History VideoGame / GarouMarkOfTheWolves

* CulturedBadass: Kain enjoys reading and classical music, [[SharpDressedMan he wears a stylish suit]], is very observant, and is more than willing to discuss philosophy with his opponents.

* ContrastingSequelAntagonist: Geese and Kain both grew up in poverty and clawed their way to the top, but the similarities end there. Geese Howard was more of a classic mobster who slowly rose through the underworld, seeking only power. He was a ruthless murderer who had the typical vices of a criminal mastermind. In terms of design, he was RatedMForManly and relied mostly on close-range attacks and counters, with only a couple of projecticles. His only quirk was that he was a ''massive'' OccidentalOtaku. Meanwhile, Kain is a VisionaryVillain who is driven by the philosophy that [[WeHaveBecomeComplacent people need struggle and hardship to appreciate their lives]], [[TheSocialDarwinist and the strong should rule over the weak.]] He also wants Southtown to secede from America and become its own city-state where violence rules, which is something Geese never would've considered. Kain is more of an AntiVillain with lofty ideas and ambitions, but going about it the wrong way. Unlike his predecessor, Kain relies on his intellect and psychology - not physical threats - to manipulate his opponents. In terms of design, he's a {{Bishonen}} who relies mostly on projectile spamming, has charge inputs, and lacks Geese's finely-honed techniques and physical prowess. He also leans ''really'' heavily into his German heritage and plays up his wealth and aristocratic image.

* BigHonkingTrafficJam: Hokutomaru causes one in the middle of Southtown by just walking in the street. You can make this even ''worse'' by running from the left corner of the screen to the right in the first round, and then doing he opposite in te second. This will result in two more accidents and several cameos by other SNK characters.

* CollapsingLair: Kain's palace does this in every ending except for his and Grant's.

* [[FriendlyLocalChinatown Friendly Local Koreatown]]: Jae Hoon's fight is set in the Yok Chong Market. There are a few open barbecue restaurants, tons of Korean signs, and several Taekwondo practitioners. If you have a match between Dong Hwan and Jae Hoon here, even more of these guys will show up - dressed in the colors of their preferred fighter - and cheer whenever their favorite cheers, does one of their supers, or wins.

''Garou: Mark of the Wolves'' is currently the final installment of the ''VideoGame/FatalFury'' series. [[Main/DistantFinale It's been a decade since]] [[Main/BigBad Geese Howard's]] death in ''Real Bout Fatal Fury Special'', and the once WretchedHive of Southtown is thriving without his influence. But just down the coast at Second Southtown, however, some things never change. Without someone running the show, [[EvilPowerVacuum the criminal underworld is to take over what Geese left behind.]] In the meantime, Southtown's heroes of yesteryear have moved on; most have retired, but others are training a whole new generation of fighters. Despite being a LivingLegend, [[Main/TheHero Terry Bogard]] has spent the last ten years [[Main/RaisedByRival raising Rock Howard - Geese's son - as his own protégé.]] Rock is now old and strong enough to forge his own path, but he's still haunted by his lineage... [[Main/MissingMom And mystery of what happened to his mother.]] With the start of the brand-new King of Fighters: Maximum Mayhem tournament, it seems like old wounds won't heal just yet.

* ContrastingSequelAntagonist: Geese and Kain both grew up in poverty and clawed their way to the top, but the similarities end there. Geese Howard was more of a classic mobster who slowly rose through the underworld, seeking only power. He was a ruthless murderer who had the typical vices of a criminal mastermind. In terms of design, he was RatedMForManly and relied mostly on close-range attacks and counters, with only a couple of projecticles. His only quirk was that he was a ''massive'' OccidentalOtaku. Meanwhile, Kain is a VisionaryVillain who is driven by the philosophy that [[WeHaveBecomeComplacent people need struggle and hardship to appreciate their lives]], [[TheSocialDarwinist and the strong should rule over the weak.]] He also wants Southtown to secede from America and become its own city-state where violence rules, which is something Geese never would've considered. Kain is more of an AntiVillain with lofty ideas and ambitions, but going about it the wrong way. Unlike his predecessor, Kain relies on his intellect and psychology - not physical threats - to manipulate his opponents. In terms of design, he's a Bishonen who relies mostly on projectile spamming, has charge inputs, and lacks Geese's finely-honed techniques and physical prowess. He also leans ''really'' heavily into his German heritage and plays up his wealth and aristocratic image.

** Unlike most video game series, ''Fatal Fury's'' continuity doesn't run on ComicBookTime. ''Garou'' takes place in 2006, and almost the entire cast being replaced reflects that. Fighting tournaments generally skew towards the younger contenders, after all. Terry is ''35'' in this, and while he's still perfectly capable of winning, he's more reserved. Andy, Mai, Kim, and Ryo have all become mentors to a new generation, which makes sense. Joe Higashi has moved up in his career, and is now too busy defending his Muay Thai championship to help. Tung Fu Rue isn't even mentioned despite being such an important character in the lore; he would've been 82, and long past the point of keeping up with the kids. Meanwhile, Kevin is stated to be 37, and the only reason he joined the tournament to track down a serial killer, not save the city from the likes of Kain.
** Just because Terry is a AHeroToHisHometown and a LivingLegend doesn't mean he agrees with where Southtown is going. People, priorities, perspectives, politics and everything else can change over time. Even if you save a city, it doesn't mean it'll ''stay'' that way, and you could easily be forgotten.

* BittersweetEnding: Just because Kain is defeated doesn't mean he's done. He and Grant are still consolidating power within Southtown's criminal underworld, and now [[spoiler: they've got Rock on their side. Rock feels bad about his FaceHeelTurn, but did so to find his mother.]] Terry is having doubts about Southtown's future, Gato [[spoiler: fails miserably at his revenge and ends up blind]], Hotaru is still alone, B. Jenet [[spoiler: narrowly survives and has nothing to show for it]], and while [[spoiler: Freeman is hunted down,]] it'll never bring Marky's father back.

* ContemplateOurNavels: This happens in a few endings. Terry spends some time reflecting on what Kain said to him, and where Southtown is going. But a group of kids drop by and lighten his mood. Jae Hoon also ponders over Kain's perspective on justice, but Dong Hwan easily snaps him out of it. Tizoc briefly considers retiring, but stays in the game after hearing a fan gush about him.

* GenerationXerox: Jae Hoon plays this straight at first glance; he's got his father's sense of justice, discipline, dedication, etc. But he ends up contemplating if the justice he ascribes to is truly the correct way.

* InsufferableGenius: Dong Hwan ''knows'' he's a genius who is gifted with tremendous power, and spends a lot of time mocking his opponents and goofing off because he doesn't think he needs to learn technique.

* KickTheDog: Gato bluntly and cruelly denies Hotaru's belief that they're siblings, leaving her crestfallen. Even if it wasn't true (and the game strongly implies it ''is''), that's no way to talk to a lonely, but hopeful kid. This is the only moment in the game where the otherwise sweet and adorable Hotoru looks genuinely sad.

* MartialPacifist: Despite being a highly skilled fighter, Hotaru only cares about getting her family back together.[[spoiler: Though she wins the tournament, she ends up failing her true mission miserably.]]

* NeverFoundTheBody: In Freeman's ending, he's shot a SWAT team. But his body lands in a river, and gets washed away before the kill can be confirmed. [[PutOnABus He's never been in any SNK games since, though.]]

* TenMinuteRetirement: Tizoc briefly thinks of hanging up his mask for good in his ending, but all it takes is hearing a young boy's gushing about him to keep going.

* WarriorTherapist: In some of the endings, Kain briefly picks apart some of his opponents' motivations and perspectives. This manages to shake up some of them, most notably Jae Hoon, Tizoc, and even ''Terry.''

* WeHaveBecomeComplacent: Part of Kain's argument about the future of Southtown. ''Terry'', of all people, is seen reflecting on this in the ending.

* AssholeVictim: Gato is a jerk to everyone, especially to Hotaru. So when [[spoiler: he's blinded in his ending]], it hard to feel sorry for him.

* BigFancyHouse: Kain lives at The Dark Palace, which is docrated with a huge dome, columns, a chessboard floor, hawk statues, flags, banners, a garden... and portrait of [[spoiler: Marie, who is Kain's sister and Rock's mother.]] The weather sets the mood, too; it's a chilly, cloudless night with shooting stars and mist. If you taunt, it'll stir up some DramaticWind and a few leaves.

* OedipusComplex: Rock absolutely ''hates'' Geese and all he stood for, and wants to find out what happened to Marie. Even [[LampshadedTrope lampshaded]] a once in dialogue, where Rock tries to [[DefiedTrope defy]] this.

* NonIdleRich: B. Jenet comes from a wealthy family of British aristocrats, but decides to become a modern day pirate captain out of sheer boredom. Despite such a background, she's not a RichBitch, and is perfectly friendly and/or flirty with the rest of the cast.

* OedipusComplex: Rock absolutely ''hates'' Geese and all he stood for, and wants to find out what happened to Marie.

* BigHonkingTrafficJam: Hokutomaru causes one in the middle of Southtown by just walking in the street. You can make this even ''worse'' by running from the left corner of the screen to the right in the first round, and then doing he opposite in te second. This will result in two more accidents and several cameos by other SNk characters.

* [[FriendlyLocalChinatown Friendly Local Koreatown]]: Where Jae Hoon's fight is set. There are a few open barbecue restaurants, tons of Korean signs, and several Taekwondo practitioners. If you have a match between Dong Hwan and Jae Hoon here, even more of these guys will show up - dressed in the colors of their preferred fighter - and cheer whenever their favorite cheers, does one of their supers, or wins.

* ContrastingSequelAntagonist: Geese and Kain both grew up in poverty and clawed their way to the top, but the similarities end there. Geese Howard was more of a classic mobster who slowly rose through the underworld, seeking only power. He was a ruthless murderer who had the typical vices of a criminal mastermind. In terms of design, he was RatedMForManly and relied mostly on close-range attacks and counters, with only a couple of projecticles. His only quirk was that he was a ''massive'' OccidentalOtaku. Meanwhile, Kain is a VisionaryVillain who is driven by the philosophy that [[WeHaveBecomeComplacent people need struggle and hardship to appreciate their lives]], [[TheSocialDarwinist and the strong should rule over the weak.]] He also wants Southtown to secede from America and become its own city-state where violence rules, which is something Geese never would've considered. Kain is more of an AntiVillain with lofty ideas and ambitions, but going about it the wrong way. Unlike his predecessor, Kain relies on his intellect and psychology - not physical threats - to manipulate his opponents. In terms of design, he's a Bishonen who relies mostly on projectile spamming, has charge inputs, and lacks Geese's finely-honed techniques and physical prowess. He also leans in ''really'' heavily into his German heritage and plays up his wealth and aristocratic image.

** Killing the BigBad doesn't instantly fix everything. It's been a decade since Geese's death, and there's still plenty of evil out there. [[EvilPowerVacuum Second Southtown's criminal underworld is ''still'' vying for as much power as possible.]] Mr. Big and Billy Kane are nowhere to be found, and the latter would've been middle aged by this point. ''Memories of Stray Wolves'' also reveals that [[DrivenToSuicide Krauser committed suicide years ago after being defeated by Terry.]]

** Kain doesn't seem that bad in comparison. He doesn't have Geese's absurd counters and ridiculous damage output. Instead, he'll quickly spam multi-hit fireballs both horizontally and diagonally when he's at a distance, forcing you to block or learn the Just Defense system very, ''very'' quickly. That goes double if you try jumping in on him. When you make it to the second round, it doesn't look like much has changed... until you see his life bar. The entire thing is flashing, meaning he has access to his T.O.P. Mode - automatic healing, damage boosting, and access to a move that lets him do a flying, flaming kick across most of the screen. Combined with his supers - an assortment of PainfullySlowProjectile orbs and overhead lasers - Kain can basically attack you and whittle down your defenses at any range, and absolutely destroy you if you make a mistake.

* VillainousFriendship: Kain and Grant maybe misanthropes with twisted philosophies of what Southtown should be, but they are lifelong friends and fiercely loyal to each other.

* VisionaryVillain: At first glance, it's easy to assume Kain is just another powerful crime boss looking to take over where Geese left off. The reality is a little more complicated than that: [[spoiler: He's Geese's brother-in-law, and fully intends on fulfilling his legacy.]] He's also a MisanthropeSupreme who believes that society has become too decadent, and that Southtown should declare its independence from America and become a city-state, a place where the inhabitants value their lives, with the strongest ruling over the weak.

** Just because the BigBad is killed off doesn't instantly fix everything. It's been a decade since Geese's death, and there's still plenty of evil out there. [[EvilPowerVacuum Second Southtown's criminal underworld is ''still'' vying for as much power as possible.]] Mr. Big and Billy Kane are nowhere to be found, and the latter would've been middle aged by this point. ''Memories of Stray Wolves'' also reveals that [[DrivenToSuicide Krauser committed suicide years ago after being defeated by Terry.]]

* MisanthropeSupreme: Kain believes that only the strong survive, and that the future of Southtown should be built upon trial, violence, and suffering.

* TheSocialDarwinist: Kain believes the strong should rule over the weak, and wants the future of Southtown to be built by that ideal.

* Shotoclone: Khushnood Butt is a Kyokugenryu Karate practitioner, giving him the usual [[KamehameHadoken fireball]], [[Shoryuken uppercut]], and [[HurricaneKick flying kicks.]] The super versions of these, however, are some of the flashiest and most devastating moves in the game, if not ''any'' fighter of that time.

* InTheBlood: Rock may not be Geese, but he definitely has some of his moves. wins a match using his Neo Raging Storm or Neo Deadly Rave (moves he "inherited" from Geese), he'll slump down to the floor in pain, agonizingly and momentarily unable to control his Blood Rage.

* WeCanRuleTogether: Kain offers this to Rock in the latter's ending. [[spoiler: Surprisingly, Rock accepts. Not because he's evil, but because Kain promises to tell him where his mother is. Kain also sought out Rock because he needed help deciphering Geese's will and fulfilling his legacy.]]

Originally released in 1999, ''Garou'' was a drastic departure from the previous ''Fatal Fury'' games. Aside from Terry Bogard, the entire cast was replaced by newcomers, many of which were children and/or students of their predecessors. The two-plane dodging system and stage hazards were removed entirely. The combo mechanics were brought more in line with the ABCD layout of ''The King of Fighters,'' and the brand-new T.O.P. System allowed characters to perform specific attacks depending on how much health meter they had. Most importantly, this game introduces the Just Defense System, which lets players parry oncoming attacks if they block with precise timing.

* Hunk: Terry was always one, but the years have been exceedingly kind to him. The new haircut and the bomber jacket give him a slightly more reserved, but stylish look befitting his age and character growth.

* Jerkass: Gato is a ruthless lone wolf who looks down on people, and treats them with arrogance and contempt. This includes Hotaru, who is not only the sweetest character in the game by far, but is highly implied to be his sister.

* {{Revenge}}: This is Gato's entire motivation. One day, his father murdered his mother, attacked him hard enough to leave massive scars on his back, and vanished. Since then, Gato has abandoned everything in order to train himself and track down his DisappearedDad. [[spoiler: The reunite in the ending, just long enough for Gato's father blind his son and save Kain.]]