History VideoGame / QuestForGloryIII

%%* FiveManBand: The group that takes on the demons at the end alongside The Hero, as foretold by the DreamSequence:
%%** TheLeader: The Hero.
%%** TheLancer: Yesufu, a loyal friend and FriendlyRival who competes with The Hero for the affections of Johari. ("One shall stand thy rival and thy friend")
%%** TheBigGuy: Reeshaka, a capable liontaur warrior. (One of the "Three thou shalt free")
%%** TheSmartGuy: Johari, the team's spellcaster and shapeshifter, who comes from a tribe that prides themselves on cleverness and wits. (Another of the "Three thou shalt free")
%%** TheChick[=/=]TeamMom: Uhura, who along with Rakeesh has always been doubtful about engaging in conflict between the Simbani and Leopardmen, and who gives The Hero advice about many matters. (One of the "Two thou hast known before")
%%** TheMentor[=/=]TeamDad: Rakeesh, who has been a mentor to The Hero across multiple games. (The other of the "Two thou hast known before")
%%** SixthRanger: Harami the thief, who at first refuses to help the group but [[EleventhHourRanger saves The Hero at the last moment]] from his EvilKnockoff. ("One thou has brought low then helped to rise again")
%%** TeamPet: Manu the talking monkey. (The last of the "Three thou shalt free")

* HotterAndSexier: Due to the improved graphics and the increased number of nubile female characters. Johari's outfit, little more than a FurBikini, is just one example. (And you get a SexyDiscretionShot with her!) Also, Uhura is ''topless'' here compared to the second game, though her breasts [[NippleAndDimed and nipples]] are barely covered with her necklaces. Justified as the cultures in this game doesn't has as much of a nudity taboo.

* FiveManBand: The group that takes on the demons at the end alongside The Hero, as foretold by the DreamSequence:
** TheLeader: The Hero.
** TheLancer: Yesufu, a loyal friend and FriendlyRival who competes with The Hero for the affections of Johari. ("One shall stand thy rival and thy friend")
** TheBigGuy: Reeshaka, a capable liontaur warrior. (One of the "Three thou shalt free")
** TheSmartGuy: Johari, the team's spellcaster and shapeshifter, who comes from a tribe that prides themselves on cleverness and wits. (Another of the "Three thou shalt free")
** TheChick[=/=]TeamMom: Uhura, who along with Rakeesh has always been doubtful about engaging in conflict between the Simbani and Leopardmen, and who gives The Hero advice about many matters. (One of the "Two thou hast known before")
** TheMentor[=/=]TeamDad: Rakeesh, who has been a mentor to The Hero across multiple games. (The other of the "Two thou hast known before")
** SixthRanger: Harami the thief, who at first refuses to help the group but [[EleventhHourRanger saves The Hero at the last moment]] from his EvilKnockoff. ("One thou has brought low then helped to rise again")
** TeamPet: Manu the talking monkey. (The last of the "Three thou shalt free")

** As mentioned above, Arne Saknoosen is a reference to ComicBook/{{CerebusTheAardvark}}. However, his name comes from Creator/JulesVerne's ''Literature/JourneyToTheCenterOfTheEarth''. If you ask him about the recent troubles, he'll say that a few months ago he sensed "[[Film/ANewHope a tremor in the force.]]"

** The rules of the WizardDuel against the Leopardmen Shaman prohibit the combatants from casting spells directly on their opponents. That doesn't stop the Shaman from trying to set fire to your staff, or casting spells on the air or ground around you.

* NotTheIntendedUse: You can use the underside of the Simbani wrestling bridge like monkey bars to train the hero's strength. If you try this while Uhura is watching, she gets upset says that's not what the bridge is for.

** The Junk Dealers look very similar to Series/{{Sanford|AndSon}}.
** As mentioned above, Arne Saknoosen is a reference to ComicBook/{{Cerebus|TheAardvark}}. However, his name comes from Creator/JulesVerne's ''Literature/JourneyToTheCenterOfTheEarth''. If you ask him about the recent troubles, he'll say that a few months ago he sensed "[[Film/ANewHope a tremor in the force.]]"

In recent days war has been brewing between the Simbani and the Leopardmen, and adding to the tension is the fact that Tarna sent a delegation to gets the sides to agree to a truce, only for the delegation to be mysteriously slaughtered. Only a single human from the delegation manages to make it back to Tarna, and his claw wounds lead nearly everybody to suspect the Leopardmen of being at fault. Meanwhile, the leader of the delegation, Rakeesh's daughter, is missing.

* AdamSmithHatesYourGuts: The Apothecary charges ''much'' more than the one in the previous game, forcing you to buy one pill for about the same price you could've gotten three or more before. Fortunately, the pills you buy in the second game carry over when you import your character, so you can always stock up on as many as you can buy before you leave Shapeir.

* BeastMan: The Leopard People. There's also the Crocmen.
* BigCreepyCrawlies: Giant ants that will attack you in the savannah.
* BloodierAndGorier: Deaths (both the enemies and the player's) are a little more graphic than before.
* [[CantArgueWithElves Can't Argue With Liontaurs]]: The liontaurs of Tarna present themselves as the absolute authority of the region, and insist that all within their city must act with honor. However, their application of honor lacks compassion, putting them at odds with Rakeesh and the player, who believe that strictly following ''legal'' honor is cruel, and advocate compassion and understanding as much as possible. The player also actively subverts the laws at least ''twice'' in the game[[note]]Attacking the thief (or using magic on him) on the first day in the game, and then helping out that same thief later when the the customs of Tarna frown on it[[/note]] to demonstrate compassion and help those in need.
* CharacterFocus: The Fighter class gets the most focus in this game, thanks to the Simbani Rite of Manhood. Wizards get to make a magic staff and fight a WizardDuel with the Leopardmen's Shaman, while Thieves get it worst since there's no Guild and only two houses to rob ([[spoiler:the Simbani Laibon's and the Leopardman Chief's]]), both of which are plot-required. Paladins, naturally, get the Fighter's quests plus very tiny extra bits here and there.

* ChekhovsSkill: The Trigger spell for the Wizard. You get an explicit warning from Kreesha to never cast it on your staff lest you blow everything around you to kingdom come, but just guess how you deal with the Demon Wizard at the end when he steals your staff.

* ContinuityNod: When you talk to Salim Naffs, the Apothecarist, you have the option to tell about your exploits in Shapeir, leading him to become the one that frees Julanar, the woman that got trapped in a tree by a Djinn, as his dreams were telling him to.
** Before you leave Shapeir in the second game, Shema gives the player a letter to give to her nephew Shallah if he ever meets him. Sure enough, Shallah can be found selling wood carvings at the bazaar in Tarna, and giving him the letter has him give you a wood carving of a leopard for free.
* DarkerAndEdgier: While not the first game in the series with potentially world-ending stakes, ''Wages of War'' still manages to be this over ''Trial by Fire''. Two major characters (the Laibon and Leopardman Chieftain) are killed on-screen, Rakeesh's daughter has been tortured, and Khatib, the diplomat assigned to negotiate a truce between the Simbani and Leopardmen, was badly mutilated by demons, driven mad, and ultimately died after the Hero meets him.

* DeliberateValuesDissonance: Rakeesh points out fairly early in the game that Paladins, the Liontaurs of Tarna, and the Simbani have different definitions of "honor." Most notably, helping Harami is contrary to the Liontaurs' definition of honor, but ''not'' helping him is contrary to the Paladins' definition of honor. For the purpose of the game's stats, "Honor" focuses on the Paladin vision of honor.
** Rakeesh's own background illustrates this: Stepping down from the throne to become a Paladin to oppose the Demon Wizard is an act that many younger Liontaurs don't understand because it does not fit the Liontaur version of honor. As does Rakeesh's insistence to look for a peaceful end to the conflict. Two city guards will argue about this, with the older supportive of Rakeesh's action and the younger seeing him as a coward.
** Becoming initiated into the Simbani tribe requires recognizing a key difference in values. To a western, particularly American person, it's natural to value individuality, and competitions are won by proving oneself to be the best performer. If you pay attention to the Simbani stories told during your stay in the village, however, you'll notice a consistent theme where the highest values are cooperation within the tribe and [[TheNeedsOfTheMany putting the needs of the tribe first]]. The Simbani, after all, are trying to survive in a difficult and often hostile environment and need to know they can rely on each other no matter what. So while it may seem natural to pass Yesufu during the situation listed under DudleyDoRightStopsToHelp and expect to be rewarded for performing better than he did, to the Simbani it's an act of unconscionable selfishness or a sign of amorality, and will make them want to have nothing to do with someone who'd throw a fellow tribesman under the bus for his own desire. Hence the NonStandardGameOver if you don't help Yesufu.

* DudleyDoRightStopsToHelp: During the Fighter's/Paladin's InitiationCeremony with the Simbani, Yesufu gets his leg stuck in a trap, allowing you the decision to help him up or ignore him. Helping him up is not just the heroic thing to do, but it's your saving grace if you lose the contest (and therefore the chance to ask for the Drum of Magic). The entire point of the ceremony is to teach a lesson about [[ThePowerOfFriendship supporting your friends and tribe]], so Yesufu is happy to give the Drum of Magic to someone who understands this, while losing and not helping him just gets you [[WhatTheHellHero chewed out]] and a NonStandardGameOver. ''Winning'' and not helping him will ''also'' get you chewed out by the horrified Simbani, and you ''will'' get a NonStandardGameOver. Winning at the expense of another tribe member is ''not'' winning.
* EasterEgg: Lots.

* FantasticRacism: The Liontaurs engage in this towards almost everyone. It's actually not as bad as it used to be, and it's commented that recently significant rights have been granted to humans and other non-Liontaurs in Tarna, (thanks in large part to a few advocates like Rakeesh's wife) but even so the city and its laws are under the absolute control of the Liontaurs, and there are large sections of the city reserved solely for the Liontaurs. A human wandering into those areas would be in very significant danger.

* FissionMailed: Light a fire, then walk away from it. Only YOU can prevent savanna fires!

* GameBreakingBug: Several. Not as bad as the next game, but still annoying at times.

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* HonorBeforeReason: Rajah, the king of Tarna and Rakeesh's brother, is obsessed with his version of honor, and insists that if the Simbani people go to war with the Leopardmen, then the Liontaurs will be honorbound to fight alongside their allies. Rakeesh points out that his brother is using his twisted interpretation of honor to try to avenge the death of his daughter (Rajah's niece) for his own personal reasons.

* LoopholeAbuse: A few examples.

* LostWorld: The lost city beyond the waterfall. It's inhabited by apemen and [[spoiler: demons]].
* LudicrousGibs: Happens when the Wizard [[spoiler: Triggers his staff]] at the end, blasting the Demon Wizard to smithereens. His decapitated head even rolls near the hero, who kicks it for fun.

* MagicStaff: Wizards get the opportunity to create one. A case of AwesomeButImpractical, since it feels awesome to finally have your own unlimited supply of Mana, but it is not usable in close combat and you can only pelt so much spells at distance. Plus, the Demon Wizard steals it from you, forcing you to destroy it via DangerousForbiddenTechnique: casting Trigger and releasing all the Mana in it in one very pretty explosion.
* MightyWhitey: If you are a fighter, you can quickly surpass any of the Simbani in the skills they respect (except running). Justified in that many of these skills, such as throwing and agility, were ones that had already helped you become a famous hero. Also, you, the human player will need to lead a moving target for the spear throw and react correctly to Yesufu's wrestling bridge moves (on higher difficulties only).

** Bridge wrestling. If you set the difficulty to the highest, you must control the hero's moves while the lowest difficulty let the computer handle the moves for you.
** Spear throwing.

* MixAndMatchCritters: [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes Winged Cobras!]]
** There's also the Meer''bats''.
* MoneyForNothing: Zig-zagged. You're given more than enough money at the start of the game to buy everything you need for the rest of the game. If, however, you ''do'' run out of money (probably from needing to buy more of the game's prohibitively-expensive pills) then you're in some serious trouble because only three enemies types in the entire game drop money and it's in very piddling amounts.

%%* NationalGeographicNudity

* OddlyNamedSequel2ElectricBoogaloo: Kind of. "Wages of War" was not supposed to exist and was inserted for storyline and character reasons, as the creators felt the hero was not strong enough yet for the events of "Shadows of Darkness". You can see evidence of this in the original version of ''Trial By Fire'', which ends with the sequel hook for ''Shadows of Darkness'', which ultimately ended up being the fourth game.

* PermanentlyMissableContent: The Leopardman prisoner's capture is triggered by different events depending on your class: Practicing throwing javelins when your skill is high enough for Uhura to challenge you if you're a Fighter or a Paladin; getting the branch of magical wood if you're a Wizard; or exploring the easternmost section of the map if you're a Thief. If you do these things too quickly, you'll miss out some game points such as making friends with Yesufu and listening to the Storyteller.

* PointAndClickMap: Along with the obligatory RandomEncounter.

* PressXToDie: A new spell called Thermonuclear Blast was introduced, basically as a joke. The description for the spell read something along the lines of: "Everything in a ten mile radius dies instantly. This includes your character, but at least you'll go out with a bang!" The spell would actually develop some limited use in the fifth game, where it could be used to initiate a NonstandardGameOver in a certain scene. There is one place where the spell is used in a serious way: if you waited too long at the end before destroying the BigBad and closing the portal, [[spoiler:the Villain got through, and you died in a Thermonuclear Blast]].

* ReptilesAreAbhorrent: The crocs and [[MixAndMatchCritters the flying cobras.]]
* RevengeBeforeReason: Rakeesh says that going to war over revenge is irrational and will only end in lots of death. He's right, as the people they are fighting turn out to be [[spoiler: demons]].

** As mentioned above, Arne Saknoosen is a reference to ComicBook/{{Cerebus|TheAardvark}}. However, his name comes from Creator/JulesVerne's ''Literature/JourneyToTheCenterOfTheEarth''.
*** If you ask him about the recent troubles, he'll say that a few months ago he sensed "[[Film/ANewHope a tremor in the force.]]"

-->'''Rajah:''' Rakeesh, how can you endure [[IdiotHero such an idiot]]?\\

* SuperPersistentPredator: The dinosaurs that roam the savannah are pretty hard to shake off.
** Unless you cheat and jack your movement speed all the way up.

* TakeAThirdOption: When the [[DemonicPossession demon Frik possesses Reeshaka]], he says that any harm done to him will kill her. If you don't defend yourself, you'll die. Either way, he'll win. The Hero then throw a dispel potion at him to banish him, leaving Reeshaka unharmed.
* TakeYourTime: The Hero is trying to prevent a brewing war between peoples that are on the brink of it and the game keeps track of the days, but there is not time limit for the quest. A relaxation from the events of [=QFG2=], a big TimedMission.

* TheTease: Janna Jamir, the woman running the inn, and whom the Hero can flirt with. Some of her dialog is downright ''saucy'', though nothing ever happens between you (for one, she's ''married''. Not that it stops her from being an instigator...) She'll even strike a sexy pose for you when she walks away after you've flirted with her!
** Eventually she will inform you that your words no longer have any effect on her, at which point the innuendo-laced dialogue will also stop.

* VoluntaryShapeshifting: The Leopardmen.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Janna Jamir's (the Welcome Woman at the inn) dialog when you flirt with her, holy crap! She rivals [[VideoGame/QuestForGloryII Nawar]] with the spiciness of some of her innuendo.
--> '''Janna:''' It is not just the room you warm with your sunshine, oh prince of passion. Your words inflame my cheeks, and other places.

* ChekhovsGun: The Spear of Death for the Fighter. You have to retrieve it as a McGuffin first, but get to use it at the end.

* FalseFlagOperation: Rakeesh and Kreesha suspect that demons are trying to incite war between the Simbani and Leopardman. This comes to a head when [[spoiler: one of them possesses the Leopardman Chief at the peace conference and murders the Laibon]].

* PermanentlyMissableContent: The Leopardman prisoner's capture is triggered by different events depending on your class: Practicing throwing javelins when your skill is high enough for Uhura to challenge you if you're a Fighter or a Paladin; getting the branch of magical wood if you're a Wizard; or exploring the easternmost section of the map if you're a Thief. If you do these things too quickly, you'll miss out some game points such as making friends with Yesufu and listening to the Storyteller. [[spoiler: The capture will also happen on certain days, which can be troubling if you're trying to grind your skill levels by putting off the triggering events: things will happen without you and put you on a timer.]]

* LudicrousGibs: Happens when the Wizard triggers his staff at the end, blasting the Demon Wizard to smithereens. His decapitated head even rolls near the hero, who kicks it for fun.

* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: There is a species of dinosaur in the savannah which the Simbani call "Running Death".

* PermanentlyMissableContent: The Leopardman prisoner's capture is triggered by different events depending on your class: Practicing throwing javelins when your skill is high enough for Uhura to challenge you if you're a Fighter or a Paladin; getting the branch of magical wood if you're a Wizard; or exploring the easternmost section of the map if you're a Thief. If you do these things too quickly, you'll miss out some game points such as making friends with Yesufu and listening to the Storyteller.

* DudleyDoRightStopsToHelp: During the Fighter's/Paladin's InitiationCeremony with the Simbani, Yesufu gets his leg stuck in a trap, allowing you the decision to help him up or ignore him. Helping him up is not just the heroic thing to do, but it's your saving grace if you lose the contest (and therefore the chance to ask for the Drum of Magic). The entire point of the ceremony is to teach a lesson about [[ThePowerOfFriendship supporting your friends and tribe]], so Yesufu is happy to give the Drum of Magic to someone who understands this, while losing and not helping him just gets you [[WhatTheHellHero chewed out]] and a NonStandardGameOver.

* {{Cliffhanger}}: [[spoiler:After stopping the demon invasion, the hero is swept away by dark magic. The last scene shows [[BigBad Ad Avis]] with a mysterious cloaked figure watching the hero in a crystal ball. A caption reads: ''Ques for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness''.]]

* {{Cliffhanger}}: [[spoiler:After stopping the demon invasion, the hero is swept away by dark magic. The last scene shows [[NotQuiteDead Ad Avis]] with a mysterious cloaked figure watching the hero in a crystal ball. A caption reads: ''Ques for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness''.]]

* PressXToDie: A new spell called Thermonuclear Blast was introduced, basically as a joke. The description for the spell read something along the lines of: "Everything in a ten mile radius dies instantly. This includes your character, but at least you'll go out with a bang!" The spell would actually develop some limited use in the fifth game, where it could be used to initiate a NonstandardGameOver in a certain scene. There is one place where the spell is used in a serious way: if you waited too long at the end before destroying the BigBad and closing the portal, [[spoiler:the BiggerBad got through, and you died in a Thermonuclear Blast]].

* AntiDrugAesop: Take one too many hits on Salim's hookah, and you're rewarded with a NonStandardGameOver where you're left a brain-dead hobo.

** About 5% of the time, when you use the dispel potion on the captive leopardman[[note]]Doing it at night might be a requirement[[/note]], the hero will do a cartoonish EyePop during the cutscene.

* DispelMagic: The Dispel Potions will dispel either VoluntaryShapeshifting or DemonicPossession. (Though not both; when a Wizard uses one on the demonically possessed and voluntarily shapeshifted Shaman, only the former condition is dispelled.)