Eleven-year-old Iggy wasn’t sure what he was expecting when he dragged his friends out to the middle of the woods to attempt a strange ritual from an old book he found in the dumpster at school, but his wildest imagination couldn’t have prepared him for the land of wonder and magic that awaited them at the bottom of that old willow tree.
Now, however, it’s twenty years later, and he and his friends are past the age of make-believe. The wonderland of their youth has become nothing more than a far-off dream—until one night, Bucks and her newborn daughter disappear without a trace. Soon, Iggy and his friends find themselves pulled back into that world of childish glee. Only their wishes and desires aren’t so innocent anymore, and the world has twisted itself into a land of horror and depravity that’s scarcely recognizable.
Our Wonderland is a horror-fantasy visual novel focusing on the struggles, issues, and deteriorating relationships between five childhood friends (amplified to horrific effect). It contains five different arcs, each with its own ending, and your choices affect the amount of peril the protagonists experience (hint: how many times Iggy violently dies), as well as the final ending (hint: who Iggy ends up with at the very end, because apparently in some messed-up way, this is also the world's worst dating sim).
Features:
- Four complete "paths," each with their own ending, along with the first two-thirds of the final path
- 16 to 21 hours of playtime (around 253k words)
- Storybook-style visuals
- 411 CGs
- Some super sweet semi-animated cutscenes
- 12 ways to violently die!
- A fun cinematic soundtrack and lots of dramatic sound effects
- Strong adult language
- Strong graphic violence (both illustrated and textual)
- Sexual violence/assault/unwanted sexual advances
- Disturbing and potentially triggering elements
- (for Arc 3) Topics involving suicide, self-harm, and self-poisoning
- (for Arc 4) Strong sexual themes, very uncomfortable sexual situations (extra strong)
- (for Arc 4) Intense and disturbing scenes with violent imagery (extra strong)
- (for Arc 4) Bullying and harassment, bigoted comments related to gender
- (for Arc 4) Drugging
- (for Arc 5) Intense action sequences with quick movements, shaking screen and sprites, flashing lights, and eye strain
- (for Arc 5) Arachnophobia
- (for Arc 5) Brief dialogue on eating disorder topics
- (for Arc 5) Scenes revolving around childbirth and gender roles
- (for Arc 5) Moments of extra strong language and sexual references
Screenshots:
How many endings are there?
There are technically five endings—one for each arc. But the structure is a bit different from other multi-ending games in that the first four arcs lead up to the final arc, which acts as the One True Ending™ (it'll make a bit more sense when you actually play it... I think...). You'll need to play through all the arcs to complete the game and story. You used to be able to choose the order of the arcs but I've since locked the order because it Had to Happen for story reasons.
Do my choices affect the romantic elements in the game?
Kind of. This isn't a dating-style game where you can choose which character to get close to—it's more of a preset narrative that explores various possibilities. However, without revealing too much, your choices do affect scenes in Arc 5 and the final epilogue (you'll be able to choose who Iggy ends with of the three LIs based on how much "affection" you've built with them throughout your choices during the game).
Is the game LGBTQIA+-friendly?
More than friendly I would say it basically encompasses every aspect of this game at this point LOL. The main char is ace and biromantic and relationships are explored between him and the other chars and all the other chars are also going through their own Shit and everyone's just a little bit Messed Up because they have no idea who they are but THEY'RE TRYING, OH GOD, ARE THEY TRYING.
How much gore is there?
There’s a fair amount, though my art style isn’t particularly realistic, so I can’t say for sure who will and won’t be able to handle it. I’ve included a couple of linked/hidden screenshots in the screenshot section that are indicative of the types of gore you’ll see, and you can check them if you’re unsure. If there are any specific types of gore you’re averse to, you can also reach out and ask me specifically if it’s included.
Are there jump scares in the game?
No, I’m not a fan of jump scares in general, and this isn’t really a jump scare type of game anyway.
What program did you use for the art?
I drew all of the character art and CGs in Aseprite. BGs were done in GIMP.
When will the game be finished/released?
I'm currently working on the finale and hope to release it in the first half of this year (2024).
Current Progress:
- Arc 1: Writing 100%, Coding 100%, Art 100%
- Arc 2: Writing 100%, Coding 100%, Art 100%
- Arc 3: Writing 100%, Coding 100%, Art 100%
- Arc 4: Writing 100%, Coding 100%, Art 100%
- Arc 5: Writing 90%, Coding 60%, Art 65%
- GUI, Menus, Title: 100%
I hope if this sounds interesting to you, you’ll come check it out!