Hello! I hope you're having a pleasant spring!

I’ve been making more progress on the script for Snow White Ashes as well as the build for the extended demo. The current playable demo comprises about over 1/3 of chapter one; I’m planning to release all of chapter one + a bit of chapter two in the full demo update.

The original tone of the very first outline for this game was quite dark; while I was reworking it for Winter VN Jam, I’d planned to shift it to something lighter.

While working on the script recently however, I realised that this story wants to be dark. It wanted to hurt these characters. It spit up my outline like a rabid wolf and ran off on its own into a deep black corner somewhere in the woods—

Well, you get the idea.

I’ll be adding a detailed content warning list once the demo is updated, but for now please know that the story will deal with themes of emotionally manipulative/abusive relationships, obsessive behaviour, (non-explicit) sexual content, body horror and questionable consent*

*All romantic and intimate encounters between the MC and hunter are consensual, but this is a story about skins and deceptive appearances; your hunter will never deceive you this way, but the opposite may not be true.

It will ultimately be possible to end up in a relationship that’s sort of healthy! It can also go in completely the opposite way depending on your choices, but this will be communicated in the game.

Perhaps you’re reading this going: “Well Eli, I expected this game to be dark and have unhealthy relationships!” Great! But I again wanted to be clear about the upcoming content, especially since it veered off in its own direction. And if this game doesn’t seem like your jam anymore, no worries there! Maybe I’ll see you again for a future one.

The tentative release date for the extended demo is in early June. Here’s a short preview of one of the scenes:

To end off with, here are some artwork previews:

WIP of a CG. Surely this is just a pleasant conversation and nothing else.

Side sprite WIP for the hunter.

That's all for now. If things go well, I'll see you again in a few months with a brand new demo build!

P.S. My newsletter subscribers get to see devlogs early, as well as extra WIPs and concept art! It's completely free to sign up for as well.