History VideoGame / ElementalGearbolt

''Elemental Gearbolt'' is a UsefulNotes/PlayStation LightGunGame that was developed by Alfa System in 1997 and localized by Creator/WorkingDesigns in 1998. It defies a number of light gun genre conventions simply by telling a pretty effective tragic fantasy story. And then caps it off with exceptionally atmospheric music and art.

* OedipusComplex: Oh, is Bel Cain ever an Oedipal figure. His fixation on his mother Leminea could be construed as subtext-y, but that aside, she is the reason Bel Cain despises his father and the catalyst for his intent to change the world.

Years later, Bel Cain becomes crown prince and resolves to create a new world order with super advanced Magitech, all managed by a [[BrainInAJar computer made from human brains]]. Bel Cain doesn't realize that the computer hates its existence so much that it has created weapons capable of finding and destroying it... using the corpses of Nell and Seana (who joined the Sulunakan resistance only to be killed and taken as trophies). The things that used to be Nell and Seana they tear across the countryside, destroying Bel Cain's advanced technology, culminating in a sad, one-sided reunion... [[KillEmAll and they all die]].

* KillEmAll

* PyrrhicVillainy: Bel Cain's plan is well underway by the time the elementals get to him. [[spoiler:He actually succeeds in awakening The Beyond -- the glowing spirits in the ruined city are proof of it. All the Audo may become Sugiku eventually, just like he intended. But clearly he's not going to rule the world.]]

* SpiritualSuccessor: To ''VideoGame/ProjectHornedOwl''.

* {{Fanservice}}: The transformation of Nell and Seana into Elementals incorporates a PantyShot and ClothingDamage, which is pretty {{squick}}y considering they're dead.

** The subtitles are not so simple in the Japanese version -- for example, the Act 1 boss "Wardam" is "Fortress-Capturing Super-Heavy Infantry Wodan" in Japanese. Almost all the boss names are references to Myth/NorseMythology, [[note]]Other inclusions: Midgard, Nidhogg, Idun and Mardöll,[[/note]] but this was [[LostInTranslation somewhat obscured]] in the WD version.

* DummiedOut: The Japanese version includes an unlockable audio drama of Nell and Seana befriending Bel Cain as children. It is still present on disk in the English version, but inaccessible. WD decided to summarize the story of the audio drama in the manual instead of reproducing the it in English.

* DarkerAndEdgier: Compared to most [[LightGunGame Light Gun Games]]. The protagonists are recent victims of violent death, [[RevenantZombie brought temporarily back to life]] to destroy the kingdom which had been their home.

* SpiritualSuccessor: To ''Project: Horned Owl''.