Tiny Bytes for 3/13/23
Last week, we interviewed some team members from Red Spring Studio, the developer of the upcoming gothic horror romance visual novel TOUCHSTARVED. If you haven't read our interview with them yet, you can check it out here!
This week, we interviewed Ingrid, one half of Forsythia Productions, who is currently developing Of Sense and Soul. In our interview with her, we talked about her love for history, what makes for a good GUI and background, Of Sense and Soul, and more! If you would like to read our interview with her, you can read it here.
Celebrate the best in interactive fiction with The Storyteller's Festival, a Steam event starting March 25th!
The Storyteller's Festival, a Steam event that showcases visual novels and other narrative games, will start March 25th and end on April 1st! There are many visual novels that will be a part of the festival, such as Imperial Grace, Sigh of the Abyss, and VIDEOVERSE. Much like other Steam events, there will be livestreams from the participating developers, sales, and even exclusive demos that you can play during the event period, such as VIDEOVERSE's demo. This festival is an excellent way to see what's up and coming in the genre, so be sure to check it out when it starts later this month!
DemiDato: Monster Dating Show releases March 14!
DemiDato: Monster Dating Show, a comedy romance visual novel that's inspired by dating shows, will be releasing March 14! The game features twelve lovely monsters who are just waiting to be swept off their feet. The game is developed by Sad Ghost Studios, who also created Were|House and When Aster Falls. So if you're in the mood for a good laugh, then be sure to follow Sad Ghost Studios on Twitter and itch so you can be the first to know when the game drops tomorrow.
There is a demo out for DemiDato: Monster Dating Game Show. If you haven't checked it out yet or need something to hold you over until the game's release tomorrow, you can download it for free on itch.io.
GOOD LUCK BABY!
Content Warning: Mild language, tobacco use, mild references to alcohol use, mild blood, fantasy violence
GOOD LUCK BABY! takes place in Japan in the year 2002. Hifumi Tanaka is a regular high school student who just has the worst luck. But after meeting a kindhearted delinquent named named Kasumi Itou, she believes that her streak of bad luck has finally been broken. Just as the two girls become close and their feelings for each other start to intensify, Hifumi's bad luck rears its ugly head once more as a magical baby with wings and a halo appears at Kasumi's doorstep! While trying to solve the mystery behind the baby, they set off a chain of events that would affect the fate of the world. With an evil empress watching them, will Hifumi, Kasumi, and this strange baby be able to save the world?
You can purchase GOOD LUCK BABY! for US $14.99 on Steam and itch.io.
Happy Duckday
Happy Duckday is a short, adorable game about a duck who gets stuck in the snow after trying to venture out beyond their pond. When he loses all hope that anyone would find him, an individual named Linnet rescues him and brings him to their home. The game then focuses on their day together and budding friendship.
You can download Happy Duckday for free on itch.io.
Lurking for Love (Demo, R18)
Content Warning: Mild screen flashing, stalking, gaslighting/manipulation
You're getting your life started in your new place in a suburban area in Texas. Everything is going well, minus the fact that your mail keeps getting sent to your neighbor instead of you. Thankfully, your wonderful neighbor who has been receiving your mail, Jacob, doesn't mind delivering it to you. It gives him a chance to talk to you, after all. Though...is your mail really being sent to the wrong house?
You can download the demo for Lurking for Love on itch.io.
Meg's Monster
What would happen if the world's fate was determined by a little girl? Meg's Monster is a RPG where you play as Roy, a ogre with an attitude who stumbles upon a little girl named Meg. He and his friend, Golan, quickly realize that when this little girl starts to cry, the sky turns blood-red and the world begins to shake uncontrollably. That's when they realize one thing: if this girl cries, their world will be destroyed. So Roy, as much as he doesn't want to, must protect this little girl and help her find her mother while making sure she doesn't shed a single tear.
You can purchase Meg's Monster on Nintendo Switch and Steam for US $14.99.
The Last Werewolf (Early Access)
Content Warning: Topics regarding mental health such as sensationalism, identity, addiction, self-harm, suicide, grief, and daily struggles. Death, the afterlife, implied mild violence and betrayal are also explored.
In this supernatural mystery, you take control of Lachie, a young werewolf who wants to find her pack. On your journey to find other werewolves, you'll explore three towns shrouded in mystery, all of them with their own case for you to solve. By getting to the bottom of the mysteries, Lachie will uncover more about herself and get closer to finding where she belongs. The game is currently in early access on Steam with the first chapter, "Undead Rodents," out now for people to play.
You can purchase The Last Werewolf on Steam for US $5.99.
Don't Die Alone
Content Warning: Mentions of bullying, light gore, death, and occasional swearing
Submitted for last year's Spooktober Visual Novel Jam, Don't Die Alone is a short game that asks the question, "What happens if those chain messages were true?" You play as Petra, who is staying in for Halloween to take care of an old woman. While chatting with her friend on an instant messenger, she receives a chain message, saying if she does not send it to enough people in time, a boy named Josh will come and kill her...
You can download Don't Die Alone for free on itch.io.
Who's Lila?
Content Warning: Violence, topics of death, physical and mental abuse (including parental)
In this point-and-click adventure game, you play as William, a man who struggles with expressing his emotions. Life has never been easy for him, and it's only going to get worse, as a girl named Tanya Kennedy has gone missing and everyone knows that William was the last one to see her.
What makes this game unique is that during the course of the game, instead of making choices, the player will instead be able to mess with William's face in order to get him to express a certain way. Depending on his expression, characters will react differently and the story will change. Will you help William express himself or keep what he's truly feeling hidden?
You can purchase Who's Lila on Steam or itch.io for US $11.99.
Yandere Game Jam 2023
Last time we covered some of the submissions to Yandere Game Jam 2023. With the jam officially over, let's see what else has been submitted!
Heartburn
Content Warning: There is a gun in the game and mentions of non-consensual drug use, homophobia, and stalking.
Go on a date with your favorite streamer to a cute café! Surely nothing bad will happen, right?
You can download Heartburn on itch.io for free.
Line 88
Content Warning: Flashing lights, dark atmosphere
While riding the bus, Nao bumps into his old classmate Siren. During their conversation, the lights go out, and when they turn back on, no one else but them and "it" are on the bus. The two must find a way out before "it" consumes them whole.
You can download Line 88 on itch.io.
Our Dollhouse (Demo)
Content Warning: Drugging, isolation, and kidnapping.
You wake up in a windowless room with no memory of how you got there. You soon realize you're not alone, as another person named Tadeo is stuck there with you. You two find out that you've been kidnapped. While you two initially look for a way out, Tadeo gives up, believing that you two should stay in that room together forever...
You can download the Our Dollhouse demo on itch.io.
The Things You Do For Love
Content Warning: Depictions of blood, drowning, drugging, obsessive behavior, physical violence, screen shaking, self-loathing, stalking, strong language.
Help a love-struck romantic navigate through their feelings while pursuing their crush and taking down anyone who stands in their way!
You can download The Things You Do For Love on itch.io.
Caption Tool for Ren'Py by npckc
As we have mentioned previously, accessibility in games is important. Accessibility options shouldn't be optional; they should be a standard in games. One helpful feature that can you add into your game is captions with npckc's Caption Tool. This tool will allow you to add captions to your images, sound effects, and music. This tool is a fantastic way to make your games more accessible to players.
itch.io user Kia has made numerous minigames that you can purchase and use for your own games. These minigames range from a ouija board and sliding puzzles all the way up to the card game crazy eights and Lingo (aka Wordle). If you would like to implement puzzles into your game but aren't sure how, Kia's assets are a wonderful resource that you can get.
Thank you to our wonderful Byters for all of their support!