FADE IN:
EXT. BRIDGEFORD - NIGHT
The camera pans over a bustling metropolis of buildings that touch the sky, a picture of what a capitalistic society would look like in the year 3,000.
Thunder BOOMS as rainfall SMACKS the sleek metal sidewalks and asphalt of the street, where cars sit in traffic and HONK their horns.
The camera stops at a mansion atop a hill overlooking the city, surrounded by a lush garden.
SUPER. Bridgeford. Ashford Residence.
INT. RECLAIMERS HQ - ALEX’S OFFICE - NIGHT
We hear the RAIN outside.
ALEXANDER ASHFORD, early 30s, a good looking guy with dark hair is in the middle of a call. His smartphone is set to speaker. The stress of holding the weight of the world over his shoulders shows on his face. Unkempt hair and wrinkled suit, evidence of many sleepless nights
Around his office are peace awards and gold and silver plaques. The framed photos on his desk are all pictures of him shaking hands with politicians.
ALEX
What good is saving the world from monsters if we turn into
them?
BRUCE (V.O.)
You’re being dramatic.
ALEX
I’m dramatic?! You’re talking about torture!
BRUCE (V.O.)
His silence will doom us all... What makes him any different
from the demons we hunt?
Alex paces around in his office.
ALEX
I dunno, Bruce, the fact that he bleeds red like you and I?
His soul?!
BRUCE (V.O.)
The world needs its hero, Alex. You were The One I saw,
but perhaps... I was wrong.
That gives Alex pause. Confliction weighs heavily on his face.
He takes in a breath.
ALEX
Get here in 10.
He presses a button on his phone and ends the call.
INT. RECLAIMERS HQ - BASEMENT CELL - NIGHT
A dirty, grimy dungeon with no windows. A MYSTERIOUS MAN draped in a torn cloak sits with his back to iron doors. His hood covers his eyes, but we can see the bruises and dried blood around his mouth. His bare feet sticks out of dirty, ripped pants.
The iron doors OPEN with a metallic thud. Enter Alex and a man wearing a fedora and slacks, BRUCE. There’s a darkness about him we both see and feel. He hides an arm in his trench coat.
MYSTERIOUS MAN
...
ALEX
If you want to stop the apocalypse like you say you do, why
won’t you tell us where it is?!
BRUCE
Alex... let me.
With a smirk, Bruce approaches the hooded man.
BRUCE
We know the spark was on that island. Tell us what you did with
it, or things’ll get bloody -- bloodier.
MYSTERIOUS MAN
The Spark... that what they call you...?
Interest piqued, Alex steps forward.
ALEX
Wait, what did you just say? The Spark... it’s a person?!
MYSTERIOUS MAN
...
ALEX
Please... 10 billion lives are at stake. If we’re to save them, you
have to work with us.
BRUCE
Unless, of course, you want the world to go boom.
MYSTERIOUS MAN
Destiny has chosen its Seven. Kill me, if you must...
This pisses Alex off.
ALEX
You idiot! We’re trying to save lives, not take them!
The mysterious man smiles.
MYSTERIOUS MAN
Your goodness shines bright, Mr. Ashford...
He turns to face Alex.
MYSTERIOUS MAN
But if you’re not careful, it will destroy you and everything you cherish.
Alex is taken aback.
ALEX
E-Excuse me?
MYSTERIOUS MAN
As your power grows, the master you’ll serve won’t be your community,
but your own ego.
ALEX
Wh-What?!
MYSTERIOUS MAN
There are forces that feed on one’s ego. Some look human. But are more
evil than any demon you’ve slain. And they’ll suck you dry!
Alex is lost for words, eyes wide and mouth gaping.
Smiling wickedly, Bruce kneels in front of the mysterious man.
BRUCE
Alex? Why don’t you head back to your office? Have some
things to discuss with our guest...
Alex SWALLOWS. Torn between two places. We see his confliction in his strained gaze.
ALEX
Not without you, Bruce.
Pause. Irritation runs across Bruce’s face for a beat. But he covers it up with a nasty smile.
BRUCE
Sit tight, will you?
He PATS the side of the mysterious man’s jaw, who flinches from his touch.
INT. RECLAIMERS HQ - ALEX'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Alex sits impatiently at his desk, tapping his fingers on the mahogany.
Bruce paces around Alex’s desk.
BRUCE
Destiny chosen its “seven”, he said...
ALEX
Whatever the hell that means.
BRUCE
Surely something has to “spark” the apocalypse, right? And that
something’s bound to be a hot commodity sooner than later.
(Beat)
Keep your eyes open. The seven could nearer than we think...
Alex looks guilt-ridden.
ALEX
Shit. That guy on the island. The one we... could he’ve
been one of the so-called “seven”...?!
Bruce shrugs. He turns to the window, looks out at the full moon. Smirks.
BRUCE
If he is... we’ll see him again.
ALEX
...
EXT. DREAMSCAPE - FOGGY
MARCUS, 25 a man of mixed race, stands naked in a grassland covered in mist. His eyes open and he wakes with a start. It’s so misty we see but a oak few trees sprinkled about.
He looks around confused, lost.
He becomes controllable. Find a gravelly walkway. All around, the HUSH of a subtle breeze. Move forward until you see a WOMAN shrouded in mist...NEVENE. All we make out is her silhouette.
Marcus will automatically stop and the scene will resume from here.
WOMAN
Hey. Long time no see. Wish circumstances were different,
but... I need your help.
Marcus looks at the figure in question.
1) “What can I do?”
Righteous+1
MARCUS
What’s up?
WOMAN
Oh, thank you!
Cut to S2A.
2) “My help...?”
MARCUS
What kinda help...?
Cut to S2A.
3) “No can do, lady.”
Liberty+1
MARCUS
Who are you, first of all...?
The woman holds up misty folded hands, begging.
WOMAN
Please!
Cut to S2A.
2A
WOMAN
You have to get me out of the Mind Box! My... guardian sealed
me here to protect me, but it won’t last.
The woman wraps her arms around her chest as if cold. She looks at the ground.
WOMAN
I tried calling out to everyone, but my powers are limited here.
And with the Warden lurking...
She looks up at Marcus.
WOMAN
Two men came to Eden looking for me. They want to bring
the apocalypse, and need my power to do it.
(Beat)
Those guys... They found us, my brother and me. They’ll
find you, too.
MAN
...
WOMAN
By the way, I never got your name. My... guardian said if the
seven of us got together, it’d be “catastrophic”. But I had to
risk it. See what else was out there...
The player is given a chance to name his character. Marcus is the default name.
WOMAN
Pleasure. After all these years, I’m glad to finally know you...
Anyway, my name is --
Fire FILLS the screen!
INT. GREYS’ HIDEOUT - NIGHT
The bedroom’s on fire. No decorations on the walls, no bedsheets, and only one dresser. Marcus sleeps on a bare mattress. He wakes with a start.
MARCUS
Shit!
He springs to his feet.
END SCENE.
As the player, hurry out of the burning building. On the floor will be a few dead GREYS, demons with grey flesh. The player check their corpses for items and hear commentary from Marcus.
Checking body #1:
MARCUS
Rusher, wake up!
(shakes body)
Shit...
Checking body #2:
MARCUS
Damn, Gee... you were a fucking asshole, but you ain’t
deserve this.
Checking body #3:
MARCUS
Axe, wake up! Wake the fuck up!
Marcus will shake the body which won’t respond. Finally he’ll SIGH.
Leave the burning building to cut to Scene 3 - Fire.
- END INTRO.
- Gameplay/exploration sample -
EXT. BRIDGEFORD - DAY
A grimy metropolis. Very much a city of 2 halves. Up north, sprawling skyscrapers and businesses, including a mansion that sits on a hill.
Down south is urban squalor, graffiti on the walls of decrepit buildings, filthy: piles and piles of garbage on every street, sidewalks caked in liter.
Demons and humans alike walk the streets. Humans stay to the north, while demons are pushed to the south.
Marcus will start at level 1. Touch encounters. Initially his stat growth will be very minimal, as he begins the game a regular human.
The encounters will happen at the south part of the city: shirtless Human thugs called Brawlers, and demon prostitutes called Shiki. Human enemies will drop cash, whereas demons will drop loot that can be sold for cash.
WORD AROUND TOWN - North
Humans talk about how thankful they are for Alex Ashford. His company, Reclaimers, is the top demon hunting agency in the world. Kids admire him, women want to be with him (one express jealousy towards his wife, Chelsia Ashford, calling her a bimbo from Nowhere Town), and men look up to him.
Most humans express dissatisfaction with the supreme court case, Kewe vs the World, that legalized demons. Don’t the government care about them, the humans, or are they blinded by the tax dollars they can now get from demons?
In the north, humans can be seen picking on and abusing demons. They say demons may be legal, but they will never be “them”. The general attitude towards demons is disdain.
WORD AROUND TOWN - South
Demons talk about their struggle to assimilate into human society. But the actions of alien demons, basically rogues. Reflect poorly on the whole community. They thank Alex for keeping the rogue population down.
Demons are grateful to come out of hiding, and knows it will take many generations for humans to accept them.
Demons talk about the abuse they suffer from humans. They don’t like it, but it’s nothing compared to Hell.
Notable areas:
North
Jean’s Clinic - a health clinic where the player can restore his health, and buy items. The receptionist is a female android.
Hawk’s - a weapon and armor shop manned by an a tough-looking male android.
Reclaimers HQ - Marcus can only go as far as the lobby. The young receptionist sits at the front desk.
Erika’s apartment - it’s empty; Erika isn’t home.
The Houston’s house - the home Marcus is currently hired to housesit.
Ashford Mansion - is locked, security stands guard with large guns. Located at the northernmost corner of the city.
South
Marcus’s Apartment - A one bedroom he shares with his demon roommate, Merle.
The Sorcery - the club where Marcus’s friend, Erika Rose, dances.
Bridgeford Drinks - a demon bar at the southernmost corner of the city.
Side dialogue:
INT. HAWK’S - DAY
Guns and swords are displayed on the walls. An android sits at a desk behind plexiglass, no human skin to speak of. Looks like he’d tear you in two if you blinked wrong.
ARMS DEALER
Yo, yo, yo! Welcome to Hawk’s Gears! What can I do for you?
1) “Lemme see your weapons.”
ARMS DEALER
None on sale today. Still gotta do inventory. But can I interest
you in something else? Say... jewelry?
ARMS DEALER
Anything else?
Options repeat.
2) “What gear you got on sale?”
ARMS DEALER
None on sale today. Still gotta do inventory. But can I interest
you in something else? Say... jewelry?
ARMS DEALER
Anything else?
Options repeat.
3) “Lemme check out your accessories.”
The list of accessories on sale pop up. 3 items:
> Sap Coating, Endurance+10
> Earring, Wisdom+10
> Anti Bracelet - Sickness, Virus, Headache & Tumor immunity
ARMS DEALER
Anything else?
Options repeat.
4) “What’s the word on the street?”
ARMS DEALER
Between you and me, you can steal cash from humans after you
beat ‘em up. Demons, though, have tokens you can trade here
or Jean’s for cash.
ARMS DEALER
Anything else?
Options repeat.
Canceling/Exiting the shop:
ARMS DEALER
See you later, man. Stay cool and sucker free.
INT. JEAN’S CLINIC - DAY
A standard health clinic. Posters of the various status abnormalities the player can be inflicted with in the game and diagrams of the human body on the walls.
Images flash on the TVs hung at the corners of the clinic, of a healthy human heart and bones.
Upon entering:
RECEPTIONIST
Hello there. Welcome to Jean’s Clinic! We serve as a health clinic
and material shop. How can I help you?
1) STAY FOR A CHECK UP.
RECEPTIONIST
For $90, we can have a doctor take a look at that. What do you
say?
a) “Sure.”
RECEPTIONIST
This way, please.
Fade out for a beat. RECOVERY CHIME plays. The player is fully restored. Fade back in.
RECEPTIONIST
Anything else?
Options repeat.
b) “Nah, I’m good.”
RECEPTIONIST
Anything else?
Options repeat.
If selected when under $90.
RECEPTIONIST
I’m sorry, but you seem to be rather short... Anything else?
Options repeat.
2) “What materials are you selling?”
Sale list comes up:
1) Energy Drink - Restores 25% of LP
2) Body Enhancer - Restores 50% of LP
3) Sweet Drink - Restores 25% of EP
4) Mind Enhancer - Restores 50% of EP
5) Vaccine - Cures Sicknesses & Viruses
6) Eyedrops - Cures Blind
7) Memory Serum - Cures Memory Loss (Silence)
8) Toy Hammer - Cures Sleep & Deep Sleep
9) Calm Serum - Cures Rage (Berserk - attack enemies uncontrollably)
10) Clarity Serum - Cures Paranoid (attack allies uncontrollably)
11) Mobility Serum - Cures Paralysis
12) Holy Water - Cures Cursed.
13) Conditioner - Cures all status defects.
14) Revival Seed - Revives with 50% of LP.
RECEPTIONIST
Anything else?
Options repeat.
3) “What’s the word on the street?”
RECEPTIONIST
Demons have been around long before humans. Just learn to live
with them. They don’t all bite.
RECEPTIONIST
Anything else?
Options repeat.
Erika’s apartment:
INT. ERIKA’S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - DAY
A gorgeous luxury apartment. Its tall windows provide plenty of natural light. Furniture draped in a plastic covering, a cream-colored carpet drapes the floor. Lots of white.
TEXT: This is Erika Rose’s apartment. She isn’t here. It isn’t polite to roam someone’s home when they aren’t around, even if they left the door unlocked. So you decide to leave.
Marcus is taken back outside.
INT. RECLAIMER’S HQ - LOBBY - DAY
A sleek, professional building of glass and metal, terrazo floor.
A YOUNG WOMAN, 20s, sits at the receptionist’s desk. She carries herself like a total professional, wearing a blazer and knee-length skirt.
ASSISTANT
Welcome to Reclaimer’s! Mr. Ashford’s in a meeting right now.
Leave your name and number and he’ll get back to you pronto.
INT. BRIDGEFORD DRINKS - DAY
The sleeziest dive bar you can imagine. Every patron is a demon, chatting amongst themselves or drinking at the bar.
The BARTENDER is an overweight demon.
Upon entering:
Conversations drop like anvils. Every patron turn toward the player, watching.
TEXT: The bartender and other demons stare at you...
Marcus is taken back outside.