Miss Spring Pomegranate 2019
DISCLAIMER:
MSP 2019 was originally published in August 2021. After a couple of days for initial reactions, I got wonderful feedback about things I needed to fix.
However, upon going back to fix all the bugs and misspellings, I realized that I somehow deleted my most recent working copy. So, in order to fix everything, I’d have recreate the entire last act of the game and then fix the bugs.
I took a break from thinking about MSP 2019 to focus on the fall school semester with plans to finish the project in December, but now that we’re here . . . I don’t feel up to rewriting anything. So, the game’s going to have a couple of bugs and some typing errors around. My bad.
Please enjoy this burnt batch of cookies.
᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃
Photographing an over bloated celebration in an underwhelming town for an unpaid internship. You’re almost certain nothing could make your day worse.
Almost.
Content Warning: occult references; violence; light body horror; reading
* View in fullscreen for full experience | Scroll up and down through the text with the page up and page down keys *
᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃
Note: I tried something a little different for this one: unlike WGDitD, Miss Spring Pomegranate 2019 doesn't have visuals for each screen the character passes through. Feel free to leave a comment and write whether that adds to or subtracts from the immersion and atmosphere of the game.
I'm deciding which visual route to go with for my third game and would love your feedback for those who played WGDitD — and even from those who haven't! Thanks~
᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃
CREDITS
- Written | Programmed | Illustrated by olivebranche
- Music
- "Parade," "Hailstorm, " "Katabasis," and "Same as Sharks" by Nihilore from the album Fragile
- "Our Time is Short" by Nihilore from the album Home
- "Foreboding" by aerkraft.com from the album Dark Drama
- Sound Effects from Sounds For Free and Sound Library
- Font used is Nicety by [)amien Guard
- Made with Adventuron developed by Chris Ainsley
Comments
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Just wanted to say I love your games and your writing! You have a real knack for atmospheric horror, and I’m looking forward to reading more of whatever you produce!
I'm so stuck! I wanna keep playing, I just finished all three endings of WGDITD and loved it. I'm so early on and can't get into the diner or progress any convos I feel so dumb lol
Heyyyy great game! I stumbled upon What Girls Do in the Dark (also an awesome game btw) first then played this next. I've been playing for hours now, but I only managed to get the first and third ending. Any tips on how to get the second?
Hi there! Thanks so much for your kind words and for playing my games!! ♡♡
SPOILERS
It’s been so long since I made this game that I had to look it up LOLOL
The sequence where Aaron and Diana are making a plan in the basement is actually a timed event. If you spend too long typing in different commands (entering a command is how to progress the timer), well . . . 😏
I believe that’s the one you’re looking for! Lemme know if it works~
Yo, I didn't know time is relevant in this game. I'll make sure to keep this in mind, thank you very much <33
EDIT: I GOT IT, AND I'M AMAZED AT THE SECOND ENDING. I'm looking forward to more of your games. Both of your games literally gave me life, I'm into text-based games, I love reading, and I pretty much love how different scenarios/endings can be obtained depending on your actions.
Thank you for these amazing games :D
Haha, no worries, it’s only for that section ;>
And thank you so, so, SO much for your kind words—it’s been a long time since I’ve made them, but reading your words is inspiring me to start it up again ♡
Hi! I just wanted to say that I'm loving the game thus far. I'm a big fan of old-timey adventure games and you hit the ball out of the park with this one! However, I'm currently stuck and can't figure out how to progress any further. I would be super-grateful if anyone could give me a hint! Basically, it's afternoon and my inventory contains: shovel, charm, marker, flower key, muffin, camera. The last plot-relevant (I assume) location I visited was the diner where I got the muffin and the marker. I also returned the hammer after visiting the forest entrance. But now I'm lost and nothing seems to work.
Anyways, this is a great game and I will make sure to recommend it to my friends
Best regards, Jakob
EDIT: I got the help I needed and I beat the game! This was a marvelous story that will stick with me for quite some time!
If anyone's reading this I'm super lost.
I've got my camera, a discovery charm, a shovel, and a flower-shaped key. I can't go further into the woods, can't reach the crow's nest, can't access the Wells' basement, can't go into the diner, and can't go into the gas station bathroom (I assume the key is in the crow's nest). None of the other locations seem to offer anything and I'm completely stuck.
Ignore my comment I was just too dumb to realize you could open the wardrobe and drawers in Diana's room.
Absolutely loved this game + What Girls Do! I really enjoy creepy stories about strange happenings in small towns and both of them really scratched that itch for me. I think I managed to hit the good/true ending, but I'm curious about how to get the other ones since the branch doesn't seem as clear as it was in What Girls Do. Does it have something to do with not getting the charm from the Gift Shop?
Did you beat the game? In that case, could you please give me a hint on were to go after getting the muffin and the marker at the diner? I really like this game but I've been stuck for a few days now and I really want to see more of it.
Heya! I did beat the game, but it's been a few months so I don't remember the exact path. I thiiiink you have to use the muffin on the bird that's hanging out at the forest entrance to get a key?
Thanks a lot, mate! I'm really glad that you could help me out so quickly! I've gotten the key and entered the bathroom now. However, the mirror broke after I used the marker. Can I still get a "good" ending after breaking the mirror? I saved the game right after using the muffin so I can always go back.
No worries!
If I remember right I think the bathroom mirror is supposed to break and you're still good. But I only played once and got the good ending, so I'm not totally sure what the different factors are for getting different endings.
No save system.
kinda want spoilers to know what the other endings were. Very fun.
If you type 'Save' you get access to a save system.
I had to delay playing this for a week so I could help our scared mutual acquaintance through the game, but it was worth the wait! She still got scared.
All of the narrative, visuals, audio, and puzzles were great, with the former three creating an eery atmosphere. I liked the premise, and it was straight to the point. It gave me some Stephen King vibes.
I thoroughly enjoyed the sillier interactions, like trying to take the desk, kill Ed (sorry), eat the bin lemons, or kiss everyone--I forgot to try the crow! Compared to WGDitD, I feel like MSP had a wider world, which worked for the small community, I missed the art from your previous game, and while the camera was a smart and cool device to give some insight into the town, I'd have liked a little more to parse in the locations. The puzzles were intuitive--it's a super feeling to have an idea of what to do for it then to work--and drove the story well.
Overall, a brilliant experience!
pov: getting an email about olivebranche's new game and trying to remember your password so u can log into itch.io and comment
i have not played yet, but i am ~very~ excited :)
I finished the game and got only one ending (i don't think jumping ship in the beginning counts as one) but I would like to play again and get the rest as well as the 2nd half of the photos. i really liked the use of sound effects and how the subtle hints all made sense (but that's just regular good ol' storytelling lol). call me selfish but i love your illustrations and style and would love a couple more thrown in there—like of the crow and ami! slightly disappointed that i couldn't throw the muffin at the crow to knock the glint down, but then i guess that would be bullying. i really like your work and also the clever things i would encounter in there! keep making games and i will always be here to leave overly long comments to support them!
ps: there was *one* typo i encountered which was in the last leg of the game when nana invites you over lol. it was an extra r in shirt (shirrt) but that was it. fantastic writing once again!
pps: this is extraordinarily random but i feel like you may enjoy the book "build your house around my body" by violet kupersmith if you haven't already read it. it's spooky and clever and for some reason, this reminded me a bit of it even though the most they have in common is a bit of smoke, addicting writing, and paranormal elements.
thank you so much. your games make my days and inspire me to pursue in my "creative endeavors"—to use a snobby and pretentious term. much love!
Ahhh, hey! Good to see you again playing MSP 2019~ So glad to hear that you liked it (and my art)! I’m leaning toward drawing everything for the third game which means it’s gonna take way longer but I think it adds a lot to the experience, so hearing that you’d like more on this one helps me feel motivated to draw it （〃・ω・〃）
And thank you for keeping an eye out for spelling mistakes, I need the help haha being your own editor is a little tricky in a text-based game OOF.
Ooooohh, a book rec! Also just looked it up and it’s Vietnamese folklore?? SIGN ME UP. I’ll definitely check it out!!
Also, me seeing that you ALSO have an IF you published?? 👁👁 catch me playing it next weekend after I move back to school 😉😏. For reals though, thank you for all your sweet comments, suggestions, and support! I love hearing from you and also we should be friends~
my project definitely isn't as cool as yours is (;-;) but I would love to hear feedback haha. and I would love to be friends :^) we are now friends. it is official.
Bro you're literally the cutest; reading this made me so happy ♥（ﾉ´∀`）
Excellent game!! Enjoyed it quite a lot.
Thank you so much for playing it and for such kind words! :D