Line #20 VideoGame/TheClub


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_club.png]]
2	''The Club'' is a ThirdPersonShooter game designed by Creator/BizarreCreations and published by Creator/{{Sega}} in 2008. The main premise resembles the movies ''Film/TheRunningMan, {{Film/Gamer}}'' and ''Film/HardTarget'' - you have to reach the exit or stay alive for a given time while having to battle waves of {{Mooks}} and ScoringPoints for chaining kills into combos (the higher combo meter goes, the less time you have to kill the next enemy).
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4	Each of the eight playable "contestants" has a different background and statistics, consisting of his Strength (misleadingly named, as it mostly describes his ability to withstand being shot at), Speed and Stamina (how long can he sprint). The game takes place in different locales - steel mill, prison, old cruise ship stranded on rocks, English manor, American slum, Russian underground bunker, supposedly Balkan war zone and Venice.
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6	[[SimilarlyNamedWorks No relation]] to the [[Theatre/TheClub Australian play]], or the [[Wrestling/TheClub wrestling]] PowerStable.
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8	!!The game provides examples of:
9	* AbusiveParents: [[spoiler:Nemo's]] ending heavily implies that [[spoiler:the Club secretary is his father and had something to do with the way he ended up.]]
10	* AKA47: Some of the guns are slightly modified real weapons, others are mix and match abominations.
11	* AllThereInTheManual: [[http://web.archive.org/web/20101213143336/http://bizarrecreations.com/games/the_club/characters.php The official website]] provides a lot of backstory for the characters that isn't ever mentioned in the game itself.
12	* AsLongAsItSoundsForeign: The "War Zone" level is implied to be located somewhere in the Balkans. However, the railway station's name is Polish (Kędzierznówek, changed from the real "Kędzierzyn-Koźle" name that can be seen on some of the early screenshots), the trains are distinctive EN-57 sets in blue and yellow paint scheme used in Poland, and the destination plaques on the front can be deciphered as "Brzeźno". Early screenshots even feature the logo of Polish mobile network Plus GSM on the clocks.
13	%%* AxCrazy: Nemo.
14	%%* BadassBiker: Killen.
15	%%* BadassInANiceSuit: Finn.
16	* {{Blackmail}}: The reason Killen had to become a "contestant" again. Also, Adjo only cooperates with the Club after they threaten to blow up his village.
17	* BloodKnight: Seager not only tracked down the Club to become a contestant, he turns down the money he won just for the chance to play again.
18	* BloodSport: People are actually watching the contests and betting their money on whether the character survives or not.
19	* BriefcaseFullOfMoney: The Club secretary offers this as a prize to both Adjo and Seager, but both end up turning it down. Adjo does it because [[TheAtoner he just wants to go home and have no part in the shady dealings of the Club.]] Seager turns it down because [[BloodKnight he'd rather just have fun killing in another round.]]
20	%%* CowboyCop: Renwick.
21	* DownerEnding: [[spoiler:Kuro and Renwick, the two characters trying to bring the Club down, get this. Also Nemo, but he was already screwed up to begin with.]]
22	* ExcusePlot: The Club only has ''marginally'' more plot than ''VideoGame/QuakeIIIArena'' or ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament''... it's an ArenaShooter first and foremost.
23	* {{Expy}}: We won't blame you if the first thing coming into your mind after first seeing Finn would be [[Film/{{Memento}} Leonard Shelby]].
24	** His white suit with a blue undershirt and hustler backstory also makes him seem like a blond haired version of Nick from VideoGame/Left4Dead2. Interestingly, [[HilariousInHindsight he actually predates Nick]] by almost two years.
25	%%* FourEyesZeroSoul: The Club secretary.
26	* FragileSpeedster: Seager and Kuro, both having the highest "Speed" statistic and lowest "Strength" statistic.
27	* GiantMook: Bruisers; they're armed with miniguns and can take a few dozen rounds before dying.
28	* HeKnowsTooMuch: The reason Renwick and Kuro ended up as "contestants".
29	* HoldTheLine: Siege and Survival game modes. Instead of having to run around the level, you're confined to one room while the enemies keep pouring in.
30	%%* HuskyRusskie: Dragov.
31	%%* {{Hustler}}: Finn.
32	* ItAmusedMe: Seager, an extreme sports junkie, is fighting in the Club for the Lulz. He actually sought out and threatened the Secretary to let him play (bear in mind most contestants had to be kidnapped or extorted), and in the end he even turns down the prize money to play again.
33	* MenAreTheExpendableGender: Not only are all of the mooks men, but so are all eight of the player characters!
34	* MightyGlacier: Dragov and Adjo. Dragov has the lowest "Speed" stat and the highest "Strength" stat in the game, Adjo is only slightly faster and a little weaker.
35	* {{Mooks}}: The club apparently has an entire army of eastern European hooligans and mercenaries for contestants to mow through.
36	* NintendoHard: Finishing the game is simple enough, but actually achieving a qualifying score (even to get 2nd or 3rd place) requires ''insane'' reflexes. Getting a gold bullet in every level almost requires you to be the product of late 20th century genetic engineering.
37	* RussianRoulette: Seager's bio mentioned him trying this among other exteme stunts. Apparently it didn't provide him with enough of a thrill.
38	* SceneryGorn: Many of the levels feature impressive detail. Unfortunately, the game rarely slows down enough for the player to really take any notice.
39	* SecretIdentity: Killen managed to dodge the Club for quite some time by way of one of these.
40	* ScaryBlackMan: Adjo.
41	* ScoringPoints: Each kill is worth points, less for standard {{Mook}}s, more for the special ones like [[GatlingGood minigun-lugging]] brutes and "bonus opponents" whose job is run as fast and ''try'' not to get shot by the player.
42	* ShieldBearingMook: Mercs in riot gear with a huge metal tower shield; they can really cockblock your killstreak and break your combo since they can only be killed when shooting, and don't shoot that often.
43	* TheAtoner: Adjo.
44	* TheInfiltration: Kuro's plan to get inside the Club.
45	* TheGroup: The titular Club. They're filthy rich, evil and secretive.
46	* TimedMission: Time Attack and Challenge game modes.
47	** The whole game itself is more or less one giant timed mission. If the player takes too long to get kills they won't earn enough points to beat the level. The only time the player stays relatively still is during the siege missions where they have to defend a small area.
48	* WeAreEverywhere: The Secretary brags that the Club is powerful and invincible, with connections in high places. [[spoiler: This is shown in Kuro's ending, where the detectives he tries to inform about the Club's activities are actually Club members.]]

Context VideoGame / TheClub