History VideoGame / Singularity

** [[spoiler: The video showing the Soviet Invasion entering China is peculiar given that at that time China was both Communist and aligned with the Soviet Union.]]

** The achievement for [[spoiler: killing both Demichev and Barisov]] is called [[TheLordOfTheRings One TMD to Rule Them All]].

* GenreSavvy: Demichev doesn't know all the details at first, but he always keeps in mind that time travel is possible. He is not at all surprised to see an American soldier in a modern uniform in a version of the timeline where there haven't been "Americans" for decades.
-->'''Devlin:''' I demand to speak to someone from our embassy.
-->'''Demichev:''' You will find that impossible, for a variety of reasons...

A 2010 first-person shooter most notable for being the final single-player game made by the illustrious Raven Software, before Activision essentially dissolved them to fold them into the ''Call of Duty'' development team.

* UsefulNotes/SoftwarePorting: While the game was developed for consoles and computers both, the game's simplified menus and control schemes suggest that the game was developed more with console users in mind. This is best seen whenever the game auto-saves, where the dialog tells you not to "turn off the system".

* JokeItem: The combat knife in the early parts of the game. Unlike in almost all other similar games, it is not a one-hit kill and in fact requires several stabs to kill even basic enemies. Nor does it stun enemies like in ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' or ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever''. Heck, even if you empty your magazine, reloading your gun is more effective than trying to use the knife. Fortunately, it gets completely replaced with the TMD within the first third of the game.

* MercyInvincibility: Taking a cue from ''VideoGame/BioShock1'', on Normal difficulty or lower any attack that ''should'' kill you will instead simply reduce you down to 1 unit of health and grant you a second or so of invincibility. Take a hit after that, though, and it's Game Over.

* CoolButInefficient: The first usable weapon in the game is a badass-looking revolver. However, even fully upgraded, it is almost absolutely useless, despite the weapon's stats and description. With an extremely small ammo maximum, the bizarre low damage, and a slow firing speed, it is considered as garbage the moment you find another weapon to replace it.

** [[strike: Arguably averted]] Literal example because, well, he's using an external power source and a device that essentially [[strike: amplifies]] ''maxes up'' the power of the TMD.

* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler: Kathryn]] to keep the soldiers off your back long enough to reach an objective. Also ''[[spoiler: yourself]]'' in the best ending. ''Both'' subverted.

* MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate: Dr Demichev.

** If you agree to [[spoiler: Barisov's plan to go back in time and kill Renko's past self, then the entire chain of events that led to the ascension of Demichev never happens. Renko is sent back to the beginning of the game, with him and Devlin in a helicopter approaching the abandoned island. Everything to have gone back to normal... at first. Instead of Titan-1, mission control is referred to as Hammer-21; as the second helicopter comes into view, you see it bearing the hammer-and-sickle insignia. As the helicopter you're in completes what turns out to be a routine patrol, it becomes clear that Barisov went on to use the TMD to become leader of the Soviet Union and take over the world.]] This is probably the "good" ending of the lot, as the world doesn't seem to be any worse than it was at the beginning of the game. [[spoiler: In fact, given the potential applications of E-99 and Devlin's reaction to the statue of Barisov wearing the TMD, it may be that the world is actually better off under the latter's benevolent rule.]]

* XMeetsY: meets Z meets W meets A. As far as gameplay goes, it's sort of a greatest-hits compilation of the best shooters of the previous several years, with elements from everything from ''VideoGame/BioShock'' to ''VideoGame/Left4Dead''. Thematically, it's ''VideoGame/BioShock1'' plus ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert Red Alert]]'' with a bit of ''VideoGame/{{Stalker}}'' thrown in.

* TheDevTeamThinksOfEverything: A certain section near the beginning of the game has you crouching to go through a small opening, to get onto a catwalk on the other side of a wall. As soon as you stand up, you get [[JumpScare knocked over from behind by a mutant]] who immediately starts attacking you. Interestingly, you will ''always be attacked from behind'', no matter what direction you're facing as you stand up, even if you're staring at a wall.

* ForMassiveDamage: Several of the boss or mini-boss mutants you must fight in the game have conspicuous glowing splotches or sacks to shoot in order to kill them. The gigantic boss on the train level is easily the most memorable.

** Inside the freighter, there's a hidden room that can only be accessed via a mini-puzzle involving a weapon which fires a controllable, rolling ball of light that can rolling around and even jump. The room contains a [[{{Metroid}} jellyfish-like creature, and a note written by "S.A." which describes the creature as a parasite that latches onto its victims' heads, causes them to go into the fetal position, and roll around curled up in a ball]]. Also inside the room is the message "'''Mother''', my '''brain''' hurts!". Which is also the name of the Achievement you get for finding it.

* RedHerring: Devlin [[spoiler: being voiced by NolanNorth]].

* XMeetsY: meets Z meets W meets A. As far as gameplay goes, it's sort of a greatest-hits compilation of the best shooters of the previous several years, with elements from everything from ''VideoGame/BioShock'' to ''VideoGame/Left4Dead''. Thematically, it's ''VideoGame/BioShock1'' plus ''[[CommandAndConquerRedAlert Red Alert]]'' with a bit of ''VideoGame/{{Stalker}}'' thrown in.

** [[spoiler: If you TakeAThirdOption and shoot them both, Renko disappears with the TMD while Demichev's empire collapses and turns to infighting. Some years later, the Singularity explodes, devastating everything within a 500 mile radius. The Katorga-12 mutants escape and rampage through mainland Russia, while a mysterious new leader, strongly implied to be Renko, emerges in the former United States.]] This is probably the worst ending of all.

->''[[WrittenByTheWinners Only the victors rewrite the history books...]]''

* [[spoiler: YouAlreadyChangedThePast]]: ''Twice'', in this iteration alone

* XMeetsY: meets Z meets W meets A. As far as gameplay goes, it's sort of a greatest-hits compilation of the best shooters of the previous several years, with elements from everything from ''Franchise/BioShock'' to ''VideoGame/Left4Dead''. Thematically, it's ''VideoGame/BioShock1'' plus ''[[CommandAndConquerRedAlert Red Alert]]'' with a bit of ''VideoGame/{{Stalker}}'' thrown in.

** There's also a hidden room through a grate near the place where you get your EleventhHourSuperpower. This leads to [[{{Lost}} a small room with a ship's wheel in the wall.]] The achievement you get for discovering this says "You've found the wheel. Are they ever going to explain this?"

* BadPresent: The game is primarily set in it; [[spoiler:a reality where the act of saving a Russian scientist destined to die in a building fire in 1955 allows that man to use the research he's conducting to become the most powerful man in the world following a preemptive strike that levels the east coast of the United States]]. You spend much of the game trying to correct this, [[spoiler:in part by saving another Russian scientist from the past who believes he knows how to reset the timeline so his colleague never rises to power]]. However it's ultimately subverted in that [[spoiler:''there is no "good present" to return to''. The only example of a good present was the timeline that Renko came from before ever entering 1955. Every effort to modify the past to change what had happened in 1955 does not restore things, it simply changes the BadPresent that the game takes place in]]. The only way to get a remotely positive end is to create a CloseEnoughTimeline by [[spoiler:killing Demichev in the present then having Renko prevent himself from saving Demichev in the past. Renko dies but it allows Barisov to use the E99 and TMD research to at least bring about a peaceful world under his own brand of Soviet rule]].

* JokeItem: The combat knife in the early parts of the game. Unlike in almost all other similar games, it is not a one-hit kill and in fact requires several stabs to kill even basic enemies. Nor does it stun enemies like in ''{{Halo}}'' or ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever''. Heck, even if you empty your magazine, reloading your gun is more effective than trying to use the knife. Fortunately, it gets completely replaced with the TMD within the first third of the game.

** The achievement for [[spoiler: killing both Demichev and Barisov]] is called [[LordOfTheRings One TMD to Rule Them All]].

* SoftwarePorting: While the game was developed for consoles and computers both, the game's simplified menus and control schemes suggest that the game was developed more with console users in mind. This is best seen whenever the game auto-saves, where the dialog tells you not to "turn off the system".

* YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle: Barisov's plan is to [[spoiler: destroy the Singularity in the past before the Soviet Union's research]] goes far enough to make a difference. You accomplish this objective...except [[spoiler: Demichev just rebuilds it in the intervening time]].

* Morally Ambiguous Doctorate: Dr Demichev,