Beware the Wild Rushes
A downloadable game
The boys of Crinești are warned about the Rusalki. Surely, to see one is to be driven to temptation, called deep into the reeds and marsh of the Vistula and swept away, never to be seen again.
It is the beginning of summer — the week that the Rusalki join us on land. They link hands and dance, and the unlucky who witness must pay the price.
We do not bother to warn the girls of Crinești. You, foolish panienka, have interrupted them.
a game for two players of love and terror in the deep marsh and dark riverbed, of foolish girls and the sharp teeth of temptation.
text-only version available for free download.
written for hot horror jam 2019.
Purchase
In order to download this game you must purchase it at or above the minimum price of $4 USD. You will get access to the following files:
Download demo
Comments
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I played this with a friend last month and enjoyed it tremendously. The flavor is impeccable and the prompts for each day/scene (Trespass, Knowledge...Starlight, Wedding Bells) really helped to set up a story of transgressions, fascination with the Other, and eventual budding romance. However, while playing it, we found that the rules are unbalanced; the game very much favors the Panienka, as the Panienka is able to get the Rusalka's gifts in two ways -- by giving up something of herself willingly, and by performing a requested sacrifice. Meanwhile, the Rusalka is only able to get Thralls on the Panienka through requesting a sacrifice -- which the Panienka can erase if the Rusalka denies the Panienka's offering. Even though the game is biased towards the Panienka, there are cases in which both the Rusalka and the Panienka will amass three Thralls and three gifts, respectively, simultaneously by the end of the game (Saturday). In that case, do the Rusalka and Panienka belong to each other? It seems like a bit of an oversight that it's possible for the Panienka to hold three gifts without having three Thralls on her, while it's impossible for the Rusalka to have three Thralls on the Panienka without also having given up three gifts to the Panienka -- which means that there are only two possible endings to the game: the Rusalka belongs to the Panienka, or they belong to each other.
Despite the mechanical imbalances, I liked this game very much, and I look forward to your future games!
this is mood and aesthetic and i want it