History VideoGame / Tunic

** If you know where to look, you can grab the Flaming Sword ability card before entering the Eastern Forest. It lets you burn away bushes with just the Stick, meaning you can beat the game [[ChallengeRun without picking up either Sword]].

* SuperDrowningSkills: Exists purely as a {{Softlock}} prevention mechanism. Normally, the Ruin Seeker can't walk or even get knocked into water deeper than their waist, as they will just be blocked by an InvisibleWall. However, if they somehow get into it by falling off of a ledge, they will just fall straight through as if it's not there and into a [[MinusWorld black void below the game world]]. After a few seconds of falling, the game automatically kills you.

[[spoiler:[[TheUnfettered Courage that is untempered by kindness]] risks [[EternalRecurrence eating itself forever]]...]]\\

* EasyLevelsHardBosses: To an extent. The levels are only "easy" when put next to other SoulsLikeRPG games, or just NintendoHard games in general, and still will likely result in multiple deaths for an average player. However, past the first area, the bosses pull no punches.

* CanadaEh: The runic language specifically translates into Maritime Canadian English, meaning words like "The" are phonetically transcribed as "Thee", not "Thuh". [[spoiler:Parodied in one conversation with a ghost fox who uses a lot of words that get hit with a stereotypical "aboot" accent, while another nearby fox will ask if they sound weird to you.]]

* AStormIsComing: After [[spoiler:being slain by The Heir, there are constant flashes of distant lightning and the rumblings of thunder in the lead-up to the final confrontation]].

* DevelopersForesight: [[spoiler:In the "purgatory" save file, the character has an impressive amount of items, but no bombs. Using the Holy Cross to get some and then [[ViolationOfCommonSense using them to kill yourself]] causes you to spawn in what's colloquially called the "Devworld", an unfinished prototype of the overworld with unused enemies and a mysterious mural. Should you want to go back to the usual purgatory, just delete the save file.]]

''Tunic'' draws heavy inspiration from [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda that other game about a small hero with a sword and shield and green tunic.]] The game is rather obtuse and full of secrets. The player finds torn-out pages from the manual as they explore, akin to an old [[UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem NES]]-era video game manual that contains the tutorial and gameplay hints the in-game tutorial lacks. Each page of the manual has multiple hints and secrets, helping the player learn gameplay mechanics and how to navigate environments as they explore. Late-game content shifts from exploration and combat into more complex puzzles. As such, everything past the tutorial is a pretty big spoiler.

* GasMaskMooks: The Scavengers of the Quarry all wear them. [[JustifiedTrope Justified,]] as the masks protect them from [[spoiler:the dark energy leaking out of the monoliths they're excavating]].

* MetaTwist: Since the game borrows many elements from [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZelda a certain other series]], you'd be forgiven for thinking that [[spoiler:the regal, glowing sword in the Far Shores is this game's equivalent to the Master Sword and that you'll be acquiring it after retrieving the three keys. Not only is that not the case, it's actually the weapon used by the FinalBoss against you.]]

* ReadTheFreakingManual: EnforcedTrope. The game's instruciton manual pages are items that you can collect in the game itself, and they contain vital information that you likely wouldn't learn otherwise, making doing so a necessity. [[spoiler:You get the good ending by collecting all the pages of the instruction manual and showing the manual to the Heir before she can attack you. So yes, you can win the game by telling the final boss to RTFM.]]

* SealedGoodInACan: Early on, the player encounters another fox, sealed inside a magic cage in another world. While the game is [[StoryBreadcrumbs sparing on story details,]] it more or less focuses on rescuing her with a set of magic keys. Plus, visiting her in-between shows her surrounded by the offerings you've made. [[spoiler:[[DoubleSubversion This gets subverted TWICE.]] As soon as they's freed. they murder the protagonist, and later instruction manual lore hints that [[GreaterScopeVillain she was actually responsible]] for much of TheCorruption that plagued the land in the past, [[SealedEvilInACan necessitating her sealing.]] But once you dig deeper and find all of the manual pages, you find out that she was the previous Ruin Seeker [[ViciousCycle who took their place in the prison after getting their first ending]]. First Hero was imprisoned and then replaced long ago, and it is not even known whether they themselves were responsible.]]

* {{Feelies}}: The Switch version of Tunic comes with a physical copy of the manual that you can piece together ingame, a map, some stickers, a download code for the game soundtrack, and a small controls guide that can fit into the game box.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: You often pick up Manual Pages depicting events that have not happened yet, or hint at later areas. For example, one page you can collect depicts the Ruin Seeker in a standoff against an opponent who is obscured due to being on another page you can't collect until later. On the Ruin Seeker's head is a strange set of purple runes, [[spoiler: which are the final major traversal item acquired before you're able to end the game.]]

* GodMode: "No Fail Mode," in the Accessibility menu. It blocks all damage, and stops you dying from attacks that reduce your max HP to zero. You still suffer status effects such as freezing.

** A subtle one. The options menu — [[spoiler:specifically the section where you can remap your controls — references a "d-pad," but the assigned inputs don't seem to do anything in game]]. This is your first clue to the true nature of [[spoiler:The Holy Cross, which ''is'' the d-pad]].

** The manual page for The Swamp [[spoiler:says, in English, "Only ghosts are permitted to enter the Inner Grounds." This hints that the Ruin Seeker will die at some point]].

''Tunic'' draws heavy inspiration from [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda that other game about a small hero with a sword and shield and green tunic.]] The game is rather obtuse and full of secrets. The player finds torn-out pages from the manual as they explore, akin to an old NES-era video game manual that contains the tutorial and gameplay hints the in-game tutorial lacks. Each page of the manual has multiple hints and secrets, helping the player learn gameplay mechanics and how to navigate environments as they explore. Late-game content shifts from exploration and combat into more complex puzzles. As such, everything past the tutorial is a pretty big spoiler.

* SoulsLikeRPG: Let's see: Cryptic plot delivered piecemeal? Check! Checkpoints that restore you and cause enemies to respawn? Check! Set in the ruins of a fallen civilization? Check! Spending currency to level up? Check! Combat emphasizes dodging, blocking and stamina management? Check! Brutal difficulty? [[EasyLevelsHardBosses Half-check.]]

* DisconnectedSideArea: The [[Cathedral is only accessible through the Swamp, which is also only accessible through its South-East entrance in the Overworld]].

** The anklet that increases movement speed may be a reference to The Anklet of the Wind from ''VideoGame/{{Terraria}}''. ''Terraria'' also has guns that consume mana.

* {{Teleportation}}: Most areas in the game have teleportation pads. These operate single routes between the pad and a hub, to go to a different area you teleport into the hub, then walk to the pad for the other area. The pads are active from the beginning of the game, but are not explained until you find the appropriate manual pages.

* DarkIsNotEvil: The game's shopkeeper is [[spoiler:a gargantuan fox skeleton that materializes out of the dark each time you enter one of their shops. Despite this, they do nothing but help the player, even offering a little bow of thanks each time you make a purchase]].

* AllThereInTheManual: Everything you need to know about the game -- mechanics, dungeon maps, enemy information, secret treasures, etc., including what the player character is called -- can be found in the game's manual. Played with, in that said manual's pages are scattered throughout the game itself, and it's up to the player to find them. Ninety percent of it is also in untranslated Trunic with a few exceptions to get the player started out on interpreting what it may or may not be talking about. Have fun!

* YouShouldntKnowThisAlready: [[spoiler:You ''need'' all the other manual pages to solve the Golden Path puzzle and open the Mountain Door for the final page. If you try entering the solution without collecting all of them, nothing happens.]]

* EasyLevelsHardBosses: To an extend. The levels are only "easy" when put next to other SoulsLikeRPG games, or just NintendoHard games in general, and still will likely result in multiple deaths for an average player. However, past the first area, the bosses pull no punches.

** Most of the text found in the game is written in a script that resembles runes. The script is in fact a phonetic cypher; all the text is in English and can be deciphered if you take the time to do so. Fortunately, much of the instruction manual can be understood from the illustrations and the occasional plaintext word. Learning how to read the language is not necessary to see the end credits, but is necessary for 100% completion.

* EasyLevelsHardBosses: The game is only "easy" when put next to other SoulsLikeRPG games, or just NintendoHard games in general. However, past the first area, the bosses pull no punches.

* ReadTheFreakingManual: EnforcedTrope. The game's instruciton manual pages are items that you can collect in the game itself, and they contain vital information that you wouldn't learn otherwise, making doing so a necessity. [[spoiler:You get the good ending by collecting all the pages of the instruction manual and showing the manual to the Heir before she can attack you. So yes, you can win the game by telling the final boss to RTFM.]]

* SealedGoodInACan: Early on, the player encounters another fox, sealed inside a magic cage in another world. While the game is [[StoryBreadcrumbs sparing on story details,]] it more or less focuses on rescuing her with a set of magic keys. Plus, visiting her in-between shows her surrounded by the offerings you've made. [[spoiler:[[DoubleSubversion This gets subverted TWICE.]] As soon as she's freed. she murders the protagonist, and later instruction manual lore hints that [[GreaterScopeVillain she was actually responsible]] for much of TheCorruption that plagued the land in the past, [[SealedEvilInACan necessitating her sealing.]] But once you dig deeper and find all of the manual pages, you find out that she was the original hero that was SealedInsideAPersonShapedCan by the [[GreaterScopeVillain Disquiet Being]], meaning that she was GoodAllAlong anyway.]]

** If you know where to look, one of the first ability cards you can get is the Flaming Sword. Grabbing it lets you burn away bushes with just the Stick, meaning you can beat the game [[ChallengeRun without picking up either Sword]].

* AllThereInTheManual: Everything you need to know about the game -- mechanics, dungeon maps, enemy information, secret treasures, etc., including what the player character is called -- can be found in the game's manual. Played with, in that said manual's pages are scattered throughout the game itself, and it's up to the player to find them. Have fun!

* CanadaEh: The runic language specifically translates into Maritime Canadian English, meaning words like "The" are phonetically transcribed as "Thee", not "Thuh". Parodied in one conversation with a ghost fox who uses a lot of words that get hit with a stereotypical "aboot" accent, while another nearby fox will ask if they sound weird to you.
* CaveBehindTheFalls: All sorts of things are found behind waterfalls: routes across rivers, treasure, entire secret rooms ...

* CypherLanguage: Most of the text found in the game is written in a script that resembles runes. The script is in fact a phonetic cypher; all the text is in English and can be deciphered if you take the time to do so. Fortunately, much of the instruction manual can be understood from the illustrations and the occasional plaintext word. Learning how to read the language is not necessary for 99% of the game's content.

* DoubleMeaning: Your little fox is a [[spoiler:Ruin Seeker]]. [[spoiler:Do they seek ruins? Or do they seek ruin?]]

* EternalRecurrence: [[spoiler:A Ruin Seeker is drawn to the beacon. The Ruin Seeker releases the Heir and becomes the Heir-to-the-Heir. The Heir-to-the-Heir strikes down the Heir and is imprisoned within the new beacon. A Ruin Seeker is drawn to the beacon...]]

* HubLevel: The Overworld, a cliffside beach where all other areas can be accessed in the cardinal directions.

* JigsawPuzzlePlot: The manual's story pages are a bit confusing, but each one you find gives you a little more insight into the plot.

* MindScrew: Learning to read the manual's story pages will not alleviate your confusion.

* ReadTheFreakingManual: [[spoiler:You get the good ending by collecting all the pages of the instruction manual and showing the manual to the Heir before she can attack you. So yes, you can win the game by telling the final boss to RTFM.]]

* SealedGoodInACan: Early on, the player encounters another fox, sealed inside a magic cage in another world. While the game is [[StoryBreadcrumbs sparing on story details,]] it more or less focuses on rescuing her with a set of magic keys. Plus, visiting her in-between shows her surrounded by the offerings you've made. [[spoiler:And then [[SubvertedTrope subverted HARD.]] As soon as she's freed. she murders the protagonist, and later instruction manual lore hints that [[GreaterScopeVillain she was actually responsible]] for much of TheCorruption that plagued the land in the past, [[SealedEvilInACan necessitating her sealing.]]]]
* SequenceBreaking: The manual pushes you toward a certain order, but every PlotCoupon needed to [[spoiler:fight The Heir]] is technically reachable once [[spoiler:the Magic Orb]] is acquired. And ''that'' is available the moment you start the game. [[spoiler:Pointedly, there's a second sword you can get in the West Gardens that's there if you decide to ring the two bells out of order.]]

* SoulsLikeRPG: Let's see: Cryptic plot delivered piecemeal? Check! Checkpoints that restore you and cause enemies to respawn? Check! Set in the ruins of a fallen civilization? Check! Spending currency to level up? Check! Combat emphasises dodging, blocking and stamina management? Check! Brutal boss battles? Check!