Day of Defeat is a team-based multiplayer first-person shooter video game from the creators of Counter-Strike that like its predecessor began life as a Game Mod for Half-Life before being picked up by Valve and given a retail release. Set in the year 1944 during the Second World War, specifically the European theatre, the game features two opposing teams, the Allied Forces and the Axis Powers, competing against each other in Capture the Flag and attempts at detonating each other's structures first. The game has a heavy emphasis upon realism, teamwork and co-operation. Adding to the atmosphere of the game, any players killed will need to wait for a "reinforcements" timer to tick down before they respawn as the next wave of troops. The game features several different classes for the player to play as, although unlike in Team Fortress Classic these classes are mostly the same besides their weaponry.
In 2005, it received a Updated Re-release in the form of Day of Defeat: Source.
SQUAD, CHARGE YOUR TROPES, WE'RE MOVING OUT!:
- Adapted Out: The British faction from the original game is absent entirely from Source.
- A.K.A.-47: Averted for the most part, as every weapon is referred to by its correct name.
- Armor Is Useless: Averted - unlike in Counter-Strike, these soldiers aren't armoured at all - which would most likely be at least a little useful in this situation, as the soldiers' health goes down so fast they're practically One-Hit Point Wonders.
- Awesome, but Impractical: The Machine Gunner class, mainly due to the machine guns they carry. The MG-42 Machine Gun used by the Axis Machine Gunner has arguably the highest rate of fire out of all weapons in the game and will pretty much kill anyone in one or two shots, but it's notably the only weapon that can overheat, rendering it useless until it cools down. The .30 Caliber Machine Gun used by the Allied Machine Gunner doesn't overheat, but has less ammo and a slower firing speed. In addition to this, both are virtually useless when not deployed, as the recoil will immediately destroy your aim.
- BFG: The single-shot rocket launchers used by the Rocketeer class. We dare you to try rocket jumping with them.
- Emergency Weapon: The knives used by the Allied troops and the shovelpade used by the Axis troops.
- One-Hit Kill: The soldiers are all pathetically frail and will die in two shots at most, but some weapons have this as a absolute guarantee.
- The Kar-98k used by the Axis Rifleman, M1 Garand, K34 will instantly kill a enemy provided it hits their head or torso. The M1903 Springfield and the Scoped Kar-98k used by the Snipers will instantly kill regardless of where they hit, and a grenade or direct hit from the Bazooka or Panzerscreck used by the Rocketeers will do the same.
- All melee attacks (the Allied Knife, the Axis Spade, the Kar-98k and M1 Garand's Quick Melee in Day of Defeat and the M1 Thompson's Quick Melee in Source) are also a instant kill provided that they hit the head or chest - and then if they hit the limbs, the enemy's health will be so low that any attack after will be enough to kill them.
- One-Hit-Point Wonder: Despite having health statistics, all the soldiers' health drains so fast they may as well be this.
- Ranged Emergency Weapon: The pistols used by all classes.
- Unexpectedly Realistic Gameplay: A major aspect of the game. All the soldiers are unarmoured and can survive two bullets at most before dying, machine guns must be deployed to be reloaded and fired properly, rocket launchers need to be shouldered to be aimed and fired, sniper rifles have severe sway even when looking down the scope, and grenades not "cooked off" before release may be easily avoided or even thrown back by the enemy team.
- Villain Protagonist: The Axis Powers, when you're playing as them.
- War Is Hell: Among other things, deaths are sudden, violent, and bloody, and enemy fire can and will pin you down.
