The Shadow Whisperer
Fantasy Romance Visual Novel with a dark twist
It would have been just another uneventful ball, if only you had not piqued the interest of the mysterious Lord Helderon.
Trigger warning
This VN does not feature any explicit textual or graphical depictions of violence. It does, however, contain and/or mention the following topics:
- blood
- illnesses and physical disability
- violence and murder
- death and dying
- loss and grief
- mental abuse, including a magical one
- classism
- poverty
Reader discretion is advised. Please play responsibly and take care of yourself!
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Features
- Custom character stats that influence success of your actions
- Fantasy setting with mind magic system
- Choices
- Two endings
- Minigame
- Point & Click elements
- Customizable name for your female protagonist
- Two unique art styles with parallax effect
Download
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Development log
- The Shadow Whisperer is on hold13 days ago
- New Android patch.Dec 01, 2024
- The Shadow Whisperer is now available on Android!Nov 25, 2024
- Let us shed some light on our game development process))))))Nov 12, 2024
- Happy Halloween, creatures of the night!Oct 30, 2024
- Now, art is optimized for the web browser!Oct 22, 2024
- The Shadow Whisperer Gameplay Trailer is out!Oct 22, 2024
- The Shadow Whisperer patch 1.1Oct 16, 2024
Comments
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Hey!!! This was very interesting!!! I played this game yesterday but couldnt get it out of my head since then.
I really like the way you guys portray the father daughter duo. Their relationship is complex, even though they clearly have different ideologies and personalities they love eachother, but even still they're kind of distant. I really admire stories that can portray those types of relationships, both because theyre relatable (having loved ones with different views yet still loving them and wanting them in your life) but also because they're very prone to interesting conflict (for example if the mc should turn her back on her father or her beliefs when everything comes to a head.)
Also the art. The art is phenomenal. Absolutely beautiful, I fucking adore the details and the shapes and the lineart??? The hair especially good god, and the clothes GODDD. And the colors???? You get the point, its wonderful. Also the parallax (how did you get renpy to do that??) AALSO THE NEW DRAWINGS EVERY SCENE!! You guys must be worked to the grave but it looks gorgeous. Ok last also I swear BUT ALSO THE ARTSTYLE SWITCH. The way the poor vs the guards or you or your father was drawn was so AUGGH ok I cant really put it into words but its like he wants to test if youre actually willing to see past the way high society has taught you to view them (ugly, sick, greedy etc). He presents you with people who you don't necessarily like, doesnt present them with redeeming qualities whatsoever. However what would you do if they were being attacked by someone you love and trust without reason? If you kill your father you prove that youre willing to see past your prejudice and see the situation for what it is, a pointless killing. Youre able to take action even if that means killing your dad!!!
Okay that was a very long comment and I will not be able to proofread it since the phone UI suckss. But I hope I got my feelings across!! Because they are strong!!!!!! I'm a little sad that the game is on hiatus because id probably kill someone to see it finished tbh but I hope you guys are taking the time that you need!!!!! Burnout is a bitch!!!!!!
Thann you for taking the time to read my comment!!!
Thank you so much for such a thoughtful and heartwarming review! Please do not kill anyone, hehe.)))
Why is there no choice to agree with your father?
All the choices are the same choice worded in different ways.
Which makes it no choice at all.
I dislike being pushed towards moralizing choices.
And I get the feeling you have no choice but to do what is morally right by modern standards in this game.
The story have the potential to be interesting, but I am not a nice person, and I have no desire to act like one. Especially not in a game.
I think this game WOULD have been good, if you could choose to be ruthless and cold as well. It's an interesting concept.
You're not even choosing to be good in the game, because there's no choice at all --as far as I can tell from the demo.
If you can't choose to be evil, you cannot choose to be good either. It wouldn't be a true choice.
And I do like to be able to truly choose.
(Although the demo IS very short, so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.)
Thank you for your feedback, Raven. There are two reasons why only one choice leads to the "true ending" and why the main character has "modern views."
First, let’s talk about the narrative reason. The main character is trapped in a vision created by someone who wants to see if her values and morals align with theirs. Therefore, if the main character agrees with her father from the beginning, there is no reason to test her in the vision. In that regard, the main character's views are defined from the beginning. Indeed, even in RPGs, players sometimes assume the role of a character with pre-defined traits and/or beliefs. For example, consider the Witcher series.
The second reason is a technical one. The game was created by three people during their free time, with no funding involved. Therefore, the story cannot branch excessively and must remain concise; otherwise, the demo would never have been completed. If we ever create a full version, the main character will have many more choices and will be able to change her views and morals as the story unfolds. I hope that clears up most of your questions and concerns.
Hrm... I see.
I do get why the branching would be limited at least.
But there are ways to make moral choices possible without it affecting the story too much.
If nothing else, allow for "false choices", which is merely a reaction without impact.
If there is not too many of them they give a good illusion of free will without impacting the gameplay.
But I understand this can be difficult if the whole premise of the game is centered around helping the poor.
You may want to add that to the description tho.
Some people like being nice, some dislike it.
It's always good to know what to expect.
But I have played many games, even made by a single person alone, that allows for moral choices that range from wicked to angelic.
Those type choices do not need to impact gameplay, because if the game needs you to help someone, as an example, you can choose:
1. Help them cuz it's the right thing to do
2. Help them because you need to uphold an appearance
3. Help them because you may need their help later / they look like someone who might pay you.
4. Consider leaving them to die, but concede it may be more beneficial to help them (for whatever reason that fits that scene.)
It lets people choose to not be a nice person, while their actions still remains the same.
Which makes people who want to play the hero feel better about themselves because they chose to act heroic, and the same for those who'd act the villain.
If you use that for your choices you can avoid branching the paths, while still giving the illusion of freedom.
(And I presume SOME choices are true choices that do make an impact. They must exist for this to be a game at all. But you can add false choices to improve the illusion of more freedom. Which improves how the game is received and seen.)
Yes, you are right. There is always a way to add different choices that have no impact on the story; however, we decided to avoid adding too many of them. As you mentioned before, our game is short, and having too many fake choices in a short game can annoy many players. I like that you brought up the idea of a variety of choices based on motivation, and that would have been explored in the full version.
Thank you for such an interesting discussion. It is always refreshing to hear different opinions on this topic. I will definitely keep the things you brought up in mind for future projects.
OMG I NEED MORE PLS
THIS IS SUCH AN INTERESTING CONCEPT!!!!
lovely but FAR too short even for a demo
oww isso foi muito bom, tipo, caramba!
Essa demo foi fantástica, o ambiente, a musica e caramba os desenhos são incríveis!!
estou ansiosa para atualizações desse magnifico jogo!!
serio, é lindo demais! ❤️
Obrigada!
ahh i've loved this demo so much, everything is so beautifully and thoughtfully made, amazing work, can't wait to see what you come up with next!
Thank you! )))
THIS WAS SO COOL?? i love psychological horror stuff, and the political themery?? mwah. genuinely fascinating, and fun to play >:0. will definitely play the full thing if y'all make it >:D
Thank you! We’re so glad you enjoyed it.
The story is very intriguing, and I can’t wait for the full version. At what stage is the development, and when do you expect the game to be ready for release?
Thank you for the kind words! Unfortunately, we cannot say when the full version will be released. We want to observe how the demo performs first and then decide on our next steps. So, please spread the word. Any support is greatly appreciated.)))
This is so so so so very interesting I really hope to see more of it
Our warmest thanks!)))
Beautiful art style and a story with so much potential. I think it brings up the issue of classism in such a clear but poetic way. The mini-game is also a neat mechanism. Can't wait to see more of it!
Thank you for such kind words! ‘Poetic’ is such a powerful and beautiful word! Our team is very flattered. And yes, from all the magic systems, mind magic (the Will) was chosen for this story for a reason. Not such subtle symbolism, I know, hehe.
Well, that got unexpectedly dark, lol! Interesting story so far, and I like the choice of 'power' you get. And the different art styles work perfectly for each part of the story. Thanks for this demo!
One thing that tripped me up: at one point, the instructions say 'click right mouse button to escape'. For me, it was the left mouse button (I'm right-handed and use a regular mouse). Right-clicking just took me to the Save screen.
Thank you for the feedback!!! It is much appreciated. Will fix instructions for the clicker game in the next update.)))