Tiny Bytes: XOXO for 1/25/2023

This week, we interviewed Fable Novel! They're the developer behind the mystery games Gidget & The Mysterious Thievery of Hoppity Town, Hummingbird’s Crown, and most recently Panacea: Rebirth! Learn about how the team was formed, their development process behind their different titles, what it was like to write acespec characters for Hummingbird's Crown, and so much more! You can read our interview with them here.

Emberfate: Tempest of Elements is launching on Steam tomorrow!

Wind Chimes Games are the developers of Reanimation Scheme, an otome game about a necromancer with the power to reanimate corpses in a benevolent effort to fulfill their dying wish. Her own wish is to have a break from helping others, and fortunately for her, that wish is granted when all of the spirits vanish. The mystery begins, and MC finds herself in trouble when powerful mages and the Imperial Necromancy Authorities are alerted. Reanimation Scheme was successfully funded on Kickstarter and was expected to release in 2021, but due to delays, the team is now aiming to release the game in 2023.

The developers also working on another project. Coming this January 26th, 2023, Emberfate: Tempest of Elements will be available on Steam. So why should you be excited? Emberfate is a visual novel with MMORPG simulation and chatroom mechanics. You play as a guild leader of a popular MMO, Emberfate, and your mission is to raid dungeons and lead your guild into boss battles. The MMORPG simulation is highly detailed and includes dragon battles, guild mail, and an overall immersive user experience. Emberfate has three love interests, and each of them has fully voiced video calls for the player to listen to.

Emberfate: Tempest of Elements is free on itch.io. You can wishlist the game on Steam.

Your Story just dropped on Steam and itch.io!

Developed by GameLoad, Your Story is about Lia, a half-elf who works at her family's inn, a place where she meets various travelers with stories of their own. Lia is learning what it means to live, and it's up to the player to shape the milestones of her life as she transitions into adulthood. A tale of fantasy and paths that lead to romance (or friendship), Your Story is a coming-of-age story with male and female love interests and point-and-click exploration.

The game has blended artwork with a semi-realistic look that makes the visuals pop. What's also notable is how many characters they feature in this story, including fully colored and shaded background characters to fill some of the scenes and even full illustrations of horses. Overall, there seems to be a generous amount of high-quality art in this game, so make sure you check it out!

You can play Your Story on Steam and itch.io.

Check out Love Shore's new demo update!

Content Warning (demo): Strong language, violence, partial nudity, and sexual content.

Perfect Garbage is developing Love Shore, a cyberpunk visual novel with the option to play as either a male or female protagonist. Both protagonists, Sam and Farah, have a story of their own as well as their own set of love interests, but Sam and Farah share one commonality: they are S.Humans, non-aging cyborgs created after a fertility crisis pushed humanity to find ways to populate the earth.

Love Shore is highly anticipated, as the developers have gained many followers and the game was successfully funded on Kickstarter for a whopping US $62,466. It is slated for a spring 2023 release on Steam and Xbox.

You can wishlist Love Shore on Steam now. The new demo is available on both Steam and itch.io.

Primrose Academy

An academy with students of royal upbringing, the titular Primrose Academy is where you, the nameable MC, are humbly accepted into the highly esteemed academy. As the heir to your kingdom, it's expected that you'd be welcomed into a school of prestige. Well, not exactly. The MC is a self-proclaimed loser, so it's surprising to her that's she's made the cut. How will she measure against her royal classmates? What might surprise our protagonist even more are the relationships she creates in Primrose Academy; will she meet rivals or something more than friends?

You can play Primrose Academy for free on itch.io.

All That Glitters Is Gold

In a land cursed with neverending winter, Syn braves the cold to travel to the mountain to reach the Gods' Altar. Traveling the path to the altar is no easy task, as unseen forces deceive you and change your course. It is up to the player to make the right choices and and choose which direction to proceed in order to reach the top. What Syn finds on the mountain is surprising, and it just might be the answer to her problems. All That Glitters Is Gold is a short and sweet romance game submitted to the Winter VN Jan 2022.

You can play the game now for free on itch.io.

As Long As It's Not Illegal

Content Warning: Suggested suicide, self-harm, partial nudity, drugs, crude humor, strong language & depictions of violence.

A quirky otome game with a rebellious side, As Long As It's Not Illegal centers around two rival schools and an MC who plans to throw a party on enemy territory. Roxanne (the nameable female protagonist) has a powerful influence over her fellow classmates, and she also likes to live life on the edge. Even though she knows it's illegal to throw a party in the Undercity, she's willing to take the risk.

As Long As It's Not Illegal is currently in development. You can currently buy Act I of the game on Steam and itch.io for US $7.99; a demo is also available.

Aeterna: Rubra Plena

In a world where demons and humans coexist, albeit with a muddied past, Norelia suffers from a depression that affects her ability to see faces and names clearly. Aeterna: Rubra Plena is a fantasy VN rich with lore and a generous amount of choices. The game features three male love interests, one female love interest, and one nonbinary love interest. The story is heavily animated, including special effects, blinking animations, and more!

You can check out the demo for Aeterna: Rubra Plena on itch.io.

Bewitching Sinners

In Bewitching Sinners, you start off in the modern day but find yourself abruptly summoned to a magical fantasy world thanks to an individual by the name of Quill Inkwell. The story follows a similar pacing to isekai adventures, except this story has interactive choices that allow you to pursue one of four love interests. The MC's goal, alongside forging romantic relationships, is finding a way back home. Unless one of the love interests tempts their heart...

You can play the demo for Bewitching Sinners on itch.io.

This week we are highlighting a handful of visual novels with dinosaurs. Check them out!

Dating with Dinosaurs (demo)

In Dating with Dinosaurs, your romance options are between Terry (he/him) the Tyrannosaurus Rex, and Percy (she/her) the Pteranodon. The game is filled with casual humor, Pokémon references, and arcade-style minigames. The demo gives players brief interactions with the two love interests, with most of the playtime focused on the games.

The current build is very short, so it's difficult to judge what the full experience will be like. The concept is wacky and appealing, so if you're interested in dating dinosaurs, then keep an eye out for this one!

You can play the Dating with Dinosaurs demo on itch.io.

Raptor Boyfriend: A High School Romance

Content Warning: Crude humor, drug references, sexual themes, strong language, alcohol use.

In Raptor Boyfriend, you can date a fairy, a sasquatch, or—like the title suggests—a velociraptor. The game revels in nostalgia for the late 90s and what high school sweethearts did to express their feelings, like sharing mixtapes, comics, phone calls, personal poems, and stargazing. Each character has obstacles of their own that you can discover if you decide to share your senior year with them.

With three love interests, 1997 nostalgia, and comic book-style art, Raptor Boyfriend is a great choice for cryptid lovers and dinosaur enthusiasts.

You can buy Raptor Boyfriend for US $13.99 on Steam, itch.io, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5, and Xbox One/Series X/S.

Furry Shakespeare: Dashing Dinosaurs & Sexy Centaurs: Ultimate Edition

Content Warning: Drug references, sexual humor, and strong language.

Furry Shakespeare: Dashing Dinosaurs & Sexy Centaurs follows a cast of actors at a local theater and dives into the drama that happens behind the curtain. Your role is to direct the play, Romeo & Juliet. But there's more: the world as we know it is at war, and the only hope of peace is by having a successful performance in an effort to woo the war families. Form a relationship with six different characters, including dragons, centaurs, dinosaurs, and other mythical creatures.

You can buy Furry Shakespeare: Dashing Dinosaurs & Sexy Centaurs on Steam and itch.io.

Aleksander Kovac Borchard

Aleksander is a polite gentleman from the undercity, and his quiet demeanor makes him a very mysterious man. His gentle presence brings those around him a feeling of comfort and security, and that's why he was chosen as this week's heartthrob. You can find Aleksander in the upcoming otome game Aeterna: Rubra Plena.

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