History VideoGame / DarkMessiahOfMightAndMagic

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: [[spoiler: For a certain definition of "love". Xana is a sociopathic succubus, but her arguable sole redeeming trait is her undying loyalty towards you in spite of her snarking.]]

* {{Deconstruction}}: [[spoiler: In a similar vein to VideoGame/Bioshock a year later, a deconstruction of ButThouMust. You're initially given the impression that you're trying to stop Arantir, but it's revealed halfway through the game that YOU are the Dark Messiah, and that your AffablyEvil dad wants you to take up the mantle as the saviour of demonkind, and that you've been set up the entire game by Xana and your teacher to fulfill your destiny. Unfortunately, the plot twist is telegraphed fairly blatantly and loses most of its impact as a result.]]

* {{Deconstruction}}: [[Spoiler: In a similar vein to VideoGame/Bioshock a year later, a deconstruction of ButThouMust. You're initially given the impression that you're trying to stop Arantir, but it's revealed halfway through the game that YOU are the Dark Messiah, and that your AffablyEvil dad wants you to take up the mantle as the saviour of demonkind, and that you've been set up the entire game by Xana and your teacher to fulfill your destiny. Unfortunately, the plot twist is telegraphed fairly blatantly and loses most of its impact as a result.]]

* DeadpanSnarker:

* EmergencyTransformation: See DemonicPossession

* BettyAndVeronica: The game presents you with two strongly contrasted female companions in the form of the blonde, goody-two-shoes mage Leanna and the exotic, sultry, and ObviouslyEvil Xana.

Combat can be best described seeing the world through the eyes of a CombatPragmatist. The game is built on Creator/ValveSoftware's Source engine and it makes full use of the engine's physics component. Objects in the world of appropriate size can be picked up and thrown at foes to disrupt them, while strong blows, or the game's dedicated "kick" attack", can knock enemies around (this is particularly pronounced with Goblins and Undead due to their lack of bulk), pushing them into traps, bottomless pits or each other. Magic is similarly more than a rocket launcher. Spells allow you to freeze the ground, throw ''big'' things around with telekinesis, light your enemies on fire and be a general badass. The environment is often littered with [[BenevolentArchitecture cliffs, barrels, oil pots and spike racks]], and the player is given incentive to take advantage of these factors. Enemies are both strong and plentiful and there is no EXP rewarded for killing them, only completing objectives. The player must use everything in his arsenal and all the fun things in the environment to survive fights, especially on higher difficulties.

* CombatPragmatist: Sareth frequently uses his environment to his advantage (there's a reason why some dub it ''The Adventures of Sir Kicksalot Deathboot in the Land of Conveniently Placed Spike Racks''). This is actually ideal due to a number of factors: for starters, you don't gain EXP from killing enemies, so disposing of them in the quickest way possible is ideal. Secondly, even early on enemies deal a LOT of damage and can block your attacks frequently, making it difficult to win in a straight up fight. Lastly, the games numerous systems make it easy for a skilled player to dispose of his enemies however he wishes as enemies take lots of damage from falling, being hit with heavy objects, and so on.

''VideoGame/MightAndMagic: Dark Messiah'', also known as ''Dark Messiah of Might and Magic'', is a first person ActionRPG by Creator/ArkaneStudios. It is in a few ways a bit of SpiritualSuccessor to Arkane's previous work ''VideoGame/ArxFatalis'' (Itself one of ''VideoGame/UltimaUnderworld'', though ''Dark Messiah'' has little relation to either of the UU games.). It takes place in [[VideoGame/HeroesOfMightAndMagicAshan Ashan, the same world as the ''Heroes of Might and Magic V'' reboot]].

* EmergencyTransformation: See DemonicPossession

* MagicKnight: Actively encouraged and an explicit ability of Sareth in the manual. Melee skills are bloody cheap to purchase and the skill that makes a pure-mage build really viable is only purchasble ''really'' late into the game (that being mana regeneration, something that costs a whopping 25 skill points and even more to lead up to it in the skill tree). The same is true of pure fighters. It is very easy to run out of healing until you have the late-game hitpoint regeneration power, but the heal spell is very cheap and mana does regenerate. As a result, alternating between the two is necessary to survive. One of the reasons why the ''Elements'' port is so disliked is that this factor of gameplay was removed entirely, forcing you into being either a fighter, mage, or thief. This, as a result, turns an already challenging game into an absolute nightmare on higher difficulties.

* ScrewDestiny: [[spoiler:If you choose so, you can spit on the millenium-old prophecy and seal Sheogh pernamently, be it from [[AntiAntiChrist good intentions]], or so that you [[ICanRuleAlone don't have to share Ashan with anyone.]]]]

** [[spoiler:Arantir is honestly trying to stop the prophesy from being fulfilled. Which, if you opt to do and release your demonic father, ends up making him the lesser evil.]]
* AntiAntiChrist[=/=]TheAntichrist: [[spoiler:Sareth, depending on your choice.]]

* CombatPragmatist: Sareth frequently uses his environment to his advantage (there's a reason why some dub it ''The Adventures of Sir Kicksalot Deathboot in the Land of Conveniently Placed Spike Racks'').

* FighterMageThief: However due to the classless point system, hybrids are fairly easy and practical.

* GoodParents: [[spoiler:Sareth's demon-lord father is actually pretty good to his son, assuming that you don't decide to rebind him into his prison. A bit like [[StarWars Darth Vader and Luke]], without the dueling.]]

* MagicKnight: Actively encouraged and an explicit ability of Sareth in the manual. Melee skill is so bloody cheap to purchase and the skill (fast mana regeneration) that makes pure-mage really viable are ''really'' late game (25 points total to obtain). The same is true of pure fighters. It is very easy to run out of healing until you have the late-game hitpoint regeneration power, but the heal spell is very cheap and mana does regenerate.

* MauveShirt: [[spoiler:Duncan, the surviving guard from the orc attack on the temple]] reappears a few times and [[spoiler:his cousin]] is an important character in the final level. [[spoiler:Duncan is pretty much doomed to die after telling you about said cousin, as he has low health and there are a few enemies he will rush. You ''can'' save him with major effort, but his AI was not programed for the possibility, and runs around in circles afterwards.]]

* [[spoiler:VillainProtagonist: Potentially, [[MultipleEndings depending on the ending you go for]].]]

* CombatPragmatist: Sareth frequently uses his environment to his advantage (there's a reason why some dub it The Adventures of Sir Kicksalot Deathboot in the Land of Conveniently Placed Spike Racks).

* BadDreams: Two of them, one where you dance with Leanna and then stab her while Arantir watches, and one when you remember your first meeting with Xana [[NightmareSequence in a different way]]. Depending on your choice, the dancing dream can also be DreamingOfThingsToCome.

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Arantir is very fond of telling Sareth how pathetic he is.

* AntiVillain: The Orcs aren't evil, just territorial, and have every good reason to keep you from taking the [[ArtifactOfDoom Skull Of Shadows]].

* DeadpanSnarker: Sareth eventually starts responding to Xana's "advice" this way.

* MagicKnight: Actively encouraged and an explicit ability of Sareth in the manual. Melee skill is so bloody cheap to purchase and the skill (fast mana regeneration) that makes pure-mage really viable are ''really'' late game (25 points total to obtain)
** The same is true of pure fighters. It is very easy to run out of healing until you have the late-game hitpoint regeneration power, but the heal spell is very cheap and mana does regenerate.

* ObviouslyEvil: Xana.

* ShoutOut: The Master Thief's armor you can acquire towards the end of the game is embossed with a "G", a reference to Garrett from the ''VideoGame/{{Thief}}'' series (which the game's stealth gameplay strongly resembles), and must be reached with use of rope arrows, one of the signature tricks of the ''Thief'' games.

* {{Stripperific}}: While Leanna's outfit isn't the ''worst'' example out there, it is still effectively the "wizard robe" armor minus the pants, 3/4s of the mantle and the sleeves.

* TomatoInTheMirror: Though not all that shocking.

The game stars Sareth, a young student of a mage called "Phenrig" trained in both [[MagicKnight magic and martial arts]]. After a short training mission where a magic crystal is acquired, Phenrig sends Sareth "half a world away" to locate an artifact known as the "Skull of Shadows" ([[ArtifactOfDoom sounds pleasant]]), the crystal being a key to the Skull, with the help of fellow wizard Menelag and his apprentice/niece Leanna. Before Sareth leaves, a woman called "Xana" is fused to his spirit by Phenrig to advise him and provide running commentary.

** MissionControlIsOffItsMeds: The further you get, the more blatantly evil Xana gets.

''VideoGame/MightAndMagic: Dark Messiah'', also known as ''Dark Messiah of Might and Magic'', is a first person hack and slash with major RPGElements by Creator/ArkaneStudios. It is in a few ways a bit of SpiritualSuccessor to Arkane's previous work ''VideoGame/ArxFatalis'' (Itself one of ''VideoGame/UltimaUnderworld'', though ''Dark Messiah'' has little relation to either of the UU games.). It takes place in [[VideoGame/HeroesOfMightAndMagicAshan Ashan, the same world as the ''Heroes of Might and Magic V'' reboot]].

Combat can be best described seeing the world through the eyes of a CombatPragmatist. The game is built on Creator/ValveSoftware's Source engine and it makes full use of the engine's physics component. Objects in the world of appropriate size can be picked up and thrown at foes to disrupt them, while strong blows, or the game's dedicated "kick" attack", can knock enemies around (this is particularly pronounced with Goblins and Undead due to their lack of bulk), pushing them into traps, bottomless pits or each other. Magic is similarly more than a rocket launcher. Spells allow you to freeze the ground, throw ''big'' things around with telekinesis, light your enemies on fire and be a general badass. The environment is often littered with [[BenevolentArchitecture cliffs, barrels, oil pots and spike racks]], and the player is given incentive to take advantage of these factors. Enemies are both strong and plentiful, so the player must use everything in his arsenal and all the fun things in the environment to survive fights, especially on higher difficulties.

''VideoGame/MightAndMagic: Dark Messiah'', also known as ''Dark Messiah of Might and Magic'', is a first person hack and slash with major RPGElements by Creator/ArkaneStudios. It is in a few ways a bit of SpiritualSuccessor to Arkane's previous work ''VideoGame/ArxFatalis'' (Itself one of ''VideoGame/UltimaUnderworld'', though Dark Messiah has little relation to either of the UU games.). It takes place in [[VideoGame/HeroesOfMightAndMagicAshan Ashan, the same world as the ''Heroes of Might and Magic V'' reboot]].

The game stars Sareth, a young student of a mage called "Phenrig" trained in both [[MagicKnight magic and martial arts]]. After a short training mission where a magic crystal is acquired, Phenrig sends Sareth "half a world away" to locate an artifact known as the "Skull of Shadows" ([[ArtifactOfDoom Sounds pleasant]]), the crystal being a key to the Skull, with the help of fellow wizard Menelag and his apprentice/niece Leanna. Before Sareth leaves, a woman called "Xana" is fused to his spirit by Phenrig to advise him and provided running commentary.

Combat can be best described seeing the world through the eyes of a CombatPragmatist. The game is built on Creator/ValveSoftware's Source engine and it makes full use of the engine's physics component. Objects in the world of appropriate size can be picked up and thrown at foes to disrupt them, while strong blows, or the game's dedicated "kick" attack", can knock enemies around (this is particularly pronounced with Goblins and Undead due to their lack of bulk), pushing them into traps, bottomless pits or each other. Magic is similarly more than a rocket launcher. Spells allow you to freeze the ground, throw ''big'' things around with telekinesis, light your enemies on fire and be a general badass. The enviroment is often littered with [[BenevolentArchitecture cliffs, barrels, oil pots and spike racks]], and the player is given incentive to take advantage of these factors. Enemies are both strong and plentiful, so the player must use everything in his arsenal and all the fun things in the environment to survive fights, especially on higher difficulties.

!!Provides Examples Of:

* AllWebbedUp: Spider lairs in Dark Messiah have loads of webbed corpses.

* SpiritualSuccessor: As mentioned above Dark Messiah is one to ''Arx Fatalis'' (indeed, a few file names, primarily basic weapons, use "arx"). Additionally, Dark Messiah borrows the "marked secrets" system of early First Person Shooters, complete with the ability to find more powerful than standard weapons/armor early, while missed equipment is sitting out in the open a few levels down the line.

* HardWorkHardlyWorks: Lampshaded by the FinalBoss, who wonders who will win the duel: a twenty-year-old MagicKnight or someone who trained for centuries. In all fairness though,this is more a case of inverted CutsceneIncompetence since at this point he has literally curbstomped you in every encounter so far, even [[spoiler: killed you by levitating you onto a shrine, impaling you]]. One could argue he was [[WorfHadTheFlu exhausted from raising an undead dragon and performing his banishing ritual.]]
* HeroAntagonist: [[spoiler:If you opt to be evil, then Arantir ends up as this as he's trying to prevent the calamity that you're intending to bring about.]]
* HornyDevils: Xana.

Combat can be best described seeing the world through the eyes of a CombatPragmatist. The game is built on Creator/ValveSoftware's Source engine and it makes full use of the engine's physics component. Objects in the world of appropriate size can be picked up and thrown at foes to disrupt them, while strong blows, or the game's dedicated "kick" attack", can knock enemies around (this is particularly pronounced with Goblins and Undead due to their lack of bulk), pushing them into traps, bottomless pits or each other. Magic is similarly more than a rocket launcher. Spells allow you to freeze the ground, throw ''big'' things around with telekinesis, light your enemies on fire and be a general badass. The enviroment is often littered with [[BenevolentArchitecture cliffs, barrels, oil pots and spike racks]], and the player is given icnentive to take advantage of these factors. Enemies are both strong and plentiful, so the player must use everything in his arsenal and all the fun things in the environment to survive fights, especially on higher difficulties.