GPT-3 VN #1: Lampshade

TV Tropes

Visual Novel / Lampshade

This page contains spoilers.

Lampshade is a urban fantasy visual novel developed and published by Seanan McGuire . It uses the worldbuilding elements of the seriesand draws upon the novel series of the same name, combining elements of police procedural with fantasy tropes. It stars NYPD detectives Nick LeBeck and Maya Delaney.

Loosely following the story of Down Among the Sticks and Bones, Jules Jones is murdered outside her shop in the Kitsune neighborhood of Seattle. This draws the attention of Nick and Maya, leading to an investigation of both her death and her private life.

A graphic novel adaptation of the game was released by comic publisher Zenescope Entertainment in 2018.

This game provides

Lampshade provides examples of the following tropes:

Ascended Extra: Jules was a supporting character in Sticks and Bones, but takes center stage here. While Sticks and Bones established that SDF had magic, it's only in Lampshade that we learn that Jules had magic, too.

Casual Danger Dialogue: Lampshade is a bit more lighthearted than Sticks and Bones, so dialogue doesn't play out as dramatic as the previous game.

Connected All Along: Lampshade is about Nick's investigation of Jules's murder, so it's implied that characters from Sticks and Bones are involved in some way.

Dark is Not Evil: Jules has a dark side, but she isn't evil. She just has a really bad temper.

Deus ex Machina: A major subplot about Nick being reincarnated is revealed, but it's played for laughs.

Face of a Thug: Jules talks about the

Gilligan Cut: Jules says Nick wouldn't shoot John in the leg, then he does.

Hilarious in Hindsight: Lampshade's writing team didn't know their game would become the Face of the Franchise, but if you read it after Nick and Jules became romantically involved in Sticks and Bones, it's pretty funny.

Jump Scare: Lampshade features a few, mostly in the plot threads surrounding the gangsters.

Lady in Red: Jules wears a red dress when she comes to Nick's apartment in both Sticks and Bones and Lampshade.

Made of Iron: The player is supposed to come to this conclusion about John. Lampshade takes this plot twist in a different direction. Lampshade provides examples of the following

Nerd Glasses: John wears glasses.

Photographic Memory: Lampshade's current year takes place in 2014, and gives Nick and Maya smartphones and tablets for this reason.

The Last Dance: Lampshade features a Down Among the Sticks and Bones cast member who was killed before the events of the previous game. Lampshade provides examples of the following