History VideoGame / ZoneOfTheEnders

A true sequel to the game, ''Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner'', was released on the [=PlayStation=] 2 in 2003. It features a miner and former BAHRAM soldier named Dingo Egret who finds Jehuty, the frame from the first game, hidden on the moon of Callisto, just as [=BAHRAM=] does. He fights his way though them, and eventually all the way onto their command ship, where he meets Nohman, leader of [=BAHRAM=] and an old colleague of his who wants him to come back to the group. Dingo refuses, so Nohman [[CombatPragmatist shoots him]]. He finds himself awakened by by Ken Marinaris, a woman he fought earlier on Callisto, who claims to be a UNSF spy, and hard-wires his body into Jehuty's life-support systems to keep him alive. In exchange for her saving his life, and later completely fixing him, she wants his help. Dingo escapes down to Mars, where he faces BAHRAM mecha, trains, battleships, the first game's Leo Stenbuck in the [[VideoGame/{{Gradius}} Vic Viper]], and finally settling the score not just between himself and Nohman, but Jehuty and Anubis as well. Along the way, however, he has to stop ADA from completing her own mission: make her way to BAHRAM's headquarters [[spoiler:and destroy it by self-destructing Jehuty]].

* EvilAlbino: Nohman became one in '''The 2nd Runner', although in ''Dolores, i'', he had a normal complexion and [[YouGottaHaveBlueHair purple hair]], as mentioned in EarlyBirdCameo above.

* FightingYourFriend: Dingo never wanted Viola to be one of his enemies. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, he has to deal with Viola's A.I..]]

* IOnlyReadItForTheArticles: Non-pornographic example: Several of the people who got the first ''Zone of the Enders'' infamously only bought it to get the ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty'' demo included in it, something that was also [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] in a ''Webcomic/PennyArcade'' comic, which also acts as the text for the trope picture.
** Looks like history will repeat itself, as it's just been announced that the HD Collection will include the demo for ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance''.

* TheMole: Ken is a spy from the Space Force sent in to keep taps on BAHRAM's activities. [[spoiler:Although that was a lie; she's just a BAHRAM soldier revolting against Nohman being responsible of her father's death.]]

* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman:ADA, Dolores, and Pharsti.

A HumongousMecha series created for Creator/{{Konami}} by the creator of the ''Franchise/MetalGear'' franchise and director of ''VisualNovel/{{Snatcher}}'' and its SpiritualSuccessor ''VisualNovel/{{Policenauts}}'', Creator/HideoKojima.

* AMechByAnyOtherName: Orbital Frames and[=LEVs=].

* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: Dolores, Pharsti and ADA.
* WhiteHairedPrettyBoy: Ares in ''Fist of Mars''.
* WickedCultured: Lance Jimmer from TFOM.

[[quoteright:250:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/250px-Zone_of_the_Enders.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:250:It was so nice of Konami to provide a free game with the ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2'' [[PreviewPiggybacking demo]].]]

->''Message of the blowing wind''
->''Erasing memories''
->''Stars are the witnesses of our existence ''
->''Change is what the world awaits''
->''Could that be peace or war?''
->''The answer no one knows''
->''Trusting the break of dawn''
->''The blue bird flies away''
->''Ranar likul viernopal kar''
->''Ranar likul viernopal''
->''Lenar panar virakeral kar''
->''Lenar panar virakeral''
->''Ehnar lakitu luyarpal kar''
->''Ehnar lakitu luyarpal''
->''Luyan henar terarkel kar''
->''Luyan henar terarkel llukaparsi''
->''nopar ehlkdu rapardu''
->''rmisi porer tirer lupar''
->''losa tlarsi tumirpar''
->''lur latu retie marar''
-->-- Lyrics of [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UePTTAn1FMY Beyond the Bounds]], opening of The 2nd Runner.

A HumongousMecha series created for {{Konami}} by HideoKojima.

The First ''Zone of the Enders'' was released on the {{Playstation 2}}, a high-speed mecha combat game about a boy named Leo Stenbuck, a kid from a space colony in orbit around the planet Jupiter that is attacked by BAHRAM, a group of rebels seeking to steal back "Jehuty", a SuperPrototype Orbital Frame that, naturally, Leo [[FallingIntoTheCockpit accidentially ends up piloting]]. With little choice in the matter, Leo, along with Jehuty's AI A.D.A., tries to deliver Jehuty to the [[TheFederation UNSF]] forces on the other side of the colony, while trying to do what he can to halt the attack.

''Zone of the Enders'' did a brisk initial sale, which was mostly attributed to the fact that [[PreviewPiggybacking the game also included a demo of]] ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty''. So rather, people were buying the ''demo'', and then maybe later on trying out the "free game that came with it".

Nonetheless, the game sold well enough to gain a cult following of its own. An anime OAV called "Zone of the Enders: [=IDOLO=]" was released. A prequel to the game, IDOLO starred Viola, TheDragon of the game, and Radium Lavans, two Martian soldiers who join a resistance movement against the Earth using IDOLO, the first Orbital Frame. A full-sized TV Series, ''Zone of the Enders: Dolores, i'', followed up on the story, featuring James Links, a space trucker who ends up receiving Dolores, an Orbital Frame that happens to think he's her uncle, from his estranged wife Rachel, one of IDOLO's designers who was supposed to have died during the climax of that story. This spurs him to seek out and reconcile with his equally-estranged children and reunite his family. And no government forces, crime families, or rebel troops are going to get in his way.

A spin-off game, ''Zone of the Enders: the Fist of Mars'' (a.k.a. ''2171 Testament'') is a TurnBasedStrategy game for the GameBoyAdvance about a boy named Cage Midwell who finds an strangely powerful L.E.V. hidden on a cruise liner just before the ship is destroyed, forcing him and a mysterious young girl to get inside to save their lives. They eventually fall in with a rebel group known as B.I.S., who seek to free Mars from UNSF oppression. ''Fist of Mars'' plays similar to the ''SuperRobotWars'' series, but uses a more player-participating battle system where the player chases down the enemy with their crosshairs (or avoids the enemy's) to determine whether an attack hits or misses, and even critical hits. Although the stats of the units help determine how easy or difficult this is, it is entirely possible to hit with every one of your attacks, or dodge every enemy attack, even when a hit or miss would be otherwise unavoidable.

A true sequel to the game: ''Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner'', was released on the Playstation 2 in 2003. It features a miner and former soldier named Dingo Egret who finds Jehuty, the frame from the first game, hidden on the moon of Callisto, just as [=BAHRAM=] does. He fights his way though them, and eventually all the way onto their command ship, where he meets Nohman, leader of [=BAHRAM=] and an old colleague of his who wants him to come back to the group. Dingo refuses, so Nohman [[CombatPragmatist shoots him]]. He finds himself awakened by by Ken Marinaris, a woman he fought earlier on Callisto, who calims to be a UNSF spy, and hard-wires his body into Jehuty's life-support systems to keep him alive. In exchange for her saving his life, and later completely fixing him, she wants his help. Dingo escapes down to Mars, where he faces Bahram mecha, trains, battleships, the first game's Leo Stenbuck in the [[{{Gradius}} Vic Viper]], and finally settling the score not just between himself and Nohman, but Jehuty and Anubis as well. Along the way, however, he has to stop A.D.A. from completing her own mission: make her way to BAHRAM's headquarters and destroy it by self-destructing Jehuty.

Oh right. We forgot to mention that the control cockpits for Humanoid Orbital Frames and L.E.V.s are located on the front, right between the mech's legs in fact. DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything?

Despite rather low sales, Zone of the Enders continues to be a cult favorite, and Kojima has stated that he has ideas for another [=ZoE=] game, but for years was tethered to the ''Metal Gear Solid'' franchise. But now [[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2012-05-25/kojima-unveils-zone-of-enders-sequel-project it's official that]] a sequel is currently in the works. From the images released, it seems the Jehuty will sport a DarkerAndEdgier look and the plot will apparently incorporate fantasy-like elements and demonic creatures. However, Kojima said that the producers plan to keep the previous games' basic nature intact in the new sequel.

In the meantime, an HD Collection of the games (The two console ones, anyway) has been announced for the PS3 and 360, much to the elation of fans. Expect to see [[MemeticMutation Jehuty in 1080p]] in 2012. It was later confirmed that this collection would also be available on the PlaystationVita, allowing portable Jehuty action. And yes, it will include a demo for ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance''.

The series contains examples of:

** Leo became one in the second game, piloting the beefed up LEV the Vic Viper (but still considered weaker than orbital frames storywise). He could fight Dingo in the second game to a standstill in an inferior suit.
* ActionGirl: Semil and Mebius in ''Fist of Mars''. Ken in ''The Second Runner'' is supposedly one but [[FauxActionGirl does not get much chance to show it]].
* AFatherToHisMen: Deckson in ''Fist of Mars''

* AMechByAnyOtherName: [=LEV=]s and Orbital Frames.
** To further distinguish them from one another, orbital frames being immeasurably superior to [=LEV=]s in .. pretty much every way. The only thing [=LEV=]s have on frames is they can be manufactured with common materials. Although, by 2nd Runner, commercial [=LEV=] technology, as with the Vic Viper, had ''just about'' caught up with frame tech, at least insofar as a decent pilot can give a frame a run for its money.
* AIIsACrapshoot: The AIs in Hathor and Anubis are decidedly evil, while [[spoiler: Hathor's twin sister]] Dolores is a bubbly and innocent RobotGirl. Though initially neutral, ADA evolves into a compassionate computer, as does Pharsti from ''Fist of Mars''.

** It's more like HumanityIsInfectious since the AI in this series is more or less reflection of the frame runner's psyche.
* AnythingThatMoves: Yukito
* AppliedPhlebotinum: Metatron can be used to do almost anything

* ApocalypseHow: Pretty high on the scale: It turns out Aumaun's ultimate weapon will simply compress space all over the solar system, crushing all the planets and the sun itself as though in a massive fist.

-->[[spoiler: "I was...created...to destroy.............all"]].
* AttackDrone: Ardjet has a cape made of tiny wisps, some of which it gifts to Jehuty. When Jehuty upgrades to ver. 2.0, the much bigger and more useful "tail feather" objects on Jehuty detach and become additional firing points. Naturally, Vic Viper comes with the iconic Options from it's parent series.
* TheAtoner: Easily all the good guys in Fist of Mars, in one way or another.
* AwesomeButImpractical: The Vector Cannon, outside of the fight against the BAHRAM battleships or [[spoiler:as a FinishingMove against Aumaan Anubis.]]
* BackgroundHalo: On Viola's frame Neith.
* {{Badass}}: Every Orbital Frame pilot, and those that pilot non {{Mook}} L.E.V.s.
** BadassCrew: The members of BIS [[spoiler: Born In Space]], half of whom regularly take on several Orbital Frames by the end of the game in little more than AceCustom L.E.V.s.
** BadassNormal: Leo in the second installment - despite not piloting a true Orbital Frame he's still able to keep up with [[SuperPrototype Jehuty]]. Also, James Links, who make up for his lack of skill with an orbital frame with the experiences he gained as a hardened UNSF veteran to overcome many obstacles.
* BagOfHolding: Vector Traps, "pocket dimentions" of folded-over space enabled by metatron's space-bending properties. A Vector Trap can hold a theoretically limitless volume, but mass is still a factor for the device carrying it. This is what enables the HyperspaceArsenal of orbital frames, and the ClownCarBase of Cellars that [[MookMaker deploy unmanned frames]].
* BattleButler: Twede from Fist of Mars. Battle Secretary would be more accurate though.
* BattleshipRaid: The Train and battleship fights in The 2nd Runner

* BeamSpam[=/=]{{Roboteching}}: The Homing Laser attacks used by several Orbital Frames.
* BeatThemAtTheirOwnGame: Much of ''The Second Runner'' centers on finding the Zero Shift so that Jehuty can fight on par with Anubis.
* BeginnersLuck: Leo and Cage, helped by the fact that they have some stupidly-powerful mecha with good [=AI=]s.
** Subverted in ''Dolores'', since James is a UNSF veteran, but the Dolores AI is, well... not suited for combat.
** James isn't too good at the beginning either, as he's never piloted an Orbital Frame before. He actually improves fairly slowly (and on paper isn't a match for any of the 'elites', though he generally muddles through with sheer pluck and the fact that his new "niece" is a SuperPrototype).

* BitchInSheepsClothing: Amante in ''Fist of Mars''.
* BlindIdiotTranslation: ''The Second Runner'' is rife with it, but it [[SoBadItsGood doesn't really hurt the game overall.]]

* BodyCountCompetition: There's one in ''Fist of Mars''. What's particularly strange is that this competition [[spoiler: determines which story path you go on, and what ending you get.]]

* BrainwashedAndCrazy: [[spoiler:Ares and Myona]] suffer through this in ''Fist of Mars''.

* BrokenPedestal: A minor example: [[spoiler:Isaac Barrett, the author of the book ''How To Be A Daddy'' whom James Links practically worships as an epitome of great parent, turns out to be a worse father than James himself. However, Isaac does manage to reconcile with his son at the end of the episode and James just gives Isaac's book back to Isaac, telling him that it is time for Isaac to follow what the book says]].

** The human shield version doubles as a MoralEventHorizon for one of the villians in ''The Fist Of Mars''.
* BumblingDad: James Links in ''Dolores, i''
* BunnyEarsLawyer: BIS is made up of these.

* CantLiveWithoutYou: In the sequel Dingo can't live outside Jehuty.

** The burst attack, where Jehuty pushes a lot of its shot energy into a "bubble" of compressed space, then projects it all at once at a target.

--->'''A.D.A.''': [[TransformationSequence Switch to Vector Cannon mode]]... [[DoNotRunWithAGun landing gear and climbing irons locked]]... inner chamber pressure rising normally... life-ring has started revolving... [[MostWonderfulSound ready to fire]].
* CherryTapping: Forced upon you in ''The Second Runner'' when you fight Anubis for real [[spoiler: Jehuty has been damaged, leaving the only things it can do is blade, dash, grab, burst-blade and Zero Shift. No shield nor long-range weapons of any kind]]. Needless to say, it makes Anubis [[ThatOneBoss insanely hard]] on your first attempts.

** It is revealed in TheStinger at the end of ''Fist of Mars'' that [[spoiler:the entire game's plot was a ploy to get rid of his opposition within the leadership of BAHRAM]].

* ChildSoldiers: [[spoiler: The I.D.O. Mindflow System, which subdues the will of a pilot to enhance the performance of orbital frame, works better with children, making them ideal for soldiers. The party even fights an army consisting of child soldiers in the game.]]
* ChristmasCake: Mebius in Fist of Mars.
* ChronicBackStabbingDisorder: All the antagonists in ''Fist of Mars'' seem to suffer from this.
* ClassicCheatCode: Versus mode in the first game can be unlocked by either completing the game or inputting the KonamiCode in reverse at the title screen.
* CliffHanger: The end of the first game.

* ColonyDrop: [[spoiler: The attempted destruction of Earth's Space Elevator]]

* DarkActionGirl: Viola
* DemotedToExtra: Early on in the Fist of Mars, if you decide to spare [[spoiler: Nadia]], you begin a process which will lead to her having a HeelFaceTurn. There could have been a virtual goldmine of tension between her and the EvilerThanThou newcomer Amante, or at least something about her learning and growing. Unfortunately, she doesn't even get twenty more lines in the whole game.

* DisneyVillainDeath: [[spoiler:Baan]]

* DownerEnding: [[spoiler:Z.O.E. 2167 IDOLO.]]
** Also DoomedByCanon

* TheDragon: Viola [[spoiler:and her AI copy]].

* {{Expy}}: For his emotional issues, Cage in ''Fist of Mars'' has been compared to Shinji in ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion''. Fortunately, Cage has more backbone and friends who actually trust him than the poor ButtMonkey from Evangelion.
** Task Force ACEMOS is highly similiar to the Titans from ZetaGundam, especially in their {{Fantastic Racism}} beliefs. Bonus points for being led by a corrupt, schemer with serious ego issues.
* EvilKnockoff: The mass produced Ifrits are this to the orbital frame "Testament" that Cage pilots.
* FallingIntoTheCockpit: Leo (Literally) in the first game, Cage in ''Fist of Mars'', and Dingo (again literally) in ''the 2nd Runner'' James in ''Dolores, i'' may also count)
* FanService (Ken in ''Second Runner''. It reaches hilarious heights when, if the player holds her orbital frame near the lava long enough after rescuing her from [[spoiler: the Viola AI]], the anime cutscene that follows changes to show her without the top half of her jumpsuit on. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcHm63Vc5nk Oh Kojima, you scoundrel.]]
* FantasticRacism (One of the central themes in the series. The eponymous term, "Ender," is actually a degrading word in the in-game universe. People from the Earth look down on Martians, while Martians oppress the people who are living further away from the Earth than they do (i.e. Jupiter); each refers to the next as "Enders".
* FauxActionGirl: Ken, considering one EscortMission only exists because she can't pilot her frame if it doesn't have an AI. Early in the game, Dingo also insists that he doesn't need an AI, and ADA obliges him by putting on screen the ''hundreds'' of status feeds that she's monitoring. Dingo then concedes that maybe he ''does'' need her help. [[Fridge/{{VideoGames}} Hey, now I get it.]] [[HideoKojima Kojima-sensei]], you're a ''[[MagnificentBastard genius]]''!
* TheFederation (The UNSF)
* FlashStep (Zero Shift)
* GambitPileup The plot of ''Fist of Mars''
* GameBreaker: The Wisp secondary weapon in the second game. Players in the first will probably remember that grabbing an enemy and throwing them into another one was one of the more damaging tricks you could pull off. The Wisp allows the player to grab enemies at a huge range for a minimum secondary ammo cost. Of course, grabbing and throwing have been made more powerful in the second game anyway.
* GenkiGirl: Semyl

* GetBackHereBoss: Inhert in ''2nd Runner''. It will actively run away from Jehuty during almost all of the battle, except on the second part when it'll attack once you get closer enough.
* GreenRocks: Metatron

* GodMode: Naked Jehuty may sounds stupid but there is only one Orbital Frame that can withstand it's ''one'' full blade combo. And that one foe by the way is the final boss itself.
** Justified since it's Jehuty after absorbing [[spoiler: Anubis]] energy. It is the combination of the [[spoiler: two most powerful Orbital Frames ever]], so what do you expect?

*** [[spoiler: Lloyd]] anyone?
* HopelessBossFight: The fight against [[spoiler: Anubis]] at the end of the first game. Also, the first two times against [[spoiler: Anubis]] in the second game.

* [[ImplacableMan Implacable Mecha]]: Nephtis, no matter what you do to it, just will not... fucking.. die.

** and a man thong too by the looks of it...
* IOnlyReadItForTheArticles: Non-pornographic example: Several of the people who got the first ''Zone of the Enders'' infamously only bought it to get the ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty'' demo included in it, something that was also lampshaded in a PennyArcade comic, which also acts as the text for the trope picture.
** Looks like history will repeat itself, as it's just been announced that the HD collection will include the demo for ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance''.
* ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies: [[spoiler:Myona]] in ''Fist Of Mars'' falls into this line of thinking [[spoiler:after regaining her memory]]. [[spoiler:She even tries to die in the facility where she got turned into a {{Tykebomb}} so her friends do not get hurt by people who may come after her]] in one of the two possible scenarios.
* TheLancer: Warren would qualify, but aside from the fact he has some {{UST}} for Mebius, who likes Deckson, he's actually fairly respective of Deckson, though he's somewhat more pragmatic at times. It also helps that all three parties like each other so much that no one thinks about [[MurderTheHypotenuse murdering the hypotenuse]]
* LaserGuidedAmnesia: [[spoiler:Myona]] in ''Fist of Mars''.
* LatexSpaceSuit: Ken Marinaris.

* LethalJokeCharacter: The Single-sword Raptor in ''ZOE 1's'' VS mode. You have to beat the game twice to unlock it and Zombie Neith (which is itself a powerhouse), but from all outward appearances, it's only a weaker version of the already anemic Raptor. Then you realize the third strike on its 3-hit combo completely bypasses shields...
* LightningBruiser: The Vic Viper is the most overpowered machine in the game with its ability to outfight nearly every Orbital frame in the game without breaking a sweat. At maximum power and speed, the machine becomes a monster and it doesn't matter how much HP it has, as long as it is not 0, it WILL kick your ass. Not that Naked Jehuty or Testament are slouches.
* LoveMakesYouEvil[=/=]LoveMakesYouCrazy: Radium Lavans, period.

* MadScientist:
** [[spoiler:Zephyr]] in ''Fist of Mars''.

* ManInTheMachine: Dingo.
* MarthDebutedInSmashBros: Some music from Z.o.E.'s soundtracks was reused in [[Franchise/MetalGear Metal Gear Online]]; most notably "Vivid Transparency", [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N6_mGzAvm0 heard here.]] This has led to a surprisingly large number of people wondering where someone got the notion that a Metal Gear track is from this game about flying, sword-fighting robots.
* MatrixRainingCode: In the tutorial area for ''Second Runner.''
* MechaMooks: Both the one eyed [=UNSF=] Phantoma and the mass produced Raptors from Mars. The former are piloted, the latter usually automated.

* MoodWhiplash: Nohman is generally calm and soft-spoken in the first game and when Dingo first confronts him in ''Second Runner'' [[spoiler: ([[DissonantSerenity even while pumping the latter full of bullets]])]]. By the next time you meet him, he's [[AxeCrazy clearly]] [[OmnicidalManiac gone off the deep end]]. The reason for this is never fully explained.

* MsFanservice: Ken
* MysteriousWaif: Myona in ''Fist of Mars''.

* OddNameOut: [[{{Gradius}} Vic Viper]], for [[ShoutOut good reason]].
** More formally, that model of LEV is referred to as a "V2 Unit".
* OlderAndWiser (Leo in The 2nd Runner)

* OmnicidalManiac
** [[spoiler:Nohman.]]

* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname - Nohman, his real name is Ridley but no one calls him that.
* OrpheanRescue - How James brings Dolores out of her "coma" once Hathor forcibly took part of her Operating System.

* PuzzleBoss: Nephtis in ''The Second Runner''. All ''four'' times you fight it.
* RecurringBoss: Viola is one in both games, well... [[spoiler: one could argue about the second]], and Nohman is also one in ''2nd Runner''.

* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: [[spoiler:Ares]] in ''Fist of Mars'' against the MadScientist who [[spoiler:turned him and his sister Myona into {{Tykebomb}}s]].
* RobotGirl: Dolores, the biggest one on record!
* RunningGag: [[ShoutOut "John Carter?"]] [[JohnCarterOfMars "Of Mars!"]]

* {{Shorttank}}: Semyl in ''Fist of Mars''.

** Leo's BattleThemeMusic is a ShoutOut as well.

* SmugSnake: Most villains.
* SpaceTrucker: James Linx runs a cargo ship around the Sol system. He copes with the boredom of weeks-long journies with beer and reading.
* TheStinger: ''Fist of Mars'', you can unlock them in the first game depending on your score.

* SuperpoweredEvilSide: Dolores' "Isis" mode.
** Subverted, though, in that her ISIS mode isn't any stronger than her normal state at all, just scarier looking. The danger is due to the fact that the battle computer is a lot more ruthless and skilled than Dolores herself.
** Actually, it is implied later in the series by Dolores Links that the ISIS mode ''IS'' the actual AI of the ISIS frame since the good doctor eventually had to perform additional programming to better integrate and harmonize Dolores with ISIS. So, Dolores is more like the ''Underpowered Good Side''. Should count as an inverted trope.
* SuperPrototype: Idolo, Delores, Hathor, Jehuty, Anubis, Testament, Ibis. Mildly averted, the original Idolo was destroyed in the movie it was introduced, and went on to form the fuselage for Dolores and Hathor, both far stronger than the original, as were (arguably) Jehuty and Anubis which were made from scratch.

* TechDemoGame: ''Zone of the Enders'' is generally considered this, not specifically from the player's perspective, but from the developer's perspective, seeing as it uses the same game engine as the higher-profile game ''Metal Gear Solid 2'', so it's easy to think of ''[=ZoE=]'' as Kojima Productions' warm-up game before they tackled ''[=MGS2=]''.
* ThemeNaming: Most of the important mecha in the series are named after Egyptian Deities. Subverted in ''Fist of Mars'' where the main character's mech is called [[{{Symbolism}} the Testament]] and the main antagonist's mech is called the Iblis (which is the name of the primary devil in Islam). Also, the Testament's EvilKnockoff is called Ifrit.
* TomboyishName: Ken Marinaris from ''The 2nd Runner'', who is otherwise ''very'' girly.
** Note that Ken can be a female name in Japanese.
* TookALevelInBadass: Leo in ''The 2nd Runner''. Cage in ''The Fist of Mars''.
* TrueCompanions: Dingo goes into a BAHRAM ship in order to draw BAHRAM away from Callisto so his miner friends do not get hurt. Also, his main motivation to fight BAHRAM is to [[spoiler:avenge his comrades who were unknowingly sent on a suicide mission to be used as a decoy. Dingo was the only one who survived from the UNSF's assault.]]

* VillainTeleportation

* WaveMotionGun: The Vector Cannon, as a {{BFG}} for HumongousMecha. It takes approximately twenty seconds to charge, and when it fires shoots a blast that damned near eclipses Jehuty in size and will rip through anything and everything in its path. It's capable of tearing apart battleships in a single blast.\\
\\
The Vector Cannon is the only weapon capable of punching through "Compressed Space", the games term for super-invincible forcefields, auto-qualifying it as a WaveMotionGun. It shoots something along the lines of either charged particles or compressed space itself, but the fact is that it punches through invincible forcefields and is the only weapon capable of doing so. Jehuty needs a lot of footing and stabilisation to fire it.

** [[WouldntHitAGirl Wouldn't Be An Asshole To Girls]]: Jimmer might be a prick, but apparently has a policy on being respectful to women he actually takes somewhat seriously.

* JerkassWoobie: Dingo. [[spoiler: His comrades being killed, both in combat and on Callisto, as well as the fact he's 'killed' then brought back by Ken to fight Nohmann, makes you want to hug him. ''However'' he has an ItsAllAboutMe attitude, or thinking the lives of Martians are more than that of Earthlings. And then his entire reaction to the Solar System about to be destroyed? [[WhatTheHellHero He blackmails Elana into freeing Mars]] [[WhatAnIdiot even though Mars is part of the Solar System, and he's the only one who can stop Aumann]].]]

* MarthDebutedInSmashBros: Some music from Z.o.E.'s soundtracks was reused in [[MetalGear Metal Gear Online]]; most notably "Vivid Transparency", [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N6_mGzAvm0 heard here.]] This has led to a surprisingly large number of people wondering where someone got the notion that a Metal Gear track is from this game about flying, sword-fighting robots.

* TurnsRed: The TronLines on all non-[[MechaMooks mook]] Orbital Frames start out blue, transitioning to yellow and then to red to [[SarcasmMode helpfully announce to the enemy]] how close it is to [[CriticalExistenceFailure exploding]].

* [[BulletproofHumanShield Bulletproof]] [[strike:[[BulletproofHumanShield Human]]]] [[BulletproofHumanShield Mecha Shield]]: You can grab enemies and use them like a BulletproofHumanShield. The enemies will still shoot, causing them to hurt their allies instead of you. This comes in really useful, especially in the second game, where those enemies are your only defense against a difficult boss.

* DieHardOnAnX: ''Film/DieHard'' On An Oxygen Plant.

In the meantime, an HD Collection of the games (The two console ones, anyway) has been announced for the PS3 and 360, much to the elation of fans. Expect to see [[MemeticMutation Jehuty in 1080p]] in 2012. It was later confirmed that this collection would also be available on the PlaystationVita, allowing portable Jehuty action. And yes, it will include a demo for the next ''Metal Gear'' game.

->''I am the master of time.''
->''I am the one who brings back those who are far away.''
->''I am the one who separate the two warriors, the mediator of conflict.''
->''I am the sign of the sky.''
->''I am the one who repel all creations.''
->''I am the one who write the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maat Maat]].''
->''I am the master of massacre.''

* ChildSoldiers: The reason why Zephyrs is considered by many to be a CompleteMonster. [[spoiler: His I.D.O. Mindflow System, which subdues the will of a pilot to enhance the performance of orbital frame, works better with children, making them ideal for soldiers. The party even fights an army consisting of child soldiers in the game.]]

** Task Force ACEMOS is highly similiar to the Titans from ZetaGundam, especially in their {{Fantastic Racism}} beliefs. Bonus points for being led by a corrupt, scheming {{Complete Monster}} with serious ego issues.

* MoodWhiplash: Nohman is generally calm and soft-spoken in the first game and when Dingo first confronts him in ''Second Runner'' [[spoiler: ([[DissonantSerenity even while pumping the latter full of bullets]])]]. By the next time you meet him, he's [[AxeCrazy clearly]] [[OmnicidalManiac gone off]] [[CompleteMonster the deep end]]. The reason for this is never fully explained.

In the meantime, An HD Collection of the games (The two console ones, anyway) has been announced for the PS3 and 360, much to the elation of fans. Expect to see [[MemeticMutation Jehuty in 1080p]] in 2012. It was later confirmed that this collection would also be available on the PlaystationVita, allowing portable Jehuty action. And yes, it will include a demo for the next ''Metal Gear'' game.

* HopelessBossFight: The fight against [[spoiler: Anubis]] at the end of the first game. Also first two times against [[spoiler: Anubis]] in the second game.

In the meantime, An HD Collection of the games (The two console ones, anyway) has been announced for the PS3 and 360, [[AndTheFandomRejoiced much to the elation of fans]]. Expect to see [[MemeticMutation Jehuty in 1080p]] in 2012. It was later confirmed that this collection would also be available on the PlaystationVita, allowing portable Jehuty action. And yes, it will include a demo for the next ''Metal Gear'' game.

In the meantime, An HD Collection of the games (The two console ones, anyway) has been announced for the PS3 and 360, [[AndTheFandomRejoiced much to the elation of fans]]. Expect to see [[MemeticMutation Jehuty in 1080p]] in 2012. It was later confirmed that this collection would also be available on the PlaystationVita, allowing portable Jehuty action.

[[caption-width-right:250:It was so nice of Konami to provide a free game with the ''MetalGearSolid2'' [[PreviewPiggybacking demo]].]]

->''I am the one who seperate the two warriors, the mediator of conflict.''

-> -Lyrics of [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UePTTAn1FMY Beyond the Bounds]], opening of The 2nd Runner.

''Zone of the Enders'' did a brisk initial sale, which was mostly attributed to the fact that [[PreviewPiggybacking the game also included a demo of]] ''MetalGearSolid2: Sons of Liberty''. So rather, people were buying the ''demo'', and then maybe later on trying out the "free game that came with it".

* IOnlyReadItForTheArticles: Non-pornographic example: Several of the people who got the first ''Zone of the Enders'' infamously only bought it to get the ''MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty'' demo included in it, something that was also lampshaded in a PennyArcade comic, which also acts as the text for the trope picture.
** Looks like history will repeat itself, as it's just been announced that the HD collection will include the demo for ''MetalGearRisingRevengeance''.

* TechDemoGame: ''Zone of the Enders'' is generally considered this, not specifically from the player's perspective, but from the developer's perspective, seeing as it uses the same game engine as the higher-profile game ''MetalGearSolid2'', so it's easy to think of ''[=ZoE=]'' as Kojima Productions' warm-up game before they tackled ''[=MGS2=]''.

Despite rather low sales, Zone of the Enders continues to be a cult favorite, and Kojima has stated that he has ideas for another [=ZoE=] game, but for years was tethered to the ''Metal Gear Solid'' franchise. But now [[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2012-05-25/kojima-unveils-zone-of-enders-sequel-project it's official that]] [[AndTheFandomRejoiced a sequel is currently in the works]]. From the images released, it seems the Jehuty will sport a DarkerAndEdgier look and the plot will apparently incorporate fantasy-like elements and demonic creatures. However, Kojima said that the producers plan to keep the previous games' basic nature intact in the new sequel.

* GrievousHarmWithABody