A horrible family, a dying town, five days, and a pile of secrets. That’s what constitutes Runt, which is out today. It’s dark, it’s gloomy, and it’s a rural gothic visual novel mystery. The game mixes originally captured photographs with hand-painted art to create its rural gothic atmosphere.
The game follows Runt Strayer, a 19-year-old guy who’s the youngest of five brothers. They’re the last surviving sons of a dead cult leader who used to call himself the Mouth of God. Runt lives in what’s left of the small rural town of Skipclaw.
Skipclaw is a place that’s been cut off from the rest of the world after some mysterious apocalyptic event covered everything in permanent darkness. Humans aren’t at the top of the food chain anymore. Here, horrific supernatural creatures have taken over as the dominant predators.
So, to survive, the people have to stay in the light, cover their skin, and hide their faces behind masks. And then, on the fifth anniversary of Runt’s father’s death, somebody or something leaves a horrifying message written in blood across the pulpit of the family’s boarded-up church.
What’s the gameplay like?
There are hidden stats connected to your dialogue choices, and those influence how characters react to Runt and which clues you can uncover. Across the five days, you investigate each of Runt’s brothers and their secrets and deal with the politics of keeping Skipclaw alive. Then comes the final day, where you have to accuse someone.
The game has over a dozen different endings. On top of that, there are the micro-games, which include hidden object games, puzzles, and bespoke manual labour vignettes. Take a look at Runt below.
Developed by Grimtaste Studios and published by DreadXP, Runt is out on PC through Steam for $9.99. There’s also a 20% launch discount for the first two weeks.
Also, read our scoop on Mediterranean Ranch-Builder Little Sheep Valley Demo.
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