The Weapon (video game)

This is a chance to make history together, Tolan. So crack [The Yi-Lono-Mordel], but leave opening it all the way to me.”

—Cheryl Thadafel

The Weapon is a Sci-Fi Interactive Misdirection game created by Sean Barrett in 2001.

A war has been going on between the Lono, a multi-galactic threat, and the Terran Alliance. The Lono were all pushed back into another galaxy, but not before promising vengeance. The now depleted forces of the Terran Alliance have turned to the Yi-Lono-Mordel, built by the Yi, a race believed to have been destroyed by the Lono long ago before they could use it. A dig team leader named Cheryl has called a Mechanist named Tolan to find out what exactly it does and if it can be used effectively in the war. However, Tolan has different ideas of what to do with the weapon from Cheryl.

This game was nominated for Best Individual NPC and Best Puzzles for the 2001 XYZZY Awards, but won neither.

Tropes used in The Weapon (video game) include:

All There in the Manual / Feelies: A fictional newspaper that provides more backstory to the game is available.
Ascetic Aesthetic: The description of the Yi-Lono-Mordel control room suggest it would be a White Void Room were it not for the doorway, windows, and controls.
Downer Ending: Tolan, who turns out to be a surviving Yi in a human shell, fires the Yi-Lono-Mordel, which destroys the entire Milky Way Galaxy and thus the Terran Alliance. What remains of the Yi will be safe from the Lono, but we now know what extreme measures the Yi are likely to use.
Handy Cuffs: Justified. Tolan has handcuffs on for much of the game, and they are implied to be in front, but this was intentional on Cheryl’s part because she wants Tolan to not be a threat yet still be able to investigate and use the Yi-Lono-Mordel.
Kill'Em All: The entire Milky Way Galaxy is destroyed during the final turn of the game.
Lost Superweapon: The Yi-Lono-Mordel, which means “The Final (anti-) Lono Weapon”, which basically functions as the Milky Way Galaxy’s self-destruct button.
Oh Crap: Cheryl, once she realizes that Talon has activated the Yi-Lono-Mordel.
Nonstandard Game Over: Performing certain actions such as giving Cheryl information (except to distract her so you can use the forcefield), or activating the forcefield before you are done preparing the Yi-Lono-Mordel will result in Tolan being taken into the brig or killed outright due to the threat level for the latter, ending the game. Giving Cheryl the information is likely the best ending this game can have, as the actual “winning” ending results in Tolan destroying the Milky Way Galaxy.
Significant Anagram: “Yi-Lono-Mordel” is an anagram for “One Room Dilly”, which is a nickname for one-room games in Interactive Fiction, including this one. The actual Yi-Lono-Mordel itself is bigger than the control room where the game takes place, however.
Tomato Surprise: At the very end of the game, it is revealed that Tolan is a Yi in a human shell who has been trying to activate the Yi-Lono-Mordel.
Villain Protagonist: Tolan turns out to be this at the end.