History VideoGame / TheChurchInTheDarkness

''The Church In The Darkness'' is a 3D StealthBasedGame with {{Roguelike}} elements. It was developed by Paranoid Productions (which is mainly Richard Rouse III, the creator of ''VideoGame/OdysseyTheLegendOfNemesis'' and ''VideoGame/DamageIncorporated'' in the 90s, and later on the lead designer of ''VideoGame/TheSuffering'' games) and published by Fellow Traveller.

It is about a very thin {{Expy}} of UsefulNotes/JimJones' cult (called Collective Justice Mission here, and led by Isaac and Rebecca Walker) in its late stage, when it has already established their "Freedom Town" in South America. One of rank-and-file members, Alex, is a nephew of former lawman Vic, who becomes justifiably worried, and decides he needs to personally infiltrate the cult to check on Alex and get him out of there. Notably, the storyline doesn't stay fixed, but evolves from both directions. It is both altered by your choices regarding how you approach the infiltration, and changes on its own from playthrough to playthrough.

The game was released on August 2nd, 2019 for [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer PC]] through UsefulNotes/{{Steam}}, as well as UsefulNotes/Playstation4, UsefulNotes/XboxOne and UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch. The official website is [[http://www.paranoidproductions.com/church/ here]], and there are also [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWXY0ZkjppU gameplay]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyiZczAveOs story]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG6Z3x32nyc trailers]] available.

Also, Isaac and Rebecca Walker, the couple leading the cult, are voiced by John Patrick Lowrie and Creator/EllenMcLain, who are better known as the Sniper of ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' and [[VideoGame/{{Portal}} GLaDOS]], respectively.

!! Tropes present in this game:

* BrokenPedestal: The gameplay trailer shows that by the time you arrive, some of the followers have already become disillusioned by the Walkers. For instance, every member has a "devotional card" with Isaac's face on it, but you can find that in some followers' huts, these cards are defaced with "[=LIAR=]" and "[=ADULTETER=]".

* {{Cult}}: The Collective Justice Mission is a textbook example. It's an isolated religious community that preaches a set of beliefs designed to attract the disenfranchised youth, intentionally separates its members from their friends and families, and strictly controls their movements and how they may communicate with the outside world, all to make them easier to indoctrinate.
* {{Irony}}: Many of the Walkers' lines are deeply ironic, given their position as cult leaders. For instance, you can overhear Rebecca saying over the [=PA=] that "Like a virus, injustice must spread to survive. But as long as one person resists, injustice may be killed."
* IslandHelpMessage: Wandering off a bit from the Town itself allows Vic to find the letters "[=HELP US=]" assembled out of sticks.

* VideoGameCrueltyPunishment: If an alarm is raised due to a dead body, [=NPCs=] will refuse to point out where Alex is, and everybody will call you out on killing their friends.
** [[spoiler:In addition, forcibly bringing Alex back home, if both preachers are peaceful, will result in his relationship with his mom being completely ruined.]]

* VideoGameCrueltyPunishment: If an alarm is raised due to a dead body, Unlike many free to play mobile titles (including the franchise's own ''VideoGame/TalesOfLink''), t will refuse to point out where Alex is, and everybody will call you out on killing their friends.

* VideoGameCrueltyPunishment: If an alarm is raised due to a dead body, NPCs will refuse to point out where Alex is, and everybody will call you out on killing their friends.

* {{Irony}}: Many of the Walkers' linesare deeply ironic, given their position as cult leaders. For instance, you can overhear Rebecca saying over the [=PA=] that "Like a virus, injustice must spread to survive. But as long as one person resists, injustice may be killed."

* YourCheatingHeart: The gameplay trailer shows that Vic can find defaced "devotional cards" alleging that Isaac is a liar and an adulterer. It would certainly fit with the persona of real-life Jim Jones if true.

%%
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%% Speculative troping is not allowed on TV Tropes.
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%% We trope what DOES happen in works, not what MIGHT happen or is LIKELY to happen.
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* FictionalCountry: While the real People's Temple was located in Guyana, the Freedom Town here settles for "Battuela", as shown by the postcard from Alex, which Vic consults at the beginning of the gameplay trailer.
%%* {{Irony}}: Many of the Walkers' linesare deeply ironic, given their position as cult leaders. For instance, you can overhear Rebecca saying over the [=PA=] that "Like a virus, injustice must spread to survive. But as long as one person resists, injustice may be killed."
* IslandHelpMessage: In the gameplay trailer, wandering off a bit from the Town itself allowed Vic to find the letters "[=HELP US=]" assembled out of sticks.

''The Church In The Darkness'' is an upcoming 3D StealthBasedGame with {{Roguelike}} elements. It is developed by Paranoid Productions (which is mainly Richard Rouse III, the creator of ''VideoGame/OdysseyTheLegendOfNemesis'' and ''VideoGame/DamageIncorporated'' in the 90s, and later on the lead designer of ''VideoGame/TheSuffering'' games) and published by Fellow Traveller. The game is slated for [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer PC]] through UsefulNotes/{{Steam}}, as well as UsefulNotes/Playstation4 and UsefulNotes/XboxOne.

It is about a very thin {{Expy}} of UsefulNotes/JimJones' cult (called Collective Justice Mission here, and led by Isaac and Rebecca Walker) in its late stage, when it has already established their "Freedom Town" in South America. One of rank-and-file members, Alex, is a nephew of former lawman Vic, who becomes justifiably worried, and decides he needs to personally infiltrate the cult to check on Alex and get him out of there.

Notably, the storyline doesn't stay fixed, but evolves from both directions. It is both altered by your choices regarding how you approach the infiltration, and changes on its own from playthrough to playthrough.

The official website is [[http://www.paranoidproductions.com/church/ here]], and there are also [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWXY0ZkjppU gameplay]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyiZczAveOs story]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG6Z3x32nyc trailers]] available.

%%* {{Irony}}: Many of the Walkers' lines in the gameplay trailer are thick with this. For instance, you can overhear Rebecca saying over the [=PA=] that "Like a virus, injustice must spread to survive. But as long as one person resists, injustice may be killed."

%%* OptionalStealth: The game is geared around stealth, but it is technically possible to go in guns blazing early on, though it'll both be difficult due to the potential number of armed followers, and due to the risk of accidentally killing Alex in that manner and/or triggering mass suicide.

* NonLethalKO: In the gameplay trailer, sneaking up on guards gives you the choice to subdue by choking them out or to straight-up kill.
** Similarly, Vic did not die in the trailer after getting shot by the armed followers, but got patched up on the orders of the Walkers and put in a cage, as a living proof of the US government being out to get them, as well as of Walkers' wise and benevolent leadership. However, that trailer also showcased a more optimistic interpretation of the cult according to the developer commentary, and so you may not get this benefit in some scenarios.

* {{Irony}}: Many of the Walkers' lines in the gameplay trailer are thick with this. For instance, you can overhear Rebecca saying over the [=PA=] that "Like a virus, injustice must spread to survive. But as long as one person resists, injustice may be killed."

%%* BrokenPedestal: By the time you arrive, some of the followers have already become disillusioned by the Walkers. For instance, every member has a "devotional card" with Isaac's face on it, but you can find that in some followers' huts, these cards are defaced with "[=LIAR=]" and "[=ADULTETER=]".
%%* CardboardPrison: In the prototype version, at least, Vic can break out of the cage Walker puts him in almost effortlessly, by simply pushing the door.
%%* FictionalCountry: While the real People's Temple was located in Guyana, the Freedom Town here settles for "Battuela".
%%* {{Irony}}: Many of the Walkers' lines are thick with this. For instance, you can overhear Rebecca saying over the [=PA=] that "Like a virus, injustice must spread to survive. But as long as one person resists, injustice may be killed."
%%* IslandHelpMessage: Wandering off a bit from the Town itself can lead to you finding letters "[=HELP US=]" assembled out of sticks.
%%* NonLethalKO: Sneaking up on guards and gives you the choice to subdue by choking them out or straight-up kill.
%%** Similarly, at least in some playthroughs Vic will not die after getting shot by the armed followers, but get patched up on the orders of the Walkers and put in the cage, as a living proof of the US government being out to get them, as well as of Walkers' wise and benevolent leadership.

%%* ThrowingTheDistraction: Here, you can steal followers' alarm clocks from the huts, and then set them to ring soon after you drop them, so that everyone runs to check out the noise and allows you to slip by.
%%* YourCheatingHeart: You can find defaced "devotional cards" alleging that Isaac is this. It would certainly fit with the persona of real-life Jim Jones if true.

!! Tropes shown in the preview material for this game:
* BrokenPedestal: By the time you arrive, some of the followers have already become disillusioned by the Walkers. For instance, every member has a "devotional card" with Isaac's face on it, but you can find that in some followers' huts, these cards are defaced with "[=LIAR=]" and "[=ADULTETER=]".
* CardboardPrison: In the prototype version, at least, Vic can break out of the cage Walker puts him in almost effortlessly, by simply pushing the door.
* FictionalCountry: While the real People's Temple was located in Guyana, the Freedom Town here settles for "Battuela".
* {{Irony}}: Many of the Walkers' lines are thick with this. For instance, you can overhear Rebecca saying over the [=PA=] that "Like a virus, injustice must spread to survive. But as long as one person resists, injustice may be killed."
* IslandHelpMessage: Wandering off a bit from the Town itself can lead to you finding letters "[=HELP US=]" assembled out of sticks.
* NonLethalKO: Sneaking up on guards and gives you the choice to subdue by choking them out or straight-up kill.
** Similarly, at least in some playthroughs Vic will not die after getting shot by the armed followers, but get patched up on the orders of the Walkers and put in the cage, as a living proof of the US government being out to get them, as well as of Walkers' wise and benevolent leadership.
* OptionalStealth: The game is geared around stealth, but it is technically possible to go in guns blazing early on, though it'll both be difficult due to the potential number of armed followers, and due to the risk of accidentally killing Alex in that manner and/or triggering mass suicide.
* PacifistRun: Said to be possible, though far from the only option.
* ThrowingTheDistraction: Here, you can steal followers' alarm clocks from the huts, and then set them to ring soon after you drop them, so that everyone runs to check out the noise and allows you to slip by.
* YourCheatingHeart: You can find defaced "devotional cards" alleging that Isaac is this. It would certainly fit with the persona of real-life Jim Jones if true.

%%
%%
%% Speculative troping is not allowed on TV Tropes.
%%
%% We trope what DOES happen in works, not what MIGHT happen or is LIKELY to happen.
%%
%% For unreleased works where all we have to go on is advertising and other supplemental materials, we have some detailed guidelines, which can be found at Administrivia/CreatingAWorkPageForAnUpcomingWork.
%%
%% If you have questions, please consult the Unreleased Work Speculation Cleanup thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=15514631230A64268600
%%
%% Thank you.
%%
%%

!! Tropes present in this game:
%%* BrokenPedestal: By the time you arrive, some of the followers have already become disillusioned by the Walkers. For instance, every member has a "devotional card" with Isaac's face on it, but you can find that in some followers' huts, these cards are defaced with "[=LIAR=]" and "[=ADULTETER=]".
%%* CardboardPrison: In the prototype version, at least, Vic can break out of the cage Walker puts him in almost effortlessly, by simply pushing the door.
%%* FictionalCountry: While the real People's Temple was located in Guyana, the Freedom Town here settles for "Battuela".
%%* {{Irony}}: Many of the Walkers' lines are thick with this. For instance, you can overhear Rebecca saying over the [=PA=] that "Like a virus, injustice must spread to survive. But as long as one person resists, injustice may be killed."
%%* IslandHelpMessage: Wandering off a bit from the Town itself can lead to you finding letters "[=HELP US=]" assembled out of sticks.
%%* NonLethalKO: Sneaking up on guards and gives you the choice to subdue by choking them out or straight-up kill.
%%** Similarly, at least in some playthroughs Vic will not die after getting shot by the armed followers, but get patched up on the orders of the Walkers and put in the cage, as a living proof of the US government being out to get them, as well as of Walkers' wise and benevolent leadership.
%%* OptionalStealth: The game is geared around stealth, but it is technically possible to go in guns blazing early on, though it'll both be difficult due to the potential number of armed followers, and due to the risk of accidentally killing Alex in that manner and/or triggering mass suicide.
%%* PacifistRun: Said to be possible, though far from the only option.
%%* ThrowingTheDistraction: Here, you can steal followers' alarm clocks from the huts, and then set them to ring soon after you drop them, so that everyone runs to check out the noise and allows you to slip by.
%%* YourCheatingHeart: You can find defaced "devotional cards" alleging that Isaac is this. It would certainly fit with the persona of real-life Jim Jones if true.

* BrokenPedestal: By the time you arrive, some of the followers have already become disillusioned by the Walkers. For instance, every member has a "devotional card" with Isaac's face on it, but you can find that in some followers' huts, these cards are defaced with "[=LIAR=]" and "[=ADULTETER=]".
* CardboardPrison: In the prototype version, at least, Vic can break out of the cage Walker puts him in almost effortlessly, by simply pushing the door.
* FictionalCountry: While the real People's Temple was located in Guyana, the Freedom Town here settles for "Battuela".
* {{Irony}}: Many of the Walkers' lines are thick with this. For instance, you can overhear Rebecca saying over the [=PA=] that "Like a virus, injustice must spread to survive. But as long as one person resists, injustice may be killed."
* IslandHelpMessage: Wandering off a bit from the Town itself can lead to you finding letters "[=HELP US=]" assembled out of sticks.
* NonLethalKO: Sneaking up on guards and gives you the choice to subdue by choking them out or straight-up kill.
** Similarly, at least in some playthroughs Vic will not die after getting shot by the armed followers, but get patched up on the orders of the Walkers and put in the cage, as a living proof of the US government being out to get them, as well as of Walkers' wise and benevolent leadership.
* OptionalStealth: The game is geared around stealth, but it is technically possible to go in guns blazing early on, though it'll both be difficult due to the potential number of armed followers, and due to the risk of accidentally killing Alex in that manner and/or triggering mass suicide.
* PacifistRun: Said to be possible, though far from the only option.
* ThrowingTheDistraction: Here, you can steal followers' alarm clocks from the huts, and then set them to ring soon after you drop them, so that everyone runs to check out the noise and allows you to slip by.
* YourCheatingHeart: You can find defaced "devotional cards" alleging that Isaac is this. It would certainly fit with the persona of real-life Jim Jones if true.

also, Isaac and Rebecca Walker, the couple leading the cult, are voiced by John Patrick Lowrie and Creator/EllenMcLain, who are better known as the Sniper of ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' and [[VideoGame/{{Portal}} GLaDOS]], respectively.

''The Church In The Darkness'' is an upcoming 3D StealthBasedGame with {{Roguelike}} elements. It is developed by Paranoid Productions (which is mainly Richard Rouse III, the creator of ''VideoGame/DamageIncorporated'' and the lead designer of ''VideoGame/TheSuffering'' games) and published by Fellow Traveller. The game is slated for [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer PC]] through UsefulNotes/{{Steam}}, as well as UsefulNotes/Playstation4 and UsefulNotes/XboxOne.

''The Church In The Darkness'' is an upcoming 3D StealthBasedGame with {{Roguelike}} elements, being developed by Paranoid Productions and published by Fellow Traveller. It is slated for [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer PC]] through UsefulNotes/{{Steam}}, as well as UsefulNotes/Playstation4 and UsefulNotes/XboxOne.

Isaac and Rebecca Walker, the couple leading the cult, are voiced by the Sniper of ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' and [[VideoGame/{{Portal}} GLaDOS]]