A downloadable game for Windows and macOS

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✒ SYNOPSIS

"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you."

-Maya Angelou

After years of being a ghost writer on the road, you get the opportunity to finally tell your own story. When your plans change unexpectedly, you end up moving into your family's recently bought home while they're away on vacation. Through chance encounters with people from your past, present, and a potential future interest, you explore the most pressing story you've ever told: your own.

This game was created in ten days for the Velox Fabula 2023 Jam.




✒ CONTENT WARNINGS 

SPOILERS

mention of past pet/animal death (not shown), eye strain, flashing images, mild gore, blood, violence, night terrors/sleep paralysis, descriptions of suffocation, loud/sudden noises, references to insects (maggots)



✦ CHARACTERS

Theo ❥ The Friend


"... at this new house, we're so close to each other… Maybe we can see each other… I've missed you."


Oscar ❥ THE FORMER COWORKER

"Damn, Scribbles, I offer one favor and you drop the name calling just like that? Had I known you were so easy to please…


Aster ❥ THE STRANGER

"I'm being honest, she did persuade me in part by the idea that I might get to meet you…I'm finding it to have been very worthy of my time."



✒ Features

  • Word Count: 27k words of narrative
  • Playtime Estimate: 30-45 minutes per route
  • Five Different Endings
  • Three Love Interests (masc/male pres)
  • 3 Unlockable CGS
  • Original Soundtrack
  • Re-nameable MC
  • Gender-neutral MC
  • Bonus Art from the Dev Team




✦ Known Bugs

  • None as of the current quality of play update. (Oct. 14 2023)



✦ Team


Download

Download NowName your own price

Click download now to get access to the following files:

TitanArum-1.1-mac.zip 157 MB
TitanArum-1.1-pc.zip 162 MB

Development log

Comments

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Viewing most recent comments 1 to 40 of 76 · Next page · Last page

holy shit this was so good!! and terrifying honestly 😭😭😭 it gave me the creeps in the best way possible... i changed my name to see what happened and the 4th wall breaks scared me so much--- IT REMEMBERED MY NAME HELP


also Aster... you're nightmare fuel but ily... AND THE INTRO SCREEN CHANGING ONCE YOU GIVE IN IS SUCH A COOL DETAIL.. OUGHHHH

Its crazy how, as soon as I seen Aster pop up on screen, I giggled and kicked my feet and said "Aster... it ain't even Halloween yet and you're already dressed up as my baby girl." Little did I know how true that would end up being~

At the start, I was completely unaware of the digital sounds of the voices the characters made. It threw me off, but I quickly went back into learning the story. It's a great game! The backgrounds are pretty, and that goes for the art style with the characters as well! Along with the visual options I thought that was pretty neat as well!

(+2)(-2)

Looool, this unnerved me so much I actually quit the game! When I'm feeling... stable enough, I'll actually get round to finishing it. I just wanted to comment and say, I've played a few thriller vns and games in my time. Weirdly, none of them even came close to the levels of uneasiness this made me feel, and I mean that in a positive way. The art, the cheery music, and the funny sort of digital voice acting (???) would normally take the edge off, but it didn't. Like the mc says, I felt my internal systems firing off and screaming "Danger!"

(+2)

i started this game a while ago and didnt finish it, but now that i have, i would reccomend this game to ANYONE!! well-written, well drawn, engaging story, routes, and characters-- i loved it!

(+5)

Took me awhile to get to playing this, but this was well worth the read.

I did enjoy the descriptions of the horrors that MC goes through as the story progresses. I couldn't help but think back on MyHouse.wad (I swear, I'll finish House Of Leaves one day) with their descent into madness.

My critique of the game exists only in its use of audio and the lack of visuals for some of the more terrifying parts of the game. There are some moments where I feel the cheery music really undercuts the terror, and I'm often left wishing we could witness the horror for ourselves.

However, being a jam game - I can understand how the time constraint could affect these aspects. I can only hope that either this game or the team's future horror entries will improve over time.

Definitely give this game a shot. The text and available scenes still convey the intensity of the horror, and it definitely helps that there are such cute men you can attempt to romance.

The game was so unexpected holy sh and AAASASAAAAAAA I LOVE THEO GODAMN IT AAA

I absolutely adored this game, I am very curious if there will be any more released revolving around them? (totally not needing more Aster xD)

(+2)

OMGosh!! I wanted to wait till I finished playing entirely to comment but i am HOOKED on this story now! I'll try not to spoil anything but this was an amazing experience!! I was desperately searching for more answers after playing but love it none the less!! I hope you enjoy watching my playthroughs if you chose to. ALSO I want to ask before I do it, would it be OK with you if I also made a video reading the 1000 download celebration short stories as well? This is such a phenomenal story and ALL the characters are so likable, I would totally read an entire novel about this story!!
(+5)

Having 'the king in yellow' suddenly appear amongst the books was really unexpected, and now I'm worried for my poor MC

(+3)

I never realized how frightening it can be to be engrossed in a game and reading in silence, only to be startled by sudden loud noises. this game truly made me feel uneasy even after i finished it ;') lovely game, i definitely recommend it!

(+1)

Okay, now I'm extra glad I play with the sound off

(+1)

uhmmmmmmm no I wasn't expecting that, why is everyone so hot, Theo is my fav route very close second to him is Aster, so the cat was FAKE?!?!

Very cool VERY amazing fell in love with the art



(SPOILERS!!!!!!!!)



THE CHANGE IN THE MAIN MENU IS WOAAA

(2 edits) (+4)

THAT WAS SO GOOD!! I just played the game a few hours ago, it was so fun, so interesting and mysterious and still even after playing all routes, leaves open questions (which was intended on your part and leaves us hooked even more). Even with being a scaredy cat I'm glad I played it! After I was finished I'm still left with interest and questions and then immediately started googling about the title of the game, the flowers and the yellow king to maybe understand the story even more. And now after knowing about your inspirations with this work of Chambers, I'm even more appreciative of this game and your work and the story! 

Edit:// And you completed it in 10 days?!!? Wow!Oh okay yeah, oh okay!"//

- Spoilers ahead -

The way you incorporated the fictional book itself in the story with our MC picking it up, then the elements, motifs of the work of Chambers within the actual story we played. So cool! Like with MC reading the book within our story, so the story within the story that was also a theme of Chambers work. Then like the characters in the work of repairer of reputations, the first Act was described as boring by them, but the second act was the reason Hildred caught interest. Or the whole unmasking thing even though that was a bit confusing :D. I'm also assuming that Aster is the stranger or at least the iteration of the stranger where they are the same or the stand in as the yellow king! Then also the name itself explains the flower we see on the home screen. The titan arum also pretty interesting being the corpse flower because it smells like rotten flesh, and the spider lillies being in the text bar. So amazing! I've known about spider lillie's meanings and symbolism but the rest has been new info for me! Learned so much today :D thank you for that as well! Speaking of the gui! I love love LOVE, when it changes after routes have been played, or a secret route has been unlocked. The way everything changed after unlocking Aster is so cool: from the main menu, to the choices options, the text bar and even the save/load window!

Yeah but I'm still so curious now, bc the different routes feel like playing different realities ig? Like in Theo's route Bartie has been dead for years, whilst in Oscar's route the cat was seen, touched and saved by him. Even hears the yellow kings voice? I also thought that maybe Aster was the cat, but at the very least there's some special connection to it. As it is kinda central and even part of the Aster we see in the main menu!So yeah the cat is still a big mystery to me. Why was it upstairs the whole time, why did MC not go upstairs and check after it. Where is the family? Like in one reality (?) it's as if they are dead/have been even killed by the protagonist? In the other they are on vacation? Then the book, in Oscars route they hate it, in Theos they love it. In Oscars route she was basically a sobbing mess when he came, whilst with Theo the horror started days later.

The question still stands not only for the MC but for us players too: what is real and what is fake? It's cool how you incorporated this one theme of The Yellow King as well: the reader of the book within the story going insane after reading the book. I suppose that's what had happened to MC? But yeah it's still like even after being saved from the house, the MC still connects to the entity. Or you have them thinking about how it is real. Or Aster talking about that this can't be what MC truly wants. It makes one think, are the endings that happen with Theo or Oscar real? Or was that orchestrated? Is our MC lying? Why do we still get the glitching with some of the ending sentences?: "Wasn't it night?"; "Is it real?" (omg now i have to think of peeta noo my baby ToT) in Theo's route. Or "His mouth crashes against yours" and Asters words at the end in Oscars route. Bc before their conscience was probably overwriting things, like with the towel being pink bc of the washing machine etc. but why would it overwrite or our MC lie to themselves in those situations at the end... //But yeah that also ties in the whole unreliable narrator trope that also was in the yellow king, is a popular trope and which I just saw was the theme of the jam you made this game for!!//

After writing this as if had an assignment due xD, all that's left to say: Thanks for your work! And yes the dudes were incredibly attractive and yes I'm now going to the short stories you have published for the three, as well as reading what other players have theorized about in this comment section *_*!

(+2)

Are  the other updates still happening ?

DIOSMIO!!!! AMO ESTOOO!!!

Nescesito saber si el final de la mascara es canonicamente bueno. Nescesito saber si salgo con vida!

(+2)

I have?? So many questions??? I mean, this game is very good and polished, a lot of things were answered (which I do appreciate) but also?? Was any of it real at all?? How much control does Aster have? What does this timeline look like? Also, I thought the name feature where a specific hot eldritch monster remembered the first name you pick was so cool. I usually do different names for each route I plan to do, and say they're different characters, but then it was just like "nope you're still cecelia (total chance it also tared with c, i was very pleased), good luck" super super cool game, no jump scares for the less horror inclined among us. While the music was good and the way you did the voices was super interesting, turning the sound off and listening to Smash Mouth was a good way to pull through if you're no good with scares.

(+1)

uuh!! what a nice feature! I haven't changed my name, but what a cool feature, honestly as expected from how they maneuvered the whole gui aesthetic after unlocking asters route and how the beginning was also a bit different :)

(+3)

Spoilers!








this is actually really creepy but in an amazingly suspenseful way. felt like i couldnt put it down when i started. glad we got to rizz up the monster at the end LMAO

(+1)

Spoilers?












So you killed all (even the cat) and theo knows that the family died in the house? Also the celebration stotys suggest that aster dont eat you but hehe eaaats you

TO THINK THIS MASTERPIECE OF A GAME WAS MADE IN 10 DAYS? I LOVED IT SM <3 SO MUCH WORK WAS PUT INTO AND YOU CAN TELL. <333

(+5)(-1)

🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤

(1 edit) (+7)

as i said in my the discord channel, this house may be haunted af and i may be experiencing horrifying visions that send me into manic writing episodes that last for days on end, but more importantly. aster are u free tonight???

with enough confidence and panache i believe we can one day smooch the horrors

(+5)

The voices are winning, but they sound pretty hot if you ask me

(+3)

Guys, halp. T.T

*spoilers* (ish)



Please give me courage.  I am a wimp, but pressed forward anyways due to curiosity, and when I saw that Aster's route had unlocked I got SO scared.  I can't click the button.  I'm terrified of what kinds of things I'll see and hear when I do.

(1 edit) (+2)

I just finished all routes a few minutes ago, but I won't spoil anything. 

I am also a giant coward with horror, so have heart. If you've gotten through the first two, you can get through the last one just as well. It's genuinely worth it and will be an entertaining ending for the game as a whole. You can do it! 

Also, check out the three '1000 Download Celebration' posts in the Dev Logs for each of the routes. They have short story epilogues for each route (with extra art) that's super worth reading.

(+1)

Thank you T.T <3

I'll give it a try again- just maybe not before bed xD

(+3)

HI!! First of all the game has me on a choke hold that I physically can't explain 

It's Soo good the art style the plot the music truly a masterpiece , it gives me a feeling of nostalgia that I can't understand!and the ending oh my god they left me yearning for more like the more I play the more questions I need to answer 😭 😭

Like what is aster ? 

And why he needs the player to write that bad ?

And his name is quite the opposite of it's meaning?!!

and what kind of deal did the player do in order to meet him ? And the cat and the player family? And ton more of questions? 

It's truly a masterpiece 

And the fact that the game appeared on my recommendation after my parents left the country for a a vacation, leaving me alone at our new apartment is really making me hooked on the game more 😔  

I might find more answers to my question, when I choose every options tho 

But it's a really good game would recommend it to anyone 10/10

Hi! I'm really, really enjoying the game so far but I'm having some trouble with one of the options in the first half of the game. It's the choice between the three LI's for who to potentially stay the night after Aster gets Bartholomeow out of the wall. For some reason, regardless of the choices I make, Aster's option says [LOCKED] and doesn't allow me to choose it. Any recommendations would be so super appreciated <3

(+4)

Hi gamer! 

In order to unlock Aster's route, you need to play through the other LIs first, Oscar and Theo. After you've completed their route(s), Aster's route will unlock. 

Hope you enjoy!

Oooooh okay! Makes sense, thank you :)

(+2)

Really cool game! I was fascinated with the horror elements and I felt immersed in the game, I was questioning everything just like the MC and honestly it kept me suspenseful the whole time. I really liked all of the characters, oh and the option screen change to black and crimson. I played all of the endings and found them cool :) 10/10.

Thank you sm!! We're really proud of it! So glad you enjoyed <3

(+3)

THE ARTSTYLE THO?? IT'S SOOOOOO PRETTY

!!!!!

(+4)

THANK U GAMER OUR ARTISTS WENT SO HARD

(+4)

LOVE THIS GAME CANT BEELEKEIEVE IT WAS MADE IN 10 DAYS WOOHO

(+1)

THANK U WE CAN'T EITHER WOOO

(+3)

this game was such an actual blast to play!! i am a longtime connoisseur of both visual novels and horror of the eldritch variety, and this was just the perfect combination of both. i'll try and keep this as spoiler-free as possible in case someone who hasn't played this lovely game reads this comment, but i was devouring every little bit of foreshadowing given to us and the twist still punched me in the gut when it was revealed. if there happens to be more that gets released for this game i will be here eagerly ready to consume it, but this is gorgeous and beautiful as it is now and i know i will be replaying it <3

thank u so much for the high praise gamer!! we're so glad you enjoyed! <3

(+1)

LOOOOOVE <3

TY <3

(9 edits) (-1)

woah


(spoilers below)












I DID ALL THE ROUTES AND I TRIED PUTTING A DIFF NAME AND HE (ASTER) REMEMBERED MY OLD ONE?? THATS SO COOL ALSO I CANT FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THE OTHER 2 ENDINGS GRRR BUT THIS IS STILL SO COOL RAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH (aster is my fav :3)


(edit)

wait i js realized- r the other 2 endings when you refuse to kiss aster? or are they other ones. cuz if theyre other ones i havnt figured out how to find them yet lol


(edit2)

HOLY SHIT THE IMAGEs IN THE FILES? I WAS JS SNOOPING AROUND AND I GOT HALFWAY JUMPSCARED


(edit3)

haha i js found the im js ken lyrics :3


(edit4)

so i was looking thru the files and it had me thinking. i kept seeing "+1 paranoia" "+2 paranoia" for options and i was wondering, would having a certain amount of paranoia change things? either now or in future updates (if there are any)? idk if it actually changes anything cuz idk anything abt files and coding and whatnot

(+5)

hi gamer! so glad u enjoyed our game!! 

yes the other 2 endings are contained w/in Aster's routes, they don't have CGs.

u can thank our coding extraordinaire tief for the the easter eggs in the code >:D


the paranoia is for an unreleased feature we hope to utilize later >>

THANKS FOR UR QUESTIONS <3

(+4)

hell yea, actual horror in my eldritch horror romance vn

ily aster

(+2)

he loves u too, v much

10000000/10. BEST GAME OF ALL

Thanks so much gamer!!

(+2)

in LOVE with the themes of horror and deception in this! would defo replay with again!! 

10/10

thank u!!!

(+2)

I NEVER FELT HAPPIER FOR BEING THE NERD THAT I AM, ISTG- THIS GAME IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, WHEN I SAID THAT I GOT MORE AND MORE EXCITED EVERY TIME I UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS HAPPENING I   M E A N   I T . FULLY. ONCE I FINISHED ALL THE ROUTES THE AMOUNT OF EASTEREGGS, TO SAY IT SOMEHOW, THAT I FOUND SHDFASJDGFYR- I LOVE THIS SMSMSMSMSM I RECOMMEND IT 100%!!!

I'm SO glad u enjoyed!!! Thank u!

(+1)

I'll be honest, I'm DEFINITELY wanting for details.. I have a few theories but not much to back them up. So im left a liiiiitle confused, but that didnt make this any less fun!!!! oh i had a GREAT time, and i love the title screen change

Thanks gamer, glad u enjoy!

(+2)

This game is absolutely amazing in every way. The storytelling is sooo well done. I have played my fair share of dating sims, and this game's subtle yet lingering horror is fantastic. My second favorite part was feeling the pieces fall together as I went through Aster's route. My favorite would definitely have to be that the title screen changes after you've finished. It left me with a sense of satisfaction I have never gotten from another game. It is an incredible story, horror but still romance, and one of my favorite games I've ever played.

I'm so glad u enjoyed it gamer!! Tysm!

(+1)

For those easily frightened but wanna play, the game is infinitely less scary if you have Weird Al blasting through headphones while playing. I accidentally had Polka Face on loop for the latter half of the game.

(+2)

Finished the final route which was a lot of me going "Yeah I could live with this."

same, honestly. thanks gamer!

STELLAR reccommendation!

(+3)

THE CGS OF ASTER IS SO CUTE

i love emo men 

(+1)

so do we! <3 ty gamer!

(+1)

made me feel unreal

that's what we were goin for, love that for us

(+4)

kisses aster

(+1)

he def kisses u back

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