"Something went wrong with the preparation of my body.
My brain aches... as if there's something deep inside it."
My brain aches... as if there's something deep inside it."
— Joseph Tenka
Codename: Tenka (also known as Lifeforce Tenka) is a First-Person Shooter game developed by Psygnosis for the PlayStation in 1998.
In the future, the MegaCorp, Trojan Incorporated is performing illicit genetic experiments in their laboratories and developing all sorts of bio-weapons, from enhanced Super Soldiers to cybernetic life-forms and genetically-created monsters. But when a bio-virus leaks out, the creatures in the labs - called Bionoids in-game - starts running amok.
Joseph D. Tenka, one of the many subjects of Trojan Incorporated's super-soldier projects; waking up in a lab filled with dead scientists and grabbing a gun from a nearby armory, Tenka starts killing his way through hordes and hordes of Bionoids to escape.
Why do I hear an echo of his life somewhere in my head? Why do I sense his grip?
- Air-Vent Passageway: Tenka uses vents to escape the level he's in and to access different floors in the laboratories in more than one stage. Most of the time he needs to locate the grill and shoot it open first.
- Bottle Episode: The entire game takes place indoors, inside the labs and corridors of Trojan Incorporated's headquarters. Expect a lot of environments and rooms getting constantly reused, with minor changes in lighting and enemy types.
- Bottomless Magazines: Like every Psygnosis-made FPS-style games, Tenka's default machine-gun contains unlimited ammunition. There is a counter that starts at 99 and goes down as he shoots, but the moment it hits zero Tenka reloads it with a two-second animation - back to kicking ass.
- Codename Title: The original release title.
- Cyborg: Several of the human-sized enemies Tenka battles are half-humans, half-machines, with a glowing red eye and mechanical limbs while retaining organic features. It's unknown if they're genetically-enhanced mercenaries or captives of Trojan Incorporated subjected to Unwilling Roboticisation though.
- Everything Trying to Kill You: Tenka doesn't have any allies in this game. Not even Zenith, who's supposed to be helping him escape Trojan Labs; after he escapes with Zenith's help, she repays him by slicing his throat out.
- The Goomba: Tenka's first enemies are hovering, robotic drones mass-produced by Trojan Incorporated who floats circles around him. They appear in larger numbers as the levels go on, but these enemies are pretty slow and dies in two shots.
- I'm Melting!: The death animation given to some of the (biological-looking, non-robotic) Bionoid enemies. After being killed they simply dissolve into puddles.
- Laser Hallway: Several corridors in Trojan Incorporated's labs have moving laser fences that can damage Tenka's health. Their emitters are visible however, and Tenka can shoot at them to deactivate the lasers.
- Manipulative Bitch: Zenith, the AI who helps guide Tenka escape the labs appears to be helping him, given they're both trying to overthrow Trojan Incorporated. But in the final cutscene, Zenith immediately eliminates Tenka once she doesn't need him anymore.
- Mission Control: After the first stage, Tenka is contacted by Zenith, a rogue AI who's working against Trojan Incorporated, who serves this purpose for him between stages. There is, however, more to her than it seems.
- Mooks, but no Bosses: Tenka spends the game killing various types of Bioroids, but there isn't a boss battle at any point.
- Outrun the Fireball: One of the stages have Tenka triggering the self-destruct mechanism of the level he's in, and he makes a hasty escape towards the only exit. Cue a cutscene of Tenka dashing down a corridor while fire from the exploding level pursues him.
- Protagonist Title: Codename Tenka, as in the hero Joseph Tenka.
- Sean Connery Is About to Shoot You: On the cover art, presumably from the POV of a Bionoid Tenka is about to execute.
- Sentry Gun: Mobile gun turrets appears in some areas of the Trojan labs, and automatically attacks Tenka when he's near. There's a turret enemy who doubles as a Lightning Gun too.
- Slashed Throat: At the end of the game, Zenith reveals her humanoid form, with Wolverine Claws for hands, to a surprised Tenka. Before killing him with said claws to his jugular. It's a Gory Discretion Shot that cuts to the credits however.
- Shoot the Shaggy Dog: Tenka is an honest citizen who has worked many years to get off a ravaged Earth, only to find that the colony he has chosen is run by a MegaCorp that use its inhabitants to manufacturate mindless war cyborgs. He narrowly escapes being turned into one and wages war with the guidance of Zenith , a rogue AI in order to escape the colony. After destroying countless assets of the MegaCorp, his "reward" is being killed by Zenith, who no longer needs him.
- Silicon Snarker: Zenith, who serves as Tenka's guide have quite to mouthful on him, knowing fully well that Tenka is forced to follow all her requests (lest he remains stuck in Trojan's labs)Tenka: I carried out every order. Every command! Tell me now, who you are, what you are, and what do you want!
Zenith: [deadpan voice] Your willingness to support us has been appreciated... is appreciated. We wouldn't want to force your cooperation. Continue to destroy the construction machines, stop the process, and it will become clear. I promise you... - Swiss-Army Gun: Tenka's standard weapon, the "Self-Generating Polymorphic Armory" or SG-26, an assault-rifle-sized weapons system that could shoot standard lead, lasers, grenades, missiles and mines, some of them upgradeable with various sub-modes (like dual and chargeable laser beams, and automatic rifle fire).
- Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Tenka really isn't too enthusiastic about working together with Zenith, a strange, unknown AI that approached him out of nowhere. Given what she did to him in the final scene, Tenka's suspicions were Properly Paranoid.Zenith: I believe I know how to destroy this place. But you must cooperate! I am your only escape route!
Tenka: And I... yours. - Timed Mission: There's more than one of these where Tenka needs to make a run through corridors or open areas acter triggering a lockdown. A circular timer appears onscreen, and if Tenka made it to the next exit he completes the level, otherwise he'll need to restart.
- Waddling Head: One of the recurring Bionoid enemies is a giant head on four spider-legs. Given one of it's legs appears to be coming out it's left eye, it seems like the designer based the monster from The Thing (1982).
