We knew there were storm clouds lingering on the horizon. Signs that trouble might strike somewhere in the narrative of our game. Instead, they struck us directly. After weeks of planning the story, reviewing our timelines, and mapping out every detail, we came to a horrifying realisation - the kind every developer fears. The scope of our game was far larger than the time we had to make it. Every developer wants to create the most ambitious, incredible experience possible. Bu

Among all the crew members aboard the ship, Logan Donovaz stands out as one of the most fascinating and tragic figures. In Known Strangers, Logan is the eventual victim, but his story is far from straightforward. After spending seven long years imprisoned, Logan has finally been ordered to report back to Planet Onyx the headquarters of the sprawling crime syndicate he once called home. This journey is meant to mark his return, a chance to reclaim his throne within the organiz

Now that we’ve locked down the skeleton of the narrative, thanks to my co-designer, Gabe Whitson . I’ve started diving into one of my favorite parts of the process: building the prologue. Before writing a single line of dialogue, I needed to understand what the future holds for our characters and how to foreshadow those moments subtly for the player. Since this is the introductory level, it needs to plant the right seeds: tone, relationships, and tension, all in one space.

Artwork by Lucas Crain One of the most compelling elements of a visual novel is the ability it has to enable the player to revisit the narrative and experience varied conclusions with each successive play. This element of discovery where the choice impacts the experiences to come is what makes the genre so engrossing. Our team and I decided then to develop a branching narrative mechanism that would allow each playthrough to be unique and rewarding. We began by concentrating o

When we initially became enthusiastic about developing a visual novel, we knew one thing, and it had to be something that drew the player in with the story. Having seen the genius of Agatha Christie's mind at work in novel like Murder on the Orient Express , we decided to go with something we loved: the murder mystery. It seemed like selecting the genre would be the mere spark setting off the fuse. What ensued was an exciting adventure of challenges, creativity, and learning.