Before we start...

Hello everyone! I am laycka and I am currently working on this project alongside with kavanel and moody. 

This game was an idea originally sitting in my notes app for like months and months, until I got the courage to make it come true (thanks to my collab friends too!). Also, I am learning to code so, once the demo will be out, please be gentle and tell me what works and what doesn't! and I've never created an itchio page soooo....

The MC is a female due to a decision I made for some game parts.

Also, the game isn't released at the time, but I'll probably share some stuff about the game. Now, enjoy!

!!TWs!!

This game contains themes of psychological horror, obsessive behaviours, manipulation, suggestive content (for flirting scenes and for NSFW if I decide to make it), murder, violence, stalking, swear words, SA (only for the backstory of the MC),  depression, self-destructive behaviors, use of drugs.

Players and readers discretion is advised

Game content

• Immersive storylines
• CG’s
• Story-Driven
• Animations (I hope I’ll be able to do them myself)
• 3 LI 
• Namable MC
• 3/4 Languages: English, French, Italian and Korean (even if I am not sure, I'll try) 

The approach

This approach creates a deeply emotional and dark narrative where the protagonist's mental health is profoundly influenced by her relationships with three troubled young men. The story delves into themes of grief, depression, anxiety, and self-destructive behaviors, providing a compelling and intense exploration of the human psyche. Each relationship offers unique challenges and potential for both growth (improvement towards something good and healthy) and darkness, ensuring a rich and engaging narrative experience

The story

After a life marked by loss, silence, and unspoken wounds, the protagonist leaves everything behind in search of a new beginning. Highshade seems quiet, almost ordinary... a university town shaped by the sea, routine, familiar streets, and a small café that quickly becomes a refuge. But beneath its calm surface, something is wrong. As she pursues her dream of becoming a writer, MC crosses paths with three men, each carrying their own fractured past, each drawn to her for reasons that may not be love at all. What begins as connection slowly twists into obsession, control... In Highshade, affection can become a weapon, and trust may be the most dangerous choice of all. Your decisions will shape her fate: healing, ruin… or something far darker.

Remember: actions have consequences.

The Love Interests

Nikifor is everything people admire at first glance: charismatic, confident, and effortlessly magnetic. A sports student with a winning smile and a flawless image, he moves through the university like he belongs everywhere. He comes from a rich and well-known family. But perfection can be a performance. Behind his charm lies a compulsive need to watch, to follow, to never lose sight of the people he desires. To Nikifor, love is not gentle...it is possession disguised as devotion. Being seen by him feels intoxicating… 

Until you realize you can no longer tell when you are alone.

Cade does not attend the university. He appears in your life quietly, almost accidentally, calm and composed, offering stability when everything else feels uncertain. He listens, he understands, he never raises his voice. Cade knows exactly what to say and when to say nothing at all. But his affection is precise, calculated, and slowly isolating. With Cade, love becomes a psychological game where reality bends and self-doubt grows. The question is not whether he cares about you… 

but what he is willing to destroy in order to keep you.

Quiet, distant, and wrapped in shadows, Esteban is a music student who seems more comfortable with melodies than with people. He speaks little, watches closely, and carries a heaviness that never quite lifts. Music is the only thing that keeps his inner chaos at bay. With you, he is soft, attentive, almost tender. Protective in a way that feels comforting. But some darkness does not fade with love. And the closer you get to Esteban, the more you may wonder what he is truly capable of… and what he would do to keep you safe. He will never hurt you...

…At least, I think he would. But perhaps… I could be wrong.

Friends

Yasmine is gentle, soft-spoken, and quietly radiant. A music student with a kind heart and an artistic soul, she approaches the world with warmth and trust, believing in the good in others even when it puts her at risk. She listens without judgment and offers comfort without asking for anything in return. In a town filled with secrets and obsession, Yasmine represents safety, innocence, and emotional refuge. But kindness can be fragile and in a story where love turns dangerous...

 her purity may make her a target rather than a shield.

Bold, outspoken, and impossible to ignore, Michaela says what others are afraid to think. She laughs loudly, challenges authority, and refuses to stay silent when something feels wrong. Beneath her confidence lies a sharp intuition shaped by past pain. She notices cracks before they become disasters. Michaela is protective, confrontational, and deeply loyal, even when it puts her in danger. In Highshade, where silence can be deadly, she may be the only one brave enough to tell the truth… 

and that bravery could cost her everything.

MC

She arrives in Highshade searching for something she has never truly known: peace. A quiet, thoughtful young woman with a deep love for books and writing, she carries a past marked by absence, betrayal, and wounds that never fully healed. Kind to a fault and driven by hope, she believes people can change, even when that belief places her in danger. Though her life was never defined by lack, it was shaped by silence and loss. Now, as she pursues her dream of becoming a writer, she must navigate relationships that blur the line between care and control. Whether she finds healing, loses herself, or descends into darkness depends not only on the people she meets… 

but on the choices you make for her.

Credits

I'll give the credits to my artist, who's really good and you should check their page and works! They have a beautiful art-style that I personally love! So, the characters sprites, CGs, cover art (and many other things!) are all made by kavanel. I myself fell in love with my own characters thanks to these illustrations :')

For the music part, it is moody who's in charge of it. They are really talented and I personally am in love with a lot of soundtrack they made for the game! Even if the work is not finished. You should really check their work out on their page!

When will the demo will be out?

You know what? Honestly, I don't know. I really want to release the demo as soon as possible, but first I wanted to see if people could be interested in this game. I hope you will! I thought of releasing it on march/april (because I am late with the coding since i had a lot of things going on) so maybe it will be later than that date. I'll see what I can do!

Also, english isn't my first language but I am really good at it since I studied for a long time and improved. I worked a lot on seeming more native-speaker. I know i am not so, I ask if you could tell me if there are grammatical errors of something wrong! I'm a native french and italian speaker.

Thanks for taking the time and enjoy this little teaser! Byeee :3