Task Force – Last-Ditch Move Author: Cleber Fernandes “The Swordsdragon” Bibliographic references: • TV Tropes & Idioms • Wikipedia • Reptilia Squad – Episodes of the Lizardmageddon in Brazil • Reptilia Squad RPG • Toyama Ryu Japanese Swordsmanship (http://www.toyamaryu.org) • Neverwinter Nights Wiki (http://nwn2.wikia.com/wiki) 1 Introduction player character with extraordinary ease – effortlessly and mercilessly –, even with their bare Preliminary note: this material is a hands. While many other soldiers are slaughtered reworked copy from “Task Force – Last-Ditch by monsters – among what remains of the Rio de Move” –, adapted to English. Janeiro –, the player character is assigned to rescue the civilian survivors (as many as possible) before Survival horror is a subgenre of action- they are butchered as well. adventure video game inspired by horror fiction. These games make the players very vulnerable by This game combines elements of Survival providing them with less ammunition and fewer Horror and Stealth – essentially –, as well as (just) heavy weapons than other action games. the same rule system implemented in the Although combat is a part of the gameplay, the “Episodes of The Lizardmageddon”. player must control ammunition by evading enemies and avoiding direct confrontation. The This game is vaguely similar to “Friday the player is also challenged to find items that unlock 13 th“ 1 – except for certain traits in particular –, the path to new areas, and solve puzzles at certain since the player characters need to locate and locations. rescue as many survivors as possible (there are many of them along the way) before they are These games make use of strong horror butchered by a monster. The survivors are mostly themes, and the player is often challenged to hidden among the debris, trying to avoid being navigate dark maze-like environments, and react detected by the monsters; additionally, many to unexpected attacks from enemies. monsters (mostly giant lizards) intend to locate and murder the survivors. Game Mechanics Additionally, the game is the ABSOLUTE “Task Force – Last-Ditch Move” –, like antithesis of “Turok” and “Jurassic – The Hunted” “Reptilia Squad – Episodes of the –, as well as many other games. Because of the Lizardmageddon in Brazil” –, is essentially an context and the game mechanics – both from Action-RPG. “Reptilia Squad RPG” –, the player character has many ways to die – beheaded, crushed, exploded, In comparison with “Reptilia Squad – impaled, incinerated, disintegrated, etc. Episodes of the Lizardmageddon in Brazil” –, this game is an alternate story, where the player The player character is too weak to survive character is a human combatant (a soldier), who an encounter with ANY monster. For that reason, tries to survive later than Rio de Janeiro (his only way to survive is avoid them 2 (as many as hometown) was completely destroyed. possible); instead of eliminate them – that’s impracticable –, it’s possible to avoid them with The destroyed city became a highly relative ease – except for the bosses and a few dangerous place: apart from the environmental mini-bosses. hazards – such as many booby traps among loads of debris –, the player character finds The only enemies possible to defeat and anthropomorphic lizards and crocodilians (the eliminate are other humans, typically (but not Reptilian); these monsters are capable to kill the limited to) thugs and similar criminals who are 2 found wandering around – among the debris of into account. Therefore, they are more dangerous the devastated city. They are heavily armed, most than the DarkSims 6 from “Perfect Dark”. These commonly with assault rifles and sub monsters have the game rules entirely in their machineguns, as well as revolvers or semi- favor; they have better attributes – greater-than- automatic pistols. Other legitimate targets include superhuman –, as well as (consequently) more Hit looters 3, found almost everywhere; although they Points. are (mostly) noncombatants, the state of emergency 4 allows applying summary justice. In addition, they have these defining characteristics (not limited to): Combat is always dangerous, even for an expert player, because the monsters have • Prevent the player from acting as they kill extraordinary attributes – contrasting with the him. human combatants –, and these creatures are • Frequently employ debilitating Status capable to one-hit kill 5 the player character with Effects. extreme ease. • Deliver lethal or near-lethal attacks that are virtually impossible to dodge, or (worse) There are numerous Reptilian monsters: attacks that ignore iguanas, tegus, Komodo dragons, alligators, accuracy/evasion/defense outright. crocodiles and many others. • Have a larger melee attack radius than you do when combined with this, making it As well as extraordinary attributes, the impossible for any non-monster character to monsters have many immunities – such as spells, get close without getting killed horribly. spell-like abilities, psychic, sexual transmitted • Appears suddenly at a very close range, or diseases, poisoning, one-hit kills – including are almost impossible to see/track at any deathtraps –, death from massive damage, range. attribute damage and attribute drain. • Can summon reinforcements with no apparent limit on how many or how often. The Inhuman (or simply non-human) are, • Move in manners impossible for the player essentially, Reptilian monsters with human character (often with greater speed than any appearance. human). • Are capable of nullifying the player All monsters (Reptilian and Inhuman) have character’s primary methods of character-based script, which takes into account attack/defense, either by destroying or by their attributes, skills and many other throwing his weapons away. characteristics. Therefore, they are able to do • In action games, may have melee based things which the player cannot. attacks (or counter-attacks) that quickly hit you from a fair distance away and then Monsters of all classes (except for the cause them to retreat in an equally swift Regents) can be found everywhere, and the player manner. simply CANNOT eliminate them. The monsters’ • Move around really fast and/or in artificial intelligence is entirely focused in their apparently random paths. individual characteristics – attributes, skills, • Appear in a really tricky situation involving abilities and everything else –, constantly taken a platforming sequence or puzzle, that 3 needs full attention focused on it, causing escorting 10 them to the extraction 11 zones in each much distraction and failure. Also might level. knock you off ledges. • Can't be defeated. They will die from minimal damage – in • Can confuse the player characters or comparison with the player character –, and for otherwise force them to waste a lot of that reason the player must protect them at all attacks or ammunition. costs – otherwise it’s mission failed and, • Can steal needed items from the player consequently, game over. during the fight. • Regenerates their incredibly high hit points. To rescue the survivors, the player • The battle mechanics are painfully character must infiltrate 12 many areas under repetitive. control of the monsters. Even in comparison with a Reaper Bot 7, All human characters can be gibbed 13 , and these monsters’ artificial intelligence is literally the player character (obviously) is NOT exception: lethal. all monsters (Reptilian and Inhuman) have quite powerful melee attacks, making it impossible for Most monsters (most commonly the any human character to get too close without firearm-proficient ones) are capable to circle getting killed viciously or (even) ludicrously. strafing 8, making use of their (tremendous) agility in order to take advantage against the player. Resembling the Cucco Revenge Squad 14 from “The Legend of Zelda” games, these In addition, all unidentified monsters monsters are simply murderous: their close-range (Reptilian and Inhuman) have their characteristics attacks have absolute priority, and simply cannot generated by the character editor 9, and be countered. (consequently) their profiles are obviously optimized. Certain tactics, such as the rush 15 (used commonly in most First-Person Shooters), are Victory condition is quite simple (but not absolutely useless against these monsters – at least necessarily easy): the player is assigned to under normal circumstances –, because the accomplish the required goals, no matter how initiative is determined by character’ Agility. many monsters are wandering around or the weapons they are using. These maneuvers are possible only under certain conditions (regardless of the Difficulty Level Required Percent consequences): Easy 50% Normal 60% • Initiative equal or higher than the Hard 70% opponent’s. Heroic 80% • Surprise attack. Desperate 90% Note: the rush doesn’t prevent the monsters The player must rescue as many people as to counterattack. possible, locating them (wherever they are) and 4 Certain behaviors are absolutely backswords (or both); they can decapitate any disapproved, and the game has special rules built human victim with a single slash. All to guarantee rule-breakers are punished. sword/backsword one-hit kills result in beheading or tameshigiri scene, where the player The penalty for rule-breakers is extremely character is given a gruesome death scene. severe: death penalty. All cutting patterns can be reversed, but all The player character is given an cuts should be change from migi (right) to hidari unavoidable death scene