History VideoGame / Malice

* DropTheHammer: In the form of the Clockwork Hammer, the second weapon obtained in the game and the one the titular character is depicted with the most often.

''Malice'' is a PlatformGame developed by [[Creator/ArgonautSoftware Argonaut Games]] and published by Evolved Games (in Europe) and Mud Duck Productions (in North America). Despite originally being intended as a UsefulNotes/PlayStation title, it was retooled to be an UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} launch game, and after a lengthy stay in DevelopmentHell, it was finally released in 2004 on Xbox and UsefulNotes/PlayStation2.

-->--Back of the box description of the [=NTSC=] release

So, a [[OurGodsAreDifferent goddess]] ([[AmbiguousSituation or demigoddess]]) gets her head bitten off by the evil [[OddJobGods Dog God]] and is subsequently [[BarredFromTheAfterlife kicked out of the afterlife]] by [[TheGrimReaper Death]], since a god can't die and she therefore has no business being there. So it's back to the land of the living for our heroine, who must enlist the aid of a giant sentient clock to settle the score with the Dog God. This, of course, involves collecting eight "[[PlotCoupon logic keys]]" that are scattered around the game world.

Despite originally being intended as a UsefulNotes/PlayStation title, it was retooled to be an UsefulNotes/XBox launch game, and after a lengthy stay in DevelopmentHell, it was finally released in 2004 on Xbox and UsefulNotes/PlayStation2.

!!''Malice'' contains examples of the following:
* AllSwordsAreTheSame: Malice obtains 3 weapons over the course of the game: The Mace of Clubs, the Clockwork Hammer, and the Quantum Tuning Fork. However, they all function identically having the exact same light and heavy attacks. Not only that but going from the club to the hammer doesn't even effect your damage output, though at the very least getting the Quantum Tuning Fork does (albeit not by much; every enemy will go down in one hit).

* BigCreepyCrawlies: Oversized Cockroaches are a common type of enemy.

* DeathAsGameMechanic: Dying on a normal level sends you to the Underworld where you can return to the beginning of the level you died on (basically acting as a continue) by speaking to the Grim Reaper. However the Underworld can also be explored and there are items to collect hidden in it. So while it is possible to beat the game without visiting the Underworld, to achieve 100% completion you have to die at some point since that's the only way to reach it.

* FieryRedhead: Malice herself.

* NonIndicativeName: The Clockwork Hammer has no time-based attributes or powers; it's just a regular melee weapon that functions identically to the club.
* NonStandardGameOver: Dying gets Malice sent to the Beach of Souls, where she can then explore for collectibles or restart the level by talking to Death. Touching an enemy in this level will force the player to retrieve Malice's soul before time runs out, otherwise she truly keels over...and then restarts the level anyway.

* PlotCoupon: You have to find all eight Logic keys that were stolen by the Dog God.

* SignificantGreenEyedRedhead: The titular character has red hair and green eyes and is the only one capable of saving the world from Dog God.
* SquashedFlat: During a level inside a [[EternalEngine giant clock]] there are pistons that can pancake Malice if she steps under them at the wrong time.
* SteamPunk: Some elements of the game have a notable clockwork and brass motif to them.

* DeathAsGameMechanic: Dying on a normal level sends you to the Underworld where you can return to the beginning of the level you died on (basicaly use a continue) by speaking to the Grim Reaper. However the Underworld can also be explored and there are items to collect hidden in it. So while it is possible to beat the game without visiting the Underworld, to achieve 100% completion you have to die at some point since that's the only way to reach it.
* DropTheHammer: The titular character's preferred method of solving her problems.

* NoGearLevel: Malice gets captured in the Fire Fortress so she has to infiltrate her way out and retrive her hammer.

* TheUnderworld: You can revisit the Beach of Souls fromthe beginning when you lose all your life bar. The reward of completing the level is 4 extra Crystal Heart Pots.
* VaporWare: The game was widely regarded as this before it finally made its way onto store shelves.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_malice_1_3340.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:That's a big hammer.]]

So, a [[OurGodsAreDifferent goddess]] gets her head bitten off by the evil [[OddJobGods Dog God]] and is subsequently [[BarredFromTheAfterlife kicked out of the afterlife]] by {{Death}}, since a god can't die and she therefore has no business being there. So it's back to the land of the living for our heroine, who must enlist the aid of a giant sentient clock to settle the score with the Dog God. This, of course, involves collecting eight "[[PlotCoupon logic keys]]" that are scattered around the game world.

%% * BareYourMidriff

* WorldHealingWave: After defeating the final boss, [[spoiler: Malice summons a healing wave that restores the beaty of the land.]]

Not to be confused with [[Literature/{{Malice}} the book of the same name]], or a total conversion for ''VideoGame/{{Quake}}''. Also has nothing to do with Music/MaliceMizer.

* CoversAlwaysLie: Some releases portrayed the title character looking a little different from her in-game model...
* DropTheHammer: The player character's preferred method of solving her problems.

%% * OurGodsAreDifferent

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Music/GwenStefani was at one point going to voice the title character, with Music/NoDoubt providing the soundtrack for the game.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[CaptainObvious That's a big hammer]].]]

* BareYourMidriff
* BarredFromTheAfterlife: If you die you end up in a limbo stage where all you need to do is talk to the Grim Reaper who promptly sends the title character (a demigoddess) back to the living world (i.e. you restart the level you died on) simply because he doesn't want to deal with the complicated paperwork of processing a god.

* OurGodsAreDifferent

Not to be confused with [[Literature/{{Malice}} the book of the same name]], or a total conversion for [[Quake]]. Also has nothing to do with Music/MaliceMizer.

* TechDemoGame: Innitially, the Xbox version of the game was used by Microsoft to showcase the bump mapping capabilities of the as-yet-unreleased console. By the time the game was actually released, bump mapping was rather commonplace in Xbox titles, leading to an overall "meh" reaction from critics and gamers alike.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Music/GwenStefani was at one point going to voice the title character, with NoDoubt providing the soundtrack for the game.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: GwenStefani was at one point going to voice the title character, with NoDoubt providing the soundtrack for the game.

Not to be confused with [[Literature/{{Malice}} the book of the same name]]. Also has nothing to do with Music/MaliceMizer.

Despite originally being intended as a {{PlayStation}} title, it was retooled to be an {{Xbox}} launch game, and after a lengthly stay in DevelopmentHell, it was finally released in 2004 on Xbox and {{PlayStation 2}}.

So, a [[OurGodsAreGreater goddess]] gets her head bitten off by the evil [[OddJobGods Dog God]] and is subsequently [[BarredFromTheAfterlife kicked out of the afterlife]] by {{Death}}, since a god can't die and she therefore has no business being there. So it's back to the land of the living for our heroine, who must enlist the aid of a giant sentient clock to settle the score with the Dog God. This, of course, involves collecting eight "[[PlotCoupon logic keys]]" that are scattered around the game world.

* OurGodsAreGreater

Not to be confused with [[Literature/{{Malice}} the book of the same name]]. Also has nothing to do with MaliceMizer.

[[quoteright:400:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/malice-1_3340.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:400:[[CaptainObvious That's a big hammer]].]]

* IncrediblyLamePun: One of Malice's weapons is a giant club known as "The Mace of Clubs."

So, a [[OurGodsAreGreater goddess]] gets her head bitten off by the evil [[OddJobGods Dog God]] and is subsequently [[LikeABadassOutOfHell kicked out of the afterlife]] by {{Death}}, since a god can't die and she therefore has no business being there. So it's back to the land of the living for our heroine, who must enlist the aid of a giant sentient clock to settle the score with the Dog God. This, of course, involves collecting eight "[[PlotCoupon logic keys]]" that are scattered around the game world.

* LikeABadassOutOfHell: How the game begins.