This was absolutely fantastic. I loved the character designs, cutscene art, sprite artwork and the story. It's obvious a lot of work went into this game and it definitely shows! The story kept me guessing until the end; I wasn't entirely sure what was going on. I really enjoyed this and hope to see more in the future.
Just one thing, I avoid reading comments on a game page until after I finish a game and I noticed one comment mentions Embry goes by they/them pronouns. I assumed Embry was a little girl based on the name/appearance so I called them "she/her" during my playthrough.
I don't think the game straight up says Embry prefers to be called by they/them. Perhaps, you could add it to the game description? Otherwise, everything else was awesome. Thanks for making such a good game.
I have considered adding Embry's pronouns to the game description, but I am still unsure. It almost feels "othering". I may ask my nonbinary friends how they feel about it before I make any changes to the description.
Although the game itself doesn't outright say it, other people within the games universe only call Embry by "Kid" or "Child". It's subtle, but it's there!
Thank you again so much for playing! As stated above I am excited to watch!
Ok, that makes a lot of sense; thanks for the reply. I just like to make sure I'm calling characters by correct pronouns! Also, I know I mentioned the art was good but, I just wanted to state that I really love your art style; it's charming.
Ok, I hope you'll see my comment. Same as others, ManlyBadassHero, you probably know the story by now, hope I am not boring you with it.
First of all, amazing art imo. Were you alone on the art? If so, congrats. Guess that makes you the father, hah? (Oh dang, then you'd be missing). Excellent work in general. I kinda resonate with ImpTwins' opinion, but on the other hand, I feel what Embry is going through to be truly -horrific-. So... Perhaps the genre is not wrong.
Anyway, onto my input: I seem to interpret this as a fight against mental illness, or sickness, or some form of addiction; and am not alone in this. It doesn't explain the parents' fate, but it explains the Dr and "Embry"'s dialogues to me. Maybe depression? But again, perhaps my perception of it is shaped by my own experience.
I kinda hope for you saying "omg this is totally what I had in mind!!!", but I also know some creators like to keep it shady and mysterious for obvious reasons. Not break the magic, you know? But I'm also genuinely curious about what you wanted this story to tell. I've also seen people mention wasted childhoods, being forced to assume the role of an adult too early, and I can't say it sounds too farfetched. It would explain the absence of the parents, but it doesn't explain the whole monster aspect to me. I'm a cat, and curiosity will kill me - wait, you're also a cat. Help a fellow feline.
Regardless, thank you for this piece of art. I wish you the best of luck with any other work, and I'll be sure to check out Cemetary Mary, whose art also looks awesome. I sadly cannot play it myself for I am an absolute wuss!
Godspeed.
Edit: I forgot to mention, I kinda regret there's only one ending per your admission. Maybe you're tricking us though? And then, there are two paths to the basement, if you catch my drift... If I had anything to complain about, it's I'm not sure whether our choices matter at all. While it's an awesome open ending I'm seeing, I do find multiple endings to be more satisfying!
Oh my, you had so much to say and I love it! I'll try to address as much as I can!
1. Yes, I am the artist! But I wouldn't be the father, I'd be the mother, haha!
2. I think your interpretation is great! But as you mentioned yourself, I don't wanna say too much and affect anyone else's interpretations. I don't think there's necessarily "wrong" ways to interpret the game--just different ones! And I love to read all of them!
3. (Kinda skipping around a bit) I too like my games with multiple endings! However, I thought it was important for this story in particular to have one, that's left open to interpretation. I know some people were confused by the ending or felt there should have been more, but I truly think it's the best way to end this game given the events of it and what they could stand for. One thing I've noticed though is that many seem to view it as a pessimistic ending--I'll just say I don't see it that way.
4. Thank you so much for your support! I hope to see you around with whatever other works I make, and I do hope you'll enjoy Cemetery Mary too!
Thank you again for your kind words and thoughts! <3
Saw this on Manlybadasshero's channel, was gonna just leave a comment on his video but felt compelled to track you down to give some direct feedback.
This game was really cool and you have a ton of potential but I think you're in the wrong genre. More than anything, the direction was too stern and sold Embry's trauma too well to be anything other than tragic. Their totally blank face when Dr. D "slips," the first genuine show of emotion afterwards, the 'overworld' sprite of them covering their face and that really bitter crying expression afterwards along with the big pause followed by something as absolutely defeated and resigned as 'Look at that, it's time for bed already'? Honestly a really powerful sequence but it's not scary it's just... Heartbreaking. Incredibly good work to have it be as moving as it is for how short a game it is.
A lot of little touches add up to it. Dr. D's dialogue was really charmingly cute even though their role in the story was transparent from the first second. Showing all the dirt building up in the house and people commenting on Embry's failing hygiene added some really quick but powerful and pretty believable setup to sell Embry's emotional state better. It probably helps that a lot of it called back to the actual effects of kids who grow up in poverty or otherwise have to take over adult roles before they're ready. Embry just having no hobbies whatsoever and losing all semblance of whoever they were beforehand is definitely a familiar picture to me. Same with the daily scramble for food and to just... Get to the next day.
I genuinely recommend genre-switching. I think with the environmental storytelling, charming writing and character art skills demonstrated here you could probably make a really really good tragic, emotional story in the vein of Undertale or Nier or something (obvs not in terms of gameplay style or presentation but just the general mood and tone of it). If you do, just gotta remember that the core of tragedy isn't just sadness for sadness' sake, but to use the tragedy to highlight the beautiful and hopeful things in between. Though I'd guess you already get that given how it ended.
Either way I really enjoyed it and I think you've got a ton of talent. c:
Hey, thanks for your feedback! I really appreciate it! I'll definitely take it into consideration, though tragedy for the sake of tragedy and showing a child experiencing tragedy isn't exactly what I was going for with this game. There is definitely a different message I expected and intended to be taken from the events. However, despite what my intentions are, it's important to take note of how my content is viewed through the eyes of the audience. Thank you for your thoughts! I'll keep them in mind when working on other projects and use them to grow!
Oh I definitely didn't mean to say 'tragedy for the sake of tragedy' is how 'It's Not Me, It's My Basement' came off, it's just something I tend to note a lot on the topic given it's a really frequent misunderstanding of the appeal of tragic works (imo anyway). Will be keeping an eye out for other stuff from you. c:
Hi! I made an account on itch.io so I could message you. <3 I personally haven't played your game (yet), but I wish I did that first before watching other people play it! The art, story, and characters in the game are all very interesting---clearly a lot of imagination went into this!
I, um, made a fanart piece of Dr. D. Light... I hope you like it <3 He's really fun to draw X)
Amazing story i have yet to finish yet the art style is fantastic its superb i like dr'd light's art whole persona but sadly something unfortunate happen but i cant wait to play this again later or tommorow for the part 2 :D
Hello! I played your game on my channel. I really enjoyed it! Loved every second of it. Thanks for making such a cool game! Been wanting to feed my RPG Maker fix for a while.
It isn't bad at all! It's really great!! I don't have an amino account, but I love this so much and think your art is beautiful! Thank you so much! :D I love this with all my heart!<3
After watching a YouTuber play this game, I just had to download it and give it a play! The story is so symbolic and engaging as it leaves you hungry for more, and yet it makes you think. I am in love with Dr. D Light's sweet personality and Embry's beautifully told backstory. I did some fan art on my Insta I was so enamored with the story, and I hope more people will be able to play it and enjoy it!
Whoa, really?! That's awesome! :D I'll have to see for myself--thank you so much for downloading and playing, too! It overjoys me to hear that you enjoyed it! Thank you!! I hope I can continue to make even more fun games in the future!<3
Such a good horror game, I had so much fun playing it. Embry is a really interesting protagonist and Dr D Light really lives up to the name. Their designs are fantastic, I love how much personality your art style has. The story had me hooked from the get-go, I could tell something was up but I still didn't see the final twist coming, and the tension was built up so well that I was on edge for most of the playthrough. I particularly admire how sparingly the music was used; that constant use of silence really made the atmosphere flourish. There may have only been one ending but I still enjoyed replaying it to see the different choices (though part of me regrets going back to bed at the end... oh Dr D...)
This is one of my new favourite games, definitely going to check out your other work.
Oh my goodness gracious, this comment has just made my whole entire day! Comments like these mean the world to me and inspire me to work even harder on the other projects I want to make! Seriously, this is just the sweetest thing and I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for playing!<3 :D
Hey, thanks for letting me know! I haven't heard this from other Linux users yet. I myself am not using a Linux, but I will try to help to the best of my ability. Is it a specific version of Linux you're using that might cause this to happen?
# # Fatal error in , line 0 # Failed to create ICU number format, are ICU data files missing? # ==== C stack trace ===============================
1: ??
2: v8::internal::NumberFormat::InitializeNumberFormat(v8::internal::Isolate*, v8::internal::Handle<v8::internal::String>, v8::internal::Handle<v8::internal::JSObject>, v8::internal::Handle<v8::internal::JSObject>)
3: v8::internal::Runtime_CreateNumberFormat(int, v8::internal::Object**, v8::internal::Isolate*)
4: ??
I can play the game by installing a system nwjs (e.g.: nwjs-bin on Arch) and launching it in the game's folder like this:
I just finished playing the same and it's really amazing and super creepy for such a short game! And that ending too! As much as I wanted more I believe it ended off perfectly too (if that makes any sense)! I can't wait for any other projects that you plan to make <3
Thank you for such a unique experience! I'm really glad I came across this piece. P.S. Is this story of Emby related to her story from "Tricks N Treats"?
Kinda, but not really! They are the same character, but this story is an entirely different one! Like a different universe, you could say. Also, Embry goes by they/them pronouns. :) Thank you for enjoying! <3
A very unsettling gaming experience, which gives the player choices in how to deal with conflict, and has a very sympathetic protagonist. Poor Embry has a dark secret...
Okay so I really love Dr. D Light and I want to say more about him but it will probably results in spoiler so later about him (precious doctor) later.
And I love how you play with horror expectation here (if that's the word) like how you make people expect there's something there then there isn't or when people kinda doesn't expect something go. The aesthetic also looks nice~
The game is simple but yet... it really got the creepy feels! I feel so bad for the little girl though. The horror element really build up at the end. Awesome job!
← Return to game
Comments
Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.
Just one thing, I avoid reading comments on a game page until after I finish a game and I noticed one comment mentions Embry goes by they/them pronouns. I assumed Embry was a little girl based on the name/appearance so I called them "she/her" during my playthrough.
I don't think the game straight up says Embry prefers to be called by they/them. Perhaps, you could add it to the game description? Otherwise, everything else was awesome. Thanks for making such a good game.
Thank you so much! I'm excited to watch later! :D
I have considered adding Embry's pronouns to the game description, but I am still unsure. It almost feels "othering". I may ask my nonbinary friends how they feel about it before I make any changes to the description.
Although the game itself doesn't outright say it, other people within the games universe only call Embry by "Kid" or "Child". It's subtle, but it's there!
Thank you again so much for playing! As stated above I am excited to watch!
Ok, that makes a lot of sense; thanks for the reply. I just like to make sure I'm calling characters by correct pronouns! Also, I know I mentioned the art was good but, I just wanted to state that I really love your art style; it's charming.
Thank you so much!! It makes me really happy to hear :')
Ok, I hope you'll see my comment. Same as others, ManlyBadassHero, you probably know the story by now, hope I am not boring you with it.
First of all, amazing art imo. Were you alone on the art? If so, congrats. Guess that makes you the father, hah? (Oh dang, then you'd be missing). Excellent work in general.
I kinda resonate with ImpTwins' opinion, but on the other hand, I feel what Embry is going through to be truly -horrific-. So... Perhaps the genre is not wrong.
Anyway, onto my input: I seem to interpret this as a fight against mental illness, or sickness, or some form of addiction; and am not alone in this. It doesn't explain the parents' fate, but it explains the Dr and "Embry"'s dialogues to me. Maybe depression? But again, perhaps my perception of it is shaped by my own experience.
I kinda hope for you saying "omg this is totally what I had in mind!!!", but I also know some creators like to keep it shady and mysterious for obvious reasons. Not break the magic, you know? But I'm also genuinely curious about what you wanted this story to tell. I've also seen people mention wasted childhoods, being forced to assume the role of an adult too early, and I can't say it sounds too farfetched. It would explain the absence of the parents, but it doesn't explain the whole monster aspect to me. I'm a cat, and curiosity will kill me - wait, you're also a cat. Help a fellow feline.
Regardless, thank you for this piece of art. I wish you the best of luck with any other work, and I'll be sure to check out Cemetary Mary, whose art also looks awesome. I sadly cannot play it myself for I am an absolute wuss!
Godspeed.
Edit: I forgot to mention, I kinda regret there's only one ending per your admission. Maybe you're tricking us though? And then, there are two paths to the basement, if you catch my drift... If I had anything to complain about, it's I'm not sure whether our choices matter at all. While it's an awesome open ending I'm seeing, I do find multiple endings to be more satisfying!
Oh my, you had so much to say and I love it! I'll try to address as much as I can!
1. Yes, I am the artist! But I wouldn't be the father, I'd be the mother, haha!
2. I think your interpretation is great! But as you mentioned yourself, I don't wanna say too much and affect anyone else's interpretations. I don't think there's necessarily "wrong" ways to interpret the game--just different ones! And I love to read all of them!
3. (Kinda skipping around a bit) I too like my games with multiple endings! However, I thought it was important for this story in particular to have one, that's left open to interpretation. I know some people were confused by the ending or felt there should have been more, but I truly think it's the best way to end this game given the events of it and what they could stand for. One thing I've noticed though is that many seem to view it as a pessimistic ending--I'll just say I don't see it that way.
4. Thank you so much for your support! I hope to see you around with whatever other works I make, and I do hope you'll enjoy Cemetery Mary too!
Thank you again for your kind words and thoughts! <3
Saw this on Manlybadasshero's channel, was gonna just leave a comment on his video but felt compelled to track you down to give some direct feedback.
This game was really cool and you have a ton of potential but I think you're in the wrong genre. More than anything, the direction was too stern and sold Embry's trauma too well to be anything other than tragic. Their totally blank face when Dr. D "slips," the first genuine show of emotion afterwards, the 'overworld' sprite of them covering their face and that really bitter crying expression afterwards along with the big pause followed by something as absolutely defeated and resigned as 'Look at that, it's time for bed already'? Honestly a really powerful sequence but it's not scary it's just... Heartbreaking. Incredibly good work to have it be as moving as it is for how short a game it is.
A lot of little touches add up to it. Dr. D's dialogue was really charmingly cute even though their role in the story was transparent from the first second. Showing all the dirt building up in the house and people commenting on Embry's failing hygiene added some really quick but powerful and pretty believable setup to sell Embry's emotional state better. It probably helps that a lot of it called back to the actual effects of kids who grow up in poverty or otherwise have to take over adult roles before they're ready. Embry just having no hobbies whatsoever and losing all semblance of whoever they were beforehand is definitely a familiar picture to me. Same with the daily scramble for food and to just... Get to the next day.
I genuinely recommend genre-switching. I think with the environmental storytelling, charming writing and character art skills demonstrated here you could probably make a really really good tragic, emotional story in the vein of Undertale or Nier or something (obvs not in terms of gameplay style or presentation but just the general mood and tone of it). If you do, just gotta remember that the core of tragedy isn't just sadness for sadness' sake, but to use the tragedy to highlight the beautiful and hopeful things in between. Though I'd guess you already get that given how it ended.
Either way I really enjoyed it and I think you've got a ton of talent. c:
Hey, thanks for your feedback! I really appreciate it! I'll definitely take it into consideration, though tragedy for the sake of tragedy and showing a child experiencing tragedy isn't exactly what I was going for with this game. There is definitely a different message I expected and intended to be taken from the events. However, despite what my intentions are, it's important to take note of how my content is viewed through the eyes of the audience. Thank you for your thoughts! I'll keep them in mind when working on other projects and use them to grow!
Oh I definitely didn't mean to say 'tragedy for the sake of tragedy' is how 'It's Not Me, It's My Basement' came off, it's just something I tend to note a lot on the topic given it's a really frequent misunderstanding of the appeal of tragic works (imo anyway). Will be keeping an eye out for other stuff from you. c:
I, um, made a fanart piece of Dr. D. Light... I hope you like it <3 He's really fun to draw X)
Oh my GOODNESS! This is GORGEOUS!<3 You captured him so perfectly--I love it to bits! Thank you so much! This is amazing! :D
AAAAA THANK YOU <3<3<3<3<3 X//D And you are VERY welcome!!
Hello! I played your game on my channel. I really enjoyed it! Loved every second of it. Thanks for making such a cool game! Been wanting to feed my RPG Maker fix for a while.
I can't say how much i love this game. I've watched Manly playing it yesterday and did some kind of fanart i ithink?.. i drew Embry^^
Really? Did I see it? :D If I didn't, you should tell me where you posted it! I would love to see it! But thank you so very much either way!<3
Sorry it its bad, and also i didnt know where to post it, so i posted it on Amino, i hope you don't mind ._. :
http://aminoapps.com/p/hmmcn8
It isn't bad at all! It's really great!! I don't have an amino account, but I love this so much and think your art is beautiful! Thank you so much! :D I love this with all my heart!<3
Thank you ( T ω T )
Is it available for 32 bit ?
If it is not please make it :(
it is :)
thx !
After watching a YouTuber play this game, I just had to download it and give it a play! The story is so symbolic and engaging as it leaves you hungry for more, and yet it makes you think. I am in love with Dr. D Light's sweet personality and Embry's beautifully told backstory. I did some fan art on my Insta I was so enamored with the story, and I hope more people will be able to play it and enjoy it!
Whoa, really?! That's awesome! :D I'll have to see for myself--thank you so much for downloading and playing, too! It overjoys me to hear that you enjoyed it! Thank you!! I hope I can continue to make even more fun games in the future!<3
I've watched a playground (?) of its yesterday too^^ Man, i love this game
And i did a fanart too, lol)
THIS IS AMAZING!
Such a good horror game, I had so much fun playing it. Embry is a really interesting protagonist and Dr D Light really lives up to the name. Their designs are fantastic, I love how much personality your art style has. The story had me hooked from the get-go, I could tell something was up but I still didn't see the final twist coming, and the tension was built up so well that I was on edge for most of the playthrough. I particularly admire how sparingly the music was used; that constant use of silence really made the atmosphere flourish. There may have only been one ending but I still enjoyed replaying it to see the different choices (though part of me regrets going back to bed at the end... oh Dr D...)
This is one of my new favourite games, definitely going to check out your other work.
Oh my goodness gracious, this comment has just made my whole entire day! Comments like these mean the world to me and inspire me to work even harder on the other projects I want to make! Seriously, this is just the sweetest thing and I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for playing!<3 :D
It was kinda scary I thought. But! I like it a lot, especially D. Light. <3
Hey I need some help
I am using the linux version, and when I click "new game" the game just crashes
no errors or anything it just closes
Hey, thanks for letting me know! I haven't heard this from other Linux users yet. I myself am not using a Linux, but I will try to help to the best of my ability. Is it a specific version of Linux you're using that might cause this to happen?
I'm on debian
On Arch I get:
I can play the game by installing a system nwjs (e.g.: nwjs-bin on Arch) and launching it in the game's folder like this:has the game got any update yet? if not then watch this vid at 4:10 (walking bug) and 7:50 (running text bug) and see if you can fix it
I just finished playing the same and it's really amazing and super creepy for such a short game!
And that ending too! As much as I wanted more I believe it ended off perfectly too (if that makes any sense)!
I can't wait for any other projects that you plan to make <3
GOOD GOOD GAMES GAMES GAMES GOOD GOOD GOOD….
Thank you for such a unique experience! I'm really glad I came across this piece.
P.S. Is this story of Emby related to her story from "Tricks N Treats"?
Kinda, but not really! They are the same character, but this story is an entirely different one! Like a different universe, you could say. Also, Embry goes by they/them pronouns. :) Thank you for enjoying! <3
My fault, I hope they'll forgive me :)
A very unsettling gaming experience, which gives the player choices in how to deal with conflict, and has a very sympathetic protagonist. Poor Embry has a dark secret...
Okay so I really love Dr. D Light and I want to say more about him but it will probably results in spoiler so later about him (precious doctor) later.
And I love how you play with horror expectation here (if that's the word) like how you make people expect there's something there then there isn't or when people kinda doesn't expect something go. The aesthetic also looks nice~
There's my boy!! I was waiting for you to play--so excited to check it out and see how you enjoyed it!
Cheese Wheel Updated
The game is simple but yet... it really got the creepy feels! I feel so bad for the little girl though. The horror element really build up at the end. Awesome job!
Cute and creepy! A short & sweet horror tale with unique charm and great artwork.
Thank you so very very much!<3