First look

Here are some details about the game, as well as some screenshots from the prologue. I'm not much of a salesman. I prefer to show not tell, but I tried my best to be informative. The prologue will be released soon, this week, so stay tuned.

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Engine (base): RPG Maker MZ 

Genre: Adventure, RPG, NSFW 

Setting: Near future, neo-medieval, semi-dystopian, cyber-punk 

Plot: Follow Jon and Eva, lovestruck rural commoners in a world dominated by urban elites. Through a series of dramatic events they end up in a renowned hi-tech game show called «Crucible», where their bond will be tested. As dark secrets come to light, it becomes clear that the game means more than anyone could have imagined.  

Mechanics: Dialogue choices, locked areas and hidden/discoverable keys, puzzle minigames, action combat (real-time, not turn-based), deep worldbuilding, free-roam/open world discoverable content, blocked/partial vision/hearing, extensive bust/face renders  

Art: 16-bit pixel art combined with 3d renders and animation  

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General comments:

Secret Dawn couples a retro 16-bit aesthetic with 3d renders and animation. It is story-focused and will eventually weave together a large web of intrigue. In terms of its adult themes, it is heavily inspired by NTR games involving mystery and corruption, where the player has to piece together the heartbreaking (but exciting) details of what is occurring around him. 

The driving force of the game is the worldbuilding and narrative. The player can go down one of two paths: following Jon, who is a tech-enthusiast, or following Eva, who is more physical, being a skilled bow hunter. Jon’s perspective involves puzzle game content, whereas Eva’s is more action oriented, but both paths will feature both types of mechanics. These mechanics won’t be overly challenging. They're fun and interesting flavor elements that add to the world and the story. 

The narrative and NSFW themes differ between the two paths. Jon’s perspective will involve a heavy dose of mystery, as treachery gradually comes to light. It will be up to the player to discover it all – or be left in the dark. If you don’t like NTR, limited information, and letting your imagination fill in the blanks, Jon’s perspective might not be for you. Eva’s perspective will center more on «corruption» and difficult moral dilemmas. The NSFW content here eventually becomes more explicit. In general, though, everything will ramp up gradually. The game will take its time with some of the more hardcore content, but it all pays off before the end...