Line #39 VideoGame/ScurgeHive


1	[[quoteright:256:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/256px-Scurge_4990.jpg]]
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3	->''"You can't escape the invasion from within."''
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5	''Scurge: Hive'' is a 2006 {{action RPG}}/{{platform game}} developed by Orbital Media, published by [=SouthPeak=] Interactive, and released simultaneously for the Platform/GameBoyAdvance and Platform/NintendoDS. The premise is quite similar some of to the 2D iterations of the ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' series, especially ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'', but unlike them uses IsometricProjection.
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7	The player takes on the role of BountyHunter Jenosa Arma, on assignment from the [[TheFederation Confederation]]. Her mission is to seek out the high security Confederation Research Lab 56, on planet Inos. 48 hours prior to the start of the game, the base sent out a [[DistressCall distress signal]]. No further contact could be established. Now here's the kicker: the base was designed for the containment and research of a [[TheVirus potent infectious life form]] called the [[TitleDrop Scurge]].
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9	The Confeds are reasonably sure that the Scurge has escaped containment and likely infected or killed everyone on base. Therefore, it is stated in the game's introduction/Jenosa's briefing that her mission is one of ''data retrieval''. They've outfitted her with one of the [[PoweredArmor infection-resistant suits]] used at the base and special [[ArmCannon energy-projectile gauntlets]], as apparently ordinary firearms could be infected by the Scurge.
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11	Jenosa arrives in orbit around the planet only to be blasted by a ground-to-orbit energy cannon, which somehow transfers the infection onto her ship. After the game's first [[BossBattle boss fight]], her ship's AI, Magellan, informs her that she herself is infected. A new meter appears on your HUD, indicating the level of infection present in Jenosa's body, thus setting up a [[TimedMission time limit]] for the game. Her infection level increases as you play, and if it reaches 100%, will quickly tick away her health. If Jenosa dies in this manner, she [[NonStandardGameOver transforms into a Scurge host]]. However, the infection meter is easily reset by visiting a [[SavePoint save point]].
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13	Jenosa flees her ship in an EscapePod to Inos' surface. What follows is a fun little isometric action-adventure as Jenosa attempts to accomplish her mission and save herself from the Scurge infection.
14	----
15	!!''Scurge: Hive'' provides examples of the following tropes:
16	* AbnormalAmmo: In addition to your standard energy blast, Jenosa's gauntlets can be upgraded to project fireballs, electromagnetic pulses, and "dissipator" blasts.
17	* ActionGirl: Jenosa is a determined female hero in the vein of [[Franchise/{{Metroid}} a certain other platforming bounty hunter]].
18	* AfterBossRecovery: Upon defeating a boss, you are rewarded with a large purple blob that confers fully restored health and a generous portion of experience. [[spoiler: {{Subverted\|Trope}} by the FinalBoss, who takes advantage of Jenosa absorbing its biomatter to trigger a BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind.]]
19	* AndYourRewardIsClothes: For completing the game on Normal difficulty, you are rewarded with the ability to choose from a variety of [[PaletteSwap recolors]] for Jenosa.
20	* ApocalypticLog: The first few messages you find are about business as usual at the base, frequently mentioning an upgrade you will soon acquire. However, you soon come across logs made by scientists and security personnel hiding out from the Scurge, in increasing states of fear and despair. One log was left by a man who says that his infection containment system in his suit has failed. He says he will try to use his remaining hours of consciousness to [[HeroicSacrifice delay the Scurge's escape from Inos.]]
21	* ArmCannon: Two blasters are built into Jenosa's gauntlets, though she only ever appears to fire one of them.
22	* AwesomeButImpractical: The three weapons that deal additional damage to one type of enemy are very useful (especially since killing enemies with a weakness spreads damage to nearby enemies), but they also increase the strength of an enemy of an opposing type when hit. This can make these weapons very impractical in rooms where you have several different enemy types attacking you at once.
23	* BadassNormal: Sure, she's clearly meant to be an {{Expy}} of [[Franchise/{{Metroid}} Samus Aran]], but unlike Samus who was infused with Chozo DNA and the like, Jenosa is just a regular human who's damn good at her job
24	* BarrierChangeBoss: The next-to-last boss, Cerberus, will periodically switch between the three main types of enemy (biologic, mechanical, energy-based), gaining the corresponding weakness and resistance in the process. While the change is visually distinctive, it's complicated by a DoppelgangerSpin (and if you deal with the copies, you'll be faced with [[FlunkyBoss several enemies]] that are empowered by the boss's weakness).
25	%%* BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind: The [[spoiler: final phase of the FinalBoss]] fight.
26	* BodyHorror: Once the Scurge infection takes control, you lose all cognitive ability and become a mutated slave to [[spoiler:[[HiveMind The Source]]]]. [[spoiler:The Source has also assimilated several humans into its central body, complete with faces sticking out of parts of it.]]
27	* BoringButPractical: The basic shot Jenosa starts with. It deals pretty low damage compared to the other weapons, but it is of neutral alignment and can't strengthen an enemy of an opposing type, which can be important when the game makes a habit of tossing a bunch of enemies of different types at you, if not all three at once. It also fires at the same speed as the other weapons and gets stronger as you gain levels.
28	* BossArenaRecovery: A few bosses spawn lesser enemies you can kill for health.
29	* BossRush: Beating the game on Hard Mode unlocks a boss rush mode. During a rush, your stats and weapons are fixed for each fight.
30	* BrokenBridge: Many areas are inaccessible to the player until after Jenosa acquires a given upgrade.
31	* BuildingSwing: Well, cliff swinging, really, and it's not so much a "swing" as a "bungee-propelled jump". Jenosa's magnetic tether receives a grappler upgrade, allowing her to use specific grapple points to slingshot across longer gaps.
32	* BulletTime: Courtesy of the Adrenaline Booster upgrade. Used to negotiate areas with falling rocks and to complete some of the timed challenges.
33	* CameraAbuse: Killing biological enemies will briefly splatter the screen with fluids.
34	* CharacterLevel: Jenosa gains experience by picking up green globules of biomatter left behind by defeated foes. Leveling up confers a higher maximum [[HitPoints HP]] and increased damage from her projectiles.
35	* CopyAndPasteEnvironments: Somewhat. There are a handful of scenery sets made up of predefined components, and every area has the same doors. The assortment is small enough to appear somewhat samey, but not enough to annoy the average player.
36	* CriticalAnnoyance: ''Two different types.'' One is the standard low-life beep when Jenosa's health runs low, the other is a heartbeat sound that begins at 60% infection, then gets much faster at 90%. Quick, get to a SavePoint!
37	* {{Determinator}}: Jenosa isn't about to let a little thing like a mind-eating virus stop her.
38	** This is actually emphasized with the contamination meter rising ''quicker'' as the game goes on, either as an implied result of the contamination growing that much more aggressive or Jenosa herself weakening to it and thus succumbing faster, or some combination of both. Yet despite the infection growing all the more lethal to her, Jenosa presses on regardless...not that she has a choice otherwise.
39	* DoNotRunWithAGun: Jenosa can't move while firing.
40	* DoppelgangerAttack: [[SubvertedTrope Subversion]]: [[spoiler: [[HiveMind The Source's]] final form summons up to three duplicates to attack you, but these duplicates are of Jenosa rather then the boss. It is vital you destroy these duplicates quickly; if all three are left around long enough, The Source can use its most powerful attack and drain a significant portion of your health.]]
41	* DoubleJump: It's possible to double-jump with the aid of an upgrade.
42	* ElaborateUndergroundBase: Portions of the Research Facility are underground. The entire base is mazelike, and the underground areas are no exception.
43	* EldritchAbomination: [[spoiler: [[HiveMind The Source]] seems to increase in intelligence and maleficence as it absorbs everything around it. Allowing this thing to escape Inos would ''not'' be a good idea.]]
44	* ElementalRockPaperScissors: Not the standard [[FireIceLightning fire/lightning/ice]] arrangement so much as combustion/EMP/"dissipation". The mechanic is identical, however -- each type of enemy (biological, mechanical, or energy-based) is weak to one weapon, is strengthened and sped up by another, and takes damage equal to the basic shot from the third.
45	* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: The title. The game deals with a Hive made of the titular organism.
46	%%* ExpositionFairy: Magellan, Jenosa's ship's AI (and later the suit-based version she carries around after her ship is destroyed).
47	%%* {{Expy}}: Jenosa Arma to [[Franchise/{{Metroid}} Samus Aran]]. Hell, the names are similar.
48	* FieryRedhead: One of ActionGirl Jenosa's palette swaps gives her auburn hair, and several more feature red hair.
49	* FinalExamBoss: It's not the ''final'' boss, but the second-to-last boss [[BarrierChangeBoss requires you to constantly change beams]] to keep dealing maximum damage to him.
50	%%* FireIceLightning: Well, Combustion/Dissipator/EMP, but still.
51	* {{Foreshadowing}}: When you complete the Ransol Industrial Facility and turn the power back on, Magellan tells Jenosa that it has to be activated and deactivated manually, which Jenosa concludes must mean someone intentionally shut off power to the station. [[spoiler: You later learn this was done to prevent The Source from escaping the planet]].
52	* FreezeRay: It's less of a ray then an area-of-effect attack, but the Cryostasis module will [[HarmlessFreezing temporarily freeze nearby enemies]]. It's a purely defensive measure, as the frozen enemies become impervious to attack. They can be dragged onto pressure plates to activate devices in the environment, however.
53	* FromASingleCell: A single cell is all it takes for the Scurge to become a problem.
54	* FungusHumongous: The Scurge infests whole areas of walls and ground throughout the base. Touching this red [[VideoGame/StarCraft Creep-like]] substance slows you down and causes your infection meter to increase far more rapidly.
55	* GhostPlanet: Not once does Jenosa ever encounter a researcher face-to-face. [[spoiler:[[NightmareFuel Well, uninfected, at any rate.]]]]
56	* GrapplingHookPistol: The magnetic tether, the first upgrade in the game. It's used to drag blocks and frozen enemies onto pressure plates, and eventually to sling across gaps once you acquire the grapple upgrade.
57	* HarderThanHard: Did you think Hard mode was challenging? Try Insane. Completing it (''if'' you complete it) unlocks Ultra Mode, which serves as a form of NewGamePlus instead (see below).
58	* HPToOne: The strongest attack of [[spoiler: the BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind phase of the FinalBoss]] is a variant. It drains a large portion of Jenosa's health, but can't actually reduce her below 1 HP -- of course, once she's at that point, getting brushed by any of the boss's other attacks is a GameOver.
59	* HubLevel: Biocore, the main research facility, has transporters that connect to all the other areas of the game. The inactive nexus in the center of the facility also leads to the final boss.
60	* TheImmune: {{Downplayed\|Trope}}. Jenosa is infected by the first boss, and while [[SavePoint Decontamination Platforms]] can reset the progress of the Scurge infection, they can't ''cure'' it. Your viral mass increases by about 1% every two seconds; letting hit 100% imposes gradual HP drain.
61	* IsometricProjection: The game is viewed from an isometric perspective. Looks cool, but can make platforming a pain due to the lack of perspective shifting.
62	* ItCanThink: Professor Derad comments that originally, the Scurge didn't seem to exhibit any kind of sentient thought, but during his discussions with Jenosa, she points out that it seems to understand what it's doing as it's trying to escape Inos. He remarks that the creatures began to develop a collective mind as a result of absorbing other intelligent life, leading to it planning its escape.
63	* KillItWithFire: Possible, once the Combustion upgrade is in your possession. Lethal against biological enemies, but only makes mechanical enemies stronger.
64	* LateToTheTragedy: Jenosa arrives after communication was lost and the Scurge infected most of the base. Notably, this was expected by the Confederation who assigned this mission to her, who rightly assumed the base losing contact was because of the failure to contain the Scurge.
65	* LatexSpaceSuit: Jenosa's suit is rather form-fitting.
66	* MaleGaze: Every cinematic shot of Jenosa emphasizes the junk in her trunk. Even her sprite emphasizes it.
67	%%* ManEatingPlant: Mandragora, from the looks of it. Possibly Scylla, too.
68	* MeatMoss: Patches of Scurge biomatter litter the base, often filling pits or covering most of the floor aside from small gaps in the biomatter. When Jenosa stands on the patches, her infection rate rapidly increases, and her speed is greatly reduced.
69	* NewGamePlus: Downplayed with Ultra Mode. Though you do get to have max level stats and the EleventhHourSuperpower from the FinalBoss fight, you still have to collect the weapons again.
70	* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Jenosa is on the receiving end of this attitude from Professor Derad when she reveals she has been restoring the nodes to the Yggdrasil Nexus in the Biocore facility. Justified in that she had no way of knowing this could allow the Scurge to escape Inos, but also ultimately subverted, as she uses it to get to The Source, destroy it, and then leave the planet herself.
71	* NintendoHard: ''Scurge'' is a very tough game, and for a handful of reasons:
72	** Enemies can be pretty tough, but for the most part the ElementalRockPaperScissors means they aren't TOO difficult to handle... until the game starts throwing multiple types at you at once, such as throwing biological enemies in addition to machines, who will gain increased attack strength from the Combustion projectiles that the biologicals are weak to. This amounts to you either having to run around like a maniac, trying to be perfect in your shots, or use the weaker-but-neutral basic shot in order to kill everything.
73	** The isometric perspective makes it very difficult to determine where you are in relation to other elevations on the current screen. This can make the more difficult platforming later on rather obnoxious, as the angles make it easy to misjudge distances and fall.
74	** The infection meter, which rises by 1% every few seconds, and starts getting significantly faster over the course of the game. This makes the entire game one long TimedMission, giving you a small handful of minutes before you face your HP plummeting like crazy and leading to a gruesome death if you can't find a [[SavePoint decontamination platform]] in time. Granted, the platforms aren't too spread out, and so long as you stay on the move, aren't in the habit of pointlessly wandering/wasting time, and avoid wading around in the Scurge goop, you don't have to worry too much about your infection. However, it can make boss battles pretty hectic, as you only have a very short amount of time to learn the boss's patterns and then kill it.
75	* NoticeThis: Whenever you're in a room that contains a keycard, you'll get a periodic "ping" sound accompanied by a HUD icon animation.
76	* OneManArmy: Jenosa is one tough cookie. She didn't have a full idea of what she was getting into, but that doesn't slow her down much.
77	* PaletteSwap: Many enemies have [[UndergroundMonkey stronger versions of different colors]]. Jenosa herself unlocks different palettes after [[AndYourRewardIsClothes completing the game once.]]
78	%%* PersonalSpaceInvader: The titular parasites, as well as a [[Franchise/{{Metroid}} floating jellyfish-looking enemy that latches onto you and saps away your life]].
79	%%* PillarOfLight: Jenosa escapes the planet in one at the end of the game.
80	* PowerCrystal: ''Literature/{{Lensman}}''-like hand crystals on both of Jenosa's gauntlets serve as the emitters for her beam weapons.
81	* PoweredArmor: Jenosa's suit is a combination of a suit of armor with weapons (letting her survive the Scurge infestation) and a LatexSpaceSuit (letting her [[MaleGaze show off her assets]]).
82	* SavePoint: Referred to as sick bays or decontamination platforms on the map and by Magellan, respectively, they are triply vital. In addition to saving your game, [[HealingCheckpoint they refill your health]] and reset your [[TimedMission infection meter]], and they are the first things to be marked on your map upon entering a new area.
83	* SequelHook: Jenosa escapes the planet at the end of the game, but her whereabouts are unknown and the credits end on a "To be continued..." Unfortunately, the studio that made the game fell apart, so a sequel is unlikely.
84	%%* ShoutOut: The entire game, to ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}''.
85	* SoleSurvivor: [[spoiler:In the end, only Jenosa remains.]]
86	* StatusEffects: Jenosa can be poisoned by several biological-type enemies, which turns her a pulsating green but only deals trivial damage.
87	* SwissArmyWeapon: Jenosa's gauntlets. They can also fire grenades in addition to the aforementioned beams and freeze blast. ([[{{Hammerspace}} Where do these grenades come from?]] Same place as [[Franchise/{{Metroid}} Samus Aran's missiles,]] one might venture.)
88	* ThemeNaming: Most of the bosses are named after [[Myth/GreekMythology Greek]] and [[Myth/NorseMythology Norse]] mythical beasts (or associated plants, in the case of the Mandragora).
89	* TimedMission:
90	** The ''whole game'' minus the ship introduction and first boss fight (as well as [[spoiler:the very last phase of the final boss]]), due to your infection meter. You only have a couple minutes of running around between save rooms before your infection hits 100% and starts actively killing you.
91	** The timed shoot-the-targets challenges you must complete to obtain the upgrades are a more immediate variant -- once you shoot one pylon, you have to tag the rest before time runs out or else start over.
92	* TheVirus: The eponymous Scurge, capable of infecting and taking control of not only organic lifeforms, but robots and energy-based beings as well. It's controlled by a HiveMind and [[ItCanThink is capable of learning.]]
93	* WhatTheHellHero: Professor Derad chews Jenosa out when she reveals she's been slowly reactivating the Yggdrasil Transport Nexus in the Biocore, claiming that The Source is planning to use it to escape Inos. Justified somewhat on Jenosa's behalf as she had no way of knowing this, and it's also her only way off the planet.
94	* YouAreTooLate: Magellan picks up the transmissions of Professor Dorrel, but after facing Jormungand, she only finds his body. Right after, she communicates several times with Professor Derad before the transmission is cut off when he's attacked and absorbed into The Source. Both times, Jenosa laments on always being too late to save anyone.

Context VideoGame / ScurgeHive