nobreadstudio

[nobreadstudio]

Big news today, everyone! We are happy to announce that Blankspace is now available on consoles! A big thank you to Penguin Pop Games who made this possible!

I've been a huge Nintendo fan since my childhood days so having my own project available on a Nintendo console is so mind-blowing to me… This honestly feels surreal and a real dream come true!

Making Blankspace available on the console storefronts was also something our late co-developer, Xolf, really wanted, so we're very happy to have finally made that a reality.

[nobreadstudio]

The Elevator Game with Catgirls

What would happen if a paranormal game actually worked? That is the question that The Elevator Game with Catgirls, a horror visual novel by NoBreadStudio, presents us with. This tale focuses on Kirin, who accepts a dare from her classmate, Sapporo, to play Elevator to Another World, and what ensues as her girlfriend, Asahi, begins the search for her when she seemingly disappears without a trace. Much to Asahi’s dismay, her only hope of finding Kirin is to perform the ritual herself. Steeling her resolve, she returns to the building where her girlfriend disappeared and enters the elevator. The following events can only be described as a nightmare, but Asahi is steadfast in her mission to rescue the woman she loves.

In The Elevator Game with Catgirls, the player assists Asahi in her investigation, directing her actions through dialogue choices and point-and-click elements. As she scours the Otherworld for clues, the player will have to solve the occasional puzzle which reveals pertinent information needed to progress the game, or collect red and silver notes to shed light on what else may be occurring. On top of that, Asahi quickly learns that the alternate universe is unforgiving to those who wander its grounds. Danger lurks around every corner, and Asahi is bound to meet her doom in various bad endings. If the player uses their wits and thoroughly examines their surroundings, they can also uncover secret endings, Easter eggs, and other elusive details. Unearthing all of these carefully hidden mysteries can make completing the game feel much more rewarding.

Although the premise of this visual novel is already eerie, the unsettling atmosphere really emphasises that sentiment. From the very beginning, the game does a stellar job establishing a feeling of dread, evoking immersion as Asahi herself is gripped with an unshakeable fear. Stranded in an unfamiliar world, her unease is evident through her thoughts and actions, which only serves to heighten the tension the player feels when navigating the Otherworld. The elevator rides in particular expand upon this dread, with the apprehension building as you arrive at each new floor, unaware of what may be behind the next door. Since the scenery subtly shifts after each new discovery, it keeps the player vigilant for any impending frights. Taking these factors into account, the horror never really feels stale or predictable, and though some plot points may be easily foreseeable, every bit of polish that goes into this visual novel feels fresh and maintains interest until the end.

The well-rounded characters are just another aspect that complements the content of the game. Each character serves a unique purpose, and due to the Otherworld’s sinister nature, it casts doubt on whether they seek to help or harm Asahi. Such questionable motivations add intrigue to the experience and, as the game progresses, the true nature of the people she knows becomes less muddled.

Providing voice acting for these characters also significantly enhances the experience. The chosen voice actors are suitable for their roles, and lend their own unique charm to their characters. The delivery of the lines never sounds stilted or misdirected, rather genuine and realistic for the given situation. Having high quality spoken dialogue makes scenes more impactful, especially during the game’s emotional moments.

Another beautifully executed element is the art. The rough, sketch-like art style blends in nicely with the dismal backgrounds, forming a distinct flair. Even the 3D-modelled assets feel lovingly crafted, combining with the 2D character art to create an allure that is seldom found in mainstream visual novels. The one flaw we ever found within this game was that the falling snowflakes seemed to have minor visual stuttering whilst moving the mouse, but that hardly impedes the enjoyment.

Lastly, the music plays an instrumental role in highlighting the atmosphere—from scary encounters to poignant scenes, the composition from OddTillTheEnd is masterful, to say the least. The theme song of the game, Masks and Illusions, plays at just the right time as well, sweeping the player up in overwhelming emotion and punching them right in the feels. And that’s just what NoBreadStudio does best with their games—taking your breath away.

View the full review here. [blogspot.com]

[nobreadstudio]

Our horror visual novel The Elevator Game with Catgirls is now available on Steam and itch․io! We hope you enjoy this bizarre project! :) Remember that you can join us on our Discord server if you'd like to chat, explore the game with other players, or simply lurk around!  - Nayru, KleeBentz, and Xolf

[nobreadstudio]

We have a release date, everyone!

Mark your calendars! The Elevator Game with Catgirls is coming to itch․io and Steam on December 13th! We'll do our absolute best to release the game with its voice acting included. If for any reason we're unable to hit the deadline (voice actor struck down with a throat infection, for example), we'll release on the promised date anyway, and then patch the voices in as soon as we're able.

We're aware that the timescale is quite tight, but we're pretty confident now about the release date - we know what's left to do, we know we can do it, and we definitely want you to be able to enjoy our tale before Christmas. :)

[nobreadstudio]

Last 48 hours! + Finalized keychain design!

This is it, everyone! We're at the 48 hour mark! In 2 days The Elevator Game with Catgirls Kickstarter campaign will come to an end. If you're interested in any of the exclusive tiers, now's your last chance to pledge! ☆ ～('▽^人) Keep in mind that we won't be using Backerkit this time around, so if you'd like to support this project before release and get your name listed in the credits, now's your last chance to do it!

The voiceover stretch goal is still in sight! Anything can happen in the last hours of the campaign, so let's keep our fingers crossed! (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ

On a more personal note, as fate would have it, I'll be away from home for the last two days of the campaign - I need to drive on an urgent road trip and so won't be able to follow the last two days of the campaign closely. I'm leaving everything in your hands! Just don't set the mansion on fire while I'm gone, hmm? :D (I'll definitely be excited to see what I come back to!)

Finalized keychain design preview!

Marcianek finalized the keychain graphic! We think it turned out great and hope you guys like it, too! :) The keychains are still up for grabs at the 50 EUR tier!

Demo review by VN Game Den!

VN Game Den were kind enough to review our demo, go check it out!

Let's reach that finish line with a bang! ε=ε=ε=ε=┌( `▽´)┘

- Nayru

[nobreadstudio]

The Elevator Game with Catgirls is LIVE on Kickstarter!

If you're a fan of horror, catgirls, yuri, urban legends, or just atmospheric settings, be sure to check it out! :)

[nobreadstudio]

The Elevator Game with Catgirls is coming to Kickstarter on October 26th!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nobreadstudio/the-elevator-game-with-catgirls-horror-visual-novel

Be sure to click the "Notify me on launch" button so you don't miss it. :) We hope to see you there!

[nobreadstudio]

Spooky Horror Friday, everyone!

We'd like to share a teaser for our upcoming horror visual novel project, The Elevator Game with Catgirls.

There's an announcement at the end of it, so don't miss it. :)

[nobreadstudio]

I’m opening commissions! I deeply appreciate any support, since these will help me afford living expenses and keep a roof over my head. ; u ;

Contact info & TOS: https://marcianek.weebly.com/

Thank you!

[nobreadstudio]

The Blankspace Digital Artbook is now available on both Steam and itchio!

A lot of work went into it, so I hope you guys enjoy the content. :)

For the itchio link, go here!

Cheers! - Nayru

[nobreadstudio]

Blankspace

Blankspace is an escape room visual novel with profound emotional depth. The protagonist, Chris, awakens to find himself trapped in an eerie greyscale room. He’s not alone, however, and must work alongside his fellow captive, Beryl, to find a way out. Despite being in the same predicament, Beryl is calm and even alludes that she is not unaccustomed to waking up in similar situations. Chris is naturally sceptical of Beryl at first, but through solving puzzles and interacting with her, the mystery of their circumstances begins to become clear. It is up to the player to guide Chris to freedom, or lead him to an even worse fate.

One of the many strong points of Blankspace are the characters. Chris and Beryl are well-written and easy to emphasise with, making their struggles feel realistic. Their chemistry together is natural and doesn’t feel out of place or forced. Most of all, the relationship that develops between them over the course of the game’s good endings really touches the heart. It isn’t difficult to get heavily invested in their wellbeing or their relationship with each other. Regardless of what ending is unlocked first, becoming so emotionally connected to Chris and Beryl can create an incredibly intimate, memorable experience that leaves a tremendous impact on your heart.

In addition to well-written characters, the story is captivatingly composed. As with most visual novels, the writing can make or break the experience, but Blankspace rises above its constraints. The writing elevates the journey, completely immersing the player in the bleak world that Chris and Beryl find themselves in. While the core of the story deals with heavy subject matter, there are also moments of levity that offer reprieve from those tense topics. The story exists in perfect equilibrium, capturing the player’s attention with raw and vivid emotion while softening the blow with a certain light-heartedness that Chris and Beryl both deserve.

There are other ingredients to Blankspace that add to the experience. The music, for example, is fitting and emotionally compelling. The art is lovingly drawn, with characters whose appearances are indicative of their demeanour. Even the puzzles are well done, with a balanced mix of easy and challenging to keep the player on their toes.

Blankspace is the perfect recipe for a truly unforgettable and wonderfully crafted visual novel. Each element involved is pivotal to the experience, and so masterfully constructed, that even for a short playthrough of four to five hours (including the developer’s itch.io patch), the game leaves a deeply emotional and long-lasting impact.

[nobreadstudio]

Hello!

This is NoBreadStudio’s new project in the making - The Elevator Game with Catgirls! :D Today during #indiedevhour we’re launching the project’s own website, as well as pages for it on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr.

Our demo, published as part of the #WinterVNJam, received a lot of positive feedback and Let’s Plays - this is so overwhelming and amazing! A BIG THANK YOU!

We plan to release the full game in the 1st half of 2021.

Join our big gamedev adventure and follow us for future updates! :D

With love and meows, NoBreadStudio

[nobreadstudio]

New Project - The Elevator Game with Catgirls! Hello, friends! I hope you've had a calm, healthy, and enjoyable holiday time! I'm writing to let you know that I've joined the Winter VN Jam 2020 this year, together with two good friends of mine, KleeBentz and Xolf. Our new project is a horror story inspired by a Korean urban legend, and it involves catgirls, so if that sounds like your cup of tea, be sure to check it out. :D https://nobreadstudio.itch.io/the-elevator-game-with-catgirls-demo It's the demo version for now - we plan to finish it up in early 2021 - so be sure to follow us to be notified of the full release! It's possible we'll also hold a Kickstarter campaign for full voice acting. It's a short project, and that would be a cool feature to have, especially with this genre, as well as give us a lot of new experience as game developers. Happy New Year's, guys! May 2021 be kinder to us all! - Nayru

[nobreadstudio]

Hey, guys! The awaited day is finally upon us!

Blankspace is OUT NOW! °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°

Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1228600/Blankspace/

itch.io: https://nobreadstudio.itch.io/blankspace

We've put a lot of heart and soul into this project and made it the best it could possibly be to the best of our abilities. We dearly hope you'll enjoy the experience!

Be sure to leave us an honest review once you play it, too! We'd love to hear your thoughts, and those always help out immensely!

Art by MstMori: https://twitter.com/Nayru774/status/1286344002820870145

Cheers!

- Nayru and Xolf

[nobreadstudio]

Mark your calendars, guys, because those two weeks will pass by faster than you think! At the time of writing, Blankspace is in a completely playable state from beginning to end with its six main endings. The only things missing are: the Secret End, the Extras (including the CG Gallery and such), a proper credits roll, achievement implementation, and lastly: polish. After working diligently on this project for over a year (the first ideas blossomed in April 2019, while Beryl and Chris's designs came into existence in June/July 2019), I am super excited to share this project in its complete form with you and the rest of the world. (*꒦ິ꒳꒦ີ)

[nobreadstudio]

Commission for @nayruart / @nobreadstudio , courtesy of Xolf <3

Thank you!

[nobreadstudio]

Hello, friends! I'm happy to announce two things today: 1. The Steam store page for Blankspace is up!☆･ﾟ✧ Please check it out and add the game to your wishlist! You'll be sure not to miss the release date that way - and it will also help me out immensely by making the project more visible on Steam! (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ 2. The updated demo for Blankspace is now available! Updates for the demo include: - 5 original music tracks from Odd (I've swapped out all the old music) - custom cursor images for hover areas during investigation phases - minor fixes You can find the updated demo both on Steam and itchio. STEAM: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1228600/Blankspace/ ITCHIO: https://nobreadstudio.itch.io/blankspace Check it out for the new music, especially! ٩(°◡°♡)۶ I hope you like it! - Nayru