Tiny Bytes for 2/27/23
Read Only Memories: NEURODIVER is releasing in summer 2023!
Read Only Memories: NEURODIVER, the sequel to 2064: Read Only Memories, will be releasing sometime in the summer. In this game, you play as ES88, a psychic detective who has to track down the Golden Butterfly, an esper who is wreaking havoc in Neo-San Francisco by messing with residents' minds. To track the esper down, you'll need to dive into the fragmented minds of her victims, fix them, and find clues that the esper left behind.
Read Only Memories: NEURODIVER will be releasing on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Steam, and Epic. There is currently a demo available on PC if you would like to try out the game before it launches later this year.
The Wreck, a visual novel focusing on trauma and its affects on the present, releases March 14th
Content Warning: Depiction of a car accident, difficult subject matter such as sickness, grief, toxic relationships, and self-harm.
The Wreck, a 3D visual novel, is set to release March 14th. You play as Junon, a 36-year-old woman whose life is falling apart. She's a failed screenwriter who receives a call about her estranged mother being in critical condition after suffering a brain aneurysm. While on her way to the hospital, Junon explores her memories, and it's up to you to get to the center of Junon's trauma and help her get through the hardest day of her life.
The Wreck will be out on Steam, GOG, and Nintendo Switch for US $19.99. Currently, there is a demo available for the game on Steam and itch.io.
Amarantus (Demo)
Content Warning: Drug and alcohol use, addiction, mental illness, suicide, violence described via text, sex and sexuality, toxic relationships, non-explicit depictions of nudity and sexual situations.
After his village was attacked and his family was captured, Arik goes on a journey to take down the tyrant lord ruling over the land. However, he can't do it alone. If he wants to successfully overthrow the government, he'll need to gather a crew. The people Arik recruits are all different; they have their wants, needs, and opinions. So while you may make decisions that will put you in the favor of some party members, it could turn off others. Not only will your decisions impact how your party looks at you, but they will also shape Arik's personality—for better or worse.
You can download the demo for Amarantus on itch.io and Steam.
Quaint Part One: The Society
Content Warning: Strong language, mature themes, blood, murder, suicide, mentions of homophobia and transphobia, mentions of violence and abuse
Q is an IT specialist living in the quiet town of Millbrook. However, he learns that there is more to this small town than meets the eye. It turns out there is a secret mage association known as the Snake and Saber Society which has existed for 200 years. Q is invited to join the group, but as he gets more involved, his past begins to resurface. Will Q be able to face his past and move on from it, or will he stay stagnant?
Quaint will be divided into three parts, with Part One: The Society currently available to download for free on itch.io.
Saint Maker
From Yangyang Mobile, creators of The Letter, comes their next horror visual novel: Saint Maker. Saint Maker focuses on a young woman named Holly who is sent to Saint Idelora's convent, a religious institution. During her stay there, Holly begins to discover the dark secrets of the convent and the strange hauntings that occur during the nighttime. The scary imagery and soft-spoken prayers Holly experiences at night bring up past memories that she would rather forget. However, will that be possible, or will Holly have to face the demons of her past if she wants to get out of this experience in one piece?
You can purchase Saint Maker on Steam for US $13.99. There is a demo available if you want to try out the game before purchasing it. Saint Maker will be launching on Nintendo Switch on March 22nd.
Dreams in the Witch House
Based on the H.P. Lovecraft story of the same name, you play Walter Gitman, who travels to Arkham, Massachusetts, to attend Miskatonic University. While there are plenty of rumors surrounding the town, especially the boarding house which he lives in, Walter ignores them so he can focus on his studies. That is, until he no longer can. He begins to have strange dreams of being in an otherworldly realm filled with creatures that take the appearance of geometric shapes. It turns out that these dreams are a sign and something sinister is going on. Walter plans on getting to the bottom of it all, but if he isn't careful, he could lose his soul.
You can purchase Dreams in the Witch House on Steam for US $10.99.
Sorry We're Open
Content Warning: Explicit language, blood and gore, animal death, civil unrest/violence, smoking, implied voyeurism, workplace violence, union busting, disturbing images and themes.
This RPG Maker horror title has you controlling the new manager of a supermarket. In order to keep the store running, you'll need to manage your employees, watch over the different shifts, and make decisions that could impact the store and the workers.
You can purchase Sorry We're Open on Steam for US $7.99. There is also a free demo you can try out.
Girlfriend Simulator
Content Warning: Depression, brief mentions of attempted suicide, asphyxiation, violence, bloody imagery, animated static, and flickering lights.
Submitted for Spooktober VN Jam 2022, Girlfriend Simulator is a horror visual novel where you wake up with a terrible headache. That's when you meet a girl named Nagi who claims to be your girlfriend. She tells you that you're sick and that she's there to take care of you. However... You don't recognize Nagi. Is she truly your girlfriend? Is your illness that bad that you simply can't remember her?
You can download Girlfriend Simulator on itch.io for free.
Limbo Line
Content Warning: Strong language, threatening behavior, references to self-harm and suicide, references to abortion, mild sexual references, depictions of blood, disturbing sounds, flashing lights, jump scares, and loss of life.
After ending their life, instead of being taken to Heaven or Hell, Nine is transported to Sanctuary Support Line (SSL). There, they must act as a customer service agent and provide help for whoever calls.
You can download Limbo Line on itch.io for free.
Last week, we interviewed Sam from Delphinium Interactive! We talked about her games and the experiences she learned during her journey as a game developer. If you haven't already, you can read our interview with her here!
Next week, we will be interviewing Red Spring Studio, the team behind TOUCHSTARVED! So if you're dying to know more about this horror romance visual novel and the people working on it, be sure to read our interview when it comes out March 6th.
Codex Screen for Ren'Py by Skolaztika
A codex can be great if you want to store additional information about a character or place. Alternatively, you can also use a codex in your game to define words that your player may not be familiar with. For example, if your game takes place in a fantasy setting, it may be useful to describe some of the terms you're using or give background information on the different species that appear throughout your game.
If you're looking for a codex screen for reasons like that, look no further than Skolaztika's. The code is already made for you and all you need to do is build upon it, tailoring it to your liking. If you need support setting it up, Skolaztika can answer any questions you may have in the comment section on the asset's itch.io page.
Ren'Py Credits Screen UI by Gaming Variety Potato
This free-to-use code by Gaming Variety Potato expands on Ren'Py's About screen. This credit screen can break up the team into their respective roles, such as writing, art, and more. Not only that, but you can display everyone's picture and social media links, like their Twitter or itch.io accounts. This is a great piece of code if you want to display more information about your team!
Thank you to our wonderful Byters for all of their support!
Without them, Tiny Bytes wouldn't exist. Please consider becoming a patron to help keep our newsletter alive and get exclusive benefits such as monthly postcards!
Check out what our patrons are working on this month in our February 2023 devlog!