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''A.R.E.S. Extinction Agenda'' is a side-scrolling action-platforming game by Extend Studios and [=ORiGO=] Games. The game originally started under the {{working title}} of ''Trashman'', developed using the Microsoft XNA Game Studio framework and was submitted for Microsoft's Dream.Build.Play contest of 2010, where it won 2nd place alongside among top-ranking entries such as ''VideoGame/BeatHazard'' and ''VideoGame/PrismaticSolid''. It was planned as a series of episodic games, with (so far) the first episode, ''Extinction Agenda'', being released for [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer PC]] through UsefulNotes/{{Steam}}, DESURA, and [=GamersGate=] in 2011.
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''A.R.E.S. Extinction Agenda'' is a side-scrolling action-platforming game by Extend Studios and [=ORiGO=] Games. The game originally started under the {{working title}} of ''Trashman'', developed using the Microsoft XNA Game Studio framework and was submitted for Microsoft's Dream.Build.Play contest of 2010, where it won 2nd place alongside among top-ranking entries such as ''VideoGame/BeatHazard'' and ''VideoGame/PrismaticSolid''. It was planned as a series of episodic games, with (so far) the first episode, ''Extinction Agenda'', being released for [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer [[Platform/IBMPersonalComputer PC]] through UsefulNotes/{{Steam}}, Platform/{{Steam}}, DESURA, and [=GamersGate=] in 2011.
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An [[VideoGameRemake updated remake]] of the game, ''A.R.E.S. Extinction Agenda EX'', was released for the UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} through UsefulNotes/{{Xbox LIVE Arcade}} on October 2, 2013 and was also published by Aksys Games, the same company known for their ports of the ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' series and ''VideoGame/{{Deathsmiles}}'', with a PC version released through Steam a year later. The remake featured updated graphics, redesigned levels plus two additional ones, new animated cutscenes, streamlined gameplay elements, rebalanced difficulty, and Tarus is a playable character with his own unique playstyle and abilities. With a $1,500 contribution made by [=ORiGO=] Games for the Website/{{Kickstarter}}[=-=]funded indie arena fighting game, ''Combat Core'', Ares makes an appearance a GuestFighter in the game along with Zetto and Kizuna of ''WebAnimation/{{TOME}}''.
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An [[VideoGameRemake updated remake]] of the game, ''A.R.E.S. Extinction Agenda EX'', was released for the UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} Platform/Xbox360 through UsefulNotes/{{Xbox LIVE Arcade}} [[Platform/XboxLive Xbox Live Arcade]] on October 2, 2013 and was also published by Aksys Games, the same company known for their ports of the ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' series and ''VideoGame/{{Deathsmiles}}'', with a PC version released through Steam a year later. The remake featured updated graphics, redesigned levels plus two additional ones, new animated cutscenes, streamlined gameplay elements, rebalanced difficulty, and Tarus is a playable character with his own unique playstyle and abilities. With a $1,500 contribution made by [=ORiGO=] Games for the Website/{{Kickstarter}}[=-=]funded indie arena fighting game, ''Combat Core'', Ares makes an appearance a GuestFighter in the game along with Zetto and Kizuna of ''WebAnimation/{{TOME}}''.
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* BoobsOfSteel: There are exactly two women in ''Extinction Agenda'': [[http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/494424-a-r-e-s-extinction-agenda-windows-screenshot-a-cut-scene-with.jpg Dr. Carson]], and [[http://media.indiedb.com/images/games/1/13/12149/01.jpg Valkyl]]. The former has a decent bust, and is an ActionGirl. Valkyl, on the other hand, is quite well-endowed, and carries a BFG which she can use to rain down death when Ares needs it (in the original).
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* BareYourMidriff: Dr. Carson wears a tube top underneath her lab coat in the original game.
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Hot Scientist is no longer a trope
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The plot of ''Extinction Agenda'' is as follows: [[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture In the late 21st century]], humanity has contaminated the Earth to such a dire state that an organization of scientists, United Earth (UE) had formed in an effort to save it. Governments from around the world collectively contributed trillions to UE, funding its expensive and highly experimental research. They managed to hit success, with [[HotScientist Dr. Julia]] [[BadassBookworm Carson's]] innovative concept, known as Deep Space Reprocessing (DSR), which allowed humans to recycle waste into organic materials through abiogenesis, a process that would essentially recycle the planet and transform it into a more habitable state. It turns out to be a success, Earth's state is improving, and things are beginning to look up for humanity.
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The plot of ''Extinction Agenda'' is as follows: [[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture In the late 21st century]], humanity has contaminated the Earth to such a dire state that an organization of scientists, United Earth (UE) had formed in an effort to save it. Governments from around the world collectively contributed trillions to UE, funding its expensive and highly experimental research. They managed to hit success, with [[HotScientist Dr. Julia]] [[BadassBookworm Dr. Julia Carson's]] innovative concept, known as Deep Space Reprocessing (DSR), which allowed humans to recycle waste into organic materials through abiogenesis, a process that would essentially recycle the planet and transform it into a more habitable state. It turns out to be a success, Earth's state is improving, and things are beginning to look up for humanity.
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* HotScientist: Dr. Julia Carson in the original, by far. Hell, she wears a ''tube top'' under that lab coat and rockin' a mini-skirt!
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* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Valkyl has purple hair.
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* TakeThat / KickThemWhileTheyAreDown: A meta example: during the widespreed negative reception of ''VideoGame/MightyNo9'' on its release day, the developers took it upon themselves to put ''Extinction Agenda EX'' for sale on a massive discount to rake in money from angry and disappointed backers [[SmallNameBigEgo while claiming their game is a better alternative]].
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* TakeThat / KickThemWhileTheyAreDown: A meta example: during the widespreed widespread negative reception of ''VideoGame/MightyNo9'' on its release day, the developers took it upon themselves to put ''Extinction Agenda EX'' for sale on a massive discount to rake in money from angry and disappointed backers [[SmallNameBigEgo while claiming their game is a better alternative]].
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* ZettaiRyouiki: Dr. Carson wears grade-A thigh-highs with her mini-skirt in the original game.
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One more quick correction.
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''A.R.E.S.: Extinction Agenda'' is a side-scrolling action-platforming game by Extend Studios and [=ORiGO=] Games. The game originally started under the {{working title}} of ''Trashman'', developed using the Microsoft XNA Game Studio framework and was submitted for Microsoft's Dream.Build.Play contest of 2010, where it won 2nd place alongside among top-ranking entries such as ''VideoGame/BeatHazard'' and ''VideoGame/PrismaticSolid''. It was planned as a series of episodic games, with (so far) the first episode, ''Extinction Agenda'', being released for [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer PC]] through UsefulNotes/{{Steam}}, DESURA, and [=GamersGate=] in 2011.
to:
''A.R.E.S.: Extinction Agenda'' is a side-scrolling action-platforming game by Extend Studios and [=ORiGO=] Games. The game originally started under the {{working title}} of ''Trashman'', developed using the Microsoft XNA Game Studio framework and was submitted for Microsoft's Dream.Build.Play contest of 2010, where it won 2nd place alongside among top-ranking entries such as ''VideoGame/BeatHazard'' and ''VideoGame/PrismaticSolid''. It was planned as a series of episodic games, with (so far) the first episode, ''Extinction Agenda'', being released for [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer PC]] through UsefulNotes/{{Steam}}, DESURA, and [=GamersGate=] in 2011.
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An [[VideoGameRemake updated remake]] of the game, ''A.R.E.S.: Extinction Agenda EX'', was released for the UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} through UsefulNotes/{{Xbox LIVE Arcade}} on October 2, 2013 and was also published by Aksys Games, the same company known for their ports of the ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' series and ''VideoGame/{{Deathsmiles}}'', with a PC version released through Steam a year later. The remake featured updated graphics, redesigned levels plus two additional ones, new animated cutscenes, streamlined gameplay elements, rebalanced difficulty, and Tarus is a playable character with his own unique playstyle and abilities. With a $1,500 contribution made by [=ORiGO=] Games for the Website/{{Kickstarter}}[=-=]funded indie arena fighting game, ''Combat Core'', Ares makes an appearance a GuestFighter in the game along with Zetto and Kizuna of ''WebAnimation/{{TOME}}''.
!!''A.R.E.S.: Extinction Agenda'' provides trope examples of:
!!''A.R.E.S.: Extinction Agenda'' provides trope examples of:
to:
An [[VideoGameRemake updated remake]] of the game, ''A.R.E.S.: Extinction Agenda EX'', was released for the UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} through UsefulNotes/{{Xbox LIVE Arcade}} on October 2, 2013 and was also published by Aksys Games, the same company known for their ports of the ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' series and ''VideoGame/{{Deathsmiles}}'', with a PC version released through Steam a year later. The remake featured updated graphics, redesigned levels plus two additional ones, new animated cutscenes, streamlined gameplay elements, rebalanced difficulty, and Tarus is a playable character with his own unique playstyle and abilities. With a $1,500 contribution made by [=ORiGO=] Games for the Website/{{Kickstarter}}[=-=]funded indie arena fighting game, ''Combat Core'', Ares makes an appearance a GuestFighter in the game along with Zetto and Kizuna of ''WebAnimation/{{TOME}}''.
!!''A.R.E.S.: Extinction Agenda'' provides trope examples of:
!!''A.R.E.S.
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An [[VideoGameRemake updated remake]] of the game, ''A.R.E.S. Extinction Agenda EX'', was released for the UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} through UsefulNotes/{{Xbox LIVE Arcade}} on October 2, 2013 and was also published by Aksys Games, the same company known for their ports of the ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' series and ''VideoGame/{{Deathsmiles}}'', with a PC version released through Steam a year later. The remake featured updated graphics, redesigned levels plus two additional ones, new animated cutscenes, streamlined gameplay elements, rebalanced difficulty, and Tarus is a playable character with his own unique playstyle and abilities. With a $1,500 contribution made by [=ORiGO=] Games for the Website/{{Kickstarter}}[=-=]funded indie arena fighting game, ''Combat Core'', Ares makes an appearance a GuestFighter in the game along with Zetto and Kizuna of ''WebAnimation/{{TOME}}''.
to:
An [[VideoGameRemake updated remake]] of the game, ''A.R.E.S. : Extinction Agenda EX'', was released for the UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} through UsefulNotes/{{Xbox LIVE Arcade}} on October 2, 2013 and was also published by Aksys Games, the same company known for their ports of the ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' series and ''VideoGame/{{Deathsmiles}}'', with a PC version released through Steam a year later. The remake featured updated graphics, redesigned levels plus two additional ones, new animated cutscenes, streamlined gameplay elements, rebalanced difficulty, and Tarus is a playable character with his own unique playstyle and abilities. With a $1,500 contribution made by [=ORiGO=] Games for the Website/{{Kickstarter}}[=-=]funded indie arena fighting game, ''Combat Core'', Ares makes an appearance a GuestFighter in the game along with Zetto and Kizuna of ''WebAnimation/{{TOME}}''.
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Moving the game's article to a new namespace.
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[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/aresextinctionagendaex_coverart.png]]
[[caption-width-right:300:[[labelnote:Click here to see the original game's cover art]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/aresextinctionagenda_coverart.png[[/labelnote]]]]
''A.R.E.S.: Extinction Agenda'' is a side-scrolling action-platforming game by Extend Studios and [=ORiGO=] Games. The game originally started under the {{working title}} of ''Trashman'', developed using the Microsoft XNA Game Studio framework and was submitted for Microsoft's Dream.Build.Play contest of 2010, where it won 2nd place alongside among top-ranking entries such as ''VideoGame/BeatHazard'' and ''VideoGame/PrismaticSolid''. It was planned as a series of episodic games, with (so far) the first episode, ''Extinction Agenda'', being released for [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer PC]] through UsefulNotes/{{Steam}}, DESURA, and [=GamersGate=] in 2011.
The plot of ''Extinction Agenda'' is as follows: [[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture In the late 21st century]], humanity has contaminated the Earth to such a dire state that an organization of scientists, United Earth (UE) had formed in an effort to save it. Governments from around the world collectively contributed trillions to UE, funding its expensive and highly experimental research. They managed to hit success, with [[HotScientist Dr. Julia]] [[BadassBookworm Carson's]] innovative concept, known as Deep Space Reprocessing (DSR), which allowed humans to recycle waste into organic materials through abiogenesis, a process that would essentially recycle the planet and transform it into a more habitable state. It turns out to be a success, Earth's state is improving, and things are beginning to look up for humanity.
Then disaster strikes. The only DSR space station, Junk Sector, is hit by an unidentified crystalline object, which emits a mysterious green gas, and all contact with the crew is lost. Dr. Carson herself leads a team onto the station to investigate, and discover that the robots on board are being controlled by the gas. Their first actions are to 1) head to the armory, and 2) send samples of the gas back to HQ. Using the samples, UE manages to figure out how to make robots immune to the gas, now called "Zytron". The answer was to create a Zytron-immune robot more technically advanced than any robot UE had ever created. The robot would need to excel at combat and have a name akin to its strength and brutal efficiency -- [[MeaningfulName Ares]].
Ares himself has a array of weaponry to use, as well as two types of grenades. He also has back-up from [[SpaceshipGirl Valkyl]], a military-support satellite, who can rain down laser death once her bar is full. The game uses a "combo" system with a maximum of 99 hits, and each stage you complete grades you based on your performance, with a maximum rank in Normal mode being A while Hard mode has SS. These ranks are determined by factors such as how quickly you completed the stage, your highest combo, how much damage you took during boss fights, and how much materials you collected. The materials from destroyed enemies and scattered throughout levels allows you to upgrade your arsenal, create more grenades, and use repair-kits. While the first episode is a fairly short game, its {{replay|Value}}ability comes from the hidden secrets, unlocking achievements, and getting higher ranks.
An [[VideoGameRemake updated remake]] of the game, ''A.R.E.S. Extinction Agenda EX'', was released for the UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} through UsefulNotes/{{Xbox LIVE Arcade}} on October 2, 2013 and was also published by Aksys Games, the same company known for their ports of the ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' series and ''VideoGame/{{Deathsmiles}}'', with a PC version released through Steam a year later. The remake featured updated graphics, redesigned levels plus two additional ones, new animated cutscenes, streamlined gameplay elements, rebalanced difficulty, and Tarus is a playable character with his own unique playstyle and abilities. With a $1,500 contribution made by [=ORiGO=] Games for the Website/{{Kickstarter}}[=-=]funded indie arena fighting game, ''Combat Core'', Ares makes an appearance a GuestFighter in the game along with Zetto and Kizuna of ''WebAnimation/{{TOME}}''.
!!''A.R.E.S.: Extinction Agenda'' provides trope examples of:
* TwoAndAHalfD: The game is presented with 3D visuals for the stages, but the gameplay itself is 2D.
* AbsurdlyLowLevelCap: Players usually max out Ares' and Tarus' levels around Lv.6 if they can enough points between each stage.
* AchievementSystem: The original game comes with 25 obtainable achievements that adds up to a total of 330 achievement points similar Xbox LIVE Achievements and Gamerscore. Each achievement requires the player to perform certain feats such as never using a repair kit across all levels, getting the combo counter to 99, and no damage running a boss battle. These also return in ''EX''.
* ActionGirl:
** Surprisingly, Dr. Carson, and she doubles a BadassBookworm. Despite being a scientist, it's heavily implied that she is quite capable with a weapon. When Ares actually rescues her, the first thing she does is point her gun at him and threatens to shoot. She was holding out mostly on her own for at least a few days, and she hasn't been captured or killed, which is quite an achievement.
** Valkyl as well, she rains down {{death from above}} with her {{BFG}} at your call in the original.
* AdvancingBossOfDoom: The Leviathan mini-boss chases the player from a bottomless shaft at first.
* ArtShift: Valkyl's design got a more westernized appearance in ''Extinction Agenda EX'', while Dr. Carson became even ''more'' of an action girl.
* TheBadGuyWins: [[spoiler:In ''EX'', during Tarus' storyline, Zytron deems Tarus a worthy successor and he proceeds to take over Zytron's role and fire the Minos Cannon]].
* BareYourMidriff: Dr. Carson wears a tube top underneath her lab coat in the original game.
* BigDamnHeroes: After the Sentinel fight, Ares is saved from a last-ditch effort attack from the boss by Tarus and his Wave Emitter, which he hands to Ares to use, and vice-versa in ''EX'' for Tarus.
* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:While the Minos Cannon has been destroyed and humanity has been saved, Junk Sector, humanity's only hope for bringing Earth back to its former glory, has been destroyed along with it. On the other hand, humanity can rebuild, and Ares survived the station's destruction... in the original, at least; in ''EX'', Ares' ending confirms that he has been blown to pieces and likely beyond repair.]]
* BoobsOfSteel: There are exactly two women in ''Extinction Agenda'': [[http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/494424-a-r-e-s-extinction-agenda-windows-screenshot-a-cut-scene-with.jpg Dr. Carson]], and [[http://media.indiedb.com/images/games/1/13/12149/01.jpg Valkyl]]. The former has a decent bust, and is an ActionGirl. Valkyl, on the other hand, is quite well-endowed, and carries a BFG which she can use to rain down death when Ares needs it (in the original).
* BottomlessMagazines: In the original game, Ares can eventually get an upgrade for his high-explosive and EMP grenades that gives him an infinite supply. In ''EX'', however, the repurposed abilities operates on a {{cooldown}} meter instead.
* BraggingRightsReward: The Genesis Suit from the original, which requires an SS Rank. However, in order to get SS Rank, you need SS ranks on all chapters ''except'' Chapter 5, which requires an S rank, which averts the trope. There is a good reason for this, however -- [[spoiler:the [[BulletHell Minos Cannon]] ''is that hard to perfect''.]]
* ChargedAttack: The hold type for the Power and Gravity Boost ability Ares unlock after defeating Carrion in the original. By using the grenade's energy, he can propel himself forward, upwards, or downwards while damaging anything in his path.
* {{Combos}}: Each shot you land will start a combo counter, but if you stop fighting enemies for a while or take a hit, the combo meter immediately drops. The counter has a cap of 99 hits in the original, but it's uncapped in ''EX''.
* ComboBreaker: Taking damage from an enemy will reset your combo counter to zero.
* TheCorruption: The Zytron gases has corrupted robots in the Junk Sector/Minos Station to turn against their creators.
* CurtainsMatchTheWindow: Dr. Carson's brown hair matches with her eyes in the original.
* DashAttack: Ares gets an upgrade along with the Prototype Suit that allows him to perform dash attacks that harms enemies and gives him invincibility frames while dashing (which can be upgraded to extend to the air boost). Tarus also gets this with his roll with Fusion Form, which makes him invincible while rolling and stuns enemies/breaks shields.
* DeflectorShields: Enemies in the game are sometimes protected by a shield that blocks any and all attacks from the player, and they can only be disabled by using a stasis-based attack. Tarus' Power Infusion in ''EX'' also gives him this effect.
* DemotedToExtra: In the original, Valkyl provided support as a SpaceshipGirl that can rain down destruction via her massive cannon. In ''EX'', however, she's just an A.I. construct that serves as MissionControl for Ares and Tarus.
* DenialOfDiagonalAttack: Averted. Ares and Tarus can aim their shots in any direction.
* DifficultyLevels:
** The original game only has two: Normal and Hardcore. Normal restricts the players ability to go above A rank when clearing stages and get no rewards from fighting bosses at the expense of making bosses easier, while Hardcore has none of those restrictions and bosses fight at their full potential.
** ''EX'' introduced a "Casual" difficulty on top of the other two from the original. Causal, similarly to Normal in the original, makes bosses easier while enemies no longer have shields, but it prevents you from getting the maximum rank from the stage. Normal only restricts players with a score cap in ''EX'', while Hardcore has no restrictions but makes enemies twice as strong and Repair Kits take longer to recharge.
* DoubleJump: Ares and Tarus have this as a starting ability.
* DoubleUnlock: Getting some of the upgrades requires finding the chip that will open the slot to the corresponding upgrade, then also paying in materials you collect from defeated enemies and scattered through the levels to purchase them.
* DubNameChange: In ''EX'', the Junk Sector has been renamed to Minos Station, as well as the [[spoiler:Minos Cannon boss]] having its name changed to [[spoiler:Minos Core]].
* ElementalPunch: Ares' Blazing Fist, an ability acquired after defeating Goliath in ''EX'', is a fiery punch that can break explosive containers.
* EmergencyEnergyTank: In the original game, Ares can craft a repair kit with the materials he picks up laying around the level or dropped from enemies and then use them at a later time to recover a portion of his HP. In ''EX'', the repair kit is an upgradeable skill that takes time to recharge and costs 100 materials to use.
* EquipmentBasedProgression: Throughout the game, players can acquire ability upgrades and new weapons, either through progressing the story or discovering hidden items, that will make Ares (and in ''EX'', Tarus) a more efficient fighter against the Zytron-based hordes.
* EvolvingWeapon: The weapons you find in the game can be upgraded by collecting certain chips and paying for the materials for said upgrades, and the upgrades are shown visibly with both the appearance of the weapon and how the shots are fired.
* ExcusePlot: The original had a somewhat involved plot and some datacubes provides intel on those from UE and enemies Ares encounters, but ''EX'' simplifies the story to "A mysterious gas is causing robots in a space station to go berserk, get in there and kick some butt!"
* FightingYourFriend: [[spoiler:In ''EX'', the boss of Chapter 5 is whatever character you aren't playing as because Ares/Tarus became infected by Zytron at this point.]]
* FixedDamageAttack: Each weapon and offensive ability you have and eventually acquire have a fixed amount of damage they deal to enemies.
* ForcedTutorial: The original game forces the player to get acquainted with the game's menus, making them learn how to recycle materials into items, view data entries, and reminding them of the game's Level Select feature on their first time, through. It also forces them to learn how to call Valkyl's Zypher Cannon as well as how to use repair kits.
* FunWithAcronyms: The game's title, which makes an acronym out of "Ares".
* FutureSpandex: Valkyl's outfit certainly fits the description.
* GameplayGrading: You are rewarded based on how quickly you clear the level, how few hits you've taken during boss battles, how high you can get your combo counter, how much damage you've dealt, and how many upgrades you've uncovered.
* GlassCannon: The Steam-exclusive Berzerker Suit {{D|ownloadableContent}}LC from the original is this through and through. Its weapon [[KillItWithFire kills things with fire]], but as long as you are equipped with it, you take more damage than usual.
* GuestFighter: Ares became a playable character the indie game ''Combat Core'' after a $1,500 contribution from [=ORiGO=] Games for the game's Kickstarter campaign.
* HardModePerks: Playing on the harder difficulties allows you to get SS ranks for clearing a level, and, in the case of ''EX'', go past the 99-hit combo limit. Also in ''EX'', playing on Hardcore allows you to exceed the 10,000-point score limit that Normal has (10,000 is the requirement for an SS rank).
* HeartContainer: Some of the datacubes in the original game can raise Ares' maximum HP. This was removed from ''EX''.
* TheHeroDies: [[spoiler:Implied in Ares' ending in both versions, however, in the original game, a last-minute scene during the ending implies that he survived the destruction of the Junk Sector.]]
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:Ares pulls one in ''EX'', disabling his inhibitors and overloading his core to destroy the Minos Core before the cannon is fired.]]
* HotScientist: Dr. Julia Carson in the original, by far. Hell, she wears a ''tube top'' under that lab coat and rockin' a mini-skirt!
* HumansAreFlawed: Though humans have been trying to clean up their act as a whole, it seems, [[spoiler:Zytron]] thinks humanity are a mistake, and one that must be corrected.
* IdiosyncraticComboLevels: As you shoot stuff up, you get a phrase associated with your chain of destruction like "Superb!" and "Bursted!" In ''EX'', exceeding 99 hits earns you "Wicked!".
* TheImmune: Ares and Tarus were developed to be immune to the contamination of the Zytron gases as they carry out their mission to rescue Dr. Carson. [[spoiler:However, they eventually get infected anyway to a severe degree halfway into the game. Ares gets a Prototype Suit upgrade to combat this shortly after, though in Tarus' story in ''EX'', it wasn't enough to save him from Zytron's influence. Tarus also goes through this, but rather than going to a station to purge his infection like Ares did, the Zytron gases eventually infuses with Tarus and gives him the Zytron-powered Fusion Form.]]
* InfoDump: The new animated cutscenes in ''EX'' lack any sort of voice-acting while the dialogue is entirely shown through subtitles.
* InvulnerableAttack: Ares and Tarus can unlock upgrades to their mobility enhancements that gives them both invincibility frames and does slight damage to enemies on contact, with Tarus also having a stun effect added to his dodge rolls.
* ItemGet: Players are greeted with a short sequence showing off the weapon/ability they unlocked from defeating certain bosses. The original shown some of the weapons as 3D models while ''EX'' has a simple icon of the weapon/ability obtained.
* JetPack: Rather than get a mid-air dash like Ares does, Tarus gets the ability to [[NotQuiteFlight hover]] for a few seconds after defeating Carrion in ''EX''.
* JumpPhysics: The original game had variable jump height where Ares' jump height is based off how long the Jump button was held, while in ''EX'', the jump height was always fixed to jump at maximum height. The PC version of ''EX'' however later received a patch that added an option to disable the fixed jump height. Players can freely change their facing while jumping.
* KillSat: Valkyl, our SpaceshipGirl, at least in the original.
** [[spoiler:And there is the Minos Cannon, UE's secret weapon, speculated by Dr. Carson to have been created for a political agenda. Ares is forced to destroy it in order to prevent Zytron from using it to destroy humanity.]]
* LeftHanging: The original ''A.R.E.S.: Extinction Agenda'', which was planned as an episodic series, hasn't seen a continuation for years since, and the story is most likely retconned in favor of ''EX''[='=]s story.
* LifeDrain: Ares' [[LimitBreak Solar Strike]] in ''EX'' can be upgraded to have this effect.
* LightningGun: The Wave Emitter is this for Ares and Tarus, as it shoots a wave of electricity that can bypass terrain. Tarus' version of the Photon Blaster also shoots a ball of plasma that zaps enemies without the ball's range.
* LimitBreak: Valkyl's [[{{BFG}} Zypher Cannon]] in the original. ''EX'' replaced it with Ares' [[BeamSpam Solar Strike]], and Tarus has [[DeflectorShields Power Infusion]].
* LoadingScreen: The game loads between entering stages, while providing some tips to the player. The original game had a simple background featuring the game's logo while the remake features a readout of some of the enemies they'll encounter.
* TheMentor: Tarus' data log in ''EX'' mentions that he was the one that trained Ares in combat.
* MidSeasonUpgrade: Ares gets an upgrade to his suit literally halfway through the first episode. Halfway through Chapter 3 (Chapter 4 in ''EX''), to be precise. It improves your dash ability so that you're ''invincible'' during it. Tarus also gets a similar upgrade for his roll in his story.
* NintendoHard: Lots of enemies, hazards, traps, and difficult boss battles. Even on Normal difficulty and no Easy difficulty to speak of in the original game, the game will punish you hard. ''EX'' added an "Casual" difficulty, but [[EasyModeMockery it comes with some gameplay restrictions]].
* OldSaveBonus: Owning the original ''A.R.E.S.: Extinction Agenda'' on the same Steam account will give owners of ''EX'' an Apollo drone that can draw in lose materials for the player instead of collecting it themselves. It can, however, be disabled if desired.
* PeninsulaOfPowerLeveling: Each stage has at least one ideal area to rack up a high combo.
* {{Precursors}}: [[spoiler:Zytron in the original, who claims to have created humanity, and believes that doing this was ultimately a mistake, which leads it to attempting to use the Minos Cannon to wipe them out. It's not abusive or neglectful, it's just simply doing what it thinks is right.]]
* PressXToNotDie: During some boss battles, players must perform a QTE to avoid some of the bosses attacks and/or escape from their grasp.
* PromotedToPlayable: Tarus gets his own campaign in ''EX''.
* RankInflation: You get a letter rank based on your performance. From lowest to highest: D, C, B, A, S, and SS. Casual gives you a cap of S while Normal and Hardcore allow you to go up to SS.
* RealTimeWeaponChange: Players must switch through their other weapons in-game via the D-pad with a controller or assigned number keys on keyboard. In the original ''A.R.E.S.'', changing Ares' different suits also functions this way by pressing both analog stick buttons together or Ctrl+T keys.
* RedShirtArmy: Averted. Tarus Group knows how to hold their own, even if they're not as good as Ares -- their leader [[BigDamnHeroes saves]] Ares from the Sentinel boss with one shot.
* RiseToTheChallenge: Mid-way into Stage 3 (original) / 5 (''EX''), the player encounters a massive robot that burrows its way through a vertical shaft and the player must reach the top before the mid-boss destroys all the platforms, otherwise its a plunge to a bottomless pit.
* RPGElements: As you clear stages, you earn experience points to level up your character. However, to prevent players from LevelGrinding by repeatedly clearing one stage multiple times, the experience points you earn is based on the score you cleared the stage with. For example, if you cleared the first stage with an S (9000-9999 points), you'll get more than enough experience to level-up once; clearing it again with a lesser score than your highest yields no progress.
* ShockAndAwe: The Prime Guardian specializes in this. Then there's the Photon Launcher, which is basically, when fully upgraded, ''the most powerful weapon in the game'' aside from Valkyl's Zypher Cannon from the original.
** Ares and Tarus also get [[HerdHittingAttack Plasma Shock]] and Lock Down respectively, which both stun enemies and break shields.
* SpaceshipGirl: However, unlike other examples, Valkyl is a satellite in a humanoid form. Her laser cannon attack comes from the Zypher Cannon she carries.
** Not quite so much in ''EX'', where she's just an AI construct operating from an unknown location.
* SpritePolygonMix: The game utilizes 3D polygonal graphics for the stages, but the playable characters and most of enemies are rendered as 2D sprites.
* SuperPrototype: Subverted; Ares is not a prototype robot, however, his Prototype Suit upgrade gives him more defensive abilities than his standard suit.
* TakeThat / KickThemWhileTheyAreDown: A meta example: during the widespreed negative reception of ''VideoGame/MightyNo9'' on its release day, the developers took it upon themselves to put ''Extinction Agenda EX'' for sale on a massive discount to rake in money from angry and disappointed backers [[SmallNameBigEgo while claiming their game is a better alternative]].
* TitleDrop: The final chapter in ''EX'' is titled "Extinction Agenda".
* VideoGameDashing: Ares can air-boost sideways or straight up, and the air-boost can be upgraded so that he can do ''three' time without having to touch the ground.
* VideoGameRemake: ''A.R.E.S. Extinction Agenda EX'' features higher quality visuals, Tarus becomes playable along with his own story and soundtrack, new animated cutscenes, a Casual difficulty, redesigned levels and streamlined gameplay, difficulty adjustments, and two extra levels added to the game. The PC version of ''EX'' has the benefit of remappable controller button layout (the Xbox 360 version has a pre-defined set-up), and through a later update, the ability to toggle fixed jump height.
* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Valkyl has purple hair.
* ZettaiRyouiki: Dr. Carson wears grade-A thigh-highs with her mini-skirt in the original game.
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[[caption-width-right:300:[[labelnote:Click here to see the original game's cover art]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/aresextinctionagenda_coverart.png[[/labelnote]]]]
''A.R.E.S.: Extinction Agenda'' is a side-scrolling action-platforming game by Extend Studios and [=ORiGO=] Games. The game originally started under the {{working title}} of ''Trashman'', developed using the Microsoft XNA Game Studio framework and was submitted for Microsoft's Dream.Build.Play contest of 2010, where it won 2nd place alongside among top-ranking entries such as ''VideoGame/BeatHazard'' and ''VideoGame/PrismaticSolid''. It was planned as a series of episodic games, with (so far) the first episode, ''Extinction Agenda'', being released for [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer PC]] through UsefulNotes/{{Steam}}, DESURA, and [=GamersGate=] in 2011.
The plot of ''Extinction Agenda'' is as follows: [[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture In the late 21st century]], humanity has contaminated the Earth to such a dire state that an organization of scientists, United Earth (UE) had formed in an effort to save it. Governments from around the world collectively contributed trillions to UE, funding its expensive and highly experimental research. They managed to hit success, with [[HotScientist Dr. Julia]] [[BadassBookworm Carson's]] innovative concept, known as Deep Space Reprocessing (DSR), which allowed humans to recycle waste into organic materials through abiogenesis, a process that would essentially recycle the planet and transform it into a more habitable state. It turns out to be a success, Earth's state is improving, and things are beginning to look up for humanity.
Then disaster strikes. The only DSR space station, Junk Sector, is hit by an unidentified crystalline object, which emits a mysterious green gas, and all contact with the crew is lost. Dr. Carson herself leads a team onto the station to investigate, and discover that the robots on board are being controlled by the gas. Their first actions are to 1) head to the armory, and 2) send samples of the gas back to HQ. Using the samples, UE manages to figure out how to make robots immune to the gas, now called "Zytron". The answer was to create a Zytron-immune robot more technically advanced than any robot UE had ever created. The robot would need to excel at combat and have a name akin to its strength and brutal efficiency -- [[MeaningfulName Ares]].
Ares himself has a array of weaponry to use, as well as two types of grenades. He also has back-up from [[SpaceshipGirl Valkyl]], a military-support satellite, who can rain down laser death once her bar is full. The game uses a "combo" system with a maximum of 99 hits, and each stage you complete grades you based on your performance, with a maximum rank in Normal mode being A while Hard mode has SS. These ranks are determined by factors such as how quickly you completed the stage, your highest combo, how much damage you took during boss fights, and how much materials you collected. The materials from destroyed enemies and scattered throughout levels allows you to upgrade your arsenal, create more grenades, and use repair-kits. While the first episode is a fairly short game, its {{replay|Value}}ability comes from the hidden secrets, unlocking achievements, and getting higher ranks.
An [[VideoGameRemake updated remake]] of the game, ''A.R.E.S. Extinction Agenda EX'', was released for the UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} through UsefulNotes/{{Xbox LIVE Arcade}} on October 2, 2013 and was also published by Aksys Games, the same company known for their ports of the ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' series and ''VideoGame/{{Deathsmiles}}'', with a PC version released through Steam a year later. The remake featured updated graphics, redesigned levels plus two additional ones, new animated cutscenes, streamlined gameplay elements, rebalanced difficulty, and Tarus is a playable character with his own unique playstyle and abilities. With a $1,500 contribution made by [=ORiGO=] Games for the Website/{{Kickstarter}}[=-=]funded indie arena fighting game, ''Combat Core'', Ares makes an appearance a GuestFighter in the game along with Zetto and Kizuna of ''WebAnimation/{{TOME}}''.
!!''A.R.E.S.: Extinction Agenda'' provides trope examples of:
* TwoAndAHalfD: The game is presented with 3D visuals for the stages, but the gameplay itself is 2D.
* AbsurdlyLowLevelCap: Players usually max out Ares' and Tarus' levels around Lv.6 if they can enough points between each stage.
* AchievementSystem: The original game comes with 25 obtainable achievements that adds up to a total of 330 achievement points similar Xbox LIVE Achievements and Gamerscore. Each achievement requires the player to perform certain feats such as never using a repair kit across all levels, getting the combo counter to 99, and no damage running a boss battle. These also return in ''EX''.
* ActionGirl:
** Surprisingly, Dr. Carson, and she doubles a BadassBookworm. Despite being a scientist, it's heavily implied that she is quite capable with a weapon. When Ares actually rescues her, the first thing she does is point her gun at him and threatens to shoot. She was holding out mostly on her own for at least a few days, and she hasn't been captured or killed, which is quite an achievement.
** Valkyl as well, she rains down {{death from above}} with her {{BFG}} at your call in the original.
* AdvancingBossOfDoom: The Leviathan mini-boss chases the player from a bottomless shaft at first.
* ArtShift: Valkyl's design got a more westernized appearance in ''Extinction Agenda EX'', while Dr. Carson became even ''more'' of an action girl.
* TheBadGuyWins: [[spoiler:In ''EX'', during Tarus' storyline, Zytron deems Tarus a worthy successor and he proceeds to take over Zytron's role and fire the Minos Cannon]].
* BareYourMidriff: Dr. Carson wears a tube top underneath her lab coat in the original game.
* BigDamnHeroes: After the Sentinel fight, Ares is saved from a last-ditch effort attack from the boss by Tarus and his Wave Emitter, which he hands to Ares to use, and vice-versa in ''EX'' for Tarus.
* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:While the Minos Cannon has been destroyed and humanity has been saved, Junk Sector, humanity's only hope for bringing Earth back to its former glory, has been destroyed along with it. On the other hand, humanity can rebuild, and Ares survived the station's destruction... in the original, at least; in ''EX'', Ares' ending confirms that he has been blown to pieces and likely beyond repair.]]
* BoobsOfSteel: There are exactly two women in ''Extinction Agenda'': [[http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/494424-a-r-e-s-extinction-agenda-windows-screenshot-a-cut-scene-with.jpg Dr. Carson]], and [[http://media.indiedb.com/images/games/1/13/12149/01.jpg Valkyl]]. The former has a decent bust, and is an ActionGirl. Valkyl, on the other hand, is quite well-endowed, and carries a BFG which she can use to rain down death when Ares needs it (in the original).
* BottomlessMagazines: In the original game, Ares can eventually get an upgrade for his high-explosive and EMP grenades that gives him an infinite supply. In ''EX'', however, the repurposed abilities operates on a {{cooldown}} meter instead.
* BraggingRightsReward: The Genesis Suit from the original, which requires an SS Rank. However, in order to get SS Rank, you need SS ranks on all chapters ''except'' Chapter 5, which requires an S rank, which averts the trope. There is a good reason for this, however -- [[spoiler:the [[BulletHell Minos Cannon]] ''is that hard to perfect''.]]
* ChargedAttack: The hold type for the Power and Gravity Boost ability Ares unlock after defeating Carrion in the original. By using the grenade's energy, he can propel himself forward, upwards, or downwards while damaging anything in his path.
* {{Combos}}: Each shot you land will start a combo counter, but if you stop fighting enemies for a while or take a hit, the combo meter immediately drops. The counter has a cap of 99 hits in the original, but it's uncapped in ''EX''.
* ComboBreaker: Taking damage from an enemy will reset your combo counter to zero.
* TheCorruption: The Zytron gases has corrupted robots in the Junk Sector/Minos Station to turn against their creators.
* CurtainsMatchTheWindow: Dr. Carson's brown hair matches with her eyes in the original.
* DashAttack: Ares gets an upgrade along with the Prototype Suit that allows him to perform dash attacks that harms enemies and gives him invincibility frames while dashing (which can be upgraded to extend to the air boost). Tarus also gets this with his roll with Fusion Form, which makes him invincible while rolling and stuns enemies/breaks shields.
* DeflectorShields: Enemies in the game are sometimes protected by a shield that blocks any and all attacks from the player, and they can only be disabled by using a stasis-based attack. Tarus' Power Infusion in ''EX'' also gives him this effect.
* DemotedToExtra: In the original, Valkyl provided support as a SpaceshipGirl that can rain down destruction via her massive cannon. In ''EX'', however, she's just an A.I. construct that serves as MissionControl for Ares and Tarus.
* DenialOfDiagonalAttack: Averted. Ares and Tarus can aim their shots in any direction.
* DifficultyLevels:
** The original game only has two: Normal and Hardcore. Normal restricts the players ability to go above A rank when clearing stages and get no rewards from fighting bosses at the expense of making bosses easier, while Hardcore has none of those restrictions and bosses fight at their full potential.
** ''EX'' introduced a "Casual" difficulty on top of the other two from the original. Causal, similarly to Normal in the original, makes bosses easier while enemies no longer have shields, but it prevents you from getting the maximum rank from the stage. Normal only restricts players with a score cap in ''EX'', while Hardcore has no restrictions but makes enemies twice as strong and Repair Kits take longer to recharge.
* DoubleJump: Ares and Tarus have this as a starting ability.
* DoubleUnlock: Getting some of the upgrades requires finding the chip that will open the slot to the corresponding upgrade, then also paying in materials you collect from defeated enemies and scattered through the levels to purchase them.
* DubNameChange: In ''EX'', the Junk Sector has been renamed to Minos Station, as well as the [[spoiler:Minos Cannon boss]] having its name changed to [[spoiler:Minos Core]].
* ElementalPunch: Ares' Blazing Fist, an ability acquired after defeating Goliath in ''EX'', is a fiery punch that can break explosive containers.
* EmergencyEnergyTank: In the original game, Ares can craft a repair kit with the materials he picks up laying around the level or dropped from enemies and then use them at a later time to recover a portion of his HP. In ''EX'', the repair kit is an upgradeable skill that takes time to recharge and costs 100 materials to use.
* EquipmentBasedProgression: Throughout the game, players can acquire ability upgrades and new weapons, either through progressing the story or discovering hidden items, that will make Ares (and in ''EX'', Tarus) a more efficient fighter against the Zytron-based hordes.
* EvolvingWeapon: The weapons you find in the game can be upgraded by collecting certain chips and paying for the materials for said upgrades, and the upgrades are shown visibly with both the appearance of the weapon and how the shots are fired.
* ExcusePlot: The original had a somewhat involved plot and some datacubes provides intel on those from UE and enemies Ares encounters, but ''EX'' simplifies the story to "A mysterious gas is causing robots in a space station to go berserk, get in there and kick some butt!"
* FightingYourFriend: [[spoiler:In ''EX'', the boss of Chapter 5 is whatever character you aren't playing as because Ares/Tarus became infected by Zytron at this point.]]
* FixedDamageAttack: Each weapon and offensive ability you have and eventually acquire have a fixed amount of damage they deal to enemies.
* ForcedTutorial: The original game forces the player to get acquainted with the game's menus, making them learn how to recycle materials into items, view data entries, and reminding them of the game's Level Select feature on their first time, through. It also forces them to learn how to call Valkyl's Zypher Cannon as well as how to use repair kits.
* FunWithAcronyms: The game's title, which makes an acronym out of "Ares".
* FutureSpandex: Valkyl's outfit certainly fits the description.
* GameplayGrading: You are rewarded based on how quickly you clear the level, how few hits you've taken during boss battles, how high you can get your combo counter, how much damage you've dealt, and how many upgrades you've uncovered.
* GlassCannon: The Steam-exclusive Berzerker Suit {{D|ownloadableContent}}LC from the original is this through and through. Its weapon [[KillItWithFire kills things with fire]], but as long as you are equipped with it, you take more damage than usual.
* GuestFighter: Ares became a playable character the indie game ''Combat Core'' after a $1,500 contribution from [=ORiGO=] Games for the game's Kickstarter campaign.
* HardModePerks: Playing on the harder difficulties allows you to get SS ranks for clearing a level, and, in the case of ''EX'', go past the 99-hit combo limit. Also in ''EX'', playing on Hardcore allows you to exceed the 10,000-point score limit that Normal has (10,000 is the requirement for an SS rank).
* HeartContainer: Some of the datacubes in the original game can raise Ares' maximum HP. This was removed from ''EX''.
* TheHeroDies: [[spoiler:Implied in Ares' ending in both versions, however, in the original game, a last-minute scene during the ending implies that he survived the destruction of the Junk Sector.]]
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:Ares pulls one in ''EX'', disabling his inhibitors and overloading his core to destroy the Minos Core before the cannon is fired.]]
* HotScientist: Dr. Julia Carson in the original, by far. Hell, she wears a ''tube top'' under that lab coat and rockin' a mini-skirt!
* HumansAreFlawed: Though humans have been trying to clean up their act as a whole, it seems, [[spoiler:Zytron]] thinks humanity are a mistake, and one that must be corrected.
* IdiosyncraticComboLevels: As you shoot stuff up, you get a phrase associated with your chain of destruction like "Superb!" and "Bursted!" In ''EX'', exceeding 99 hits earns you "Wicked!".
* TheImmune: Ares and Tarus were developed to be immune to the contamination of the Zytron gases as they carry out their mission to rescue Dr. Carson. [[spoiler:However, they eventually get infected anyway to a severe degree halfway into the game. Ares gets a Prototype Suit upgrade to combat this shortly after, though in Tarus' story in ''EX'', it wasn't enough to save him from Zytron's influence. Tarus also goes through this, but rather than going to a station to purge his infection like Ares did, the Zytron gases eventually infuses with Tarus and gives him the Zytron-powered Fusion Form.]]
* InfoDump: The new animated cutscenes in ''EX'' lack any sort of voice-acting while the dialogue is entirely shown through subtitles.
* InvulnerableAttack: Ares and Tarus can unlock upgrades to their mobility enhancements that gives them both invincibility frames and does slight damage to enemies on contact, with Tarus also having a stun effect added to his dodge rolls.
* ItemGet: Players are greeted with a short sequence showing off the weapon/ability they unlocked from defeating certain bosses. The original shown some of the weapons as 3D models while ''EX'' has a simple icon of the weapon/ability obtained.
* JetPack: Rather than get a mid-air dash like Ares does, Tarus gets the ability to [[NotQuiteFlight hover]] for a few seconds after defeating Carrion in ''EX''.
* JumpPhysics: The original game had variable jump height where Ares' jump height is based off how long the Jump button was held, while in ''EX'', the jump height was always fixed to jump at maximum height. The PC version of ''EX'' however later received a patch that added an option to disable the fixed jump height. Players can freely change their facing while jumping.
* KillSat: Valkyl, our SpaceshipGirl, at least in the original.
** [[spoiler:And there is the Minos Cannon, UE's secret weapon, speculated by Dr. Carson to have been created for a political agenda. Ares is forced to destroy it in order to prevent Zytron from using it to destroy humanity.]]
* LeftHanging: The original ''A.R.E.S.: Extinction Agenda'', which was planned as an episodic series, hasn't seen a continuation for years since, and the story is most likely retconned in favor of ''EX''[='=]s story.
* LifeDrain: Ares' [[LimitBreak Solar Strike]] in ''EX'' can be upgraded to have this effect.
* LightningGun: The Wave Emitter is this for Ares and Tarus, as it shoots a wave of electricity that can bypass terrain. Tarus' version of the Photon Blaster also shoots a ball of plasma that zaps enemies without the ball's range.
* LimitBreak: Valkyl's [[{{BFG}} Zypher Cannon]] in the original. ''EX'' replaced it with Ares' [[BeamSpam Solar Strike]], and Tarus has [[DeflectorShields Power Infusion]].
* LoadingScreen: The game loads between entering stages, while providing some tips to the player. The original game had a simple background featuring the game's logo while the remake features a readout of some of the enemies they'll encounter.
* TheMentor: Tarus' data log in ''EX'' mentions that he was the one that trained Ares in combat.
* MidSeasonUpgrade: Ares gets an upgrade to his suit literally halfway through the first episode. Halfway through Chapter 3 (Chapter 4 in ''EX''), to be precise. It improves your dash ability so that you're ''invincible'' during it. Tarus also gets a similar upgrade for his roll in his story.
* NintendoHard: Lots of enemies, hazards, traps, and difficult boss battles. Even on Normal difficulty and no Easy difficulty to speak of in the original game, the game will punish you hard. ''EX'' added an "Casual" difficulty, but [[EasyModeMockery it comes with some gameplay restrictions]].
* OldSaveBonus: Owning the original ''A.R.E.S.: Extinction Agenda'' on the same Steam account will give owners of ''EX'' an Apollo drone that can draw in lose materials for the player instead of collecting it themselves. It can, however, be disabled if desired.
* PeninsulaOfPowerLeveling: Each stage has at least one ideal area to rack up a high combo.
* {{Precursors}}: [[spoiler:Zytron in the original, who claims to have created humanity, and believes that doing this was ultimately a mistake, which leads it to attempting to use the Minos Cannon to wipe them out. It's not abusive or neglectful, it's just simply doing what it thinks is right.]]
* PressXToNotDie: During some boss battles, players must perform a QTE to avoid some of the bosses attacks and/or escape from their grasp.
* PromotedToPlayable: Tarus gets his own campaign in ''EX''.
* RankInflation: You get a letter rank based on your performance. From lowest to highest: D, C, B, A, S, and SS. Casual gives you a cap of S while Normal and Hardcore allow you to go up to SS.
* RealTimeWeaponChange: Players must switch through their other weapons in-game via the D-pad with a controller or assigned number keys on keyboard. In the original ''A.R.E.S.'', changing Ares' different suits also functions this way by pressing both analog stick buttons together or Ctrl+T keys.
* RedShirtArmy: Averted. Tarus Group knows how to hold their own, even if they're not as good as Ares -- their leader [[BigDamnHeroes saves]] Ares from the Sentinel boss with one shot.
* RiseToTheChallenge: Mid-way into Stage 3 (original) / 5 (''EX''), the player encounters a massive robot that burrows its way through a vertical shaft and the player must reach the top before the mid-boss destroys all the platforms, otherwise its a plunge to a bottomless pit.
* RPGElements: As you clear stages, you earn experience points to level up your character. However, to prevent players from LevelGrinding by repeatedly clearing one stage multiple times, the experience points you earn is based on the score you cleared the stage with. For example, if you cleared the first stage with an S (9000-9999 points), you'll get more than enough experience to level-up once; clearing it again with a lesser score than your highest yields no progress.
* ShockAndAwe: The Prime Guardian specializes in this. Then there's the Photon Launcher, which is basically, when fully upgraded, ''the most powerful weapon in the game'' aside from Valkyl's Zypher Cannon from the original.
** Ares and Tarus also get [[HerdHittingAttack Plasma Shock]] and Lock Down respectively, which both stun enemies and break shields.
* SpaceshipGirl: However, unlike other examples, Valkyl is a satellite in a humanoid form. Her laser cannon attack comes from the Zypher Cannon she carries.
** Not quite so much in ''EX'', where she's just an AI construct operating from an unknown location.
* SpritePolygonMix: The game utilizes 3D polygonal graphics for the stages, but the playable characters and most of enemies are rendered as 2D sprites.
* SuperPrototype: Subverted; Ares is not a prototype robot, however, his Prototype Suit upgrade gives him more defensive abilities than his standard suit.
* TakeThat / KickThemWhileTheyAreDown: A meta example: during the widespreed negative reception of ''VideoGame/MightyNo9'' on its release day, the developers took it upon themselves to put ''Extinction Agenda EX'' for sale on a massive discount to rake in money from angry and disappointed backers [[SmallNameBigEgo while claiming their game is a better alternative]].
* TitleDrop: The final chapter in ''EX'' is titled "Extinction Agenda".
* VideoGameDashing: Ares can air-boost sideways or straight up, and the air-boost can be upgraded so that he can do ''three' time without having to touch the ground.
* VideoGameRemake: ''A.R.E.S. Extinction Agenda EX'' features higher quality visuals, Tarus becomes playable along with his own story and soundtrack, new animated cutscenes, a Casual difficulty, redesigned levels and streamlined gameplay, difficulty adjustments, and two extra levels added to the game. The PC version of ''EX'' has the benefit of remappable controller button layout (the Xbox 360 version has a pre-defined set-up), and through a later update, the ability to toggle fixed jump height.
* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Valkyl has purple hair.
* ZettaiRyouiki: Dr. Carson wears grade-A thigh-highs with her mini-skirt in the original game.
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