypse: [[spoiler: A problem in ''Cryptkeepers'' is that the dead are coming out of the crypts.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:The Hero Unmasked!]]
Written by Christopher Huang.
----
* AntiClimacticUnmasking: Can happen with Firebrand if you best him in battle and decide to see who is under that hood [[StrangerBehindTheMask without having found his real name during your investigation before]].
* AntiVillain: Firebrand and Bloodmist, arguably. Firebrand donates what he steals to the less fortunate, while Bloodmist [[spoiler:seems to work majorly to keep the memory of her husband ''alive''.]]
* AWolfInSheepsClothing: Bloodmist, The King Of Diamonds, and the M/Patriarch are this in their civilian guises.
* BigBad: The Matriarch/Patriarch [[spoiler: It's either the mayor or the reporter, depending on who you have a worse relationship with.]]
* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: Comes in two varieties: One: If your twin dies at the hands of the M/Patriarch at the cathedral and you take up their mask as the Swashbuckler (possibly including pretending you are them) Two: If you and your twin merge into one being you can pick that you are fine with that, and even get an in-universe stat boost from it.]] See Downer Ending below.
* BrightIsNotGood: Firebrand's costume is bright orange and yellow.
* CapeSnag: Averted/subverted. The text explicitly says that the Swashbuckler's cape is detachable.
* {{Cliffhanger}}: All chapters end on one. [[spoiler: The game itself can also end on one, depending what happened at the wedding. This ranges from you discovering that even from jail the M/Patriarch is pulling strings in Caledon City's underworld, to trying to find a way to un-merge you and your twin.]]
* CoolMask: The Swashbuckler wears a scarlet wrap-around mask.
* CoolSword: The Swashbuckler's saber. It's quite literally a basket-hilted lightsaber.
* CorruptCorporateExecutive: Desmond Lee [[spoiler: The King Of Diamonds]]. What would a good superhero story be without the mob boss hiding behind the mask of a legitimate businessman?
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Arguably all main characters, but most outstanding might be Firebrand. At first glance he could be mistaken as the brawns contrasting Bloodmist's brains, until you realize that while ''precision isn't his style'' (according to the MC) he [[spoiler: built a bomb with incorrectly color-coded wires on purpose, managed to set said bomb up without almost anyone noticing, and, at least in one path, learned how to direct fire's path in about two weeks]]. The MC is this too, depending how you play.
* DarkIsNotEvil: The Swashbuckler wears black and red, and is described as ''A shadow within a shadow''.
* DatingCatwoman: It is possible to romance both Bloodmist and Firebrand. [[spoiler:You may also unknowingly be doing this if the mayor turns out to be the M/Patriarch.]]
* DaywalkingVampire: Bloodmist. Might or might not have something to do with her [[VoluntaryShapeshifting shapeshifting ability]] (see below).
* DeathTrap: Courtesy of Firebrand. He feels a bit sorry for trying to kill you in a spectacular way, but ''the cause comes first''.
* DistressedDude[=/=]DamselInDistress: The plot kicks off after your twin is taken hostage by a mysterious villain. You yourself can also fall into the clutches of Firebrand, Bloodmist or the King of Diamond (netting an achievement if you manage to get [[FailureHero captured by all three in the same playthrough.]])
** Bloodmist abducts either the mayor or the reporter after the Historical Society Gala. The latter two are also held at gunpoint when either Bloodmist or Firebrands goons storm the charity auction. [[spoiler:Being sick of constantly becoming this is partly the reason why the reporter becomes the M/Patriarch.]]
* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: If your twin dies at the Cathedral and you decide to get back to your civilian life, the whole town goes to hell, with all sorts of villains now trying their luck there. Alternatively, if you and your twin merge you can go search for a way to reverse it. At the end of the game however, that search remains fruitless.]]
* ElectricTorture: Should he capture you, the King of Diamonds will do this to you in an attempt to get information about the other villains.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Firebrand will not attack churches, no matter the denomination. Also he fights tooth and claw to keep the King of Diamonds' drugs out of his district.
* EveryoneIsBi: You can romance all the possible romantic interests regardless of what you play as.
* FissionMailed: Not having the right stats to escape Firebrand's deathtrap looks like this for a moment.
* FrozenFashionSense: Bloodmist's outfits always seem slightly updated from what was en vogue decades before any given photograph of her was taken.
* HappyEnding: [[spoiler: In the best ending you capture the M/Patriarch and either go back to your civilian life, double with your twin as the Swashbuckler or become a hero in your own right. In either case you can hook up with your romantic interest and often a new hero pops up, too.]]
* HavingABlast: Firebrand, naturally.
* HealingFactor: You and your twin have this. A fractured ulna, for example, takes one week to be fully healed for you.
* HemoErotic: With Bloodmist. It's stated that her bite feels ''really good'', to the point of getting a content sigh out of the MC.
* IntrepidReporter: Rebecca/Robert Bello. To the point that [[spoiler: the fact that the Swashbuckler had to rescue them so often drove them to become the M/Patriarch in one possible path.]]
* IOwnThisTown: The King of Diamonds pretty much the King of Caledon City's underworld. That is [[spoiler: Until the M/Patriarch comes along. The sheer fact that they were able to put the KoD under their thumb, and how the underworld reacted to that (with fear) made it clear just how powerful either is]]
* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler: Can happen to Firebrand/Bloodmist and your twin.]]
* KissOfDistraction: You can pull this with Bloodmist, Firebrand and the reporter. Bloodmist pulls this on you first.
* KissOfTheVampire: Bloodmist, naturally.
* LetsGetDangerous: You. While you do have the same outstanding athletic abilities as your twin, you start out ''just'' a TV show host with no experience in crimefighting whatsoever. Does not mean you can't kick the behind of a villain threatening your station even before the story really starts.
* LightEmUp: The M/Patriarch wields light-based sorcery.
* LightIsNotGood: Three out of four villains (Firebrand (see above), The King Of Diamonds and The M/Patriarch) are wearing bright/light outfits. White and silver for the King of Diamonds. The M/Patriarch wears a robe of blinding white and uses light magic on top of that.
* LovesMyAlterEgo: Averted with the reporter's relationship with the original Swashbuckler, where it's highly implied that knowing their secret identity won't change their feelings (though your twin has no intention of ever revealing that to them.) Played straight if the player decides to create a new superhero identity and then romance the reporter while under that secret identity.
* LovableRogue: Firebrand. The money he steals? Goes to help the poor and downtrodden people of his district.
* MayorPain: [[spoiler:The mayor is one of the two characters in the game who can turn out to be the M/Patriarch.]]
* NonPoweredCostumedHero: At the start of the story there's a raging public debate about whether this applies to the Swashbuckler or not
* PlayingWithFire: Firebrand.
* PolarOppositeTwins: The beginning of the game sets you and your sibling up to be this: you're the charismatic talk show host while they're the shy recluse. You can also potentially be the someone who hates the vigilante lifestyle and would rather remain a civilian, to contrast your twin running about fighting crime as the Swashbuckler.
* SecretIdentityApathy: The villains don't seem to care much about who is behind The Swashbuckler's mask, even when they have you in their clutches. Handwaved/lampshaded at least twice, once with you musing about how Firebrand could have unmasked you but didn't, and once by a goon telling his partner it's not worth unmasking you as they probably won't know you.
* SecretRelationship: Between the original Swashbuckler and the reporter. You only find out about this after the reporter gives you a passionate smooch while you're masquerading as the Swashbuckler.
* SharingABody: [[spoiler: Can happen to you and your twin.]]
* SolomonDivorce: You and your twin are separated from each other in the wake of your parents divorcing.
* SiblingTeam: A possible ending, with two different variations. Either you debut with your own hero persona to fight alongside your twin, or both of you moonlight as the Swashbuckler.
* SiblingTriangle: Happens if you persue the reporter, who is already in a relationship with your twin.
* SuperheroesWearCapes: The Swashbuckler's cape is fire-resistant and detachable.
* SpyCatsuit: The Swashbuckler (and thus you) wears one.
* StrangerBehindTheMask: Played straight if you unmask Firebrand without discovering his identity first. Also discussed when two captors elect not to unmask you because of this (ironically, you are possibly one of the handful of people in the city who most ''will'' recognise at a glance).
* TallDarkAndHandsome: Firebrand is described as very good looking.
* TallDarkAndSnarky: Firebrand.
* TheCowl: Crosses slightly with its ''nicer'' [[TheCape counterpart]] for The Swashbuckler.
* TwinSwitch: The entire game is an extended one. If both of you decide to share the role of being the Swashbuckler in the ending, then your twin will regularly masquerade as Caledon's city most popular television personality while you're running about wearing the Swashbuckler mask.
* TwoPersonLoveTriangle: It's possible to invoke this in certain ending, where you (the Caledon City TV personality) are in love with the reporter, but chose to romance them with your hero persona (of which they don't know the true identity of).
* VillainWithGoodPublicity: Every opponent you face except Firebrand. [[spoiler: Desmond Lee, the King Of Diamonds, is a respected businessman, Sonia [=McAllister=], Bloodmist, is a wealthy and influential member of Caledon City's high society, and The M/Patriach can turn out to be either the mayor or the head of the most successful and famous society blog.]]
* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Bloodmist.
* YouCantThwartStageOne: Subverted. Playing your cards right can have you best and arrest the first villain you fight as The Swashbuckler.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Hero or Villain: Genesis]]
Written by Adrao under the ''Hosted Games'' label.
----
* {{Animorphism}}: One available power, with a list of possibilities. Even the game admits which animal you choose is mainly cosmetic and the animal powerset is very generalized (you can play as a winged rabbit or snake person).
* BoringButPractical: It doesn't give access to some of the flashier powers, but the earth powerset does let you buy superhumanly high numbers in every stat. In most instances such mundane things as high strength, health and armor as just as good, if not better, than a bunch of zappy powers.
* ElementalPowers: The powersets include some based on the classic four elements, plus [[LightEmUp light]], [[CastingAShadow darkness]] and [[TimeMaster time]].
* GadgeteerGenius: One available power. Your inventions can be loose or built into a suit of PoweredArmor.
* GravityMaster: Besides SuperStrength and causing earthquakes, the earth powerset involves this.
* GuideDangIt: You ''really'' need to pay attention to all the rules and prompts that show up, especially in rolling up your character's powers. For instance when playing as a PoweredArmor character, some options for your suit aren't even shown unless you first buy a massive boost to your Intelligence stat. Because apparently you wouldn't have been able to invent that without the really high Intelligence in the first place.
* HealingFactor: Another available power, comes in slow and fast versions.
* MagicMeteor: How all the heroes and villains in the game got their powers. A giant meteor was going to hit Earth, was blown to pieces, and everyone who developed powers found one of the pieces.
* PointBuildSystem: Besides the general questions/choices to generate your character's stats typical of the system, you have a variable amount of "hero points" depending on the difficulty setting you pick for the game. These are spent on things like available powers, higher stats, and starting money reserve.
* PowerLevels: All the enhanced individuals are rated on a scale depending on the strenght of their powers, with number 1 being the most powerful known and counting down from there. The player's will vary depending on the difficulty level they choose at the beginning. Good luck reading the ranking system unless you can count in Japanese, though.
* VillainProtagonist: Sound like fun? Go for it!
* WallCrawl: One available mobility power, depending on the set you pick.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Hollywood Visionary]]
Written by Aaron A. Reed where you are a movie producer attempting to make your dream project against the backdrop of the UsefulNotes/FallOfTheStudioSystem and the RedScare.
----
* AcclaimedFlop: Only possible if [[spoiler: you're blacklisted]]. Otherwise, the ending doesn't actually distinguish between critical and commercial success - both roads lead to an Oscar. [[invoked]]
* AdorablyPrecociousChild: Your niece. When she first appears on the studio lot, your character expects her to ask about the movie stars, but she surprises your character by being an expert in filmmaking lingo and technical jargon as well as the more obscure parts of the movie industry, and she spends time trying to be useful and helpful to those around her. Also, if you have a good relationship with her, [[spoiler:she'll spy on Croghan for you to find out if his picture is a rip-off of yours or not.]]
** However, there's one subversion near the end: if you spend enough time with your niece, and you promise her that you can keep a secret, she tells you that she doesn't think she's as precocious and smart as others think she is, since [[spoiler:she can't read unless she really forces herself, and in fact she's only been able to turn in homework because she's been paying a boy in her class to write down what she says (but just writing it down; she still comes up with the answers herself).]]
* AllohistoricalAllusion: Several achievements are awarded for re-creating RealLife films, such as "Master of Suspense" ([[spoiler:get Creator/AlfredHitchcock to direct a horror or suspense film with a celebrity lead]]), "[[Film/SomeLikeItHot Like It Hot]]" ([[spoiler:get Creator/BillyWilder to direct a comedy with a cross-dressing lead]]) and "[[Film/TheTenCommandments Commanding]]" ([[spoiler:get Creator/CecilBDeMille to direct a widescreen religious epic in color]]).
* AlwaysFemale: Your sister Romana, and your niece (the only character whose name is customizable but whose gender is not).
* AlwaysMale: Fish Grundy, Lloyd Croghan, Rep. Jonathan Creed, and Prince Faisal Raqim.
* AnachronismStew: The game is set in TheFifties. Most of the background fluff (UsefulNotes/TheKoreanWar is ongoing, UsefulNotes/TheHollywoodBlacklist is at its height, a Congressional committee is actively rooting out Communist agents, the Paramount Decision has opened the door for independent filmmakers to reach a wide audience of theater-goers) implies a setting in the early fifties, but several of the movies listed in the dossiers of actors and directors were released later in the decade, and your niece at one point makes a reference to ''Series/LeaveItToBeaver'', considered emblematic of TheFifties but not actually broadcast until 1957.\\
\\
That said, most hints indicate the game takes place in 1952-53. "Eisenhower's America" is mentioned in such a way as to imply it's a new thing (he was elected on November 4, 1952, and inaugurated on January 20, 1953), the Korean War ended in mid-1953, and [[spoiler: the Academy Awards ceremony in one of the game's possible endings is explicitly said to be the first broadcast on television - which historically was the 25th Academy Awards ceremony, held on March 19, 1953. Oddly, Spencer Tracy, who presents you with your award, was not a presenter at that ceremony in RealLife.]] The Army-[=McCarthy=] hearings of 1954 would precipitate the decline of Communist witch-hunts, making a setting after that point unlikely.
* ArabOilSheikh: Prince Faisal Raqim is an oil sheikh from [[{{Qurac}} a small (and unnamed) country somewhere on the Arabian peninsula]]. Despite being heir to the throne, he's far more interested in the Hollywood social scene, and has made a name for himself as an investor in several film productions.
* BadBoss: Lloyd Croghan, who's callous and inflexible, but also competent [[spoiler: and ultimately fair-minded]].
** You can become one of these if you mistreat your crew (leading to a strike action).
* BiTheWay: You can choose to seduce two of your three potential backers[[note]]the third, your sister Romana, is obviously off-limits[[/note]], Prince Faisal and Greta Garbo, regardless of your own gender - the latter is the only historical figure you can seduce. (Garbo is widely believed to have been bisexual.)
* BlackBestFriend: Fish Grundy.
* BookDumb:
** Your niece, who hates school and would rather spend time on the studio lot. [[spoiler: It's later revealed that this is because she's dyslexic.]]
** The Grip is also this - a genius film technician who didn't graduate high school.
* CastingCouch: You can't do this outright, but you ''can'' have a relationship with the Actor.
* CoolUncle: You can be one, for your niece.
* DistantFinale: Two of the game's five endings take place decades after the rest of the game.
* DuelingShows: In-universe. Around when you get your initial visit from the HUAC you find out that by ''complete coincidence'' the studio you just quit is making a big-budget version of the same idea your movie's about.
* EternalSexualFreedom: While [[MediaWatchdog Jonathan Creed]] can ask you about homosexual liaisons, ''nobody'' else cares, and you can have a gay relationship of your own or a QueerRomance film without it raising a single actual blip of [[RedScare Communist suspicion]] against you.
* ExecutiveMeddling: {{Invoked}}. You face attempts at this from the MediaWatchdog Jonathan Creed. Later, your backer may make demands in exchange for saving your studio.
* FirstGirlWins: The first character whose gender you can select (usually an indication of a LoveInterest in the ''Choice'' games) is the assistant, but the game instead focuses on a LoveTriangle with the Actor and the Grip, keeping your relationship with the assistant platonic. [[spoiler: However, if you don't end up with either the Actor ''or'' the Grip at the premiere, you are presented with an opportunity to start dating the assistant. The achievement for this is even called "You All Along".]]
* GiftedlyBad: You, if you choose to work in the field where your skills are lacking. [[spoiler: Also, films that really suck in some aspect have a way of becoming [[CultClassic Cult Classics]].]]
* Creator/GretaGarbo: An old friend of your character. You once did her a favor and you have the opportunity to call it in when your studio needs money. As is prominently featured in the game's advertising, one of the ways you can sweet-talk her into giving you more money is to seduce her.
* HypercompetentSidekick: The assistant, who was your personal assistant at Croghan's studio and followed you after you quit. At numerous points in the game, your character makes clear that the assistant's help is basically the only thing allowing the movie to happen.
* LowestCommonDenominator: You can choose for your movie to appeal to these sorts of people. The game's stats counter diplomatically describes such films as "accessible" (in contrast to "intellectual"). However, if you do, you'll lose points with the critics, who aren't afraid to call it lowbrow (or worse). [[invoked]]
* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Averted, for the most part - real Hollywood celebrities of the era are featured in the game, and you can even cast them in your movie.
* OneStatToRuleThemAll: While ''you'' don't necessarily need to have any skill at this (talent can be hired), skillful [[spoiler: editing]] can fix any and all problems that rise up on the set. Do what you need to to get the film made, and work out the kinks [[spoiler: in post-production]].
* OnlyOneName: Your assistant is the only character with a customizable name who doesn't have a last name. You can assign first ''and'' last names to yourself, the Actor, and the Grip, but not the assistant. (You can choose your niece's first name, but her last name is always Frazier.)
* OscarBait: If you ignore a film's commercial viability and instead play for critical success.
* RedScare: One of the game's overarching plotlines. You can play as a staunch anti-communist or an unapologetic Red - or anywhere in between. If you're unapologetic or uncooperative enough, you ''will'' be blacklisted.
* SeriouslyScruffy: The assistant.
* ShoutOut: To ''Film/EdWood'' - there's a scene where Creator/OrsonWelles gives you a pep talk very similar to the one he gives Ed Wood in the film.
* SmokingGun: The fire investigation discovers a piece of evidence that the conflagration which nearly brought down your studio was, in fact, arson. [[spoiler: It was a Diego cigar - Croghan's brand - leading you to believe he tried to sabotage your studio, but it turns out he stopped smoking cigars some time before.]]
* StartMyOwn: The game opens with you leaving Lloyd Croghan's studio to start your own, in order to bring your dream project to life.
* TitleDrop: One of the default choices for the name of your studio is "Hollywood Visionary".
* TroubledProduction: It wouldn't be much of a game if your project ran smoothly. This is {{exaggerated}} if Crew Stress is high, as a crew that's going insane won't have good Craft. [[invoked]]
* TypeCasting: Indulging in this does wonders for the quality of your film's acting. This doesn't work for directors, though - A-list directors will excel at making pretty much any kind of movie, even if you have Creator/AlfredHitchcock direct a romantic comedy or Creator/BillyWilder direct an epic adventure film. [[invoked]]
* VindicatedByHistory: If you're blacklisted, your film ''will'' bomb (theater chains just won't give it a chance), but it can be this. [[invoked]]
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: [[spoiler: Although Croghan is exonerated from arson and industrial sabotage, it's ultimately never revealed who tried to burn down your studio.]]
* {{Workaholic}}: You can be one. [[spoiler: Work too hard and you'll end up having a heart attack.]]
* YouGetWhatYouPayFor: Across the board, "budget" talent is inferior to A-list talent, though usually their weaknesses can be overcome if you make the right choices during production. [[spoiler: But don't scrimp on the film editing - the cheaper the editor, the fewer opportunities you have to alter the film ''and'' the more likely an alteration can backfire.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: It's Killing Time]]
Written by Eric Bonholtzer.
----
* BigBad: [[spoiler:Jenkin Yoshinobu, the father of the woman who killed herself after you killed her boyfriend in Beijing. It was his idea for the Phoenix to hire Boris to destroy his own crew. Depending on your previous choices, after taking revenge on or forgiving Boris, you may or may not have an opportunity to travel to Japan and decapitate Yoshinobu.]]
* TheChessmaster: If you play an assassin with a high Intelligence stat, your character specializes in coming up with clever strategies to pull off your assassinations.
* ColdSniper: You can play as this if you have a high Ranged Weapons stat and a high Ruthlessness or high Discipline stat.
* CulturedBadass: You can play as this if you have a high Intelligence stat, since increasing your intelligence requires a lot of reading of literature, or if you take special enjoyment in the sights and culture of the places you visit.
* GoodOldFisticuffs: If you have a high Strength/Hand-to-Hand stat, your character is better at close-range fighting.
* TheHandler: Usually your boss, Boris, but sometimes it'll be one of your teammates.
* HiredGuns: Your player character, and everyone in The Syndicate.
* HitmanWithAHeart: You can play as this if you have a high Righteousness stat.
* HolyHitman: You can play as this if your assassin player character frequently attends church.
* TheMole: Later, it becomes clear that someone in your organization is working against you. There are several clues that the mole is [[spoiler:Miller]], but it turns out [[spoiler:this is a RedHerring.]] The mole actually turns out to be [[spoiler:your handler Boris, who was hired by the Phoenix to destroy his own crew, an offer he accepted both because of the enormous amount of money and because standing up to the Fallen Angels would've been suicide.]]
* MurderInc: The Syndicate, the group your character works for.
* MyGreatestFailure: Your player character eventually has a dream flashback to a previous mission in Beijing (you can resist having this dream the first time, but the second time you have no choice but to dream about it). Played with, as your character did successfully complete the mission and kill your target; the "failure" was [[spoiler:completely accidental collateral damage, as once the target's girlfriend walked in and saw that her boyfriend was dead, she threw herself out the window and killed herself in despair.]]
* OnlyInItForTheMoney: A possible motivation for your player character if he/she doesn't care who he/she kills, as long as the money is good.
* ProfessionalKiller: Your player character, and everyone in The Syndicate.
* PsychoForHire: You can play as this if you have a high Psychotic level, and also to an extent if you have a high Ruthlessness level.
* RealityEnsues: The Syndicate is built around lone assassins with unique fighting styles and signature weapons. This style and variety makes it difficult for them when they have to train as a group.
* RedHerring: There are a few clues pointing to the idea that [[spoiler:Miller is working against you. Miller refuses to talk about his past, you find grenades and a Fallen Angels headband in his bag, and he conveniently shows up late after an attack kills many of your teammates citing the reason as needing to check on his niece. As it turns out, while he ''used'' to be a member of the Fallen Angels, he left them when they became too sadistic. Also, while some hoodlums show up late in the story looking for Miller, it's due to an unrelated matter, and Miller has been genuinely on your side the whole time. There ''is'' a traitor in your organization, but it isn't Miller.]]
* RomanceSidequest: You can potentially pursue a relationship with one of your fellow assassins, though only one of them will agree to a relationship (who it is depends on your choices). [[spoiler:The leader of the Fallen Angels, the Phoenix, may also try to tempt you into a relationship depending on your choices.]]
* ShoutOut: While in the prologue, your character spots [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes a snake lying nearby]]. If you opt to cover it, you first lay hands on [[Franchise/IndianaJones a beat-up fedora]].
* TalkingYourWayOut: Your character is good at this if you have a high Improvisation stat, although there are a few bluffs that may require Intelligence as well such as [[spoiler:convincing the man with the harpoon gun during the Bora Bora mission to take only some of your money, thinking he's taking all of it.]]
* WeHelpTheHelpless: Your player character can have this as his/her motivation if your player character's motivations center around ridding the world of corrupt bad guys and giving the justice the law sometimes can't provide.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: The Last Monster Master]]
Written by Ben Serviss.
----
* BigBadFriend: [[spoiler:Your player character was friends with Alumig as a child, and if you were either an orphan or an outcast Alumig was your ''only'' friend. But he becomes a main villain later.]]
* TheBully: The lanky monster (whose name you can determine) acts like this at first to the small monster and the muscular monster, but you can talk her out of it.
* TheDragon: [[spoiler:Orlich. He thinks he's a (well-intentioned) BigBad, but he got a lot of help from Alumig, and Alumig had plans of his own.]]
* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler:At the climax, Alumig attempts to cause two of your monsters to abandon you and join Alumig's cause, it will always be the two monsters who have the least affinity for you. However, it's possible to talk your monsters into remaining with you, and you get an achievement for preventing their turn.]]
* GambitPileup: The last battle is a circus as everyone's attempts to control [[spoiler: the monster army]] crash headlong into one another.
* GuideDangIt: How the ending is determined is not explained outside of the code. [[spoiler: It depends on your Compassion/Discipline meter and on which of four stats you've trained the most.]]
* HelloInsertNameHere: Like all Choice of Games games, you can name your player character, but in a case notable enough to list this trope here, you can name each of the four monsters you train, as well.
* HippieTeacher: You can play as this type of trainer if you have a high Compassion stat.
* InherentInTheSystem: Humans' treatment of monsters is essentially slavery, but the fact is that untamed monsters ''are'' wild and dangerous to humans, and only certain humans have the necessary telepathic ability to communicate with and tame them. [[spoiler: It's possible to build a more equitable society once monsters break their chains. It's also rather easy to screw things up.]]
* LoveTriangle: [[spoiler:Eventually, the horse monster and the muscular monster will develop feelings for each other. If you break them up, the horse monster will hook up with the small monster afterwards, much to the muscular monster's dismay. If you don't break them up, the horse monster and the muscular monster will remain together, much to the small monster's dismay.]]
* RedHerring: [[spoiler:The story begins with you having to calm down a monster named Tansiat from throwing tantrums over frustration with his job. Since your friend Alumig is much more accepting of his position, you're led to believe that Tansiat will become a problem later on. It's actually ''Alumig'' who later turns, after hearing the arguments of the foreign monsters.]]
* TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized: [[spoiler: Both groups of rebel monsters fit. "The rebels" are a BarbarianHorde who want to burn everything down, while Alumig is a would-be fascist dictator. And even if you beat both of them, the monster army will still establish a new system ''not'' based on Monster Masters, which can be just as bad as the old system or worse if you don't [[GuideDangIt know exactly what you're doing when raising your monsters]].]]
* SadistTeacher: You can play as this type of trainer if you have a high Discipline stat and a low Respect stat.
* StarterVillain: Your first task is to try to calm down a monster named Tansiat, who is throwing tantrums because he is fed up with his job as Treasure Guardian.
* SternTeacher: You can play as this type of trainer if you have a high Discipline stat and a high Respect stat.
* TitleDrop: [[spoiler: In the ending, you will always be "the last Monster Master."]]
* VillainHasAPoint: [[spoiler: Alumig is trying to free monsters from human rule. While that isn't entirely a good thing, and he ''is'' a JerkAss who's mostly using the cause for his own ambition, he has a point that human treatment of monsters gets oppressive at times.]]
* WellIntentionedExtremist: Late in the story, [[spoiler:Orlich attempts to take over Granaugh and enlist the monsters in his army, reasoning that he needs to do whatever is necessary to fight the Brugarnns.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Mecha Ace]]
Written by Paul Wang.
----
* AceCustom: You and Hawkins both start with customized versions of standard-issue mecha before possibly upgrading to [[SuperPrototype Super Prototypes]].
* AcePilot: You. You start the game with 60 confirmed kills, and go up to 63 before you need to make any choices.
* AFatherToHisMen: The veteran player character can help guide both Asadi and Watanabe through difficult moments.
* AntiFrustrationFeature: Unlike other titles from the company, this one has various Checkpoint saves to allow players to more easily explore the branching storylines.
* AlwaysFemale[=/=] AlwaysMale: The player can either randomize the genders of any love interests or choose each major character's gender, but Captain Baelyn is always female, while her former classmate Star Marshal Nicholas Steele and Doctor William Chatham are always male. [[spoiler:If you're captured by the enemy near the end, the interrogator seeking information from you is also always male.]]
* AudienceSurrogate: Watanabe if you choose to spend time with him/her (in Mecha Ace, genders of major characters are either randomized or chosen by the player) when not in battle, as your player character can explain basics to him/her such as when it's necessary to follow rules and what is done with casual clothing while in military service.
* BirdsOfAFeather: The love interests generally prefer player characters who have similar dispositions and alignments to their own--Weaver will only accept your advances if you're more Disciplined than Passionate, Hawkins will only show interest in a Warrior instead of a Diplomat, and so on.
* BloodKnight: Commandant Hawkins definitely, with a side order of SpiritedCompetitor. Ensign Asadi also fits [[spoiler:at least at first glance]]. And of course, you can be one yourself--in fact, you have to, to romance Hawkins or Asadi.
* BlueBlood: The Imperial military is neatly divided into two categories--those who have this, and those who don't. Usually those of noble birth are higher ranking, simply due to their status and wealth. Commandant Hawkins is of noble birth, but unlike most, they ''earned'' their way to their position.
* BottomlessMagazines: Averted - the game makes a point of detailing when the Lance-group needs to refuel or resupply on ammunition.
* TheChainsOfCommanding: You can definitely play it this way. [[spoiler: Ensign Asadi gets hit by this pretty hard after he/she nearly gets the squad killed during his/her first command.]]
* BridgeBunnies: Watanabe, who becomes a rare male example of this group if he's a guy.
* CharClone: Commandant Hawkins is the mysterious blond masked rival, though their color scheme is blue instead of red.
* ColdBloodedTorture: [[spoiler:The PlayerCharacter is subjected to this after their capture by the Imperial military. They can crack at any point, or resist it to the end, with potentially permanent damage to their piloting hand.]]
* CompetitiveBalance: Depending on which stat you raise the most, your ideal fighting style will be a little different:
** CloseRangeCombatant: With a high Piloting stat, which makes you faster and improves your melee skills, you'll be better at winning melee skirmishes up close.
** LongRangeFighter: With a high Perception stat, which makes it easier to detect enemies and improves your ranged skills, you'll be better at ranged combat, sniping enemies from afar.
** StoneWall: With a high Willpower stat, you'll be able to take more hits and keep your cool under fire, which can later open up strategies such as charging into the middle of enemies and marking targets for the ''Caliburn'' to fire missiles at [[spoiler:although, word of warning, a high Willpower build has no reliable way of retrieving the prototype early on without losing a member of your lance, so Willpower is more useful later than it is early]].
** LethalJokeCharacter: With a high Presence stat, you're better able to lead the members of your lance, but your combat skills won't be ideal...''however'', having a high Presence also increases your persuasive skills, allowing you to outright ''skip'' some battles. [[spoiler: It's also ''required'' to have high Presence in order to save every named character ''and'' Crown Station.]]
* DirtyCoward: Commandant Hawkins will accuse you of being this, although not in exact words, if you flee from your first encounter with him/her and/or if in your second encounter you have your lances fight Hawkins instead of you.
** If you play with a more warrior mentality, this will be your opinion on enemies who retreat or flee--playing with a diplomatic mentality means you simply see them as being pragmatic.
** [[spoiler:You can flee from the final battle for Crown Station, but doing this gets you a bad ending, as you've left your fellows to die and left the rebellion to fall, and your character ends up spending his/her days drinking in a bar, filled with regrets.]]
* CryIntoChest: Watanabe's does this during their final romance scene.
* DownerEnding: No matter what choices you make, no matter how many people die, most of the endings are at least bittersweet. However, if you [[spoiler: side with Hawkins and self-destruct the Lightbringer]], you and your love interest end up as hard, joyless pirates with no real future, and the protagonist bitterly reflects that the philosophy they followed was deeply wrong.
** If you choose to [[spoiler:flee the battle for Crown Station, the game ends prematurely, with your character DrowningTheirSorrows in a bar on a backwater planet, full of regrets.]]
* EarnYourHappyEnding: It takes a lot of work and a very specific character build, but if you make the right choices it is possible for your entire squad, [[spoiler: the millions of civilians aboard Crown Station]], and every other named character to survive.
** [[spoiler:Hawkins]] is the hardest LoveInterest to keep with you and have a happy ending, but if you do, it pays off big time, especially [[spoiler:in the "ceasefire" ending]].
* EnergyWeapon: Both sides have access to [[LaserBlade Plasma Cutters]], but [=CoDEC=] has a monopoly on long-range particle rifles. They're also developing the particle storm rifle, which allows for BeamSpam from a single mech. Unusually, {{The Empire}}'s [[SharpenedToASingleAtom monomolecular]] hand weapons are considered superior to ordinary beam weapons in single combat, mostly due to the extremely fine control and rapid cutting power they bring to the table.
* EscortMission: [[MultipleChoicePast One of the backstory options]] has you rising to fame after pulling off the escort mission from Hell: single handedly defending around a dozen fleeing civilian transports from three enemy lances, with each lance consisting of around seven units.
* EveryoneHasStandards: Commandant Hawkins expresses disgust at [[spoiler:the Lightbearer, especially for its [[EarthShatteringKaboom use]] on Crown Station]], stating there's no honor in targeting unarmed civilians.
* ExcitedTitleTwoPartEpisodeName: Chapters are titled in this matter, much like mecha anime episodes.
* FlawedPrototype: The Lionheart has some very buggy piloting software that chokes when the Lionheart goes to full speed, and fixing that means installing [[PowerLimiter limiters]] that make it move as slowly as a mook mech.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: In your first battle with them, Hawkins makes a point of mentioning your 'lion's heart'. Now take guess of what the codename for that shiny new prototype you've liberated is...
* FunWithAcronyms: TheFederation is properly known as the Coalition of Democratic Extrasolar Colonies, or [=CoDEC=] for short.
* GenderBlenderName: For most of the characters whose gender can be chosen or randomized, while their surnames remain the same, their "given names" change depending on whether they're male or female. But in Commandant Hawkins' case, whether they're a man or a woman, their given name will always be Camille.
* GenreDeconstruction: The game isn't shy about taking potshots at tropes that the author doesn't like (such as NoPlansNoPrototypeNoBackup, or the idea that aces are some kind of superhuman Newtype), and it does its best to [[JustifiedTrope justify]] the existence of combat armatures in the vein of the original {{Franchise/Gundam}}.
* GetAHoldOfYourselfMan: You can do this to [[spoiler: Watanabe]], and even get an achievement for it.
* GrandTheftPrototype: Multiple cases, ''starting'' with stealing one of your side's prototypes ''back'' from the Empire. Oh, and the achievement for hijacking said prototype mid-fight is actually ''called'' GrandTheftPrototype.
* GreyAndGrayMorality: While TheEmpire is a corrupt, stagnant monolith kept in line with fear, secret police, and brute force, and TheFederation are the [[LaResistance scrappy underdog fighting for democracy and progress]], the Imperial Navy has a strong tradition of "honorable" conduct that [=CoDEC=] doesn't always share, and a Warrior player can repeatedly commit what essentially amount to war crimes without even a slap on the wrist from his or her superiors.
* HeroicBSOD: Early on, you're required to select one of four weaknesses to make your character imperfect (which, in stat terms, will reduce one of your stats to 1). One of the choices is "Combat shakes", which causes your character's teeth to grind and hands to freeze at the controls due to the stress of constant war, and to demonstrate the weakness right away, you have a heroic BSOD as an enemy mech is about to fight you, requiring Asadi to shoot it down to rescue you.
* HonorBeforeReason: A fatal flaw of the Imperials, as "dishonorable" tactics such as flanking and ambushes are considered beneath them.
* HotBlooded: You, if you have a high Passion score. This also fits Asadi to a T. In Asadi's case, [[spoiler:it's deconstructed, as his/her recklessness nearly gets their lance killed in their first command, leaving them shaken]].
* HumongousMecha: Do we really need to spell it out?
* JackOfAllStats: Of the three starting mechs, the aging-but-reliable Pictus is the most versatile and performs well for characters whose builds haven't focused on either Piloting, the close combat stat, or Perception, the most important ranged combat stat.
** MasterOfNone: However, it is thoroughly outclassed when up against Commandant Hawkins's AceCustom duelist mech.
* LoveRedeems: If you romance Hawkins. Though this is a downplayed example; while love caused them to turn their back on TheEmpire, they haven't abandoned their BloodKnight philosophy which drove them to villiany in the first place. Even in what is arguably the GoldenEnding, it's implied that the only thing stopping them from trying to start another war is because the uphill battle to maintain the fragile peace is currently sating their desire for combat.
* MacrossMissileMassacre: Play your cards right and you can send a send heavy missiles from the Caliburn in Hawkins' direction during your second battle with him/her. The achievement is even called "Itano Circus" in the code.
* AMechByAnyOtherName: They're called "Armatures".
* MohsScaleOfScienceFictionHardness: Around 2.5 to 3, as befits a RealRobotGenre story.
* NecessaryDrawback: Early on, during a battle, you're required to select from one of four weaknesses that causes you to falter, requiring your team to bail you out. This is a gameplay element to reduce one of your stats to make up for an earlier choice that increased one of them. The weaknesses you can choose are being outmaneuvered by a superior pilot (reduces your Piloting), being blindsided by an enemy you didn't detect (reduces your Perception), losing the ability to command the others (reduces your Presence), or the "combat shakes" (reduces your Willpower).
* MyCountryRightOrWrong: One of the possible motivations the protagonist might have for fighting is because their home planet sided with TheFederation.
* NewMeat: Watanabe, an OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent who's suddenly gets thrust into a post on a Rebellion warship thanks to war and meddling parents. Thought they do grow out of this over the course of the game.
* PrecisionFStrike: If you use a convoluted argument to talk Hawkins into retreating instead of getting into a second duel.
-->'''Asadi:''' "Boss? What the fuck just happened?"
* {{Reconstruction}}: The CharClone of the game, Camille Hawkins, reconstructs the [[CoolMask Masked Warrior]]. The mask isn't there to hide their identity from anyone, it's something they wear to ''display'' who they are, like a knight's helm.
* SadisticChoice: During the Battle of Crown Station, once [[spoiler: the Lightbringer comes online]]. The Lieutenant Commander must choose between saving ten million innocent people aboard Crown Station, or the retreating battlefleet, including, potentially, his or her love interest. [[spoiler: And the best [[TakeAThirdOption third option]] available, offering oneself as a hostage to the enemy admiral in exchange for breaking off the assault on the retreat ''and'' not firing the Lightbringer, requires high Presence to pull off. Alternatively, you can sacrifice your squadron to save the other objective, which still fits this trope.]]
* ShoutOut: The game is absolutely studded with shout-outs.
** The aforementioned GoldenEnding? The achievement for it is called [[Series/DoctorWho "Just]] [[EverybodyLives this Once."]]
** [[spoiler: Watanabe]] quotes [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam Amuro Ray]] word for word if you BrightSlap him/her.
** [[spoiler: If you save Crown Station from destruction]] you get the achievement [[Film/PacificRim "Apocalypse: Cancelled".]]
** An achievement for painting your mech red? "The Red Comet."
** If you romance your bridge controller, you get an achievement called [[Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion "I will (not) abandon you..."]]
** Maxed your melee combat skill? The achievement for that is [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWars "The Sword that Cleaves Evil"]].
** Complete the game with a single gender cast? [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam0083StardustMemory (Wo)Men of Destiny.]]
** One of the achievements is titled "[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ Anime Ja Nai!]]"
** One of the default names you can give your character is [[Creator/YoshiyukiTomino Yoshiyuki Tomino]].
** Your character's ID begins with "[[Anime/MobileSuitGundam RX-782]]".
** If you max out your player character's ranged combat capabilities, you'll earn an achivement called "The White Death". While the White Death is the nickname of Demar Griffe from ''After War Gundam X'', that character actually specializes in using a "beam knife"; the achievement title is a better shout-out to UsefulNotes/SimoHayha, the real-life Finnish marksman also known as the "White Death".
** The achievement name for the DownerEnding is "[[https://youtu.be/ZIwzRkjn86w ...On a Halifax Pier]]".
** Another pair of default names are [[TabletopGame/BattleTech Alexander and Natasha Kerensky.]]
** Having a high reputation nets the achievement "[[Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann Who the Hell...]]"[[note]]Do you think '''we are'''!?[[/note]]
** The achievement for romancing your wingman/woman? "[[Film/TopGun Beach Volleyball]]".
** Apart from being a {{CharClone}}, Hawkins is a ''also'' a [[Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam blue themed ace pilot named Camille.]]
* ShrinkingViolet: Watanabe is very shy and stuttery when you first meet them.
* SlasherSmile: At one point, [[spoiler:Commandant Hawkins]] is described as giving a "grim slash" that is "predatory, intimidating, and nothing like a smile."
* StandardSciFiHistory: It fits the broad outline of the earliest parts of the timeline, though TheEmpire is actually a degraded [[OneNationUnderCopyright corporate]]-[[ObstructiveBureaucrat bureaucratic]] entity that has degenerated into a stagnant feudal entity, and TheFederation is starting to emerge as a way to derail it into something more in line with a RealRobotGenre setting.
* StarbucksSkinScale: Asadi is described as having "skin the colour of milk tea".
* SubspaceAnsible: Downplayed. It never gets mentioned in the main story, but if you read through the tech database it explains that ansibles are very rare and use [[QuantumMechanicsCanDoAnything quantum entanglement]] to allow instantaneous communication between planets in different solar systems.
* SuperPrototype: The Lionheart [[spoiler:and the Roland on the imperial side.]] However, the concept is also sporked when its designer points out that they can just make more Lionheart units if you get shot down. Also, it may not be as "super" as your own AceCustom. [[spoiler: You're still required to use the Lionheart anyway past a certain point.]]
** Also played with in that, [[RealityEnsues like many real prototypes]], it has issues that haven't been ironed out yet, as noted above under FlawedPrototype.
* TakeAThirdOption: During the attack on Crown Station, your two main options are to try to take out as many Imperial troops as possible or [[spoiler:make a desperate run on the Lightbearer]]. Though there is also another avenue of action, which is to [[spoiler:storm the Imperial command ship in order to force the commander to do your bidding.]] Taking the third option here leads to ''another'' instance of this trope - [[spoiler:if you manage to get Commander at riflepoint, you can either bargain with him to spare Crown Station, spare the Rebellion fleet...or use your sliver tongue to attempt to get him to spare ''both''.]]
** At the climax of the game [[spoiler:after you wrest control of the Lightbearer from Hawkins, you can follow the original plan of using it against the Imperial fleet, turn traitor and use it to wipe out the rebels or let both sides know that you've got control of the [[BiggerStick biggest stick]] in the war and that they should stand down posthaste if they know what's good for them.]]
* TalkingTheMonsterToDeath: Gather the right information and have the right stats, and it's possible to skip the a number of fights with Hawkins. [[spoiler: The first involves playing on his or her [[BloodKnight nature]], talking about how you've been on patrol for days and are so tired you won't give him/her the fight s/he wants. The second involves either demonstrating that his/her philosophy is deeply flawed or telling him/her that you love them and don't want to see them like this. The latter, obviously, is only possible if you're in a romance with them.]]
* TearsOfJoy: Watanabe sheds them after laying eyes on the protagonist [[spoiler:for the first time after the latter escapes from Imperial captivity]]
* {{Ubermensch}}: Commandant Hawkins is a [[WarriorPoet philosophical warrior]] who believes that humanity can only become strong through conflict and warfare. [[spoiler: In one ending, they change their motivation to a constant struggle ''against'' war.]]
* WaveMotionGun: [[spoiler:The Lightbearer, the super-weapon of the Imperials, which is capable of destroying over ''half'' the CoDec military fleet in one shot. Capturing it is key ending the war, as you can either use it to destroy the Imperial fleet, intimidate them into an unconditional surrender, or threaten both sides into a ceasefire.]]
* WorthyOpponent: Commandant Hawkins sees you this way. Can become FriendlyEnemy and outright FoeYay if you play your cards right.
* YouOweMe: If you're out-maneuvered by an enemy pilot during the first battle, Asadi will quip this after they bail you out.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: MetaHuman Inc.]]
Written by Paul Gresty.
---
* AerithAndBob: There are character names like Winston Q and Anaru Katariki, and then there are names like Robert Leach and Philip Mace.
* AndIMustScream: [[spoiler: Don't tick off the board of directors. Just...don't.]]
* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: If you fail to stop the invasion of the Surgeons]] but end up getting approval from the executives on how good of a job you did over the course of a year as a CEO. Knowing the certain future really puts a damper on the praise...
* CutLexLuthorACheck: Interestingly, the premise of [=MetaHuman=] Inc. is about avoiding this trope--the company that unexpectedly appoints you as CEO has access to supernatural wizardry and super-science technology, and the company is pragmatic enough to sell these superpowers off to the highest bidder.
* DealWithTheDevil: [[spoiler: For you, taking the powers offered by [=MetaHuman=] is this, binding you to the will of the Board of Directors. If you don't take any enhancements, then if they decide to eliminate you in the ending, they have to back down and let you go free.]]
* DoWellButNotPerfect: Downplayed. [[spoiler: If you ''don't'' want to remain as CEO, you want to shoot for a medium score. Too high, and [[ResignationsNotAccepted the shareholders won't want to let you go]]. Too low, and the shareholders [[YouHaveFailedMe won't let you go for a different reason]]. If you like the job, of course, you want to do well.]]
* DownerEnding: Dying [[spoiler: in the Surgeons' world either protecting Katariki or fighting along side him as the Surgeons close in due to not having what you needed to stop them. Being trapped in a picture by the board also counts]].
* EpicFail: [[spoiler: Try to get Marc Bonnin to embezzle company money for you when he's actually not guilty of anything, and he'll rat you out to the shareholders. This is ''not'' good for your evaluation, though it's possible to partially weasel out of it.]]
* GayOption: Brett Golightly for a male PC, and Robyn for a female one.
* HappyEnding: [[spoiler: Saving the world from the Surgeons' invasion]] and getting praised for doing such a good job as a CEO. You're even offered to continue working as a CEO. Plus, getting your preferred love interest.
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler: You, possibly, if you choose to stay behind and cause a distraction with the Surgeons for Katariki so he can close the portal from their world to Earth's world. However, if you go close the portal and Katariki stays behind, he becomes this trope.]]
* HonestyIsTheBestPolicy: How you can choose to run [=MetaHuman=] Inc. and be as a CEO.
* IntrepidReporter: Robyn Goodchild
* MegaCorp: [=Metahuman=] Inc. fits this, complete with heavily-armed black ops teams who lethally protect corporate secrets and terminate liabilities. While it's institutionally villainous, you ''can'' turn it in a more compassionate, candid direction.
* MercyKill: When you travel into a future [[spoiler: Seattle in a world taken over by Surgeons]], you come upon a [[spoiler: human transforming into a Surgeon]]. He pleads with you to kill him before he turns completely. It's your choice whether you do it or not.
* NaiveNewcomer: You. You're thrust into a CEO position when the former CEO has suddenly disappeared with no former training and without warning.
* NotQuiteDead: [[spoiler: Anaru Katariki]]
* TheDreaded: The exec board to you and possibly the media, if you're on their bad side. Also, if you rule the company with an iron fist without caring about your employees, this is you to them.
* TheProfessor: Professor Nemesis
* TheRival: Aaron Salt, the CEO of your rival corporation, Psion Industries.
* SecondPersonNarration
* StealingFromTheTill: It may be possible to retire with some Metahuman funds resting in your account.
* TotalitarianUtilitarian: [[spoiler: Mathematically speaking, the Surgeons' invasion is a good thing for humanity, increasing the quality of life and reducing the death rate. The price involves sacrificing "a miniscule percentage" of the population to allow the Surgeons to breed. Whether this is ultimately a good trade is up to you.]]
* YouCantThwartStageOne: You'll always be accused of stealing from [=MetaHuman=] Inc. in order to get railroaded into becoming the new CEO of the company.
* YouHaveFailedMe: The shareholders do not tolerate disloyalty or incompetence. A low-level failure will just get you fired (which may not be all that bad of an ending), but they ''will'' respond if you make a complete hash of things, and you will ''not'' like the consequences.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: A Midsummer Night's Choice]]
Written by Kreg Segall
----
* ArrangedMarriage: The reason the protagonist runs away to begin with is to escape one of these with the aged Lord/Lady Penderghast.
* BalefulPolymorph: [[spoiler:Morgan's head will be transformed into that of a rat, fox, weasel, or deer, depending on how the player answered a question in an earlier chapter. The baleful part is downplayed though; Morgan doesn't even notice until he/she has it pointed out to him/her, and it eventually goes away on its own.]]
* ChildhoodFriendRomance: If the player chooses to romance Prenzie.
* ChildhoodFriends: While the protagonist's exact age isn't revealed, the fact that they seem to be rather young and that they have known Prenzie for eight years most likely makes him/her this.
* DisguisedInDrag: If the protagonist is a man, he disguises himself as a woman for most of the game.
* EvilIsDeathlyCold: While they are not the BigBad, the protagonist gets a fairy twin made from ice and snow with quite the sadistic streak.
* FoodChains: [[spoiler: If the player tries and fails to break the grass chains binding them in the enchanted grove, they will gnaw the chains off instead. As it turns out later, this counts as eating fairy food and binds the protagonist to the forest.]]
* HalfHumanHybrid: [[spoiler: The protagonist is the result of a romantic tryst between the Duke and the Faerie Queene, making them half-fairy.]]
* HumanMomNonhumanDad: [[spoiler: Inverted. See HalfHumanHybrid above.]]
* TheJester: Prenzie, the protagonist's oldest friend and a possible love interest.
* KnightInShiningArmor: The Maroon Knight ''tries'' to be this, but usually falls short.
* MagicRealism: The first chapter is pretty grounded. But once you and Prenzie enter the forest, all bets are off and the game has one foot in reality and one in a dream world at all times.
* OptionalSexualEncounter: The protagonist can have an implied one with their snow twin if they go along with their flirtations. One FadeToBlack later, the player is putting their clothes back on with the twin sleeping nearby with a smile.
* PerfectlyArrangedMarriage: [[spoiler:If the player chooses to romance the Maroon Knight, who is Lord/Lady Penderghast in disguise.]]
* ScrewYourself: As mentioned above, the protagonist can have an implied OptionalSexualEncounter with their snow twin. There's even an achievement for it.
* ShowWithinAShow: The story is presented as a play, and the protagonist partakes in a play in one chapter. The chapter is even named "The Play Within a Play".
* SweetPollyOliver: If the protagonist is a woman, she disguises herself as a man for most of the game.
* WomanScorned: The ill health of the protagonist's father is due to [[spoiler:a curse placed on him by Faerie Queene after he left her.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: The Mysteries of Baroque]]
Written by William Brown.
----
* FirstEpisodeResurrection: The game starts with the protagonist waking up in Dr. Holofernes' laboratory after having been dead for a year.
* WhoDunnitToMe: The protagonist knows that their cousin Vincent plotted for their death but they have to discover who his accomplices were.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Neighborhood Necromancer]]
Written by Gavin Inglis.
----
* {{Jerkass}}: As part of the premise, many of the people in the player character's hometown are this. A woman cuts in front of you in the haircut line, you're overcharged for a soda while buying fish suppers for your father, etc. You can play as one yourself if you play a character with a high Corruption stat.
* FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire: [[spoiler:If you invite the vampire who visits later into your home, he turns out to be this (you even get to choose his name, since your character doesn't know the Transylanian Saxon necessary to pronounce his real one). You can ask him a couple of questions about vampires, and he can even help you get past the gate of The Base, though only as far as that.]]
* SeenItAll: [[spoiler:The police officer PC [=McMurdo=], who's seen some strange things in his day, but considers them all vulnerable to good old-fashioned police work, which he explains to you if you bolt from him if he investigates your house.]]
* TakeThat: [[spoiler:You can ask the visiting vampire what he thinks of pop culture's portrayal of vampires. He likes Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee's portrayals, cannot understand "that lady" who writes sparkly grumpy teenage vampires who cannot communicate (he is referring to, and insulting, Stephanie Meyers and the ''Twilight'' novels), and he finds the ''Buffy'' franchise to be very funny and sad, though he thinks they got vampires confused with ''The Incredible Hulk''. And finally he says Joss Whedon is a vampire himself.]]
* TheBully: The three Kendall kids, and they go even further than most examples of this trope as they attack ''an off-duty soldier'' [[spoiler:and kill him]].
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Or rather, The Reason Your Shop Sucks Speech in this case. If you command the dead to take revenge on the fish and chips shop, and if you win, then instead of killing them you have the option of lecturing them on all the ways their shop sucks and could improve.
* WhatTheHellHero: After your first day commanding the dead, you'll get a minor one from [[spoiler:the ''bean nighe'', or "banshee" as she lets you call her, since you've been commanding the dead without seeing to their hygiene. She gives you another one later, for not letting the skeletons relax on the Day of the Dead despite them putting aside the afterlife to work for you for free.]]
* WhosLaughingNow: Part of the premise. You're a kid in a suburb full of rather unpleasant people; then, circumstances give you the ability to command the dead and possibly take revenge.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:NOLA Is Burning]]
Written by Claudia Starling.
----
* BigBad: The Pitt, a rival gangster who has kidnapped your boss's wife/husband. Your player character and The Pitt used to know each other, but The Pitt has hated you ever since you stopped him from doing something especially heinous (you can choose what it was, such as torturing animals, burning down a neighbor's home, etc.).
* DamnItFeelsGoodToBeAGangster: The premise of the game casts your player character as a "headcrusher" for the New Orleans mob, and you can decide your character enjoys this if you choose.
* EtTuBrute: [[spoiler:If you attempt to kill your boss, The Bull, after rescuing Elle/Luke from The Pitt, then Elle/Luke will betray someone, but who she/he betrays depends on which option you picked when the narration asked how sure you were of Elle/Luke's feelings. If you answered that you know she/he loves you, then Elle/Luke will betray The Bull and help you kill him/her, allowing you to take over the New Orleans mob. But if you answered that you aren't sure if Elle/Luke loves you, then Elle/Luke will betray you and help The Bull kill you.]]
* InLoveWithTheGangstersGirl: Possibly played straight or GenderInverted. Depending on player choice, your boss, The Bull, is either married to a woman named Elle or a man named Luke, and since your character is in love with Elle/Luke as well, you can choose to retrieve Elle/Luke from The Pitt only in hopes of coaxing them to leave The Bull for you.
* TheMobBossIsScarier: As a "headcrusher", your player character is scary in his/her own right, but it was your boss, The Bull (whose gender you can pick), who taught you your trade.
* MobWar: Since The Pitt has kidnapped your boss's wife/husband, your boss, The Bull, is threatening that if his/her wife/husband isn't safely returned by 6AM, The Bull will turn New Orleans into a war zone. Thus, your player character needs to get Elle/Luke back safely from The Pitt before the night is over.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: You can choose for your player character to being growing sick of his/her "headcrusher" job and of the endless violence, with plans to retire from the mob for good once your mission to retrieve Elle/Luke from The Pitt is over.
* NeighbourhoodFriendlyGangsters: You can play as this if your player character consistently chooses to use words over violence.
* ThemeNaming: The Bull and The Pitt, as in pitbull terrier.
* WhatYouAreInTheDark: Your goal is to save your boss's kidnapped spouse - who you've been seeing behind their back. But who's betraying whom? (see Et Tu Brute).
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Pendragon Rising]]
Written by Ian Thomas.
----
* ActionGirl: Should you play as Arta, all the women in Gwynedd are this.
* ArtificialLimbs: [[spoiler: Bedwyr/Blodwyn is maimed at one point in the game, preventing them from becoming Monarch because a maimed ruler must step aside. You can give them a metal arm; while it isn't actually an effective limb, it symbolically means that they're not maimed, and can contend for the throne.]]
* BadDreams: Towards the middle of the game, Arthur/Arta meet a young girl who claims to have had dreams of wolves. She's accused of being a witch and depending on your choices, [[spoiler: you're able to save her from being killed by an extremely religious follower or watch helplessly as the follower kills the girl.]]
* DeadpanSnarker: Morgan, at times. After the feast in the first chapter, he/she asks if you've "had your fill of warriors boasting and farting at you?"
* GayOption: Gawain/Yvaine.
* HandicappedBadass: Near the end of the game, [[spoiler: Bedwyr/Blodwyn gets injured and loses his/her hand]]. Should you not become the Pendragon, Bedwyr/Blodwyn goes into the last big battle with [[spoiler: a metal hand fashioned to fit him/her in the place of his/her real one]].
* HappilyAdopted: Cai/Gaia
* MedievalEuropeanFantasy: The setting of Pendragon Rising is a land called "Gwynedd", and it borrows heavily from Arthurian lore, right down to the player character being Arthur/Arta himself/herself (depending on the gender you select).
* PregnantBadass: If you choose to [[spoiler:sleep with Morgan in the beginning of the game as Arta, later on you find out that you became pregnant (if you're female and Morgan is male) or that Morgan became pregnant (if you're male and Morgan is female). This doesn't stop you from the going into the hardest battles of the game, though. A few extra scenes pop up regarding the situation, but it doesn't dramatically change the gameplay at all.]]
* PurelyAestheticGender: Inverted. This game is one of the few Choice of Games where you have to choose to be one gender or the other, and whether you're a male or a female decides if you're the bastard son or daughter of the current ruler of the land, if men or women in the world will be the fighters or not, and more.
* TheRival: The heir to the throne, either Bedwyr/Blodwyn depending on your gender. You two are half related by your father or mother, and constantly bicker with one another and your parent has times where they favor you over your sibling and vice versa. If you become [[spoiler: the new Pendragon]], they begrudgingly start to listen to you and do what you order them to do.
* ReligionIsMagic: The rites of the druidic faith of Britain have magical powers. Christian prayers, by and large, don't. [[spoiler: Except in the Battle of Badon, where a proper recitation of the Trinitarian formula can dispel Saxon mind control.]]
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: Utta/Uther deserve a special mention, as they continue to rule and even fight despite getting incredibly injured during the first few minutes of the game. Arthur/Arta and Bedwyr/Blodwyn count as well, along with the other kingdoms, so long as you manage to persuade them to join you for the final battle against the Saxons.
* SurpriseIncest: [[spoiler: Should you have sex with Morgan, it'll later be revealed that you two are half-siblings after you become pregnant (if you're Arta and Morgan is male) or after Morgan becomes pregnant (if you're Arthur and Morgan is female).]]
* TheUnFavorite: You.
* WorldOfActionGirls: When playing as Arta, the women are the ones that fight in all the wars, while the men take a step back are more involved in religious and mystic like activities.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Psy High]]
Written by Rebecca Slitt. Consist of ''Psy High'' and ''Psy High: High Summer''.
----
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: If Carl is male. Jen certainly wanted a bad boy, until she broke up with him [[spoiler:thanks to the Vinculum]] and if you want, you can take her place.
* AlphaBitch: Mackenzie. You can even choose the reason for the animosity: either it's because she resents you for having more people come to your twelfth birthday party than to hers, because you resent her for being mean to your friend Alison/Andrew as a child, or because, well, you just don't like her.
* AnguishedDeclarationOfLove: [[spoiler:This is how Alison/Andrew, your best friend, confesses their feelings to you.]]
* AntiVillain: [[spoiler: Janet Clay is honestly trying to do what she thinks is best for her students and the school, and she thinks that making students into "model citizens" will help them succeed in life.]]
* ArcWords: "Model citizens." [[spoiler: That means "{{brainwashed}} into being a straight-A student and total conformist."]]
* BettyAndVeronica: Tyler/Taylor is the Betty while Carl/Carla is the Veronica.
* BigBad: [[spoiler:Randall Pierce, the principal.]]
* BookDumb: Possibly you, if you have a low Academics score.
* {{Brainwashed}}: [[spoiler: Mr. Pierce and Ms. Clay are using the Vinculum to brainwash the students. Mr. Pierce is using this for his political ambitions, Ms. Clay honestly believes that making the students into "model citizens" is what's best for them.]]
* ChildhoodFriendRomance: Alison/Andrew, should you choose to pursue them.
* {{Clairvoyance}}: Your primary psychic power.
* CoolTeacher: Ms. Rivera.
* CuttingOffTheBranches: An ending save feature to carry over data was added to the first installment with the release of the sequel. However, you are prevented from doing so with certain playthroughs that can not possibly lead into the sequel, [[spoiler: such as losing your powers or going to jail]].
* DamnedByFaintPraise: The player character's narration notes that the football team is, "to put it charitably, enthusiastic. [[SubvertedTrope To put it uncharitably…okay, they suck.]]"
* {{Delinquents}}:
** One of the four possible love interests, Carla/Carl, has a free-spirited attitude and even [[spoiler:sells drugs]].
** You, if you have a high Rebelliousness stat.
* DePower: [[spoiler: The Vinculum's mind control also screws with your powers if it affects you.]]
* TheDragon: [[spoiler:Janet Clay, one of the teachers.]]
* DrugsAreBad: Upon finding out that [[spoiler:Carla/Carl sells drugs]], you can either play this trope straight or not, depending on how your player character feels.
* EldritchLocation: [[spoiler:The Nexus of the Moon, or Nexus for short, a magical tidepool formed when witches tried to get rid of their leftover magic by throwing it in the ocean.]]
* TheExoticDetective: You're a detective with psychic powers.
* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler:You have an opportunity to perform one if you personally investigate the detention room; one possible choice is to voluntarily submit to the Vinculum and become a "model citizen". If you do, you can pursue an ending where you help Pierce and Clay with their plans to turn the rest of the class into "model citizens".]]
* GentlemanAndAScholar: You can play as this if you have a high Academics stat and a high Altruism stat.
* GirlNextDoor Alison/Andrew Faulkner (whose gender and first name are set by the gender your character is interested in).
* GoodParents: The player character's parents are very supportive despite having little money, and are very invested in your player character's future. However, they're totally out of the loop on the game's plot, so you may have to work around them at some point. [[spoiler:It's possible for them to ground you later, but you may or may not deserve it.]]
* HasTwoMommies: Your childhood friend Alison/Andrew has two mothers, both of whom are lawyers, although it's only mentioned briefly.
* HighSchoolDance: Junior prom, the single most important event of the year! [[spoiler: Because Pierce is going to take control of the Nexus during it and turn the junior class into model citizens.]]
* ICantBelieveAGuyLikeYouWouldNoticeMe: This is your player character's reaction if you successfully win over the heart of your longtime crush, Taylor/Tyler (whose gender and first name are set by the gender your character is interested in).
* InsufferableGenius: You can play as this if you have a high Academics stat and a high Selfish stat.
* JerkJock: If you play a character with a high Athletics stat and a high Selfish stat, you can play a character of this type.
* LovableJock: ...or you can play this type, if your character has a high Athletics stat and a high Altruism stat.
* LogicBomb: [[spoiler: This is one way to defeat Mr. Pierce's "model citizens": when he tells them to attack you, you can point out that although Pierce may be their principal, what he's telling them to do is assault and battery, which is illegal. They spend long enough trying to figure out what to do for your friends to arrive and take control.]]
* LovecraftCountry: The story takes place in Kingsport, Massachusetts.
* MarryThemAll: To an extent in that you can be dating all three possible love interests for most of the game, but have to break up with all but one of them for the dance.
* MindControlDevice: [[spoiler:The Vinculum, and once your player character finds out about it, it's also the MacGuffin that drives the larger plot.]]
* NoSocialSkills: Your character is this with a low Social stat.
* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Possibly why you work as a detective.
* PopularityPower: Popularity is a stat in this game that means how well-known you are and how much others like you. If this stat is high, it can help you win allies later.
* TheSocialExpert: Your player character is this with a high Social stat, which determines how well you can talk to and persuade people and how well you can "read" people. Interestingly, in this game, it's a separate statistic from Popularity, which means how well-known you are and how much others like you.
* TheStarscream: [[spoiler: Ms. Clay can sabotage Mr. Pierce to take over the school. She's not a nice person, but she does care about the school for its own sake instead of as a platform to TakeOverTheWorld, making her ALighterShadeOfBlack. She's even a good ending, if you don't object to the whole "model citizens" thing.]]
* ThirdOptionLoveInterest: If you don't have anyone by the time of the prom, [[spoiler: you can go with Haley, and she can become your love interest if you choose.]]
* StarterVillain: Your very first case has you tracking down the thief who stole Haley's iPhone.
* TroubledButCute: Carl/Carla.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Ratings War]]
Written by Eddy Webb.
----
* AssholeVictim: [[spoiler:Although it's up to your player character whether or not your character actually had a negative opinion about this person, but Tasha, the woman who knocks you out with a pipe in the prologue, is later murdered, and as your next scoop you have to investigate Tasha's murder. There are a couple of opportunities for your player character to voice whether they believe Tasha deserved what she got, or whether they believe it's a senseless waste of life.]]
* FissionMailed: Regardless of your choices in the prologue, [[spoiler:you will receive a beating from Tasha, receive an Infraction for using a forged press pass to access the crime scene, and be let go from your original company. However, you recover in the hospital, and the company that hires you wipes your infraction clean, giving you a new start, and the game continues.]]
* GenderBlenderName: In most Choice of Games games, potential love interests have their names and genders determined by the gender your character is interested in, but in this game, while Tracey Bellamy's gender is determined by the gender your character is interested in, their first name will always be "Tracey" regardless of whether they're a man or a woman.
* GloryHound: You can play as this if you primarily make choices around advancing your character's career and making yourself a star.
* GoingForTheBigScoop
* HonestyIsTheBestPolicy: You can play as this if you consistently choose to pursue the truth above all else.
* IntrepidReporter: You can play as this if you have high Integrity and/or Factual stats.
* KarmaMeter: In this game, it takes the form of "Infractions": you receive an infraction when you do something unprofessional or unethical. [[spoiler:There's one plot-mandated infraction in the prologue, but this infraction is eventually wiped clean for a fresh slate.]]
* {{Paparazzi}}: You can play as this if you have high Ambition and/or Flamboyant stats.
* TheRival: Early Roberts, short for Erlendur Robertsson, a reporter from Iceland who is significantly more experienced than the player character, though it's possible for the player character to either be cordial to him or to maintain the rivalry.
* RomanceSidequest: A Choice of Games staple. In this game, it is possible to strike up a relationship with Tracey Bellamy, your player character's editor, whose gender is determined by the gender your character is interested in. [[spoiler:If you don't romance Tracey, and if your character is attracted to men, you can also flirt with your rival Early Roberts, but in the epilogue, after dating for a few weeks, the "spark" fades and you amicably break things off, though Early says it was fun while it lasted.]]
* TakeThat: [[spoiler:At the beginning of chapter seven, during an especially freezing night, your character briefly fantasizes about going back in time, finding whoever said climate change was a myth, and punching them in the mouth.]]
* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: Portable devices have become ubiquitous, and as a result the privacy laws surrounding them have turned draconian, so the only people allowed to save video captured by camera are people with licenses.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Reckless Space Pirates]]
Written by Rachel Zakuta
----
* AlienAbduction: How you end up meeting the space pirates.
* EvilCannotComprehendGood: Captain Zoa does not understand altruism, compassion, or [[LackOfEmpathy emotions of any sort]].
* FutureSlang: "Groundsiders" are people who live on planets, "Shippers" are [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin people who live on ships]], and "Stashies" are people who live on space stations. An old saying is mentioned a few times: "Stashies lazy, Shippers crazy".
* HappilyAdopted: [[spoiler:Zeeber]] in one of the endings.
* ImprovisedWeapon:
** The Medusae yell at one of the pirates, resulting in the pirate being hit by a nonlethal electrical discharge. Once they figure this out, they start yelling at the pirates as a means of defending themselves.
** You can grab a needle from a medi-bed at one point to use as an improvised weapon.
** [[spoiler: You can hack the speechbox to mimic the Medusans' shouts.]]
* InsanityDefense: [[spoiler: If your Empathy is low and your Infamy is high, and you are taken into IHP custody, the sentencing committee will decide that you've been contaminated by living on a pirate ship and sentence you to Groundside rehabilitation.]]
* {{Lightworlder}}: Ny-bat is from a human colony where gravity is 3/4 of Earth norm. S/he is tall and lanky with all features stretched out. However, s/he is far from being weak and is the best hand-to-hand combatant on the ship.
* MegaCorp: "Spider" is a Medusa conglomerate that has a monopoly on vermite trade with outsiders.
* TheCaptain: Captain Zoa is a 60-something woman who kidnaps prospective crew members and forces them to prove their usefulness and loyalty. She is the only one who can keep Krantic in line.
* TheCracker: If your Hacking skill is high enough, you can solve many problems if you're near a console.
* TheMetricSystemIsHereToStay: A variation. Shippies and Stashies don't use "minutes" and "hours", preferring to keep everything in multiples of 10. So, their equivalent of minutes would be "kiloseconds" (1000 seconds = 16 minutes 40 seconds). Groundsiders still use the old-fashioned time units.
* OrganicTechnology: The Medusae are masters of this, and their "vermite" substance, capable of altering its shape and density on command is highly valuable to human ships and stations, as they can quickly seal hull breaches.
* ParentalSubstitute: Gao may become this in some endings.
* SpaceIsCold: Averted and lampshaded. If you opt to escape your cell by going outside the ship, you will muse that such things as boiling blood and instant frostbite that Groundsiders think are the first thing to be afraid of are not a concern for a short spacewalk without a suit. It's the lack of pressure and oxygen. You must breathe out before attempting such a spacewalk.
* SpacePirates: Your kidnappers.
* StarfishAliens: The so-called "Medusae" are a race of fungus-looking aliens who communicate by electrical discharges in their highly-moist atmosphere. They are frequently referred to as "Mushrooms".
* TortureTechnician: Krantic is a sadist who loves to inflict pain on others even when torture doesn't provide useful results.
* TranslatorMicrobes: The speechbox allows humans to communicate with the Medusae, although the translation has a feel of somebody running it through Google Translate (i.e. you still have to guess at the meaning, as grammar is terrible).
[[/folder]]

[[folder: The Sea Eternal]]
Written by Lynnea Glasser.
----
* AmicableExes: You and your ex-human lover, [[NewOldFlame though you can get back together if you want]].
* TheAtoner: The PC has some guilt over bringing their human lover beneath the waves, since doing so trapped them there forever and brought about the ruin of their relationship.
* DealWithTheDevil: The whales are willing to use their magical abilities, but you always have to give them something in turn. They're more AmbiguouslyEvil than truly evil, though. [[spoiler:[[SubvertedTrope Except no, they really are evil.]]]]
* GildedCage: The mermaid city ended up being this for your human ex. Sure, they'll live forever, and sure, it's underwater and that's very neat, and sure, there are lots of neat activities and parties...but they can ''never'' return to the human world, and they can't leave without being escorted by mermaids.
* HiveMind: The squids belong to one.
* IJustWantToBeFree: Some mermaids are of the opinion they should break free from service to the whales, potentially including you.
* ImmortalityHurts: The only way to kill a mermaid is to starve them to death, which takes centuries. Anything else--being stabbed, shocked, ''eaten alive''--won't do the trick. Since mermaids are embroiled in an eternal war against squids on the whales' behalf, it kind of sucks since there's no hope of escape.
* ItCanThink: The injured squid you discover is capable of talking independent from the squid hive mind.
* LaserGuidedAmnesia: [[spoiler:The entire race of mermaids is under this.]]
* ManipulativeBastard: [[spoiler:The whales. They approached humans and made them tempting bargains, but left out the tiny little detail that accepting it would cost them their memories. When the humans accepted and were transformed into mermaids, their lost memories were replaced with memories of eternally promising to serve the whales, effectively becoming a race of slaves.]]
* OurMermaidsAreDifferent: They're immortal, have no actual genders (just picking one to identify by) and look nothing like the beautiful sirens of lore, having blue skin, green or purple hair, black eyes, and sharp teeth.
* SapientCetaceans: The whales are somehow able to communicate with humans, and have magical abilities that can do almost anything.
* {{Transgender}}: "Finn" is actually a transgender woman named Faye, and came below the service because she hoped the whales would change her physiology. [[spoiler:They can, but it will cost her her memories of her life as a human.]]
* WhoWantsToLiveForever: A very prominent theme of the game is whether the costs of the mermaids' eternity--having to live in service to the whales, having to follow a very strict set of rules, slowly losing your memories due to natural decay--are worth the benefits.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Showdown at Willow Creek]]
Written by Alana Joli Abbott.
----
* {{Cowboy}}: As this is of the Western genre.
* CowboysAndIndians: Played straight or subverted, depending on whether your player character dislikes the Utes as much as some of the townsfolk, or whether your player character sympathizes with the Utes instead.
* DrivingQuestion: The plot is driven by the mystery of Victoria Frye's disappearance: did she leave on her own, or was she kidnapped? And if she was kidnapped, by whom?
* GayCowboy: You can play one, if you choose a love interest who's the same gender as your character.
* HookerWithAHeartOfGold: Summer Rain, one of the possible love interests for the player character. She's actually called a "soiled dove" in the game itself, but this is a euphemism for "prostitute", as the nickname is a reference to the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soiled_Dove_Plea Soiled Dove Plea]].
* TheRival: Deputy Winslow, who you have to work alongside to solve the case but behaves like he should run the investigation.
* RomanceSidequest: And like many Choice of Games games, the romance options are available regardless of what gender your player character is.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Silverworld]]
Written by Kyle Marquis.
----
* AlternateHistory: The game world's Byzantium is a very unusual one, from the Aztec Triple Alliance to ClockPunk Zipangu (Japan), and centered around a colonial Byzantine Empire where Orthodoxy exists but Christianity doesn't. [[spoiler: Our world also exists, and can be brought about by the fall of the False Icon.]]
* EvilColonialist:
** Stralchus wants to [[spoiler: destroy the Silverworld and go home]]. To do this, he establishes a slave empire through Byzantine technical knowledge so that he can recapture the False Icon.
** The Empress is a purer example. Her interest in the past world is simple: there are solidi to be made. Alexius starts this way, but can [[CharacterDevelopment develop otherwise]].
* GivingRadioToTheRomans:
** You can upgrade the River People's village with Byzantine knowledge. Given the timeframe of the game, it's more on the level of BambooTechnology and cultural innovations, but these can still cause sweeping changes and evolve the River People into a nascent city of a thousand people.
** Through a combination of future technology and slavery, Stralchus builds the Ziggurat, the foundation of an Iron Age empire. Since he's not bound by morality or the future Byzantium's bureaucracy, he's even faster at introducing innovations than you are, and in no time at all a force equipped like Greek hoplites are raiding the tribal peoples of the Silverworld. [[spoiler: Should you choose, in the endgame you can take over the Ziggurat and continue his work with less of the slavery and cruelty.]]
* HorseOfADifferentColor: The ophidian lizard mounts are riding dinosaurs.
* OneMillionBC: Eleven million years in the past, the Stone Age River People contend with [[TheReptilians the ophidians]] and their horrifying monster, [[TyrannosaurusRex the Tyrant]].
* TheReptilians: The ophidians, an advanced nonhuman civilization in service to the False Icon.
* SatanicArchetype: The False Icon is an enemy of the other Icons, and promises power in exchange for binding yourself to its will. It's not ''entirely'' evil; it rewards its followers well and its victory isn't necessarily a bad thing for humanity, but it's very much not a nice being.
* TyrannosaurusRex: The Tyrant is a monstrous dinosaur controlled by the False Icon.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Sixth Grade Detective]]
Written by Logan Hughes.
----
* AlphaBitch: Vitessa, though you can become something approaching friends by the end of the game.
* AntiVillain: [[spoiler:In the second case, which has you attempting to find out who stole Shanti's gamebook, it turns out that the person only stole it because the person accidentally ruined the book by knocking it into a mud puddle, and even bought Shanti a replacement book in secret. You can either choose to keep this secret, or to tell Shanti who stole the book.]]
* CaptainObviousReveal: [[spoiler: A.J. can try to play the part of your "secret" admirer even after you've been dating for months.]]
* ChildhoodFriendRomance: Your best friend A.J., whose gender you select, is a possible romantic interest.
* CloudCuckoolander: Shanti is a very mild example of this trope; she's described as sometimes being dreamy and off in her own world.
* DarkSecret: In one of the cases, your classmate Finnegan asks you to uncover the reason behind what Finnegan feels is suspicious behavior coming from Evan, for the sake of the newspaper club. [[spoiler:Subverted, Evan's secret is that he's a talented makeup artist.]]
* GangOfBullies: A gang of bullies is involved in one of the cases.
* HonestyIsTheBestPolicy: There's an achievement for finishing the game having told no lies. [[spoiler:Also, if Corley is your date at the dance at the very end of the game, Corley will tell you that the fact that you never lie has inspired Corley to be more honest.]]
* InsufferableGenius: The other characters consider Finnegan to be this. Your player character can either choose to agree with this assessment, or be nice to Finnegan and genuinely share his interests, even asking him to tell you more about ornithology.
* KidDetective: You play as this.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: [[spoiler:If you persuade Evan to tell his secret to the school by saying that he's got to be Evan, Evan will reappear later with food and drinks in his hair from being picked on for his talent, and he'll be miffed at your advice.]]
* PoisonousFriend: Your best friend A.J., whose gender you can select. A.J. is mostly a good person who has your back, but A.J. will also usually favor less honest solutions to mysteries. [[spoiler:If you keep A.J.'s secret in the first case, and then say that you kept the secret because A.J. is important to you, you can start a romance with A.J. early. Otherwise, you have to wait until before the dance, like the other potential romances.]]
* RealMenWearPink: He keeps it secret, but [[spoiler:Evan is a talented makeup artist.]]
* SecretAdmirer: The summary of Sixth Grade Detective on the website hints that one of the cases will be figuring out your secret admirer. [[spoiler:It's the very last case; just before the dance, someone sends you a love note. However, unlike the culprits of the previous cases, the identity of the "culprit" in this case can vary; the love note will usually be from the student you have the highest relationship with.]]
* ShrinkingViolet: Corley.
* StarterVillain: Your first case has you track down whoever stole A.J.'s second bike, the Great Brown Ugly, which A.J.'s mother bought as a replacement for the also-stolen first bike, the Red Lightning. [[spoiler:Subverted, A.J. himself/herself arranged for his/her uncle to sell the bike without telling A.J.'s mother.]]
* SweetAndSourGrapes: Your player character's parents finally buy you a brand-new bike near the end of the game, but [[spoiler:they didn't know that the bike is really the Red Lightning, the first bike that was stolen from A.J. Your parents give you the choice of either keeping the bike or returning it to A.J. If you return A.J.'s Red Lightning, your parents are so impressed with your honesty and character that as a reward, they buy you another bike--the Green Tornado.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Slammed!]]
Written by Paolo Chikiamco.
----
* ActionGirl: If the PC is one, then loads of them will pop up. Even if she isn't, there will still be some of these.
* {{Adorkable}}: Ecstasy tends to babble when s/he gets nervous, leading to many moments of this.
* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: The PC can consider themselves as having always been stuck in [[TheAce JJ's]] shadow.
* AsYouKnow: A number of industry-related terms are given explanations for non-wrestling fans, though this doesn't enter the dialogue itself.
* BatmanGambit: [[spoiler:JJ eventually reveals that the reason they betrayed you was because they ''wanted'' you to get angry, so the two of you could finally have an all-out, guilt-free match.]]
* BitchInSheepsClothing: [[spoiler: JJ and Griss/Giana, who pose as your friends and then stab you in the back]]. Though [[spoiler:the former is just trying to act out a BatmanGambit, and the other is just being dragged along for the ride]].
* CareerEndingInjury: Usually what triggers the game overs.
* CharlieBrownFromOuttaTown: [[spoiler:After you're (genuinely) fired, you rejoin the GWA under a mask.]]
* ClingyJealousGirl: If a female PC romances Ecstasy, She'll mention to Sam later that he's "The Jealous type." The female version shows signs of this as well.
* ConsummateProfessional: One way to play the PC is as a wrestler who doesn't care for attention or looking good, just doing their job and getting the money.
* CruelToBeKind: [[spoiler:This is what Super Horns thinks he/she's doing by betraying Solitary and pushing him off the scaffold before he can grab the title belt; Super Horns is convinced that Solitary has "spinal stenosis", a disease caused by damage to the spine that can lead to paralysis if left untreated, but Solitary refuses to let a doctor examine him for the disease, so Super Horns thinks if Solitary no longer has a title to defend, Solitary would have no choice but to get examined.]]
* DeadpanSnarker: The PC and JJ, which usually leads to SnarkToSnarkCombat.
* {{Determinator}}: Despite being ''massively'' unsuited to wrestling, Ecstasy won't give up trying [[spoiler:and can even place in the final two of the RealityShow if you help them]], which is noted to be their greatest asset. When you ask them about it, they'll say they're doing it as a sort of homage to their birth dad.
* DrowningMySorrows: It's telling how bad the PC's HeroicBSOD is that they can drop their "no drinking" policy to do this.
* EtTuBrute: This happens twice:
** First, [[spoiler:JJ betrays you by getting you fired from the GWA by having Griss/Giana plant an illegal drug in your bag, and sabotaging a mandatory drug test to motivate the promoters to search your bag.]]
** Second, [[spoiler:in the Ladders and Scaffolds match with you, JJ, Solitary, and Super Horns vs. Paul Prototype and his Lawgivers, just as Solitary is about to grab the belt, Super Horns betrays him by pushing him off the scaffold.]]
* FaceHeelTurn[=/=] HeelFaceTurn: During [[spoiler:your comeback]], you can pull one of this as part of your {{Kayfabe}}.
* FrameUp: [[spoiler: JJ frames you for illegal drug use, resulting in your firing and subsequent HeroicBSOD.]]
* GambitPileup: It's a mess, and not just under {{kayfabe}} either.
* GuileHero: A possible way to win the final challenge on the RealityShow portion is to [[spoiler: get Ecstasy to sing instructions, which drown out the instructions given by the opposing team's manager]].
* HarpoDoesSomethingFunny: After [[spoiler: your return to the GWA and subsequent unmasking]], Alex Dobbs doesn't even try to script your storyline, though she'll interfere if you don't create any hot angles for her to work with. All she cares about is that you play your part with complete commitment. [[invoked]]
* HeroicBSOD: A ''six-month long one'' occurs [[spoiler:after the PC gets betrayed and ruined by their supposed best friend]].
* ItsAllMyFault: The PC never really talks about it, but it's clear they blame themselves heavily for the car accident that seriously wounded JJ.
* {{Kayfabe}}: Exists, and with the integration of shootfighting into the GWA, ''all'' the lines between reality and kayfabe are getting tangled. How strictly you keep kayfabe is up to you.
* LetsWaitAwhile: Non-sexual example; Ecstasy will ask you this the first time you pursue them, because they aren't ready for a relationship. [[WillTheyOrWontThey Later, the PC can do the same to]] ''[[WillTheyOrWontThey them]]'' for the same reason.
* LoveInterest: Three of them--JJ, Ecstasy, and Madeline Rio. The former is always the same gender as you and thus a GayOption, Ecstasy is always the gender you're interested in, and Madeline Rio is always female.
* LoveTriangle: Can be booked at one point under {{Kayfabe}}. You're expected to play along; how real it gets is up to you.
* ManipulativeBastard: [[spoiler:JJ and Alex]].
* MasculineGirlFeminineBoy: If the PC is female and Ecstasy male, this trope comes into play, with her being the athletic wrestler and him being the charming singer.
* ObfuscatingDisability: [[spoiler: Alex Dobbs was kicked in the head as a child as part of a storyline, and no one outside of the upper-echelons of the GWA know for certain that it's an act]].
* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: Paul Prototype is a misogynistic asshole and the only unambiguous (non-kayfabe) villain in the game.
* ProfessionalWrestling: You play as a wrestler on their rise to fame, but it's a journey fraught with hardship and betrayal, both in and out of the ring.
* PurelyAestheticGender: Averted. Most of the wrestling world doesn't care about your sex, but Paul Prototype is a StrawMisogynist, and this becomes a plot point at one point.
* {{Revenge}}: This is [[spoiler:seemingly]] why [[spoiler:JJ betrays the PC]]... after which the PC can choose to get some revenge of their own.
* ShoutOut: So, '''so''' many [[ShownTheirWork to the world of wrestling storylines]].
** A possible line during your unmasking is "It was me, [[spoiler: JJ]]! It was me all along!"[[note]]This was the line used during the ShockingSwerve of [=McMahon=] revealing he was behind the Ministry of Darkness angle in the '90s[[/note]]
** One of the long-runners has [[Wrestling/TripleH three H's in his name]], but is also said [[Wrestling/HulkHogan to be pushing retirement age]].
** The achievement for sustaining a CareerEndingInjury by [[spoiler: getting thrown off a scaffold]] is "[[Wrestling/JimRoss Bah Gawd!]]"
** The achievement "[[TheatricsOfPain Sell Like It's 2005]]" is a reference to the infamous match between [[Wrestling/ShawnMichaels Shawn Michaels]] and [[Wrestling/HulkHogan Hulk Hogan]] at Summerslam 2005, which currently provides the page quote for WrestlingPsychology.
** Other achievements that double as shout outs include [[Wrestling/EddieGuerrero Lie, Cheat, Steal]], [[Wrestling/JohnCena PlayerWinsLOL]], [[Wrestling/BretHart Excellence of Execution]], [[Wrestling/CMPunk Pipe Bomber, Best in the World]], [[Wrestling/DeanAmbrose Dirty Deeds]], [[Wrestling/RandyOrton Legend Killer]], [[Wrestling/AdrianNeville Gravity Forgot]], [[Wrestling/KennyOmega The Cleaner]], [[Wrestling/TheYoungBucks Super Kick Party]], [[Wrestling/ChrisJericho Break the Wall Down, 1,005 Holds]], [[Wrestling/RingOfHonor Code of Honor]], [[Wrestling/VickieGuerrero Ex-cuuuuse Me]], [[Wrestling/MarkHenry World's Strongest]], [[Wrestling/ShawnMichaels Heartbroken Kid]], and [[Wrestling/BrockLesnar The Beast]].
** One of the choices given for your last name is [[Wrestling/RickySteamboat Blood]][[note]]Ricky Steamboat's real name is [[AwesomeMcCoolName Richard Blood]], he just didn't use it because it didn't really work for a face.[[/note]]
** At one point, a hotel chain is mentioned, and it's said to be known for having ridiculously high prices. The name of the chain? Hotel [[Wrestling/TedDiBiase Di Biase]]
** The Samoan Atua WrestlingFamily is a reference to the real life [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anoa%CA%BBi_family Anoaʻi]] WrestlingFamily[[note]]Of which Wrestling/{{Yokozuna}}, Wrestling/{{Umaga}}, Wrestling/{{Rikishi}}, Wrestling/TheUsos, and Wrestling/RomanReigns are members of, and the Maivia family are considered an extension of, which [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] is part of[[/note]], who are also Samoan.
* ShownTheirWork: The game is filled with industry terms and, as evidenced above, shout-outs to famous wrestling storylines.
* StepfordSmiler: Ecstasy tends to cover up their insecurities and sadness with a big smile. [[spoiler:They'll even try to do so if you gently turn their advances down.]]
* StraightGay: Solitary is gay, but there aren't any hints of it in his behavior, fitting this trope. It's only mentioned briefly during an overview of his career, a blink-and-you'll-miss-it line if you successfully earn a title match with Solitary by grabbing the belt during the Ladders and Scaffolds match, as a blog post will report that Paul Prototype will accuse Solitary and Alex Dobbs (who is a woman) of being in bed with each other "literally, despite Solitary's known orientation".
* SupportingProtagonist: You to Solitary. It's downplayed as you and JJ still have an important story that creates a great deal of drama and tension. But you are mostly a pawn for other characters as they try to end Solitary's winning streak.
* TheTeetotaler: The PC has a strict "no drinking" policy, after their drinking and driving resulted in an accident that mangled one of their friends' legs and emotionally scarred another.
* TrainingFromHell: Part of an off-screen bit where the PC trains with Sagramore in preparation for [[spoiler: their return to the GWA as a CharlieBrownFromOuttaTown]].
* UnskilledButStrong: Having a high Strength and low Technique. Inversely, it's also possible to be WeakButSkilled.
* UnusualEuphemism: Promoter Vinnie Gaider's most prominent idiosyncrasy is his use of wrestling terms in place of curses.
--> "What for clothesline's sake are you still doing here?!"
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: [[spoiler:Griss/Giana vanishes from the story after they help betray you.]]
* WillTheyOrWontThey: Part of Ecstasy's romance line is how you're both interested in a relationship but never have the right time for one, leading to this.
* WrestlingFamily: The Atuas, a real (InUniverse) family of wrestlers (though Griss/Giana isn't a wrestler, but remains important to the plot).
* WorkedShoot: The GWA has begun including shootfighting in their lineup to mix things up, but except for the championship (''always'' a shootfight), whether a fight is a work or a shoot is kept under the tightest secrecy. One fight is both at once: a fight that starts as a work, then goes shoot, and switches back to a work.
* WouldHitAGirl: If you choose to play as a female PC, most of your opponents will be gender-swapped to female as well. However, if you choose to [[spoiler:refuse Paul Prototype's deal and go for the championship instead of settling things with your rival, the final fight will be against either the reigning champion Solitary or Prototype himself, both of whom are always male, and they will not hold back on account of the PC's gender.]]
* XanatosGambit: [[spoiler: Alex Dobbs' response to Paul's coup d'etat is to run with it, since it's not her ass on the line. If Paul wins, then she gets rid of Solitary; if he loses, she loses nothing, and she has another champion lined up to challenge Solitary's reign. She even points that you and JJ are also not at risk, but in this case she's incorrect.]]
* XanatosSpeedChess: In a world where only half the storylines are planned out, Alex' greatest strength is her ability to simply roll with events and take advantage of opportunities.
* YouFightLikeACow: Your "promo" skill is (among other things) your ability to taunt opponents.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: The Superlatives]]
Written by Alice Ripley. Consists of ''The Superlatives: Aetherfall'' and ''The Superlatives: Shattered Worlds''.
----
* DatingCatwoman: Your character and [[spoiler: Lady Dusk]] can get romantically involved - to the point that [[spoiler: she'll pull a HighHeelFaceTurn on her father]].
* ShoutOut:
** There are various alien races mentioned in the book, including at one point [[Recap/DoctorWhoS5E3TheIceWarriors Martian ice warriors]] and [[Recap/DoctorWhoS7E2DoctorWhoAndTheSilurians Silurians]].
** A more subtle one is the two main groups of Superlative heroes: the Society for the Advancement of Individuals of Superlative Talent and the Protection of the Queen (the one you belong to, Society for short), and the League of Concerned Citizens and Superlatives United in Defense of Public Order (League for short). The Society is presented as a venerable old institution while the League is portrayed as a somewhat [[YoungerAndHipper more recent and relevant]] group compared to the Society. Thus we'd have a reference to the ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica, the first comic book superhero team ever, and the Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica, its younger counterpart.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Tally Ho]]
Written by Kreg Segall.
----
* HideousHangoverCure: The 'Electric Current Fizz'. The usual recipe is six egg whites, a good deal of sugar, and fresh-squeezed lime juice, which would be bad enough on its own but your PC has also added pureed habanero peppers.
* InterclassRomance:
** The romance between Mopsie, the cousin of Rory, the PC's employer, and Figs, a bohemian artist.
** Also, between the PC and their employer and/or their betrothed if you choose to aim for that and pull it off successfully.
* TheJeeves: Depending on the player's playing style, the PC can be this or a subversion.
* LoveTriangle: The PC can be in one if they have feelings to their employer and/or their betrothed.
* NonStandardGameOver: The game can abruptly end if the PC [[spoiler:does not give the appropriate code name to Regina.]]
* ShoutOut: When naming Aunt Primrose's boat, some of the preset names are similar to some of the games found in Choice of Games or Hosted Games -such as Gunwhales of Infinity.
* WeAllLiveInAmerica: It's supposed to be England but there are several jarring Americanisms in the text. There's also the fact that Rory somehow has a class ring, from Eton if Rory is male and Roedean if Rory is female, when neither of those schools (nor any other school in the UK) has ever provided rings.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Thieves' Gambit: The Curse of the Black Cat]]
Written by Dana Duffield.
----
* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: The game's description as well as the prologue mentions that you're the ''second'' greatest thief. So who is the first? Bouchard, your rival, who has never been met in the flesh; all anyone has seen of them is their calling card. They could be a man, a woman, or even a group of people, although since the newspapers call him Maurice Bouchard, there is a strong possibility that he's a guy. You do find out who Bouchard is near the end of the game, and [[spoiler:Bouchard is indeed a guy and he's someone known to you.]]
* BiTheWay: Your character, regardless of the choices you make. Both Rania and Nick are viable love interests, whatever gender you're playing as and choosing only one as having been a former lover does not negate the other as a current love interest.
* BookDumb: If your character has a low Intellect stat but you still successfully complete the game without getting arrested.
* ClassyCatBurglar: If your character is female and has a high Honor stat.
* GentlemanThief: If your character is male and has a high Honor stat.
* TheHandler: Reg Claythorne, your right-hand man with a British voice, who speaks to you through your earpiece.
* PhraseCatcher: Every time Bouchard comes up in conversation, either the narrative or someone speaking will state "That bastard!"
* RefugeInAudacity: If your character has a high Flash stat.
* TheReveal: You finally find out who your rival, Bouchard, is near the end of the game, because Bouchard is none other than [[spoiler:Nick, who's on your side until you actually get the jewel, at which point he attempts to steal it for himself.]] However, there's a way to figure out who Bouchard is in advance and thus prepare yourself: when given a choice of reading material before the heist, choose to [[spoiler:read up on Bouchard's Venice heist. Since Nick said earlier that he was in Venice, and he has a similar build and haircut to the person in the foggy photo, your character will realize that Nick is Bouchard.]]
* StupidCrooks: If your character has a low Intellect stat and you get arrested.
* SympatheticInspectorAntagonist: Inspector Marie Leclerc from Interpol's Cultural Property Theft Division, who has made you into one of her special projects and is described as "scarily competent."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Totem Force]]
Written by Tom Rayner under the ''Hosted Games'' label.
----
* TwelveEpisodeAnime: The game is explicitly inspired by anime, and consists of thirteen episodes.
* AntagonisticOffspring: [[spoiler:Anara eventually becomes this to her father.]]
* ConspiracyTheorist: Scott believes that the government created clouds, is responsible for moon landing conspiracy theories, and is run by cockroach-people.
* HenshinHero: {{Downplayed|Trope}}. The heroes do have some of their power at all times, but they need to summon their armor to access it in full.
* InformedObscenity: "Frink," a fictional curse word which the characters use as a substitute for just about every real swear word.
* NotJustATournament: [[spoiler:The Heir to the Heavens tournament was, in fact, organized by the government as a field test of the [=TOT3Ms=].]]
* TournamentArc: The Heir to the Heavens tournament.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tower Behind the Moon]]
Written by Kyle Marquis.
----
* AboveGoodAndEvil: One possible Ritual of Transcendence allows you to become simultaneously compassionate and ruthless, able to freely act in accordance with both impulses and use magics associated with either.
* AffablyEvil: Xiphaigne, Demon Queen of Whispers and Promises, is a reasonable sort for an archdemoness. She'll try to corrupt you, of course, but if you can manage to successfully [[DealWithTheDevil negotiate with her]], she'll happily help you ascend while hoping that you fail.
* AlchemyIsMagic: The Subtle Art is largely a lost art in the Sublunar World, but you can resurrect it. It's particularly useful [[spoiler: in transcending your mortal limitations prior to full ascension]].
* AppealToForce: A MagicallyBindingContract has power, but only to a point. There are multiple situations where you ''can'' refuse to obey its terms, and instead just kick the other party's ass.
* TheArchmage: You are the greatest archmage in the world. There are several others in the story, though none are quite at your level; most are experts in their particular field, while the Speaker of Llyrit Skel (the ''second'' strongest mage in the world) is the last kingpriest of the pagan gods.
* AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence: The objective of the game, coming in myriad flavors depending on your magical discipline, morality, power, and any deals you may have made.
* BargainWithHeaven: [[spoiler: A compassionate archmage can cut a deal with the Dragon King for aid in ascension, in exchange for becoming His angel if you fail. The Dragon King will also offer you a job as an angel if you only partially ascend; being a high-ranking angel is a tempting alternative to being a minor godling.]]
* BeyondTheImpossible: Some of the [[FinishingMove Finishing Moves]] you can use in the final battle violate the rules of the setting in some LoopholeAbuse way.
** Atoms can't be divided. It's a rule of the Sublunar World. [[spoiler: But you can move the moon down below your current position.]]
** No mortal can destroy a soul; only the Throne of Thrones, where the Dragon King sits as he judges the dead, has such power. [[spoiler: However, you can invoke the Throne yourself.]]
* BlueAndOrangeMorality:
** An archmage with a high Inscrutable score fits into this. They don't think like ordinary humans do, they can understand and sympathize with [[OmnicidalManiac omnicidal]] rival mages, and many of them view compassion or ruthlessness as more of a tool for developing their magical nature than as part of a moral code.
** One possible transcendence allows you to become simultaneously compassionate and ruthless, able to use either or both as tools of power.
* ButNowIMustGo: [[spoiler: In nearly all endings, you leave Harpe; for one reason or another, you can't stay. The only exception is for fully-ascended vitalists, who can absorb Harpe into their living continent if they want.]]
* CrystalDragonJesus: The Dragon King rules the worlds from the Throne of Thrones, is worshipped by most of the Sublunar World, encourages compassion in His followers, and is generally hostile to "pagan" deities. [[spoiler: (The fact that He's helping you become one is part of ThePlan.) He isn't the creator of the worlds, though; other, stranger beings held the Kalyos Kalynon before Him.]]
* DarkIsNotEvil: Being a necromancer or a summoner doesn't force you to be evil, though they ''do'' tend toward ruthlessness.
* DealWithTheDevil: Xiphaigne isn't "Queen of Whispers and Promises" for nothing. She'll agree to empower you if, should you fail to ascend, your soul will be hers.
* DeityOfHumanOrigin: Your objective is to become one, in a form appropriate to your magical path. Becoming a ''god'', specifically, is the domain of summoners [[spoiler: who aren't especially ruthless]], but the other paths lead to becoming a being of equivalent might.
* DivineConflict:
** The Dragon King doesn't like other deities meddling with the Sublunar World, which drives His conflict with the Speaker of Llyrit Skel, the last of the pagan kingpriests.
** [[spoiler: The gods who your rival has allied with are fighting against the Dragon King, as well as seeking to prevent new ascended gods from coming into being. Should you ascend, they'll still be your enemies.]]
* GoodIsNotNice: The Dragon King favors and rewards compassion. However, His responsibility is the defense of the entire Sublunar World, and He's not above killing you if you become an obstacle to His plans. He prefers to help you get out of the way by ascending, though.
* AHellOfATime: [[spoiler: Xiphaigne rewards good service from the damned, and being one of her demons is not really a bad afterlife for an archmage. You get to continue your research, or continue fighting against the gods who attacked the world, if that's what you want.]]
* InformedAttribute: If you die with neutral Acclaim and Legacy, [[spoiler: your tower and the Battle of Harpe created ''a'' change in the world and shaped the future even more than the rise of the Dragon King eons ago, but exactly ''what'' change you inspired is unclear even to your chronicler.]]
* InspirationalMartyr: If you die [[spoiler: with high Acclaim, Legacy or both, then your death at the Battle of Harpe will inspire a time of peace, an age of magical wonders, or both respectively.]]
* KarmaMeter: One of the five stat pairings is Compassionate/Ruthless. Compassionate archmagi have increased abilities with healing and defense, while ruthless archmagi tend toward magics of dominance and energy-draining.
* LastOfHisKind: [[spoiler: If you die with low Legacy and low or neutral Acclaim, then after your death, you'll be remembered as the last archmage, in an age where magical knowledge is a shadow of what it was in your time.]]
* {{Lich}}: A necromancer who ascends becomes one of these. [[spoiler: Specifically, a necromancer who ''partially'' ascends becomes a lich; a truly ascended necromancer becomes something far greater and darker.]]
* LostTechnology: Alchemy is largely a lost art, though your PC may have resurrected its secrets, and may possibly become the first alchemist of the age to ascend, fully revitalizing the school.
* MasterApprenticeChain: In one ending, you meet your apprentice's apprentice, [[spoiler: and help them ascend]].
* NonindicativeName: Oracles aren't limited to divination magic, though they do that better than anyone else. They channel StarPower and [[PowerCrystal crystal magic]] to as many ends as any other mage.
* OurAngelsAreDifferent: Angels are servitors of celestial deities, most notably the Dragon King. One such angel comes to help you ascend...or strike you down if you fail.
* ShoutOut: One of the five stat pairings is [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings "Subtle" and "Quick to Anger."]]
* StarPower: The path of Prophecy. Oracles channel the power of the stars and crystals, and seek to ascend to ''become'' a starry archon or a living star.
* TimeCrash: It's possible for you and someone else to get a MutualKill with spells that erase each other from time. Time, cause and effect locally break down, and only settle when one of you manages to finish the other off.
* WhenThePlanetsAlign: You can only ascend when the moon and stars align in a Conjunction.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Treasure Seekers of Lady Luck]]
Written by Christopher Brendel.
----
* ActionHero: If your character's expertise is "tactical."
* BeastMan: Shelou from Treasure Seekers is the bird variant.
* TheCaptain: Isan is the captain of the titular ''Lady Luck''.
* CuteMute: Taloo from Treasure Seekers.
* GuileHero: If your character's expertise is "infiltration."
* InsectoidAliens: Rallix is one.
* ItsPersonal: [[spoiler:Detective Garce's sister is Isan's wife, who is clinically dead but is still powering the Lady Luck's engines. This is the real reason why Garce is so adamant on arresting Isan.]]
* LivingShadow: Kraska is from a race of people called the "Shadow Fiends".
* PlantPerson: Thisi from Treasure Seekers
* PlotArmor: wherever you are when your spaceship suffers a crash, '''you''' will be the only survivor rescued by the ''Lady Luck''.
* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: The ''Lady Luck''s crew.
* ScienceHero: If your character's expertise is "science."
* SlaveRace: The Vervoo. [[spoiler: However, you later find a transport vessel named the ''Andax Theta'' that was owned and operated by Vervoo, so not all Vervoo are slaves. This revelation causes Vervoo crewmember Borion to feel conflicted.]]
* SympatheticInspectorAntagonist: Detective Garce. [[spoiler:Subverted at the end where you find out that, rather than hunting down Captain Isan for being the leader of a crew of pirates, as Garce claimed, it's actually for a personal reason, as Garce blames Isan for the death of his wife, who is Garce's sister.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Trials of the Thief-Taker]]
Written by Joey Jones.
----
* TheApprentice: Jack Cyrus deconstructs this. He was bound into service against his will, and became a thief to escape a virtual slavery that society told him was a golden opportunity.
* ArtfulDodger: A female version named Clouting Jill who first appears stealing your handkerchief. [[spoiler: If you decide not to take action against her for theft, she can be helpful later on.]]
* BetterToDieThanBeKilled: Jack Cyrus' final appearance has him claim he wants to to die on his own terms, suicide by jumping from a roof rather than being hanged by the law.
* BountyHunter: Thief-takers, like you and Nia, fill warrants and bring in thieves for pay.
* GottaCatchThemAll: As an alternative to working alone, you can have a gang of followers. How many of them is up to you, but there are eighteen possible gang members throughout the game (including three starters) and an achievement is unlocked if you manage to recruit all of them.
* GentlemanThief: Henry Shaver steals the hearts of noblewomen, along with sentimental items of value.
* HighClassCallGirl: You can play as one, the courtesan is an option as your prior profession if you're playing as a woman.
* MyLocal: The Grey Swan.
* NeverFoundTheBody: [[spoiler:Jack's apparent suicide by jumping. If you have a high fleet-footedness score, you can catch him and he'll be lawfully hanged. If you don't (or if you decide to let him go on his own terms) he'll jump. However, if he jumps, his body can't be found afterward, implying that it was just another one of his tricks.]]
* PrisonEscapeArtist: Jack "the Lad" Cyrus is one. He escapes prison three times during the course of the game.
* StillWearingTheOldColors: Old Lamprisado the nightwatchman used to be a soldier in his younger days and makes a habit of still wearing his red army coat.
* SweetPollyOliver: You can find one in Newgate prison to join your gang, if you pay enough prisoners' bail money. You can also play as one, though it doesn't really affect the gameplay much.
* WorthyOpponent:
** You and Jack Cyrus to each other, assuming you're not working together. You can even visit him as a friend in prison after taking him in yourself.
** You and Nia Maddox if you're successful enough at thief-taking.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:[=UnNatural=]]]
Written by Sam Kabell under the ''Hosted Games'' label.
----
%%* ArmouredClosetGay: While the PC is hospitalized after an attack in SRT, Rogers would explain that they believed their feelings towards the PC caused their parents to have a divorce and took out on the PC. This only happens if Rogers and the PC are of the same gender and if the PC chooses to be friends again with Rogers.
* BoyMeetsGhoul: One of the potential romances is with Denise, a lycanthrope.
* NewGamePlus: There is an option to start the game by inputting three codes- that can be gathered throughout multiple playthroughs that can increase certain stats.
* {{Nephewism}}: After the death of their family, the PC goes to live with their Uncle Tyler and Aunt Elena.
* ShoutOut: The "adverts" are homages to other known Choice of Games such as Community College Hero and Zombie Exodus.
* WouldHurtAChild: One of the victims in the family murder is the PC's younger brother, Alex.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: The Versus Series]]
Written by Zachary Sergi. Comprises of ''Versus: The Lost Ones'' and ''Versus: The Elite Trials'' thus far.
----
* AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: Breeze, from the planet Millenith, has blue skin. Then we have Lady Venuma, who has gold skin, and then there's Mama-Na in Book 2: The Elite Trials is usually some kind of blue-green color. Cadet Gadget himself has tan skin, but his eyes, hair and teeth all glow.
* BlowYouAway: Breeze has the ability to manipulate winds. they can also use it to [[NotQuiteFlight carry themselves and others.]]
* {{Cliffhanger}}: [[spoiler:Book 1: The Lost Ones ends with the PC being qualified for the Elite Trials]].
* ChekhovsGunman: [[spoiler:Book 2 reveals that the pilot who crashed in the MC's backyard during their childhood is actually from the planet the PC created during this book.]]
* CondescendingCompassion: If there was a picture of her, Lady Venuma would be the page image.
* TheDreaded: The Constructive Versus inhabitants are so terrified of [[spoiler:the Bominate]] that they refer to it as "The Un-thing." Empress Vaccus also counts for Prisca.
* DreamWalker: [[spoiler:When the PC fully absorbs someone, they can explore the memories of the people they absorb. It also lets them watch the Versus Match at the end of Book 1 while being comatose.]]
* FantasticRacism: The reason behind the Binarian-Multinarian-Rutonarian war.
* TheHeroDies: [[spoiler:In Book 2: The Elite Trials, if the PC fails Queen Ashe's test, they will be voted off to fight in the match and die.]]
* HeroesLoveDogs: Otherboard has two: A BigFriendlyDog named Nermal and a MisterMuffykins named Nards.
* TheHorde: Empress Vaccus and the Blots.
* InSeriesNickname: Rosae, the PC's Wormingbird, calls the PC "Priscy".
* KilledOffForReal: Every three days on Versus, someone will be voted off to fight to the death with someone from the Destructive side. [[spoiler:This also includes the PC.]]
* TheLostLenore: [[spoiler:Multiplicity is this to Otherboard]].
* MeaningfulName: [[spoiler: "Bominate" can be short for 'Abomination']]
* MasculineGirlFeminineBoy: The PC's mother is a harsh Commander General of Prisca while the PC's father is a caring medic. It's even reflected in their thought patterns; the PC notes that their mother's pre-battle thoughts are jagged and edgy while their father's are smooth and rounded.
* MysteriousStranger: [[spoiler:Dhanthik]]. You don't even know who exactly he is or how he looks like as he [[TraumaInducedAmnesia can't remember his true identity]] and is instead masquerading as someone else.
* PowerCopying: The PC has the ability to absorb the abilities of others.
* RidiculouslyHumanRobot: Otherboard[[spoiler: and Multiplicity]]. Multinarians qualify as a whole, really; it gets them some serious hate from both humans ''and'' robots. See FantasticRacism above.
* SadisticChoice: [[spoiler: Choose to allow Todrick to volunteer to fight in the Versus match against the Bominate, and he will die. Choose to convince him ''not'' to do so, and Breeze dies in the match instead]].
* SmallSecludedWorld: Prisca. Priscans believe they should protect their Collective Consciousness from "culturally impure" alien knowledge, so travel on and off the planet has been forbidden for generations.
* TheStoner: Otherboard [[spoiler:and Multiplicity]], technically. [[spoiler:Memory-traveling Otherboard reveals that Multinarian personality programs are addictive.]]
* WingedHumanoid: Beyhalo, one of the Elites mentioned in Book 2.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Welcome To Moreytown]]
Written by S. Andrew Swann. This game shares a setting with the ''Literature/MoreauSeries'' novels.
----
* DarkerAndEdgier: It's basically a grittier imagining of ''Disney/{{Zootopia}}''.
* InterspeciesRomance: There's a romanceable human, and odds are you won't be playing as the same species as the anthropomorphic love interests either the first time through.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:A Wise Use Of Time]]
Written by Jim Dattilo.
----
* AbsentMindedProfessor: Dr. Oden has elements of this, such as turning up to a meeting with you in her yoga gear.
* ActionGirl: If you play as a female character and have a high Fortitude stat, you can be this. [[spoiler: Alisha proves to be this if you convince her to help you fight Barnabas: she'll brandish a sword and possibly kill him with it.]]
* AndIMustScream: [[spoiler: Fail to defeat Barnabas in the final battle and he'll permanently freeze you in time, conscious and able to think but completely immobile.]]
* BankRobbery: You find yourself caught up in one. You can use your power to disarm the robbers, steal some things yourself so the robbers will be blamed for the missing items, or simply leave unnoticed.
* BiTheWay: You, if you so choose, as well as all of the potential love interests.
* BigBad: [[spoiler:Barnabas, a fellow time controller who believes that killing other time controllers lets him absorb their powers.]] He's wrong, but that doesn't stop him.
* CapturedSuperEntity: [[spoiler: ''You'', if you're exposed and reluctantly agree to submit to the authorities.]]
* DescentIntoAddiction: Raj begins the story as a gambling addict, and only gets worse as the story continues. Without your interference, he will spiral further and further into debt, with a gang threatening his life and livelihood if he doesn't pay up. Refuse to help him and [[spoiler: he will eventually disappear without a trace, meaning that he either fled to start a new life or was killed by the debt hunters.]]
* DisappearedDad: Near the beginning of the game, it's revealed that the player character's dad went missing. You can decide whether or not you find out what happens to him.
* DrivenToSuicide: Partway through the game you'll come across a distraught man called Jeremy, [[spoiler: whose time controlling powers have only just developed. Unfortunately, he's terrified of them and believes that he's incurably ill.]] You find him sitting on the edge of a bridge, contemplating whether to jump or not. [[VideoGameCaringPotential You can convince him not to,]] or [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential push him off yourself.]]
** [[spoiler: If you investigate enough information on your father's disappearance and interrogate Barnabas during the final battle, he'll reveal that your father killed himself out of shame for being conned.]]
* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler: Dr. Oden will sell you out to the government if you don't keep your abilities quiet.]]
* FanConvention: Olivia takes you to a tattoo convention in New York. There you'll meet her idol, Malaya Mercado, a famous tattoo artist and [[spoiler: fellow time controller.]]
* FalseFriend: [[spoiler: Dr. Oden can possibly be this if you're too visible, seeming helpful and enthusiastic throughout the game and helping you develop your powers, only to sell you out to the authorities at the end.]]
* ForScience: The main reason Dr. Camilla Oden is helping you.
* TheGamblingAddict: Your friend (and possible lover) Raj is a gambling addict who [[TrappedByGamblingDebts finds himself in massive debt because of it.]] You can help him pay his debts, advise him to get therapy or leave him to it. [[spoiler: The latter results in him disappearing without a trace, and it is implied that the gang threatening him finished him off.]]
* TimeMaster: You play as a normal office worker who suddenly develops the power to stop time.
* IllGirl: [[spoiler:Olivia]] is revealed to have a painful liver condition that puts her life at risk. Fail to get her the funds for a replacement organ and she ''will'' die.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Raj and Kyle.
* KickTheDog: You first meet [[spoiler: Barnabas in a busy subway station, where he pushes an old man in front of an oncoming train and stops time to get your attention. After you have spoken, he offers you the chance to save the man. Try to do so and Barnabas restarts time just as you're about to pull the man to safety, meaning that the man is hit and killed by the train. The only reason Barnabas does this is to intimidate and upset you, as he usually only kills other time controllers in the hopes of absorbing their powers.]]
* OlderThanTheyLook: [[spoiler:Thanks to her ability to slow time around herself only, the ninety-seven year old Malaya Mercado looks no older than thirty.]]
* PairTheSpares: If you don't romance Olivia or Kate, you can introduce the two to each other and, when Kate displays interest in Olivia, encourage them to hook up. If you later ask Kate how it went, she'll coyly reply that Olivia is "a good kisser" and imply that the two are going to get together.
* ParentalAbandonment: Prior to the start of the game your father disappeared without a trace. No one knows where he is or even if he's still alive.
* TheProfessor: Dr. Oden.
* RomanceSidequest: A staple of ''Choice Of Games''. You can romance both male and female love interests and choose to be straight, [[GayOption gay]] or [[EveryoneIsBi bisexual.]]
* ThereCanBeOnlyOne: It's possible to kill off all the other time stoppers. The game awards you with the Highlander quote if you do.
* TimeStandsStill: The main focus of the game is you developing the ability to freeze time. [[spoiler: It is not just you who has this power: you meet at least four other time controllers throughout the game, though it is implied that they are very rare.]]
** It turns out that [[spoiler: you're not actually stopping time, simply slowing it down to a near-frozen state. Your character continues to call it 'stopping time' for the sake of convenience.]]
* VideoGameCaringPotential: You can use your power to save people from burning buildings, catch a child falling from a climbing frame, prevent a man from committing suicide, stop a robbery...
* VideoGameCrueltyPotential: ...Or use it to steal, cheat at casino games, backstab your friends, frame people for crimes they didn't do, pull off cruel pranks, pry into people's private files and even straight-up murder.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Choice of The Cat]]
Written by Jordan Reyne
----

* CatsAreMean: The MC can be an absolute hellcat to their new family, and ''still'' be living with them by the end of the game. there's even an achievement for specifically getting this outcome. Maddox also has shades of them trope, but mostly out of the interest of wanting keep to himself, and Claire and Audre are sympathetic toward Maddox despite this because they just rescued him from an abusive owner.
[[/folder]]

[[Folder: Choice of The Cat]]

[[/folder]]