Transience is a spy/espionage-themed First-Person Shooter made by indie company RESURGENT, which was founded and spearheaded by opinionated Youtube game critic BigFryTV.
In 2056, as corporate warfare reaches it's peak, most MegaCorp has resorted to hiring private military contractors for infiltration and espionage missions. Called Accountants, these are professional killers who balances the books for their employers by any means necessary.
Eli Reed - "The Talon" (and the player character) - is one of these Accountants based in Houston. Until a betrayal one night led to Eli's equipment being confiscated and him being targeted by other Accountants; but being an expert veteran assassin and badass, of course Eli isn't going down easy, where he then tears through the Houston criminal underworld to find out who set him up.
Nature has a funny way of teaching us lessons without being loud about it...
- 20 Minutes into the Future: The game is set in 2056, a little over three decades after it's 2025 release. Most of the game being set in high-tech office building and MegaCorp facilities means we don't get to see how civilian life is like, but there are high-tech powered armor, better weaponry, and a powerful AI system every huge corporation is fighting for.
- Absurdly Spacious Sewer: Eli's infiltration of Irukanji's hideout in the Dam System requires him to cross one such sewer, large enough for him to run around for a while.
- Agonizing Stomach Wound: Eli tracks down Danny Boy Genovo, one of the mob leaders who set him up, and managed to sniper a round into Danny's stomach, though not enough to kill him. His next objective is to infiltrate Danny's penthouse, taking down mooks in the way, and confront Danny (an Almost Dead Guy) for an interrogation.
- Air-Vent Passageway: Eli frequently needs to venture through vents conveniently large enough to fit him whenever he's infiltrating enemy buildings, either to avoid security or bypass locked doors. First time it happens, it's around five minutes into the prologue (before Eli found out he's being hunted and the plot begins in proper) when Eli uses a vent in an alley for a shortcut.
- Always Night: The entire game is set at dusk, though it's unclear if the events took place over the course of a single night or it actually happens across multiple days but we only see the action after dawn.
- Artificial Stupidity: The AI for Eli's rival Accountants are broken, to say the least. For professional killers, they're programmed to barge straight into gunfire, emerge from exits even when their fellow colleagues are gunned down into a pile ahead making themselves sitting ducks, respond only when Eli is within breathing distance next to them, and in stealth missions requiring Eli to eliminate mooks before infiltration, enemies will frequently walk over their comrades' corpses without any reaction.
- Armor Is Useless: A lot, a lot of the game's mooks are clad in full-body armor, that offers them barely any increased protection compared to unarmored enemies. If at all - Eli stabbing once or twice on body armor is enough to kill them, and the armor can't even stop Eli's tranquillizer darts! note
- Blackout Basement: More than one mission, including Eli's apartment in the first stage, are set in complete darkness. Visibility is limited to a circle from the underbelly torch equipped in all of Eli's firearms.
- Coolest Club Ever: Club Haven is a posh nightclub which is built underwater, specifically catering for rich patrons to make them feel like they're partying in Atlantis. The ceiling is transparent for good measure with assorted marine life visible. Expectedly, there's a stage taking place in it.
- Gangsta Style: More than one of Eli's pistol variety are fired from a 45-degree angle. Doesn't apply for automatic firearms, of course.
- Grappling-Hook Pistol: Eli and his liaison, Sadie, infiltrates Aoroa offices, and Sadie opts to enter from the higher level. So she whips out a grappling hook launcher and fires a shot, instantly taking her to the top floor - leading Eli to use the front entrance instead.
- Laser Sight: Eli's tech includes a detachable green laser pointer that's either attached to his gun, or wrist. Some mooks uses the same weapons too, but this only gives them away in stages where they tried sneaking upon Ethan from around bends or junctions.
- Red Baron: Eli Reed is identified as "The Talon", that the opening Infodump deliberately highlights as bright red.
- Tactical Shooter: The game is balanced as such, with grounded gunplay that leans towards realism and a very low time-to-kill.
- Tranquillizer Dart: One of Eli's default gadget is a knockout dart launcher. That puts anyone to sleep in just a single shot anywhere on the body (with the onscreen announcement "Successful Sleep Dart Injection"), but it's slow firing rate means it's best reserved for stealth missions.
- Wall of Weapons: Sadie's covert safehouse base has an armory with one of these, perfect for Eli to load himself up for the next mission to take down Irukanji.