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The Shape is one of the main enemies found in The Blackout Club (game).
Background
The Shape is a mysterious, invisible enemy that appears if enough Sins are committed during missions by the kids. The Shape is humanoid in physique, but cannot be seen directly with the naked eye and the TBC members must close their eyes to see it.
Appearance
To the naked eye, the Shape is near-invisible. The player can close their in-game eyes to reveal the Shape's physical form: a glowing, humanoid figure like a "burning shadow"[1]. It is also possible to "see" the Shape without closing one's eyes as light refracts around the Shape's body when in the edge of the player's view and in very close proximity to the Shape. Red fringes appear on screen and increase in size and redness as the Shape gets closer to the player. The player can use these fringes to also determine the Shape's position relative to their own based on the location on the screen these fringes occur.
Upon entering Angel mode, the Shape will gain two red wing-like features when hunting the most sinful player more aggressively until they are captured or the mission is completed.
Behavior & Strategy
The Shape appears when enough sins have been reported by Sleepers, Lucids, and (if opted-in) the Stalker during missions. When enough sinful acts are reported (e.g. kicking in a door, prank calling an enemy, KO-ing an enemy, etc.), the Shape will appear through a Red Door to investigate. The Shape's entrance and exit through Red Doors is unique to the Shape - a loud and bright burst of red light is emitted from the Red Door the Shape travels through. This is a distinct feature of the Shape's travel and can be used as an indicator of the Shape's presence and proximity. Once appearing, the Shape will target the member of the party who is the Most-Wanted. After grabbing the Most-Wanted, the Shape will change targets to the next most-sinful player until all players have been grabbed or the mission is completed. The Shape will only hunt the Most Wanted player, leaving the other player(s) alone. Player currently not targeted will be temporarily stunned in place if they collide with the Shape. The Shape can switch targets at any moment depending on the sins reported.
The first way to avoid the Shape is to commit less sins. The Shape spawns after numerous sins have been reported. If sins are committed less frequently, this will prolong the time it may take for the Shape to come out. In addition, the Shape only targets the player with the most overall sins. A player who commits less sins than their fellow TBC members in the mission is less likely to be the target when the Shape first spawns. It is also advised to stay away from Red Doors as this is the Shape's primary mode of traversal. Like Sleepers and Lucids, the Shape is not a fast climber. The Shape is slow to get onto roofs and other high or out-of-reach places. When being chased by the Shape, it's advised to stick around fellow club members so someone can be nearby to rescue you. This strategy, however, comes at a cost - if grabbed, the Shape's next target is in close proximity.
If the Shape cannot catch its Most Wanted TBC Member for some time, the Shape will "change" - it will sprout a pair of large wings and begin to chase their target more vigorously. There is an audio cue by the player's kid if they are targeted by the Shape, and a special audio cue if the Shape has changed into it's angel form.
The Shape grabbing and suppressing a player.
Most escape items are useless against the Shape. When being grabbed, the player cannot do anything to escape. Fellow club members, however, can use almost every kind of Field Item to interrupt the Shape from grabbing a player. When interrupted, the Shape will drop the player and be stunned for a very short time (usually just a few seconds). This provides a small window to escape.
Once grabbed by the Shape, the player becomes suppressed and loses control of their mind. Incapacitated players usually wander around the location, possibly holding their smartphone out with the flashlight on. Players caught by the Shape still possess sight, and thus will run away from teammates if they are spotted. Teammates can rescue players grabbed by the Shape by sneaking up behind them or stunning them so they can be revived. Revived players will be told "The Shape notices your absence from the song" after the first revival, and "You will not be added to the Song" after the second revival. Being caught three times by the Shape will result in permanent death and the player cannot be revived or take part in the remainder of the mission. Despite losing control of their mind or being killed, suppressed players can still communicate with teammates through the in-game voice and text chat. Suppressed players can view their character and fellow TBC members in the mission in a 3rd person perspective.
Foam Grenades can be thrown at the Shape to coat its body, but only in part. These Foam Grenades make the Shape visible for a short time; the Shape will also leave temporary footprints on the ground when coated in foam. Passing through Red Doors will clean the foam off the Shape.
Gallery
The Shape when viewed with eyes closed.
The Shape in The Blackout Club artwork.
The Shape emerging from a Red Door in the game's Announcement Trailer.
The Shape's "Angel" form.
Trivia
- The Shape is the only enemy in the game so far who does not speak.
- New players often confuse messages from the Voices as messages coming from the Shape.
- There is a hidden achievement on Steam for prompting the Shape's "Angel mode" during a mission.
- Though much more difficult since the effects of Foam Grenades on the Shape were changed during Early Access, it used to be possible in the beta and some early EA builds to completely coat the Shape in foam. Doing so revealed the Shape is actually wearing a polo shirt.
- Sleepers, Lucids, and suppressed TBC members will all kneel when the Shape is near them, with the Sleeper's and Lucid's dialogue indicating that the Shape terrifies them. Lucids may also chat "SPEAK-AS-ONE, SPEAK-AS-ONE, SPEAK-AS-ONE..." while kneeling in the presence of the Shape.
- Michael Myers, the silent, unstoppable antagonist from the Halloween movies, was referred to as "The Shape" in the credits of the original 1978 movie.
References
- ↑ Delaney, Mark. "Among Demons and Deities: An Interview with The Blackout Club's Jordan Thomas, GameSkinny, 16 July 2019.