An epistolary fairy-tale mystery
>>> Download it for free on itch.io <<<
Mirabelle and Célia have always loved inventing stories, and acting on stage too.
They used to entertain their friends by running story nights for them, in the woods near their village. Not anymore, though.
Three months have past since the incident which shattered their friendship,
and Mirabelle has begun a new life far away, in a bustling city by the sea.
One day, Mirabelle receives a letter from Martin, another friend of hers:
“This is none of my concern, surely, but I fear I must ask...
Has Célia written to you yet?
If I may hazard a guess —she has not at all, has she?
I do not believe that she has spent a very pleasant summer, but I would like to believe that very soon,
life will turn out all the better for her.
If you ever find the time, do not hesitate to write to her.”
Could this mark the beginning of a renewed friendship? Perhaps.
But not all secrets can be told truthfully, even to one's closest friend.
Sylvan Disappearance is a mystery visual novel with an epistolary component.
In the course of the story, you follow Mirabelle's life in a seaside city, and read the correspondence she receives from her friends Martin and Célia.
Besides the mystery, the story features:
- Psychological and folk horror
- Strange, persistent dreams
- Light yuri romance
- Mysterious woods
- A pseudo-historical setting
Among other influences, it was inspired by Emily Carroll's horror comics, the Dream Pop music genre,
tabletop role-playing, Picnic at Hanging Rock, Daphne du Maurier's Monte Verità and the seaside city from Kiki's Delivery Service.
The story is about 53 000 words long.
It should require between 4 and 5 hours of reading depending on your speed.
There are no choices, though you may read some of the letters that Mirabelle receives in the order you wish.
Writing, Programming & Design: myself
Character Art: Hyanide
Further Credits are available in the Credits menu inside the game!
This was initially supposed to be a summer solstice release, because the first scene of the story is set on the summer solstice.
However, I ended up uploading the finished build only at seven in the morning on the 22nd of June…
It was truly just sunrise when I I finally hit published the page.
So I'm cheating a bit and saying that Sylvan Disappearance has been released on the night between June 21 and June 22, ahaha.
A late midsummer mystery, if you will.
I hope the story is enjoyable enough!
I'd be really happy to hear your thoughts, for those of you who end up reading it!