Tiny Bytes XOXO for 2/8/23
This week on Tiny Bytes, we interviewed CatTrigger, a Chicago-based comic artist and game developer! They are the developer behind the hit horror visual novels Melissa💗 and Morris💗. They also made Bad Faith, which was first a comic that they later turned into a horror VN. In our interview with them, we asked them a bit about their game development career, their approach to making comics compared to VNs, what it was like to work on their different games, and of course, Melissa💗! You can read that interview here.
Belle Automata's creator is working on a new project!
Belle Automata: Chronicle I, created by owl., will be released to the public on March 3, 2023 for US $19.99. Aureve (whose name can be changed) is an android girl who rediscovers her purpose in life when she is resold to a new owner. Chronicle 1 will feature two routes, Victor, the polite butler who helps Aureve get adjusted to her new life, and the mysterious Nightmare Prince, who also happens to be Aureve's buyer.
Now that Belle Automata is launching soon, owl. has recently unveiled her latest work-in-progress: Afrodesia, a romance VN and dress-up game. Afrodesia is a work-in-progress for the upcoming Black VN Jam, whose submissions close on February 8th.
In Afrodesia, you play as the renamable Desia, a perfume designer who's been royally invited to create the princess' coronation fragrance. You can team up with three different potential love interests: your rival, your close friend, or a guy that grates on your nerves.
owl. has yet to release any images of the work aside from the logo, and fans are eagerly waiting for screenshots. We can expect the Afrodesia demo in February 2023.
Victorian romance Of Sense and Soul is coming to Steam
Of Sense and Soul is a queer Victorian-era romance centered around two polar opposites: Hugo Brooks, a man who finds solace in books rather than people, and Seamus Charkham, a man who never intends to settle down. Both are stubborn, but can they change their ways if something blossoms between them, or will their differences set them apart?
The extended demo is now available and has bug fixes, so if you were playing this or planned to play it, you can expect a smoother gameplay experience.
The creators of Of Sense and Soul just held a casting call that ended on January 31, 2023, so we can expect role announcements at some point in the future. It will be exciting to see who voices this Victorian duo!
You can play the Of Sense and Soul demo on Steam and itch.io.
La Isla Perla
Jihyo's trip to Mexico City comes to a roaring halt after her plane crashes in the ocean and she finds herself waking up to a golden tropical beach. Luckily, she makes it out of the crash alive, but now she's your average castaway with no way home. She eventually meets Perle, a lovely mermaid who might be able to show Jihyo a life more adventurous than her mundane city life. Get ready for a mermaid romance in La Isla Perla!
You can play La Isla Perla for free on itch.io.
Friendzone
You play as the renamable male MC who's been cast into the infamous dark corner known as the friend zone. Your best friend Mia was cheated on by another rotten boyfriend, and you know that you can do better, but you need to get out of the friend zone and into the boyfriend zone first. Would you confess your feelings to her or watch her get swept away by another bad boy?
You can play Friendzone for free on itch.io.
Neruvia
Disclaimer: Certain elements even in the demo might not be suitable for those under 13.
In Neruvia, you play as a spunky princess of a magical kingdom, but something dark looms above your once peaceful kingdom, and it's up to you to solve the mystery and restore the peace. Neruvia has romanceable characters such as your loyal knight, two mysterious individuals, and a witch.
You can play the Neruvia demo on itch.io.
The Dino of My Dreams
The Dino of My Dreams gives you the chance to date cute dinosaurs. There's Artie, a nonbinary dinosaur that's also a bookworm with a knack for writing romantic letters. Cerah is a female dinosaur that wears a fluffy pink apron and is prepared to brew you the best coffee (or tea) that you could ask for. And last but not least is Ravi, a male dinosaur that's also a famous rapper/influencer. Which dashing dino would you date first?
You can check out The Dino of My Dreams' demo on itch.io.
Self Made Man
Self Made Man is a dress-up game/VN hybrid about dating and gender nonconformity. Choose your name, pronouns, and outfit before you dive into celebrating your best friend's birthday. You both head to a dive bar for a night of fun, listening to a rock indie band play. You'll meet a few interesting characters, like the rock band members and the guy who sold you a birthday gift. Self Made Man is a slice-of-life romance with bits of comedy, which makes it a great game to play for Valentine's Day.
You can play Self Made Man on itch.io for free.
Ace Jam 2023 ran from December 31st, 2022 to January 31, 2023. Below are a few jam games that we think are worth highlighting.
Gris & Dwayne: Opening Up
Content Warnings: Discussion of vore, sex, and open relationships.
Gris & Dwayne: Opening Up is a story about Gris and Dwayne, a wolf and a human, and the steps they take to push their relationship forward. The game captures the relationship between an ace and non-ace character and their decision to move into an open relationship in order for everyone to feel satisfied. Gris & Dwayne is hypertext fiction, meaning the story progresses when the player clicks the highlighted words.
You can play Gris & Dwayne: Opening Up for free in-browser on itch.io.
All In
Content Warning: The game is tagged as NSFW as it contains adult themes and imagery.
Play as an asexual who's just been invited to a kinky night with a group of people. Meet and mingle with a ton of characters of varying genders and personalities, and enjoy the night by exploring a variety of kinky affairs. All In is about exploring intimacy and figuring out what you like and don't like. What's interesting about the characters is that they are each given names based on playing cards, like The Joker, The Ace, and the Queen of Hearts. Which card will you play tonight?
You can play All In for free on itch.io.
These are a few romance games that have been out for a while but you might not have played. Check them out below!
Repurpose
Content Warnings: Strong language, sexual themes, references to death, mentions of police violence, discussions of gender and sexual identity, mild horror elements, mild violence
Repurpose is an LGBT+ visual novel about finding your purpose after getting sent to Limbo. You can either float around in Limbo forever or enter trials for a chance to break into either Heaven or Hell. More importantly, it's the perfect time to make friends, or find a soulmate, in the afterlife. Drama, comedy, horror, romance, fantasy, Repurpose has it all, which is why it's received over 400 glowing reviews since its release in 2018. Where would you rather be: Heaven, Hell, or Limbo?
You can buy part 1 of Repurpose on itch.io for US $6.99.
Nowhere Girl
Content Warnings: There are descriptions of sexual acts and some foul language.    
Released in 2018, Nowhere Girl is a ghost-girl romance about the events following your meeting with a biker wizard that leaves you chained to a ghost named Psuedo. In order for you to both break free, you have to fall in love with Pseudo. That should be easy, considering how adorable Pseudo is, right? Nowhere Girl is a game for romantic comedy fans, but with a dark twist.
Nowhere Girl is on Steam, itch.io, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5, and Xbox One/Series X/S for US $6.99.
Valentine's Day is around the corner, so this week we're picking a character who would make for the perfect valentine!
Victor
Victor is a gentleman butler, so if you're into the butler types, it's pretty easy to fall for him right off the bat. Despite his formal persona, he's actually quite snarky, yet at the same time, there's something about him that gives you butterflies in your stomach. Victor is from Belle Automata, and he's the perfect valentine because he'll do all the cleaning and cooking for your Valentine's Day dinner.
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