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Tiny Bytes XOXO for 3/15/23

Here is the Tiny Bytes XOXO for 3/15/23, where we discuss romance visual novels and adjacent games! Read about news, game releases, game jams, and more!
Tiny Bytes XOXO for 3/15/23
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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.

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The Zeta Wolf Chronicles Kickstarter is live!

Rayen is just your average high school student, and his primary goal in life is to get a girlfriend before he graduates. Set in the fantasy world of Lunian, where she-wolves are commonplace, Zeta Wolf Chronicles is a dating sim that explores real-life struggles and anxiety when it comes to relationships. Lunian is ruled by a she-wolf known as Arctia, a love guru that's set on teaching Rayen how to find love. The game features over fifteen characters with a magnificently polished art style.

For the game to get funded, the developers are asking for just US $6,250 by March 31st. You can check out the Kickstarter campaign for Zeta Wolf Chronicles here.

The Imperial Grace Kickstarter has a launch date!

Last year, Synstoria developed a free otome game called Ballads at Midnight, a romance story that follows the relationship between a bard and a vampire. The game was made during the Otome Jam and released on itch.io, and later published to Steam, where it received hundreds of positive reviews.

Now, the developer is focused on funding their main project, Imperial Grace, a romance visual novel set in medieval times. The Kickstarter will launch on April 4th, 2023. In Imperial Grace, you play as the Empress of Calidya and navigate a world filled with political strife as you try to rule the empire with grace, and even find a lover in the process. The demo for Imperial Grace is currently available on Steam and shows that the game is very similar in theme to stories like Game of Thrones and allows players to decide how they will rule their kingdom. Other notable features of this game include resource management and protagonist customization.

You can follow the Kickstarter pre-launch page for Imperial Grace here.

It's your last chance to support Everdate: The Let's Play Dating Game on Kickstarter!

We covered the Everdate dating sim Kickstarter campaign in one of our previous newsletters, so many of you may already be informed about this Let's Play spin-off. It was exciting news when Everdate was funded almost immediately upon launch, and not only that, the game has surpassed US $200k in funding—an incredible feat for an individual creator. Mongie is truly an inspiration, and the Let's Play series is certainly a sensation to fans. Tomorrow, on March 16th at noon PDT, the campaign will come to an end, so if you are keen on receiving your Everdate game copy and any other rewards, now is the time.

You can check out the Everdate Kickstarter campaign here.

Belle Automata: Chronicle I released to the public on March 7th!

In our earlier updates, we noted the sci-fi otome game Belle Automata, a story about an android girl on her quest to find happiness in her new beginning and perhaps even love. The game was successfully funded on Kickstarter last year, and the first chronicle of the game has been released to Kickstarter backers and now to the public.

Belle Automata: Chronicle I includes Victor and the Nightmare Prince as the two romanceable characters. Victor is the handsome and snarky butler, while the Nightmare Prince is the mysterious character and new owner of Aureve. This edition of the game contains approximately 7-10 hours of gameplay. Fans can expect four more romanceable characters in the full game (Chronicles II & III). More details regarding the release of the next chronicles have yet to be announced. The art style for Belle Automata is stunning, and the plot is unique, as it illustrates love among androids, the perfect narrative for sci-fi and romance lovers.

You can purchase Belle Automata on Steam for US $19.99.

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GOOD LUCK BABY!

Hifumi Tanaka has lived with a bad luck streak, but life turns around when she befriends an upbeat delinquent named Kasumi Itou, and the two develop feelings for each other. This yuri romance game comes with an unexpected but adorable twist when a baby with a halo miraculously enters into their lives. GOOD LUCK BABY! is a comedy that suits players looking for a GxG story with a family dynamic.

You can play GOOD LUCK BABY! for US $14.99 on Steam.

Bitter/Sweet Blythe

Play as Bunnie and pick your pronouns in this LGBTQIA-friendly yandere game. The artwork is painted with pastels and cute animals, but this sweet and cuddly romance also has a dark side. Blythe, the love interest, has two sides to their personality. One side is soft and squishy, and the other side is sinister and spicy. Your only wish is to be happy for your birthday. Do you think Blythe will be able to make your dream come true? What's special about Bitter/Sweet Blythe is that you can choose either a masculine or feminine voice for Blythe.

You can play Bitter/Sweet Blythe for free on itch.io.

The Things You Do For Love

With the Yandere Game Jam just recently ending, there are plenty of new yandere VNs that just been released. The Things You Do For Love is another submission, and this one has an attractive cast of characters that makes it shine. This game puts you in the shoes of a yandere character, allowing you to decide how you'll pursue relationships with those around you, whether they're your crush, your enemies, or a newfound friend.

You can play The Things You Do For Love for free on itch.io.

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This week's theme is quirky dating sims. These games are filled with romance and laughter, and are dating sims we think are worth playing when you just want to kick back and play something casual.

Love at First Squeak!

Love at First Squeak! is a dating sim where your goal is to find a date at the Rat Hole Nightclub. The game has a unique pixel art style and offers players a vast number of choices, making this dating sim highly engaging. If you're looking for a casual and comedic gaming session, then look no further, as Love at First Squeak! is bound to have you rolling with laughter. The quirky dialogue, rat references, and silly choices keep you engaged and on your toes, so make sure you add this game to your must-play list. On the surface, this game is a comedy, but beyond that, this dating sim is also horror.

You can play Love at First Squeak! for free on itch.io.

Boba Dating Simulator

In Boba Dating Simulator, you play a girl named Easter Holiday and can date your favorite drinks. There are only three flavors at your local boba shop, and the employees there are acting kind of suspicious—that's because they have a secret and this isn't your average boba shop. In Boba Dating Simulator, you can choose one of three flavors of boba! What are you waiting for?

You can play Boba Dating Simulator for free on itch.io.

Cheesedate 2

Cheesedate 2, the sequel to Cheesedate, is a comedy dating sim where you play as a cube of cheese that's just landed from outer space. You meet various characters, including a man from Boston and Morgana the cat. Beware, the game does have a lot of punctuation errors, but if you can look past that, the writing is pretty funny, especially when the protagonist claims to "violently eat beans." What would you do if you were a piece of cheese?

You can play Cheesedate 2 for free on itch.io.

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Asha Isabis

Asha is an intelligent woman who knows how to play the game of politics, and her wits and strength led to her role as ambassador in the Imperial Court. A fun fact about Asha is that she's a terrible cook, but something is endearing about that; she'd probably fall head over heels for a partner that can whip up a batch of cookies. On top of that, Asha is absolutely beautiful and knows how to dress to keep all eyes on her. You can find Asha in the upcoming game Imperial Grace.

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Thank you to our wonderful Byters for all of their support!