Download:
After rather too much time, the whole VN is finally finished! You can download it on Steam for mac/linux/windows here, for $7.99!~
The demo can be downloaded here~ The demo is 55k and comprises almost all of the game's common route!
I'll make it available on itch.io soon, too~
Story:
Peace is scarce in the country of Aslande, and it has been at war with the neighbouring country of Eressia for centuries. When one battle ends, another inevitably begins, either months or years later. To Rhea, however, war is a distant concept; something she has heard about, but never witnessed. Born in a small, secluded village, Rhea occupies her life with more mundane concerns: her job at the local hospital, her playful bickering with her friend Asa, and her prayers for a successful harvest come autumn.
However, when Rhea's childhood friend, Luca, returns home to the village after fighting in one of Aslande's many wars, Rhea is suddenly faced with a problem. Why is Luca suddenly so cold, so distant? What did he see out on the battlefield, and how did it change him?
At the same time, new worries plague Rhea, as one of the patients at the hospital is suffering from a rather perplexing illness - and a failure to cure him could have some unpleasant outcomes...
About:
This World Unknown is a fantasy-themed otome game where the player assumes the role of the first person narrator, Rhea, and can romance four available guys. Which route you end up on depends on the choices made during the common route.
The character routes themselves are rather long, and have a lot of plot twists and world building (and lots and lots of characters).
The screen resolution is 1280x720.
Main Characters:
Rhea:
Age: 17
A nurse at the local hospital. Rhea is a serious, hard-working young girl, but she gets flustered easily. She’s often too nice to her patients, and can get caught up talking to them instead of doing her job. She takes her faith very seriously, and prays at church almost every morning.
Asa:
Age: 16
One of Rhea’s childhood friends. He wants nothing more than to be a cool, suave lady-killer, but (to his embarrassment) he has never had a girlfriend before. Even more humiliating, the only girl interested in him is Luca’s nine year old sister. He has a lot of strange, seemingly irrational phobias – particularly spiders and toads – and loathes carrots.
Luca:
Age: 20
Another of Rhea’s childhood friends, he is looked up to as a big brother like figure, being the oldest of the three. He’s calm, thoughtful, and dependable in a crisis, and has a wealth of general knowledge. He joined the army one year ago, and returns a markedly different man. Just what did he do on the battlefield, and what did he see? Given he won’t say a word about what happened, it’s difficult to tell.
Garrett:
Age: 15
A young boy staying at the local hospital with a broken leg. He claims he broke his leg during a march with the army, returning from the battlefield to the capital to report upon the progress of the war. Garrett is a very energetic boy who hates lying down or keeping still, though his boundless enthusiasm only hinders his recovery. Despite being such a young soldier, he is unerring cheerful and optimistic, and dreams of someday becoming a real hero.
Valerian:
Age: 29
The doctor at the village hospital, Doctor Valerian is mistrusted by all as he was not born and bred in the village. He makes himself even more unpopular by being rude and abrasive, and his disdain for the church is markedly obvious. He appears haughty and aloof, but he has an unexpectedly childish side, and he enjoys arguing with people (but only if he can win the argument).
Side Characters:
Clair:
Age: 16
A nurse at the hospital, Clair is cheerful and outgoing, always telling stupid jokes and getting into petty arguments with Doctor Valerian. She loves meat more than anything – so much so she sometimes raids the kitchen cupboards during her sleep. She doesn’t leave the hospital very much as the other villagers are wary of her, suspecting her to be a demon because of the two horns that protrude from the top of her head.
Selene:
Age: 17
A seraph acting as the current head priestess of the church whilst her father, Sion, is ill. Selene is a shy girl who hates being in the spotlight, and finds it difficult dealing with the responsibilities that come with being a priestess. She’s very hard on herself, and often works herself into such anxious states she has panic attacks.
Meirin:
Age: ???
A seemingly young woman who owns the village bakery, the Sacred Heart. She moved to the village at the time Doctor Valerian did, and the two appear to be very close, though the exact nature of their relationship is unknown. Given her pointed ears, it is obvious she is not a human being, but most people are too intimidated by her to ask. Meirin loves teasing people and is almost never seen without a sardonic smile, so it’s difficult to tell what she’s really thinking.
Sion:
Age: 41
Selene’s father, the priest of the local church and the most respected man in the village. A strong public speaker, supremely confident, and unwavering in his beliefs. He was inflicted by a strange disease a few months ago, which aged him rapidly overnight, turning him into an enfeebled old man. Doctor Valerian is searching for a cure. It doesn't seem to be life-threatening, but...
There are several more characters (around 20 of them), but several of them only appear in certain character routes, and not in the common route. All these characters appear in the common route.
Screenshots:
Credits:
Writing, programming: Ebi-hime
Sprites: Adyrn
Music: Amachamusic & DLsite
SFX: Sounddogs, soundjay
Backgrounds: Various. There is a full list of every single BG used, and credited, in a .txt file with the game.