Phase ticks are an enemy in encountered in Singularity.

Overview

Singleplayer

Phase Ticks are insects on the island of Katorga-12 that were mutated by Element 99 radiation. Phase Ticks were first encountered by Nathaniel Renko as he traverses the sewage tunnels on the way to the railroad. While traveling through the tunnels, a support pipe breaks and Renko falls into a humongous Phase Tick hive.

Phase Ticks can cause massive damage, especially in large numbers. They attack by charging towards an enemy and exploding. A good tactic to fight off Phase Ticks are by using the Impulse function of the Time Manipulation Device or the Volk S4 shotgun. Aging Phase Ticks is also a good tactic, which causes the aged Phase Tick to expand with E-99 and in confusion, attacks other phase ticks before itself explodes. It can also be thrown at soldiers thus turning them into reverts.

Giant Phase Tick Queen

While trying to escape the sewers, Renko sees a flashback where two Soviet soldiers are assaulted by a giant claw. Climbing a ladder after this event, Renko witnesses for himself the claw penetrating the concrete walls of the railway tunnels. He runs into cover in one of the train sections, which is lifted up by the Giant Phase Tick using its claw. The monster roars and Renko falls out of the train and blacks out.

The Giant Phase Tick is later encountered again after fixing the train. Renko has to fight off the creature before it destroys the train and kills you. The Giant Phase Tick, similar to the Zek King, has glowing weak points which must be shot in order to kill the creature. Renko eventually kills off the beast by standing on the TMD amplification platform, using Chrono-energy from the TMD, and shooting out a glowing beam at the creature's head, which kills it.

Multiplayer

Phase Ticks are very weak but have very unique attacks. Its main role is a saboteur.

• Tick Leap - Lets the user jump an incredibly far distance. If the player lands on a person they can start possessing them, but can be easily killed by someone else. Therefore, it is recommended to use this on a lone individual.
• Explode - Explodes the E99 sack on the Tick's back killing anyone within a certain radius instanty. Doing so leaves the Tick vulnerable as it can't leap or run and is slow until it recharges.
• Climb - A very useful ability, it allows the Tick to walk on walls and ceilings and infiltrate enemy territory. It is a good idea to ambush people from walls and ceilings.

Video

Trivia

• Viktor Barisov likes to eat them as said in a note in his lab describing how to cook them and saying that they don't taste bad, along with the fact you can see phase tick pieces in his soup at the E99 processing complex.
• The Infection forms from the Halo Series bear a striking resemblance to the Phase ticks. Both in appearance and fuction.
• In the area of the service tunnels, before you repair the bridge and come across Radions. There will be an hall where you battle phase ticks. In that area before you fight the "dormant" phase ticks or before they light up, take a right and you should find a medkit and TMD cell. Then there will be orange light from a hole in the wall, walk towards it and you will see a dead body. As you approach, crawling out of the eye socket and around to the back of the skull, will be a tiny Phase Tick.