History YMMV / BluePlanet

* DemonicSpiders: The powerful next-generation [=GTF=] Nyx gives the boot to Federation fighters, especially in ''War in Heaven''. With [[MoreDakka eight gun banks and a high energy supply to back it]], loads of missiles, and good maneuverability, this thing easily eats Federation interceptors and gunships for breakfast. The best counter is the Federation Slammer [=Area-Suppression=] Missile, which can deal enough to bring one of these to the ground (if you know how to use it effectively).

* RootingForTheEmpire: The fandom has a very large contingent of GTVA supporters. This was, incidentally, absolutely intended by the writers, who wanted to portray a war in which there is no obvious "good" or "bad" side

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: ''Everywhere.''

** ''And how!'' Most notably [[spoiler:the 14th battlegroup seeing the ruined alternate universe Earth for the first time]], [[spoiler: seeing again how Samuel Bei lost his wife and his mother]], [[spoiler:the murder of Elder Taudigani]], and [[spoiler:Admiral Steele executing his {{plan}} against the player's task force, the annihilation of the Katana and Altan Orde, the death of every other almost every other pilot, including [[Main/PluckyComicRelief Levi]],]] and finally [[spoiler: the last minute HeroicSacrifice of the Yangtze, Karen Ng'Mei, and Olefumi]].

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: The true objectives and motives of both the Vishnans and the Shivans drive the greatest mysteries of the plot. And there's no guarantee that any information that's been given about either one of them is true or not. At one point, the same conversation between a Vishnan and a Shivan is shown to two different human characters. The dialogue each heard was completely different, though thematically and topically similar.

* IdiotPlot: The plot very much seems like this until you read the supplementary material (most of which is found in the Tech Room databases, in both the Intel and Ship sections); then it becomes quite good, actually. The fact that it does things to the scale, depth, and dynamism that it does and still remains in the realm of true plausibility [[ShownTheirWork is a testament]] to [[DoingItForTheArt how much thought went into it.]] Even more averted upon playing the Third Act of War in Heaven, which shows that this plotline is directly tying into the unanswered questions of ''Freespace 2'', and bringing together obscure references and minor details from all the way back as far as the first game!

* RecycledInSpace: Some people see Part 2 as an extended homage to the Vietnam War. The far-larger and more powerful GTVA is forced to fight a limited and conservative war due to political divisions and murky objectives, while the much less powerful but more ideologically convinced UEF is simply trying to hold its own and ultimately push the GTVA out by costing them enough blood. Similarly to the Vietnam War, [[GrayAndGrayMorality there is no clear-cut good guy.]] The developers have stated this wasn't their intention, pointing out that the UEF is, technologically speaking, just as advanced as the GTVA, just with different focuses (hence their much weaker military).

** Also, ''Delenda Est'' to an extent, mainly because a [[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=80146.0 leading amount of factors]] made it UnwinnableByMistake, [[spoiler: even though it's supposed to be [[UnWinnableByDesign failed in]] [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption the first place]].]] ([[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=82080.0 That bug was shortly patched.]]) It doesn't help that you most often notice this during or shortly after an incredibly frustrating sequence where [[spoiler: you have to destroy all 4 main beams of two Deimos corvettes (which have the second-best anti-fighter defences of any FS2 capital ship), both of which are parked next to a number of Aeolus cruisers (which have the best anti-fighter defences of any FS2 capital ship). To make matters worse, the beams are small, hard to see, can only be fired at from a few positions and they are only 4 of the 8 beam cannons on the ship (destroying the other 4 doesn't really help, and there's no way to tell which is which other than placement). The ''Complete'' version mitigates the placement issue by assigning a hotkey to the turrets.]]

* MostAnnoyingSound: "*BEEP BEEP* Bank One/Two/Three empty", "Warning! Heavy damage!".

** ''Forced Entry'', although it has its fair share of fans as well.

* CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming:
** Samuel Bei reconciling with his father.
** Also ''One Perfect Moment'' from ''War in Heaven''.
* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: ''Everywhere.''

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome:
** The entirety of the mission ''Delenda Est'' and the end of ''Universal Truth'' where [[spoiler:the Vishnans tell the Shivans to fuck off]]. However, this [[spoiler:may just have been the interpretation that Samuel Bei was allowed to see. You hear a different one in Universal Truth II, and it's... not that reassuring.]]
** The climax of ''Aristeia'', where the UED Toutatis shows up and displays the UEF version of Superior Firepower against the GTD Hood. Namely: ''antimatter torpedo spam'', all set to "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my5FoN3oWws Spiritus Elektros]]"!
** Any time Spiritus Elektros plays is bound to be a CMOA for at least one side, really.
* CrowningMomentOfFunny:
** The navigation mishap in ''Age of Aquarius'':
--->'''Corey''': Commander, I seem to have jumped in about 10 AU's from your position.
--->'''Taylor''': ...crap. I don't even know where I am.
** "MEDITATION WIDGET! YOUR BIOMETRICS SHOW INCREASED HEARTRATE, NOEMI. WOULD YOU LIKE A [[CuteKitten KITTEN PICTURE]]?"
** The tech room entry for the GTVA's Chimera-class corvettes wryly notes that living conditions on the ships are not very enjoyable (even taking military standards of crew quarters into account), and the Bellerophon-class corvettes, modified from the same basic design, is little better.
--->''A software error stocked the first example of the class, Pilum, with thousands of identical pre-cooked meal pouches, each one broccoli and tofu - leading to the much-beloved story of the Cooks' Mutiny. Live on a flying gun, the saying goes, and you get treated like a bullet.''
** Between missions, Levi tells a story about how he tested his Kentauroi's afterburners while the fighter [[DidntThinkThisThrough is still clamped to the docking bay]], and recalls Simms chewing him out about it. [[CassandraTruth Everybody calls bullshit]], because what idiot would do something so stupid? Not to be beaten, he concludes the story by beginning to apologize to a nearby sleeping Simms, [[NonSequiturThud causing her to start ranting at him again at the top of her lungs (confirming the story) whilst still asleep, then promptly wake up by falling out of bed.]]

* RecycledInSpace: Part 2 is an extended homage to the Vietnam War. The far-larger and more powerful GTVA is forced to fight a limited and conservative war due to political divisions and murky objectives, while the much less powerful but more ideologically convinced UEF is simply trying to hold its own and ultimately push the GTVA out by costing them enough blood. Similarly to the Vietnam War, [[GrayAndGrayMorality there is no clear-cut good guy.]]

--->'''Corey''': Commander, I seem to have jumped in about 10 light years from your position.

** Between missions, Levi tells a story about how he tested his Kentauroi's afterburners while the fighter [[DidntThinkThisThrough is still clamped to the docking bay]], and recalls Simms chewing him out about it. [[CassandraTruth Everybody calls bullshit]], because what idiot would do something so stupid? Not to be beaten, he concludes the story by beginning to apologize to a nearby sleeping Simms, [[NonSequiturThud causing her to start ranting at him again at the top of her lungs, still asleep, then promptly wake up by falling out of bed.]]

** ''And how!'' Most notably [[spoiler:the 14th battlegroup seeing the ruined alternate universe Earth for the first time]], [[spoiler: seeing again how Samuel Bei lost his wife and his mother]], [[spoiler:the murder of Elder Taudigani]], and [[spoiler:Admiral Steele executing his {{plan}} against the player's task force, the annihilation of the Katana and Altan Orde, the death of every other almost every other pilot, including Levi,]] and finally [[spoiler: the last minute HeroicSacrifice of the Yangtze, Karen Ng'Mei, and Olefumi]].

** ''And how!'' Most notably [[spoiler:the 14th battlegroup seeing the ruined alternate universe Earth for the first time]], [[spoiler: seeing again how Samuel Bei lost his wife and his mother]], [[spoiler:the murder of Elder Taudigani]], and [[spoiler:Admiral Steele executing his {{plan}} against the player's task force]] and finally [[spoiler: the last minute HeroicSacrifice of the Yangtze]].

** Also, ''Delenda Est'' to an extent, mainly because a [[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=80146.0 leading amount of factors]] made it UnwinnableByMistake, [[spoiler: even though it's supposed to be [[UnWinnableByDesign failed in]] [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption the first place]].]] ([[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=82080.0 That bug was shortly patched.]]) It doesn't help that you most often notice this during or shortly after an incredibly frustrating sequence where [[spoiler: you have to destroy all 4 main beams of two Deimos corvettes (which have the second-best anti-fighter defences of any FS2 capital ship), both of which are parked next to a number of Aeolus cruisers (which have the best anti-fighter defences of any FS2 capital ship). To make matters worse, the beams are small, hard to see, can only be fired at from a few positions and they are only 4 of the 8 beam cannons on the ship (destroying the other 4 doesn't really help, and there's no way to tell which is which other than placement).]]

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: The true objectives and motives of both the Vishnans and the Shivans drive the greatest mysteries of the plot. And there's no guarantee that any information that's been given about either one of them is true or not. At one point, the same conversation is shown to the human characters twice, once by the Vishnans, and once by the Shivans. The dialogue was completely different, though thematically and topically similar.

** Two missions in Act 3, first is ''Everything is Permitted'' which is a StealthMission where there are seemingly many possible ways to complete the mission and the game doesn't directly tell you how. The other is ''Her Finest Hour'', in which there are so many secondary objectives that can get players overwhelmed, and so many buttons to press. In both cases however, these are more [[GuideDangIt confusing]] than NintendoHard. They're the kind of missions that depend more on note-taking and precise tactical micromanagement rather than piloting skill.

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: The entirety of the mission ''Delenda Est'' and the end of ''Universal Truth'' where [[spoiler:the Vishnans tell the Shivans to fuck off]].
*** The last one [[spoiler:may just have been the interpretation that Samuel Bei was allowed to see. You hear a different one in Universal Truth II, and it's... not that reassuring.]]

* CrowningMomentOfFunny: "MEDITATION WIDGET! YOUR BIOMETRICS SHOW INCREASED HEARTRATE, NOEMI. WOULD YOU LIKE A [[CuteKitten KITTEN PICTURE]]?"
** And it really does show you a kitten picture!
* CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming: Samuel Bei reconciling with his father.

* EnsembleDarkhorse / DracoInLeatherPants: Admiral Steele has gained a heck of a fanbase, who seem consider him the strategist version of a MemeticBadass.
* EvenBetterSequel: ''War in Heaven.''
* IdiotPlot: The plot very much seems like this until you read the supplementary material (most of which is found in the Tech Room databases, in both the Intel and Ship sections); then it becomes quite good, actually. The fact that it does things to the scale, depth, and dynamism that it does and still remains in the realm of true plausibility [[ShownTheirWork is a testament]] to [[DoingItForTheArt how much thought went into it.]]
** Even more averted upon playing the Third Act of War in Heaven, which shows that this plotline is directly tying into the unanswered questions of ''Freespace 2'', and bringing together obscure references and minor details from all the way back as far as the first game!

** Universal Truth. '''''All of it!'''''

* PlayerPunch: ''And how!'' Most notably [[spoiler:the 14th battlegroup seeing the ruined alternate universe Earth for the first time]], [[spoiler: seeing again how Samuel Bei lost his wife and his mother]], [[spoiler:the murder of Elder Taudigani]], and [[spoiler:Admiral Steele executing his {{plan}} against the player's task force]] and finally [[spoiler: the last minute HeroicSacrifice of the Yangtze]].
** Let's not forget [[spoiler:shooting down Xinny and Zero, SOC heroes of the Second Shivan Incursion, who were only trying to rescue their commander.]] At least the UEF pilots have no idea what they are trying to do, given that they think that there were nothing of interest as far as they are concerned in the cruiser's cargo.

* RootingForTheEmpire: The fandom has a very large contingent of GTVA supporters.
** This was, incidentally, absolutely intended by the writers, who wanted to portray a war in which there is no obvious "good" or "bad" side
* TearJerker: [[spoiler:Xinny and Zero's radio chatter as you kill them]] is positively heartbreaking, more so because ''it's all your fault.''
** ''Delenda Est''. That is all.
* ThatOneLevel: ''Forced Entry''.
** Subverted in that many players consider it to be one of the best missions ever made.
** Also, ''Delenda Est'' to an extent, mainly because a [[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=80146.0 leading amount of factors]] made it UnwinnableByMistake, [[spoiler: even though it's supposed to be [[UnWinnableByDesign failed in]] [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption the first place]].]]
*** [[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=82080.0 There is now a fix for the main technical issue for Delenda Est.]]
*** It doesn't help that you most often notice this during or shortly after an incredibly frustrating sequence where [[spoiler: you have to destroy all 4 main beams of two Deimos corvettes (which have the second-best anti-fighter defences of any FS2 capital ship), both of which are parked next to a number of Aeolus cruisers (which have the best anti-fighter defences of any FS2 capital ship). To make matters worse, the beams are small, hard to see, can only be fired at from a few positions and they are only 4 of the 8 beam cannons on the ship (destroying the other 4 doesn't really help, and there's no way to tell which is which other than placement).]]
*** Two missions in Act 3, first is ''Everything is Permitted'' which is a StealthMission where there are seemingly many possible ways to complete the mission and the game doesn't directly tell you how. The other is ''Her Finest Hour'', in which there are so many secondary objectives that can get players overwhelmed, and so many buttons to press. In both cases however, these are more [[GuideDangIt confusing]] than NintendoHard. They're the kind of missions that depend more on note-taking and precise tactical micromanagement rather than piloting skill.

* DemonicSpiders: The AwesomeYetPractical next-generation [=GTF=] Nyx to boot to Federation fighters, especially in ''War in Heaven''. With [[MoreDakka eight gun banks and a high energy supply to back it]], loads of missiles, and good maneuverability, this thing easily eats Federation interceptors and gunships for breakfast. The best counter is the Federation Slammer [=Area-Suppression=] Missile, which can deal enough to bring one of these to the ground (if you know how to use it effectively).

*** The last one [[spoiler:may just have been the interpretation that Samuel Bei was allowed to see. There's a different one in Universal Truth II, and it's... not that reassuring.]]

** The climax of ''Aristeia'', where the UED Toutatis shows up and displays the UEF version of Superior Firepower against the GTD Hood. Namely: ''nuclear torpedo spam'', all set to "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my5FoN3oWws Spiritus Elektros]]"!

--->--Levi witnessing said ship's destruction

--->--A pilot witnessing said ship's destruction