History VideoGame / TheyBleedPixels

* AdvancingWallOfDoom: Expect to spend a ''lot'' of the late-game running from sawblades. Hell, the first half of The Final Dream: The End is almost entirely composed of these sequences.
** RiseToTheChallenge: Sometimes vertically, most notably in the beginning of The Fourth Dream: Chapter 3.

* CuteMonsterGirl: The protagonist when transformed.

* FlashStep: One of the protagonist's combat maneuvers, also useful for crossing spike pits. It can be done unlimited times when flashing between enemies, but it requires a short recharge if it doesn't hit anything that bleeds.

* TomeOfEldritchLore: The Book of Claws seems to be this, although we never see any of what's in it.

''They Bleed Pixels'' is a 2012 indie platformer by Spooky Squid Games for PC. Arriving at the Lafcadio Academy for Troubled Young Ladies, an [[NoNameGiven unnamed young girl]] finds a mysterious book that constantly drips blood. It brings her strange dreams of other times and places, and of another self with claws instead of hands--and with each dream, the line between herself and the monster thins...

** The First Dream: Prologue is DeathMountain, WorldInTheSky, BuildLikeAnEgyptian, BleakLevel, and also a sort of CreepyCemetary.

* BlackBeadEyes: The protagonist has them.

* ClingyMacGuffin: ''Nothing'' can destroy the Book of Claws.

* LovecraftLite: Make no mistake-this is not a CosmicHorrorStory, or even that much of a horror ''game''. [[spoiler:[[EarnYourHappyEnding You win, and manage to destroy the Book and the guy using them to make servants]], after all, [[TheEndOrIsIt though it wasn't the only one of its kind]].]]

* AlienBlood: Oddly, all the monsters spout fountains of normal red blood, but the ([[LovecraftianSuperpower sort of) human protagonist bleeds white.

* ArtifactOfDoom: The Book of Claws. [[spoiler:Apparently, the student library has many books like it.]]

* AdvancingWallOfDoom: Expect to spend a ''lot'' of the late-game running from sawblades.

* AllTheWorldsAreAStage: The Final Dream: The End reuses a bunch of platforming challenges and specific sequences from earlier chapters.

* MooksButNoBosses: Instead of bosses, the game ends each chapter with a gauntlet of waves of regular enemies and platforming hazards, getting longer and more complicated further on (the earlier ones introduce a new type of enemy).

* RuinsForRuinsSake: Present in The First Dream: Prologue and The Third Dream: Chapters 1 and 3.

* WorldInTheSky: The backgrounds of The Third Dream: Chapter 3 and all of The Fourth Dream feature chunks of land floating in the air with no ground or support in sight (The Second Dream: Chapters 2 and 3, The Third Dream: Chapter 2, and The Final Dream: The End are also suspended, but on trees, in water, and in [[spoiler:a circulatory system]] respectively, rather than in air).

* UnderwaterRuins: The Third Dream: Chapters 1 and 2.

* HundredPercentCompletion: There are a hundred and twenty six achievements in this game!
** Beat all the levels.
** Kill all the enemies in all the levels.
** Collect all the pages in all the levels.
** {{Speedrun}} all the levels.
** Get an S rank in all the levels (covers 2 achievements per level, since A rank also gets an achievement.)
** Complete all levels without dying, and just one level [[NoDamageRun without taking damage]].

** And various other achievements, like "set off a chain reaction involving five different [[ActionBomb bomb imps]]."
* ActionBomb: Bomb imps. They're very fragile, but there's no way to destroy a bomb other than to wait for it to explode, and they do double damage at close range. (Thankfully, you can kick them into the nearest crowd of enemies. Or bat them when in mid-air, which the game calls the "Exploding Palm Technique".)

* ArcSymbol: A stylized claw, which appears all over the background scenery, as well as on the Book of Claws itself.

* AwesomenessMeter: The game has a combo meter that builds on how creative you slay your enemies, and diminishes over to time if you're not fighting enemies.

* ClockTower: Level 4-3.

* EternalEngine: 4-2, and to a lesser extent, 4-3.

* InterfaceSpoiler: With the addition of Steam Trading Cards, [[spoiler:The Headmaster]] can be seen long before [[spoiler:he]] becomes relevant to the plot.

* LovecraftLite: Make no mistake-this is not a CosmicHorrorStory, or even that much of a horror ''game''. [[spoiler:[[EarnYourHappyEnding You win, and manage to destroy the book and the guy using them to make servants]], after all, [[TheEndOrIsIt though it wasn't the only one of its kind]].]]

* OverdrawnAtTheBloodBank: There's a reason the score counter is measured in "pints."

* PinataEnemy: It's relatively easy to string out a nine-hit combo off a single shambler (ten if you finish by punting it into spikes.)
* PlanetHeck: 4-1.
* RankInflation: You're given a letter rank based on your performance in each level as well as a title that goes with it. From lowest to highest: C, B, A, and S. However getting high ranks requires near-perfect memorization of a level, as well as deliberately skipping over a lot of possible checkpoints.
* SaveGameLimits: Killing enemies and collecting orbs fills up your "sigil meter." When filled, you can empty it to place a checkpoint on any flat, non-slippery surface with no nearby enemies, sawblades, or crushers. Alternatively, you earn double points for all kills performed and orbs collected with the meter filled. (Of course, you lose all those points if you die.)
* ScoringPoints: Some attacks builds the combo meter whereas other increases the multiplier. Figuring out how to effectively dispatch enemies is key for scoring more and more points. Additionally, filling your sigil meter and keeping it full will double the points you earn. At the end of the level, you're given bonus points based on your performance and certain criteria (such collecting every page in the level, not using a save sigil, or items collected).
* ShoutOut: Lovecraft is particularly well-loved here, but there are references to everyone from [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lafcadio_Hearn LafcadioHearn]] to Creator/PhilipPullman.

** "They Bleed Stardust", based on ''Seraphs'' by Alex Bethke.

** And "They Bleed Ponycorns", based on ''VideoGame/SissysMagicalPonycornAdventure'' by Ryan and Cassie Creighton. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhIPo8jeZI8 It must be seen to be believed.]]

* UnderwaterRuins: 3-1 and 3-2.

* WombLevel: [[spoiler:The final level]], though technically, it's a [[spoiler:heart level]].

* LauncherMove: Tapping the attack button standing still will kick enemies away from you, while holding down the button will send enemies upwards where they can be juggled or attacked in mid-air.

* RankInflation: In a manner of speaking--there's an S rank, but the score requirements for it are ''ludicrously'' high. Getting it requires near-perfect memorization of a level, as well as deliberately skipping over a lot of possible checkpoints.

* ScoringPoints: Some attacks builds the combo meter whereas other increases the multiplier. Figuring out how to effectively dispatch enemies is key for scoring more and more points. Additionally, filling your sigil meter and keeping it full will double the points you earn. At the end of the level, you're given bonus points based on your performance and certain criteria (such collecting every page in the level, not using a save sigil, or killing every enemy in the level).

''They Bleed Pixels'' is a 2012 indie platformer for PC. Arriving at the Lafcadio Academy for Troubled Young Ladies, an [[NoNameGiven unnamed young girl]] finds a mysterious book that constantly drips blood. It brings her strange dreams of other times and places, and of another self with claws instead of hands--and with each dream, the line between herself and the monster thins...

''They Bleed Pixels'' combines ''Super VideoGame/MeatBoy'''s tough-as-nails style of retro platforming with a one-button combat combo system, all wrapped in visuals inspired by [[Creator/HPLovecraft Lovecraft's work]].

* AwesomenessMeter
* BlackBeadEyes

* DoubleJump

* TheManyDeathsOfYou: Get used to seeing the protagonist impaled, shredded, and disintegrated.
** What's more, deaths that don't [[ChunkySalsaRule completely destroy her corpse]] will leave behind an after-image. Particularly challenging sections will quickly amass quite a collection of bodies lying around or hanging from spikes.

* ArcSymbol: A stylized claw, which appears all over the background scenery, as well as on the book of claws itself.
* ArtifactOfDoom: The book of claws. [[spoiler:Apparently, the student library has many books like it.]]

* ClingyMacGuffin: ''Nothing'' can destroy the book of claws.

* TheCorruption: The book of claws seems to cause this rather than TheVirus.

** Ghosts also teleport in a manner similar to a FlashStep when hit. They rarely block attacks, so getting a good combo on a ghost means chasing it around and hitting it over and over. (Naturally, you eventually have to fight them while clinging to a wall and unable to chase them without the risk of falling.)

* IdiosyncraticComboLevels: They're mostly words Lovecraft liked, such as "gibbous" and "necrotic."

* NintendoHard: Expect to die several times per level until getting a good handle on the controls. They are VERY precise and overdoing ANY movement can lead to your death (no shortage of enemies, spikes, and other sharp objects in this game). Inertia is present and the floor is always a bit slippery even without ice. Also, not mashing goes against your natural instincts (there are only 2 buttons used other than the arrow keys), so mastering the character takes practice. The game supports and even suggests a controller be used, but the game is difficult enough for this trope to apply even if you do use one.

* TheManyDeathsOfYou: Get used to seeing the protagonist impaled, shredded, and disintegrated.
* TomeOfEldritchLore: The book of claws seems to be this, although we never see any of what's in it.

* InterfaceSpoiler: With the addition of Steam Trading Cards, [[spoiler:The Headmaster]] can be seen long before [[spoiler:he]] becomes relevent to the plot.

* ActionBomb: Bomb imps. They're very fragile, but there's no way to destroy a bomb other than to wait for it to explode, and they do double damage at close range. (Thankfully, you can kick them into the nearest crowd of enemies.)

* HundredPercentCompletion: There are a hundred and twenty six achievements in this game!
** Beat all the levels.
** Kill all the enemies in all the levels.
** Collect all the pages in all the levels.
** {{Speedrun}} all the levels.
** Get an S rank in all the levels (covers 2 achievements per level, since A rank also gets an achievement.)
** Complete all levels without dying, and just one level [[NoDamageRun without taking damage]].
** Get a 60-hit combo (covers six achievements, one for every 10 hits.)
** And various other achievements, like "set off a chain reaction involving five different [[ActionBomb bomb imps]]."

** And "They Bleed Ponycorns", based on ''SissysMagicalPonycornAdventure'' by Ryan and Cassie Creighton. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhIPo8jeZI8 It must be seen to be believed.]]

''They Bleed Pixels'' combines ''SuperMeatBoy'''s tough-as-nails style of retro platforming with a one-button combat combo system, all wrapped in visuals inspired by [[Creator/HPLovecraft Lovecraft's work]].

* ShoutOut: Lovecraft is particularly well-loved here, but there are references to everyone from [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lafcadio_Hearn LafcadioHearn]] to PhilipPullman.

* HundredPercentCompletion: There are a hundred and nineteen achievements in this game!