Line #18 VideoGame/SigmaTheory


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sigma_theory_header.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:Pictured: Agent "Robber"]]
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4	''Sigma Theory: Global Cold War'' is an espionage strategy game developed and published by Mi-Clos Studio (''VideoGame/OutThere''), and released for PC through UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} Early Access on April 18, 2019.
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6	[[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture In the near future]], a paradigm-shifting scientific discovery looms over the world, promising radical new technologies. The world’s superpowers realize that these new developments could destroy the global financial system, wipe out entire countries overnight, or even grant immortality. However, this discovery — called [[TitleDrop “The Sigma Theory”]] — can only be harnessed by [[ImpossibleGenius a handful of scientists]]. You the head of your country’s Sigma research division, with the objective of ensuring that your nation comes out on top of the new Cold War. To achieve this, your government has granted you powerful resources: a cadre of the world’s most elite covert agents, advanced tactical drones, and -- of course -- [[TheSpymaster authorization to use diplomacy and subterfuge with the other nations' Sigma teams]]. Your goal: win the cold war, discover the technologies first, and reach the endgame of the Sigma revolution.
7	----
8	!!''Sigma Theory'' contains examples of:
9	* AllChinesePeopleKnowKungFu: When playing China, the first selected agent has the bonus trait 'Black Belt'.
10	* ArbitraryHeadcountLimit: You can have as many scientists as you can convert to your side, but your team can never have more than four agents at once.
11	* BareFistedMonk: Agent Shaolin, da. Raised in a Shaolin monastery and a Martial Arts expert.
12	* BattleCouple: The list of people available as one's spouse is the same as the list of potential secret agents.
13	* BloodKnight: Some agents have traits such as 'Nag', which means they'll never factor in collateral damage, or 'Bloodthirsty', which means they'll always prefer an option involving killing than a peaceful path. One agent that always begins with both of these is Shiva, a former WildChild meant as a sacrifice to [[Myth/HinduMythology Kali]].
14	* BombThrowingAnarchists: Agent Ideal, a crypto-anarchist, and Agent Abertzale, a Basque separatist. The terrorist organisation Anti-Capitalist Brigades also fits the bill.
15	* BrainwashingForTheGreaterGood: One of the technologies that can be developed while researching Sigma Theory, if specializing in Neuroscience, is capable of brainwashing captured agents.
16	* CodeName: All of the agents in the game have one, usually giving a hint as to their specialty (ex. "Robber" is good at infiltration and exfiltration, while "Banker" is more suited for bribing and other monetary exchanges).
17	* ComebackMechanic: Hooray, you got 15 Sigma Points and can now get started on the ultimate Sigma Theory which will win you the game! But to do that, you need to pull scientists from your Sigma research to work specifically on this final theory. And unlike the earlier Sigma techs, the theory itself doesn't help you in any way before it's finally complete. So while you're busy with the theory, your rivals who are behind can keep unlocking the remaining Sigma techs and reaping their benefits -- and now you're at the top of their hit list. Luckily, this cuts both ways, as you yourself can (and in fact must) keep gaining new Sigma techs when an AI player hits the big 15 first.
18	* ContinuingIsPainful: If the DoomsdayClock is about to strike midnight, it's possible to smooth things over with your country's greatest rival and set it back a few ticks...by giving them a copy of all your Sigma Theory research, instantly granting them any benefits you had access to, and possibly bringing them closer to the ultimate research than yourself.
19	* ContinuityNod: [[spoiler:Upon completing the ultimate Sigma Theory research, the player proclaims that they will be "both judge and architect," a reference to the Judge-Architects of ''VideoGame/OutThere'']]
20	* CorruptCorporateExecutive: The Ortega Circle, a terrorist organization representing the [[Fiction500 0.0001%]].
21	* CrusadingLawyer: Agent Espoir, an idealist lawyer who doubles as a TechnicalPacifist.
22	* CuteAndPsycho: Agent Venom, a pretty and manipulative agent with 'strong psychopatic tendencies'.
23	* DeityOfHumanOrigin: [[spoiler:Upon completing the ultimate Sigma Theory research, a machine turns the player into this.]]
24	* DoomsdayClock: The state of the world is tracked by one, and if international conflict (including the player's actions) causes it to strike midnight, [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt the game ends with humanity destroying itself via nuclear war]].
25	* DoubleAgent: It's possible to convert scientists in enemy territories to your side, slowing down their research into Sigma Theory while advancing your own, though they will break ties if contact isn't made with their converter regularly. It's possible for the enemy to do this to the player's scientists as well, and your agents might outright leave and start working against you if a rival makes enough progress with their own research.
26	* {{Eagleland}}: America has an easier time convincing scientists to work for them, because America's ideals and way of life are extremely compelling. In short, their special power is being America the Beautiful. Nonetheless, America's Sigma division is as ruthless as anyone else's.
27	* EcoTerrorist: Agent Anuman has a backstory as an animal rights militant that led a guerilla war against smugglers and farmers.
28	* ElCidPloy: Agent Rider was originally a motorcycle-helmeted vigilante. When he was killed in action, his sister put on the helmet and carried on Rider's life while pretending to be him.
29	* EscapeArtist: Elite Agent Magician is a skilled illusionist with expertise in exfiltration and jailbreaking.
30	* EveryoneLooksSexierIfFrench: When playing France, the first agent picked by the player gains the seduction trait as a bonus.
31	* {{Expy}}: Thomas Breckenridge, aka 'Maestro', an elite British agent who is an expert in seduction, cars and guns. Evidently he likes his martinis [[Film/JamesBond shaken, not stirred]].
32	* FailedState: Late in the game, it's possible to use mind-control technology to incite an enemy nations' people to anarchy and totally collapse their government.
33	* ForcedTransformation: One possible event is a scientist asking for your permission to leave to experiment with animals for a few days; if you give them carte blanche, [[spoiler:the scientist becomes Agent Wolf, a human-dog hybrid that appears more beast than human]].
34	* GermanicEfficiency: When playing Germany, the first scientist of the country is proficient in all scientific fields.
35	* GrayGoo: The ultimate Robotics project ABADDON combines the worst aspects of this trope with a KillerRobot. It can also fly and is explicitly capable of withstanding a nuclear blast.
36	* HelloInsertNameHere: The player chooses their name and gender at the start of the run.
37	* HumansAreInsects: [[spoiler:How the player can see things at the end of the game after [[DeityOfHumanOrigin ascending]], at least in one possible outcome.]]
38	* IHaveYourWife: At some point, assuming you are successful enough, an enemy nation will kidnap your spouse and demand various things in exchange for not killing them.
39	* ImpossibleGenius: Sigma Theory research is only possible because of a limited number of scientists of different fields possessing this, which the player must seduce, bribe, persuade, or just outright abduct to their side.
40	* IntelligenceEqualsIsolation: Several agents (Gamera, Double K, Mystery, Enigma and Troyan) display both high Intelligence (often paired with hacking traits) and social-ineptness traits such as 'Loner' and 'Weak-Willed'.
41	* IntrepidReporter: The backstory of Agent Padma.
42	* JackBauerInterrogationTechnique: Captured agents can divulge information if handled properly, with methods ranging from "standard interrogation" to "waterboarding".
43	* JustLikeRobinHood: Agent Archer, who prior to his recruitment, protected farmers in his Korean hometown against TheMafia.
44	* LaserGuidedAmnesia: [[spoiler:In one ending, upon [[DeityOfHumanOrigin attaining godhood]] and [[HumansAreInsects judging the rest of humanity unworthy]], the player wipes all memory and evidence of all Sigma Theory research from the world, before going off to start new civilizations unopposed elsewhere in the cosmos.]]
45	* LegionOfLostSouls: Agent Tiger and Agent Kepi Blanc are former soldiers of the French Foreign Legion. Unsurprisingly, both are strong fighters with the 'Survivor' trait.
46	* {{Macrogame}}: When first playing the game, there are only a few available agents the player can choose to start with. However, by making progress and accomplishing certain milestones, new agents will become available for future runs.
47	* MasterOfDisguise: Agents can have this as a trait, allowing them to move around even in countries with an arrest warrant for the agent.
48	* MiddleEasternTerrorists: The Caliphate of the Levant group, as well as Agent Caliph, who has strong connections with the Islamic State and Daesh.
49	* MultipleEndings: Depending on the state of world affairs at the end of a run, and also how well the player handled things, the outcome of completing research into Sigma Theory may be different.
50	* MutuallyExclusivePartyMembers: The player can only have one agent with the "Elite" trait in their starting team (although further Elites can be recruited later, even if they're replacing a non-Elite agent).
51	* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: A number of agents are inspired by real life persons:
52	** [[https://sigmatheory.gamepedia.com/Leak Agent Leak]], aka "Jack Rainden", is obviously based on whistleblower [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Snowden Edward Snowden]]
53	** [[https://sigmatheory.gamepedia.com/Double_K Agent Double K]], aka "Karl Kohl", is clearly based on legendary German hacker [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Koch_(hacker) Karl Koch]].
54	* NGOSuperpower: The "interest groups" are five [=NGOs=] that try to convince you to share your Sigma research with them. If you please or anger them enough, they can impose powerful international benefits or penalties.
55	* OldMaster: Agent Saint is a 90-year-old Brahmin who excels at hand-to-hand combat and has the verve of a man half his age.
56	* PurelyAestheticGender: While the agents might have to deal with people who prefer dealing with certain genders, the player's own gender only influences their options for a spouse.
57	* SkillScoresAndPerks: Every agent has a Strength score, an Intelligence score, and a variety of different traits that can positively or negatively impact specific missions. Though agents cannot level-up, a player's actions during a run can add positive traits to an agent's profile.
58	* {{Socialite}}: Three agents fit the bill: Kim Joo-Sun, aka 'Aphrodite', Ece Gürdag, aka 'Green Crescent' and Ruhi Aman aka 'Noble' are all described as members of TheBeautifulElite and their abilities revolve around people manipulation and soft power.
59	* ThereCanBeOnlyOne: As the game progresses, the nations in last place will regularly drop out of the game. At first, this will be because they have abandoned any hope of catching up in the Sigma race, but later in the game, it can be because someone else's latest Sigma tech allowed them to [[OvernightConquest annihilate the losing nation in literally ONE day]].
60	* TheSingularity: The goal of the final Sigma Project. [[spoiler: In this game's interpretation of the Singularity, the winner becomes a DeityOfHumanOrigin, capable of destroying or uplifting all humanity with a mere thought. Whether this ends up being a good, bad, or even indifferent ending depends on the state of the world when the game ends.]]
61	* TheSpymaster: The role that the player assumes in the game.
62	* StoryBranching: Most of the gameplay is making decisions, whether it's dealing with a diplomat in order to exchange resources, or providing suggestions to an agent escaping enemy territory.
63	* TechTree: A limited variant. Sigma Theory research is divided into five fields: Neuroscience, Health, Finance, Robotics, and Astrophysics. Each tech of a field is learned in a set sequence, with each subsequent tech being worth one more Sigma Point than the last. Interestingly, unlike most 4X style tech trees, only the ''first'' nation to research a tech gets its benefit. In another difference, the final Sigma Theory (and associated victory) doesn't require you to research ALL the way to the end of the tree -- you simply need 15 Sigma Points worth of earlier techs.
64	* {{Tuckerization}}: Agent Domingo is based on and named after a French video game streamer that had covered the game and provided good publicity.
65	* UnstableEquilibrium: The more setbacks you suffer, the harder it becomes to recover, as other nations continue to get the benefits of reaching technologies first, and your government loses faith in you which results in various tools being taken away.
66	* WildChild: Agent Shiva was one, growing up in the wild after being abandoned in a temple. During missions, he'll curbstomp any Strength challenge, while being almost worthless for any Intelligence challenge.
67	* {{Yakuza}}: Agent Tsuba, member of the Yamaguchi-Gumi.
68	* YouLoseAtZeroTrust: Lose the trust of your government, and your job will come to an abrupt and fatal end.

Context VideoGame / SigmaTheory