History VideoGame / GhostHacker

* DeathOfAThousandCuts: The Tracer and Transcoder (which deal continuous damage to the target), the Infector and Memory Leak upgrade (which infects enemy, dealing damage per second), and to a lesser degree the fast-firing, low-damage towers like the Compressor and Scanner. They are the best way to deal with Avatars (which can only take at most 2 damage from any attack), but are very weak against Reavers (which take 3 less damage from all attacks).

* ScratchDamage: Avatars reduce ''all'' damage dealt to them to a maximum of 2. They're therefore highly resistant to MightyGlacier towers but vulnerable to DeathOfAThousandCuts.

* InvisibleMonsters: Ghosts are normally invisible and can only be detected when in range of a Scanner tower.

* MightyGlacier: The Sentry and Slicer are both slow-firing towers with very high individual damage per shot; the best way to overcome the Reavers' DamageReduction.

* ScratchDamage: Avatars reduce ''all'' damage dealt to them to a maximum of 2. They're therefore vulnerable to DeathOfAThousandCuts.

A sequel, [[http://armorgames.com/play/14973/ghost-hacker-2 Ghost Hacker 2]], was released in 2013. This focuses on Jeth, who's also been converted into a Ghost but is seeking a way to save their friend Sil with the assistance of fellow hacker Spook. While clashing with Sigil, the corporation that has her captive, they uncover a virus that infects and controls Ghosts and must work to contain it.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: The classified document the player discovers details the history of Alpha, the player character, but is partially censored. Astute readers can work out what it is before the twist is revealed at the end of the game.

* BrutalBonusLevel: [=GhostClub.com=]. 30 waves that include boss versions of the normal enemies, and the final wave contains '''multiple''' [[spoiler:Axons AND Jynxes]]!

* DiminishingReturnsForBalance: Placing additional copies of towers or upgrade parts costs extra memory -- 5 for duplicate upgrades, 10 for duplicate towers.

** The ticker at the bottom starts with displaying bulletins or notifications. When the player gets infected with the virus, it turns into virus warnings. [[spoiler:After Jynx broadcasts his mind-control virus cure, the ticker fills with Jynx propaganda.]]

* LawOfChromaticSuperiority: All the Version 2.0 mooks are reddish in colour and have a reddish glow to them.

*** Axon makes multiple references to [[Videogame/{{Portal}} cake]] during the level where the player fights him.

* ArbitraryHeadcountLimit: You start with the capacity to hold six programs, but as you progress through the game, your program capacity increases, up to a maximum of sixteen. You will, however, reach a point where you have more programs than slots and must decide your loadout based on the enemy preview.

* MultiShot: Towers with the Fork upgrade attacks two enemies at once.

* AntiFrustrationFeatures: In the first game, your upgrade parts are distinguished by color and before you place your towers, the upgrade nodes around them will regularly cycle through different color permutations which would determine what kinds of upgrades you can install onto them. The second game removes the color limitation so that the player can upgrade their towers on the fly with ease.

* InterfaceScrew: The level select screen will regularly distort while the player is infected with the virus.

* ArbitraryHeadcountLimit: At first you can only use six programs in total per level; this limit can be raised to 16 via the Program Capacity upgrade.

* DamageReduction: Reavers have this, reducing all damage taken by 3.

* NoCampaignForTheWicked: Averted, there's a monster mode where you place viruses to steal cores from a defense system. Several mandatory levels in the second game also use this mode.

* WellIntentionedExtremist: [[spoiler:Axon opposes both the Collective and Cypher One, but only because he's working to protect the Ghost community from Cypher One's attacks.]]

-->[[spoiler:Jynx]]: "You think to find me through these relays? A mouse has a better chance of finding cheese in a maze than you do of finding me!"
-->Player: "Are you comparing yourself to cheese?"
-->[[spoiler:Jynx]]: "Why you little... You'll pay for that impudence!"

* EliteMooks: [=SuperUsers=] are resistant to StandardStatusEffects, can carry 2 data cores, and have the highest amount of health among non-boss enemies.

* ControlFreak: [[spoiler:Sigil developed the virus that drives Ghosts insane, allowing them to terminate the whole Ghost community should they lose control of too many Ghosts. Given that they are Cypher One under a different name, this behaviour no surprise.]]

A sequel, [[http://armorgames.com/play/14973/ghost-hacker-2 Ghost Hacker 2]], was released in 2013.

* WellIntentionedExtremist: [[spoiler:Both Axon and Jynx are these]].

* VillainousBreakdown: [[spoiler:Jynx when you face him in the final wave of the final stage]].

* WeCanRuleTogether: [[spoiler:Jynx tries to pull this off after his defeat. It doesn't work, of course]].

* AreaOfEffect: The Ping tower releases a circular blast that hits all enemies within.

* ChargedAttack: The compressor can store up to a stock of 5 shots (more if upgraded/enhanced). The charge upgrade allows a tower to store up to five shots per upgrade.

* EliteMooks: [=SuperUsers=], which are resistant to StandardStatusEffects, can carry 2 data cores, and have a crapton of health.

* HealingFactor: The Reassembler enemies regenerate 2 hit points per second.

* LifeDrain: Reaper Viruses do this to ''other mooks'' to refill their own hit points. You can take advantage of this.

* SplashDamage: The Command Shell hits enemies with a splash effect. The Splash upgrade allows shots from a tower to do this.
* SuperSpeed: Flamers gain a temporary 100% speed boost if they take any damage.

*** [[Literature/LordOfTheRings One does not simply hack into Mordor.com]].

* KungFuProofMook:
** Avatars only take 2 damage maximum from all sources. This makes them strong against burst damage towers, but very weak to DeathOfAThousandCuts and memory leak.
** Gravitons from ''2'' suck in all tower projectiles, so you need to make your tower fire beams in order to damage them.

* MookMedic: The aptly-named Medics, which constantly heals nearby units.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: We never find out what happened to Sil, Axon, or Spook after the defeat of [[spoiler:Jynx]].

* BrainUploading[=/=]DigitizedHacker: Ghost Hackers are actually people who upload their mind onto the internet.
* ChainLightning: The Linker upgrade makes attacks ricochet to another enemy.

* DamageIncreasingDebuff: The Amplifier upgrade allows a tower equipped with it to inflict this on enemies.

* DungeonBypass: Seekers are able to pass over corrupted squares left behind by corruptors and pathfinders. Pathfinders will try to create a corrupted tile shortcut to your data cores!

* HeavilyArmoredMook: Reavers reduce all damage dealt to them by 3.
* HelpfulMook: Reapers drain a huge chunk of life from nearby enemies to refill their own. Useful when they do it to a tough enemy, and it's essential for beating ''2's'' BrutalBonusLevel.

* InvisibleMonsters: Ghosts have a stealth ability and can only be detected when in range of a Scanner tower.

* LifeDrain: Reapers do this to ''other mooks'' to refill their own hit points. You can take advantage of this.
* OneHitPolykill: Laser weapons are able to do hit multiple enemies in a row.
* MookMaker: The Spawn can spawn smaller Spawns every few seconds.

* ScratchDamage: The Avatar viruses take this, since they can only take a maximum of 2 damage each time. The best way to beat them is via DeathOfAThousandCuts, or use Memory Leak.

* DegradedBoss: Axon appears multiple times in the mid-game level. Thankfully, only the last wave summons [=SuperUsers=].

* NonIndicativeDifficulty: Surprisingly, the BrutalBonusLevel is easier on Hard than on Medium, because it's harder to accidentally destroy the [[HelpfulMook Reapers]] due to them having more hit points on Hard.

*** [[Film/LordOfTheRings One does not simply hack into Mordor.com]].

* ShoutOut: Several of the optional level characters:
** [[VideoGame/{{Minecraft}} Creepy]], who had a vocal processor error that made him [[SnakeTalk talk like a Creeper]].
** [[WesternAnimation/WallE BlockE]], a program resembling WALL-E.
** [[VideoGame/PacMan WakkaMan]], a green Pac-Man expy who only makes the sound Wakka.
** [[VideoGame/{{Portal2}} Witley]], a Wheatley expy.
** [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Catman]], an obvious Batman expy who is cat-themed instead.
** [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Chario and Bluigi]], Mario and Luigi expies, the second of which loves to set others on fire, including his brother Chario.
** [[WesternAnimation/SouthPark Kini]], an [[TheUnintelligible unintelligible]] guy in an orange anorak [[TheyKilledKennyAgain who gets killed]] after you complete his level.
** [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Novi]], a green fairy whose only dialogue is "Hey, Listen!". You shut off her vocal processors once you complete the stage.

* ControlFreak: [=CypherOne=] is the corporation behind the creation of Ghosts. Any Ghost not under their control is deemed a rogue AI and an enemy, which the player quickly learns after Axon forcibly breaks them out of their servitude.

* NukeEm: In a bid to end [=CypherOne=], Axon attempts to launch a nuclear missile at their headquarters. The Collective is opposed to that for it will also harm innocents.

* NoodleIncident: ''Something'' happened between the two games that brought about the downfall of [=CypherOne=]. Nobody elaborates on what it is.