History VideoGame / Geneforge

** In the second, Unaligned isn't really "neutral" - while you're staying out of the intrigues in the valley and avoiding the temptations of the various factions, that in turn means that [[spoiler: you're ''doing your job'' and remaining loyal to the Shaper Council. If you avoid using canisters, this leads to one of the only endings in any of the games where you actually get the respect of the Shaper Council]].

** The [[spoiler:Goettsch]] ending of the first, obtainable by [[spoiler:defeating Trajkov and destroying the Geneforge, but leaving Goettsch alive. The ending plays up much like the best ending, but quickly turns into this as it's revealed that Goettsch, driven mad by the loss of the Geneforge, gathers what's left of Trajkov's forces and incites a bloody war that lasts for centuries.]]

** Likewise, while the Takers and rebels arguably [[HeWhoFightsMonsters turned themselves into monsters as bad as, if not worse, than everything they accused the Shapers of being]], the [[HappyEndingOverride canonical fate of the Obeyers and Awakened]] shows that the Takers were right about the Shapers' unwillingness to accept peace with intelligent creations.

** Likewise, while the Takers and rebels arguably [[HeWhoFightsMonsters turned themselves into monsters as bad as, if not worse, than everything they accused the Shapers of]], the [[HappyEndingOverride canonical fate of the Obeyers and Awakened]] shows that the Takers were right about the Shapers' unwillingness to accept peace with intelligent creations.

* JerkassHasAPoint: The Shapers may be arrogant, controlling, abusive toward creations, and fanatically secretive of their practices, but as the series goes on, it becomes obvious that in some ways they're right: once Shaping was available to laymen and even [[spoiler:creations]], the amount of devastation and destruction unleashed is great. When Shaping goes bad, it goes bad in a big way.

* {{Magitek}}: Shaping is used to fuel most of the technology used by the Shapers. Living batons that shoot (possibly poisoned) thorns [[FantasyGunControl stand in for guns]], automatic doors are opened and closed by plants, and living minds work as computers. The element that kicks off the plot of the first Geneforge is the rediscovery of a barred island that had discovered [[spoiler: DNA]].

* FactionSpecificEndings: Each game in the series has an ending for each of the factions that it's possible for the player to join. The first two games also have a Lone Wolf[=/=]OmnicidalNeutral ending. The rest of the series, [[YouLoseAtZeroTrust not so much]].

* AGodAmI: Abuse of [[spoiler: canisters]] can trigger this in the PC. Don't ask what happens if you actually use the [[spoiler:Geneforge.]]

* AlmightyJanitor: The first two games have you fresh out of WizardingSchool, the third has you still in it when [[DoomedHometown almost everyone inside is massacred]], and the fourth makes you a new recruit into the rebellion.

* AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: a consequence of differentiating [[YouAllLookFamiliar otherwise identical]] characters via {{Palette Swap}}. Interestingly, their appearance in-game may not match their description.

It can be purchased at the official website, [[http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com/geneforge/index.html here.]] The series is also available for sale on UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} and GOG.

* InherentInTheSystem: The consensus in-game is that now that there are [[spoilers:Creations who can themselves Shape]], it will never be possible to keep Shaping under control again like it was hundreds of years before the first game. Unless you're a member of [[OmnicidalManiac Tay]][[WellIntentionedExtremist gen]]'s faction, anyway.

* HeroicWillpower: [[spoiler:Trajkov]] in ''Geneforge One'' and [[spoiler:Litalia]] in ''Four'' and ''Five'' manage to avert WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity. The PC in the first game can keep themselves together under massive canister overuse, but [[spoiler: the Geneforge is too much for them]].

* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: Servile cultists (with names like Unending Purging) and occasionally canister addicts (like Monarch).

* PlotCouponThatDoesSomething: The canisters and Geneforges that frequently drive [=NPCs=] insane also [[SanityMeter affect you]].
** The Geneforge itself. In earlier games, it's the MacGuffin that impacts the story and the character who uses it, correctly or not, including the player. In later games it appears in the beginning, but there's always a more powerful Geneforge under construction somewhere, some of which your player may also attempt to use.

* PowerGlows: Canister addicts develop GlowingEyesOfDoom and glowing ''skin'' of doom.

* PrecisionFStrike: Given the use of a NarrativeProfanityFilter, and the fact that the characters simply don't swear very often, finding the remark "Damn the Geneforge!" in one of the old lab books in the first game is quite jarring.

* PsychoSerum: The canisters and Geneforges.

* AmuletOfDependency: Canisters provide the user with a substantial power boost, writing magic and shaping abilities into the user. Side effects may include emotional dependency, cravings for more canisters, lack of empathy, uncontrollable temper, and feelings of AGodAmI.
* ANaziByAnyOtherName: Taygen in the fifth game, down to the concentration camps and plan to exterminate all creations (Even serviles). The fact that some people consider his side the best should give an idea of to what degree {{Grey and Gray Morality}} applies in this series.

* BodyHorror: Canister addicts and [[ArtifactOfDoom Geneforge]] users have faintly glowing blue muscles constantly and visibly rearranging themselves, all beneath translucent parchment-like skin.

* ComesGreatResponsibility: Easily the Shaper sect's most admirable quality, for [[FantasticRacism all its faults]], is its intimate understanding of this and [[CrazyPrepared the insane lengths they go to to make sure that the powers of shaping are never abused in dangerous ways]]. The flavor text of the various abandoned buildings in Geneforge 1 make it clear that the shapers have about as many containment protocols and backup plans as the CDC, [[ProperlyParanoid and for good reason]]. They also forbid the use of canisters explicitly because of this trope, as it gives total amateurs extreme skill without any of the discipline usually gained by learning those skills naturally, and Barzahl's group of canister junkies in Geneforge 2 make it clear that they're right.

** In the first game, you will get comments about what your use of canisters has done to you even if you've never touched the things.

* InherentInTheSystem: The consensus in-game is that now that there are Creations who can themselves Shape, it will never be possible to keep Shaping under control again like it was hundreds of years before the first game. Unless you're a member of [[OmnicidalManiac Tay]][[WellIntentionedExtremist gen]]'s faction, anyway.

* JerkassHasAPoint: The Shapers may be arrogant, controlling, abusive toward creations, and fanatically secretive of their practices, but as the series goes on, it becomes obvious that in some ways they're right: once Shaping was available to laymen and even creations, the amount of devastation and destruction unleashed is great. When Shaping goes bad, it goes bad in a big way.

* OptionalPartyMember: Alwan and Greta

* SicklyGreenGlow: Canisters. And their users.

* SummonBiggerFish: The standard answer of drayks and their "descendants" when faced with a threat they cannot defeat is to ''make a bigger and nastier version of themselves''. This is why drakons were created and that was just the ''[[GoneHorriblyRight beginning]]''.

* TheChessmaster: The Drakon Ghaldring, who created Ur-Drakons to be improved versions, but knowing how they operate, established a society of byzantine customs and heirarchy, in which he consistently plays the Ur-Drakons against each other, and themselves, to maintain dominance.

* TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized: The rebels are frequently as bad or worse than the Shapers, ''especially'' the drakons. If you align yourself with Ghaldring in ''V'' and help him destroy the Shaper Council, the epilogue mentions that there is [[FullCircleRevolution subsequently another rebellion against the drakons when they start oppressing the humans and lesser creations.]]

* WellIntentionedExtremist: Taygen im ''5'' is ANaziByAnyOtherName out to exterminate all creations down to the most peaceful of serviles. He's also someone who actually has a coherent roadmap to ending the conflicts caused by uncontrolled Shaping, which are destroying Terrestria's civilization.

** Interestingly, use of canisters and the Geneforge make the user, for all intents and purposes, and less human. This can include the Player.
* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity: The nearly inevitable result of canisters and Geneforges.

A series of 5 {{Role Playing Game}}s for {{Macintosh}} and [[UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows Windows]] by Spiderweb Software, which is more or less the brainchild of Seattle-area programmer Jeff Vogel. The games revolve around Shaping—the most prominent form of magic in the game world—used to make [[MonsterAllies creations]] that, in theory, obey their creators absolutely. The masters of Shaping—Shapers—have absolute control over the known world. Occasionally, a creation will [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters go rogue]], but the majority seem to be [[HappinessInSlavery happy with their lot]]. Naturally, it all [[GoneHorriblyWrong Goes Horribly Wrong]].

** The [[spoiler:Astoria]] ending of the fifth combines this with ForWantOfANail: [[spoiler:sparing Greta]] leads to [[spoiler:Rawal becoming High Councilor]]. Preventing the latter requires not doing the former, but nothing in the game or the ending text makes clear how these events are connected.

* TheDevTeamThinksofEverything: In ''5'', the [[spoiler: Dark Golem]] is activated by [[spoiler: Makar]] via dialogue, but you can just attack the latter, and if you manage to slay him without triggering the dialogue, then the former can be defeated without any reaction. Also, if you do little damage to the former after it is activated, it will aid you at the same time the latter attacks you.

* TeamSwitzerland: Astoria's faction in the fifth game is a variant, trying to end the war (by [[IDidWhatIHadToDo any means necessary]]) rather than to impose their philosophy. Spiderweb itself can be considered this in due to its dedicated maintenance of GreyAndGrayMorality in {{Geneforge}}--even [[ANaziByAnyOtherName Taygen]] is NecessarilyEvil, and there's a small but dedicated group of fans who choose his faction in the fifth game because they support his philosophy.

* BittersweetEnding: The first game's canonical ending. [[spoiler:You defeat Trajkov and destroy the Geneforge, and are hailed as a hero, but your excessive use of canisters (which occurs regardless if you used any at all) causes your body to mutate into something not fully human, and while you're still considered a hero, you're forced to remain out of public eye. Also, the Shapers forcibly [[StatusQuoIsGod bring the Awakened, Obeyers and Takers back under their control]], and the future BigBadDuumvirate secretly steals the plans for the Geneforge, setting up the events of the future games.]]

* ComesGreatResponsibility: Easily the shaper sect's most admirable quality, for [[FantasticRacism all its faults]], is its intimate understanding of this and [[CrazyPrepared the insane lengths they go to to make sure that the powers of shaping are never abused in dangerous ways]]. The flavor text of the various abandoned buildings in Geneforge 1 make it clear that the shapers have about as many containment protocols and backup plans as the CDC, [[ProperlyParanoid and for good reason]]. They also forbid the use of canisters explicitly because of this trope, as it gives total amateurs extreme skill without any of the discipline usually gained by learning those skills naturally, and Barzahl's group of canister junkies in Geneforge 2 makes it clear they're right.

* FriendlyFireproof

* NumericalHard

* ScratchDamage

** If you pull omnicidal neutral in the 2nd with a minimum canister run, you can have the only ending where the council respects you in any of the games. Best option for you or the pragmatic choice, depending on viewpoints.

* HeroicWillpower: [[spoiler:Trajkov]] in ''Geneforge One'' and [[spoiler:Litalia]] in ''Four'' and ''Five'' manage to avert WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity.

* BigBad: [[spoiler:Trajkov in ''1''. Ghaldring in 5: he's the FinalBoss for 4 of the 5 factions, and even in his own faction the player character and allies wind up overthrowing him in the ending.]] Otherwise averted, since the player can side with many different factions, meaning the BigBad of one run can be the BigGood of another, and vice versa.