i really enjoyed playing this game! i just finished finn's route and i'm currently playing august's route! i love the vivid, descriptive writing and the way the relationships with all of the characters developed over time. i also appreciate the ability to choose gender neutral pronouns as a player and the attention to detail when writing the romance scenes. i've never played a game before that was so thoughtful about using inclusive language during romance scenes and i didn't realize how important it was to me until i played this game. so thank you!
one thing i'd like to say though is that i kind of got whiplash after playing finn's route (and falling in love with him !!!) then going down a different route. it feels weird to have ezra and finn together (and for me as the mc to nudge them forward) after just playing finn's route. for me it made the route i just played with him less special.
i wonder if in the future, there is a way to write the characters a little differently if they're not currently being romanced? i enjoyed the dynamics of august, ezra, and piper's relationships and i feel as though that same love and respect can be displayed between all characters without romance (unless their route is being played)?
just a suggestion! i look forward to playing the other routes and checking out other games you have made as well!
Thank you so much for enjoying, and thank you for your feedback! We definitely struggled with how to implement the poly relationships (as we hadn't personally played anything where it had been done before) but this is definitely something we can take into consideration. It was a little hard sometimes to naturally intertwine everyone and have them all interacting in a way that didn't feel forced, but we will be releasing some side-stories throughout this year so can hopefully explore those friendships there :)
This game is absolutely amazing and i feel guilty for the fact that the game is for free. Characters are fantastic and easy to fall in love with (where in real life can i get such cuties?). I've already finished two routes and I need to try even more. The history, art, music, dialogues and everything is wonderful and I can't wait to buy ''Errant Kingdom'' when it'll be released (by the way I have no doubt that this game will be at least as good as WTNC but I guess it'll be even better and I can already say that I love the art and the ability to choose your role). I really appreciate the support for LGBTQ+ community and the fight for equal rights. So... if you want to play a really good visual novel, you need to try this one!
I'm already excited at the thought of playing your next masterpiece. I hope to see more vn as good as this one soon and one day I'd like to belong to a team that creates such wonderful things. You have something to be proud of.
OMG. I can't express my eternal love for this game. It has my undying affection. Just like my love for Finn. My vampire babe. Anyway I just adore the game.
This game is without doubt one of the best ones I have ever played! I honestly can't express how much I love it! All the characters, their interactions and relationships are incredible complex!
My favorite route was Gus but all the other routes have a special charm that make playing them something fascinating! The entire game has a really deep history and everything just flows naturally.
Although I discovered the true behind the murders long before it was revealed, I wasn't bored or anything. On the contrary, it made me more excited about it, I wanted to know the WHY of it! (The true behind the Hunters did caught me by surprise!!). The "good" and "bad" endings are both amazing!
The illustrations are breathtaking! Although some of them have a different vibe, they all feel connected. The colours, the lighting, the emotion behind the eyes, I love them!!! My only “critic”, is that if you play the no-romance option with the “good” ending, you don’t get a new illustration with the entire group at the end of the game, which made me really sad because I was really hoping for that u.u. But I also understand that group illustrations are a pain in the ass, so yeah lol
I want to congratulate the entire team. The people behind the writing and the art!The person who programed everything! Everyone! This game was a delight to play and I can't wait to do it again!
You're so kind, thank you so much! We made the game with very limited resources but we are planning on implementing a few changes to both the artwork and other things in a re-release planned for later this year. We hope you'll come back and play when that happens! x
Totally completely love/adored this game, this is the best one i have ever played. I have done every romance they were to die for and the pictures - ace! looking forward to errant kingdom and every future game you do... keep up the truely excellant work x
The game is fantastic and I've thoroughly enjoyed it so far ( yet to finish it). Congratulations to the team on making such interesting, lovable characters and a genuinely intriguing storyline!
Literally my only criticism is that it doesn't really make sense for Alkar to have two pairs of ears? I know it's a small thing but it kind of just looks... wrong?
Regardless, I'm very much enjoying the game so thank you for making it!
Ugh this was so awesome!!! I've only been able to finish August's route so far but this definitely leaves an impression on you. I'm usually one to focus on the storyline but the romance scenes made me melt...
I just wanna say that I love this game! I'm always on the hunt for games that have meaningful choices + plot and there are only a few that keeps me intrigued to satisfy my thirst for romance. I usually play ones that have a (customizable) female lead so I can immerse myself in the game and with that, I'm pretty so-so about the MC. I understand that it's supposed to be LGBTQ+ but there were some moments where it was obvious that the MC was male. I'm not sure if that was intentional or not... Regardless! I adore the story line and appreciate the inclusion for the community.
At first, I was immediately drawn to Alkar with his absolutely hot appearance and brash personality but when the game ended, I was slightly disappointed with his route. There was something missing and felt like there could have been more to his story since I noticed it was a bit short :/ (same with Omen...) However, I do understand that this is more based on mystery rather than romance (?)
On the other hand, I have played everyone's route (I have not gotten up to the polyamorous route + piper [yet]) and so far, I LOVE Finn and Ezra. Both of their paths were very fulfilling with enough fluff and angst (sucker for both!) I also liked the idea of choosing whether or not to lead during Ezra's path.
Also, OOF, that plot twist though! Kind of made me feel sorry for him since he just wanted to make the world a better place (reminded me of an anime but I can't think of it from the top of my head rn...). I was kind of confused though. What exactly happened to James and how did he die? (I have a feeling it was Harry but... I just wanted some clarifications if you don't mind!)
Overall, awesome game with a mind boggling plot twist, mystery, and romance :) btw, what is the name of the opening song? It's so catchy *_*
Thanks so much for playing And we’re so glad to hear you enjoyed!
The MC is absolutely not intended to just be viewed as ‘male only’ and the game is written by an LGBTQA+ team, so we put great care into creating the game so that everyone, no matter their gender, can play and feel included. We pride ourselves on having a strong and independent MC who isn’t afraid to stand up for themselves and forge their own path, which certainly isn’t something restricted to male-only characters.
We will certainly take your comments into consideration though! Again, thank you so much for playing and enjoying the characters 🌙
I can't say enough about this visual novel. I love it all! The music is amazing an the character designs are so clean and some how add a lot of emotion into the game. I did the Finn and Ezra route and the just Ezra route so far. Ezra is adorable and yet still very surprising. I love their forms when they fight for you, it adds a more beautiful aspect to them. The glow of the magic in the game is honestly amazing and satifies me in some way. Overal, so for I would say that this game is literally a 12/10.
This game/story was so much fun. The music is still running through my head when the house is quiet, and I think fondly back to my supernatural friends.
I'll try to succinct, but I cannot describe how truly incredible this game is. It is by far my favorite VN, and most definitely one of my favorite games in general. The artwork is beyond beautiful, the soundtrack plays such amazing paralells to the story, and the writing is beyond my expectations. Kris and Kevin are so incredibly skilled, I can only aspire to write as well as them.
I'll admit, I have to contain my excitement while writing this. I keep wanting to bring up how great every aspect of this is, but I'll try to reign it in. It's the little things, really. I can't get over how the y'all managed to portray all the characters with such well-rounded, intricate personalities, it really is beyond me. Especially the well-paced, fulfilling build-up in romancing, at least in Finn's route, as I've only just made it to the end and finished his route and needed to write my thoughts immediately, however jumbled they may be..
So, it may not mean much coming from a stranger, but I hope everyone who helped work on this game is unbelievably proud of themselves, it very much so is a work of art. I hope for only the best for this team of creators and their future work!
I enjoyed this game so much! It has a wonderful story and characters. Alkar was a delight to romace. He is absolutely adorable!! The ending made me feel so proud of all the characters and their achievements. It was a truly memorable game. Thank you for creating this piece of art and sharing it with others❤️!
I plan on writing a mini review after I finish all of the routes. It's definitely among the top VN's I've played. I really wish I had an August in real life. They're my absolute favorite.
Also, I love the song you chose for August. If anyone wants to know which song it is, I looked it up and it's 'Phantasm', by Kevin Macleod.
Hello! I was playing this game all night long, and my boring daily routine faded away, that was awesome. I want to thank your team for making good games, keep it up c: Also, I was wondering if we could translate this game into Russian! It'd be nice to let our non-English speaking readers take a look at your creation (but we're not a pro team, just two average translators;;)
Just finished my first playthrough, and this game is amazing! I do have a lingering question or two, though: why were all the murder victims Hunters? Why one every seven days? I'm not sure if this was explained and I missed it, or if we were supposed to infer it from clues.
The victims were all hunters as they are the only ones who would oppose the creatures. The creatures/turned hunters were not out looking to harm anyone, but when cornered/approached by a Hunter their instinct to survive would make them attack. They often approached Hunter’s out of lingering familiarity too.
This is the first time I have played WTNC and I have a comment about the transition between Chapter 8 and 9.
There is a large part of the end of Chapter 8 that is repeated at the beginning of Chapter 9, unlike the other chapters where there are 2 or 3 sentences. I find that this breaks the flow of the story when it was not the case with the other transitions.
Do you plan to reduce the number of repeated sentences for the beginning of Chapter 9 in a future update?
We had an issue with our coding and the selection from the end of Ch8 didn’t carry over hence the repetition. This is something we’ll fix in our updated version which will release here and on steam in 2020!
I'm very happy that a friend recommend this game . I really fell in love with Lunaris and the characters especially Augustus. I'm looking forward to the mini stories and Errant Kingdom.
just a quick question– i want to go back and replay all the routes with different choices, but i don't want my saves to get cluttered. is there any way to delete save files? i'm on a mac, and the hover-delete method isn't working for me. thank you so much!
We'll look into this for you as we assumed it would be the same as the windows version! If you're looking to delete older saves you can go straight into the saves folder and do it manually, but they aren't named unfortunately.
to do that, would it be in the package contents of the actual app file? i poked around and can't find the saves folder. maybe i'm just not looking in the right places?
We don't think a walkthrough is really necessary for this particular VN! We've tried to be really transparent with our choices throughout the game so you're aware of what direction your chosen options will lead to you in!
I'm going to crosspost on here as well as tumblr, but to start off, thank you so much for creating this game, I have had countless hours of fun this world and these characters and this story, and it really means a lot to me. So thank you! Your team is incredidbly talented!
SPOILERS FOR THE ENTIRE GAME AHEAD
With the final chapter released and the game finished, I thought I’d put together a ‘final thoughts’ piece about this game because it had such a profound impact on me.
I will be covering my thoughts/opinions/experiences with the game, the characters, the writing, artwork, music and anything else I can think of. I have played through basically every part of this game, with all of the different routes and almost all of the different choices. I’m a little bit of a completist.
First off, I’d like to start by saying how much I love this game. I really do. I think I can safely say it’s my favorite visual novel, and possibly in the running for my favourite games. It’s so easy to get lost in the world and the story and I have probably over 30 hours of this game played. I loved all of the choices and the routes to create a unique experience. I am invested in this game, in the world, and with the characters. I have had dreams about them.
The Story – what I loved about this visual novel compared to many others that I played is the strong story that is at the heart of this game. Obviously, the romances are incredible, but the non-romance option and just the general over-arching story had me on the edge of my seat. I’ll admit, horror games aren’t really my thing, and I was a little nervous going in because of that tag. Honestly, I would be so lost in the story that I would sometimes forget it was a horror game until suddenly something would happen and I would be terrified. The encounters with the Chimera in Chapter 4 and 6 were scary in their own right, but the moment that had my heart pumping the most was actually at the end of Chapter 8 where the Hunter and August are about to talk to Harry. I think it’s poetic that a game full of monsters, that the scariest thing is just a human.
I loved the murder mystery aspect of it, I loved unravelling each new part. I loved getting to know the characters and having them help you along your journey. It was also a very satisfying story. Chapter 7 in particular with the dream sequence with James is one of my favourite moments. The reveal about the Hunters and about Harry and the tragic love story that is Harry and James was very well-executed. It also features a chilling moment that made me pause for a moment. As a player, we are used to the 2 choices in game, either asking two questions or 2 different attitudes in response to the other characters. So when we are just presented with the singular option of “Am I dead?” there was something very unsettling about it, and I loved it.
The ending of the story, or the ‘Good’ ending feels like everything is nicely tied up, I felt satisfied and resolved. Endings can be very tricky, but this one felt like it was worth the waiting and playing through the game. It was also emotional, there was definitely a part of me that dreads saying goodbye to these characters, but I know that they’re not really going anywhere.
I also loved that the end credits changed depending on some of the choice you made in game, it was a nice touch that made playthroughs feel unique and special.
As another note, I actually loved the ‘Liar Liar’ route probably the best in Chapter 9 because it’s got the emotionally charged moments of the Pledge Route, while still having a happy ending of the “Condemn” route, and it’s a sweet blend of the two.
I also really appreciated the ability to name our Hunter and to choose their pronouns. It was a small thing, but a really nice touch.
The Pledge Ending – I loved that there are different endings, and meaningful ending based off the choices we made. The ‘Bad’ ending was very well done and really lent itself well to this game. Starting from Chapter 8, and having to start breaking the hearts of these characters that as a player and character you’ve grown to love started off this emotionally driven tragedy. The fights in Chapter 9 were heartbreaking, and angsty and everything I wanted from this story of a fallen hero. The brilliant parallels between the Hunter and Harry are really nice, and I believe it’s in the Finn/Ezra route and then one of their individual routes where they talk about how Harry basically killed his own husband through his creation, and would the Hunter be willing to do the same? I’m paraphrasing, but it’s heartbreaking. With the leadup through the whole game, this version of the story is twisted and dark and brilliant. Chapter 10 really illustrates this the best, and as a player, you see how much effect your choices had on this world. The fact that everyone flees Lunaris is so sad, that this town is destroyed because of your influence. All of the final moments with the characters feel like punches to the gut. All of them are sad (August’s is possibly the worst) but there’s a line from Omen’s route that really stood out to me and took my breath away. The Hunter says to him, “I love you.” And our demon responds with “I—Yes, yes you do.”
The Pledge Ending is the Shakespearian tragedy I love in fiction, with a satisfying downfall of our traitorous Hunter.
The Music – the soundtrack of this game is beautiful, and I actually dived into the files to save it to my computer because I love it so much. All of the tracks add to the atmosphere and story, from the creepy moments of unease, to the comforting stops along the way, the music set the tone beautifully. The main theme especially is a song that gets stuck in my head, and to hear it at the ending credits was an emotional moment. Overall, I adored the music and felt it added so much to the experience of playing the game.
The Artwork – the art in this game is phenomenal. With visual novels, they are so much more than just a standard novel, and the ‘visual’ aspect of it is so important. And WTNC really knocks it out of the park The sprites are so well done, expressive and endearing. I got excited every time I noticed a new sprite being used, whether expression or outfit. There is a level of care put into these sprites that really comes across, and the wide variety is much appreciated.
The backgrounds are beautiful. They enhance and illustrate this world, I love the contrasting between night and day because that’s such an important aspect to Lunaris, that the night isn’t safe. With the sprites, I was excited to see new backgrounds. August’s bedroom stands out to me as one I was so in awe of when we got to see it for the first time. Actually all of the bedrooms are really wonderful, I loved getting to see Ezra’s and Piper’s as well. I think my favorite background in game was one we saw right at the very end, what was probably the last one created if I had to guess. For context, the Finn/Ezra Route is the one I consider my ‘True’ Route because it’s the first one I did, and at the end of that one and the end of Ezra’s solo route, the Hunter and their SO(s) go down to the beach under the moonlight. It was breathtakingly beautiful, and I actually started crying. It was a perfecting ending to this game I love so dearly, in my favourite route.
The CG’s again are such a brilliant part of this game. The collector and completionist in me loved being bale to see them and have them in the gallery as well. The artwork done on these is just amazing, and made me so happy every time I came across one in game. I think Chapter 10 might me my favourite chapter for CGs overall, there’s just so much love and care put into them. They are absolutely beautiful and there were many times where I would just have to stop and stare and marvel at them. So well done!
In conclusion, When the Night Comes has got to be my favorite visual novel to date, Lunaris Games worked so incredibly hard to create this amazing story and their accomplishments cannot be praised enough.
This story and these characters will be in my mind for a long time to come, not forgettable in the slightest. I had so much fun playing this game, and just wanted to thank the developers from the bottom of my heart for letting us into this world, and I am very excited to follow what comes next!
So I had to split this into 2 parts because it got too long!
MAJOR SPOILER WARNING AHEAD
The Characters – So I adore these characters, and wanted to do a little run through of each of them, both as they are in the story and also romance specific.
Ezra – So I know that I love all of these characters equally and all of them are amazing but everyone has to have a favourite, and when I saw this soft witch boy for the first time at the very start of the game, well, I fell in love with both him and the game. He drew me into this world, as he was my first playthrough that eventually branched into the Poly route with him and Finn, but more on that later. Ezra is this brilliant character in that he’s so genuinely kind and sweet and endearing because of that. A lot of times in fiction, male characters are a little more emotionally reserved, more ‘tough’ than sweet which is absolutely fine, but Ezra is also a breath of fresh air to those tropes. Having him be so unwaveringly kind and supportive and having him throughout the game was a good rock to anchor the Hunter to. I also just love his design as well, he’s adorable. I definitely have a special place in my heart for him.
Just because my piece of August got long, I’d also like to put in that the Gus/Ezra relationship is really nice, because first off you’re like, who would ever not like Ezra? And you can tell that Ezra really cares for them still, and to see them mend their relationship is nice.
Finn – I’ll admit, I wasn’t that into vampires before, but now? Finn changed the game for me. His romance was a brilliantly written one, and I love his characterization. He has some of the most romantic lines in the game, and there is something that is really sad about him, this weight to his immortality that comes across really well. The scene where he shows the Hunter his box where he has mementos from his past is a great scene, but I loved it especially because it’s a different scene given the context. With the Condemn route, it’s something sad but sweet, but in the Liar Liar route, it’s a warning. I think his story is definitely sad, the idea that he so badly wishes he was human. He’s a very well written and lovable character that’s very easy to fall in love with.
Finn/Ezra – This route was both my first and favourite route in the game. The chemistry between Ezra and Finn is very well done, and from their first scene together it’s easy to see their love for each other. The blend between these two characters in their route is something that really drew me in, and I argue to say that this is the (second) best route in the game, although I am very biased. What’s the first? I’ll get to that. But the relationship between the characters and with the added mix of the Hunter is something that is very well done and feels very natural. Poly routes are an uncommon sight in these Visual Novels, so it was a really nice and unique experience. Also that last CG of them in Chapter 10 just made my heart sing, I love these two boys so much.
Alkar – I have a special place in my heart for this wolf boy. He’s one of the funniest characters in the game, all snark and a tough out wall, but he truly shines when we get to see what’s underneath all of those layers and he becomes more vulnerable. Seeing him in the romance route become more open with the Hunter is satisfying and endearing to watch. He’s a very fun character, and well written, and plays off both the Hunter and many of the other characters very well. In Chapter 10 when we get to see him in his new outfit, with his bandages off, was a really sweet moment, a visual representation of how he’s changed.
Omen – Omen is probably one of the most complex characters in game. In the romance route especially, the Hunter really sees—not a transformation, because he was always this way, but it’s more like a reveal of his true nature. It’s not a personal transformation, the changes he goes through are simply a change in perception from the perspective of the Hunter, if that makes any sense at all. He starts off as this very sweet, chocolate loving, soft demon boy and he is still very much that, but as the game progresses we see the layers peeled back on this entity and what resides underneath. It’s so easy to forget that he’s this ancient demon prince of incredible power, that when we are reminded of it, it’s shocking and takes your breath away for a moment. When we get to see glimpses into this nature, this ancient, almost unfathomable being, it’s a reminder of who is truly is. Omen has many lines in the game that I have screenshotted because they made me pause or gasp. I think the trick with him is that this flipped expectations, he is a demon, the son of Satan himself, and yet he is kind, he is good. He loves humanity. This creates this compelling character that draws you in, wanting to know more.
I think one of the moments that illustrates this the best is in the Alkar/Omen route, and it might be in the solo route as well I can’t remember off the top of my head, but the Hunter and Alkar are expressing concern about him eating chocolate because of the salt, and what if his tounge swells up and he chokes? And Omen just responds with something like “You’re very cute to worry about my fake mortal form that doesn’t actually need to breathe.”
And I was like, oh…right. Ancient demon prince.
And it was a moment that really stood out to me, there were a lot of moments that Omen had that were really impactful, and I really love him as a character.
Alkar/Omen – their relationship, whether with the Hunter or not is a really fun one. Seeing them become friends and the endearing way they talk about the other is sweet, and while in other romances it’s very cute to watch them fall for the other. Their dynamic is a fun one, a definite partner-in-crime type relationship, and the Poly route was just as fun. They feel natural together, like they’re meant to be together.
Piper— She’s got both Big Best Friend Energy, and Big Wife Energy, but honestly, your SO should also be one of your best friends. I love Piper, I adore her. She’s everything I would want in a partner and more. She’s funny and witty and brilliantly written. She another character that even if your not in a romance with her, her relationship with the Hunter is just a natural part of the story, and she’s got amazing best friend material. Her transition from (unfairly) blaming the Hunter for taking her job, basically, to befriending us and helping us out was awesome to watch and experience, and doing missions with her were some of my favorite parts because she just has amazing chemistry with the Hunter. Seeing her regain her rank as General at the end of the game was also the cherry on top.
I love her romance route, it feels natural and heartwarming, and really drew me in. You can tell she really falls for the Hunter, and it’s pretty amazing to watch. As a side note, her CGs in Chapter 4 and 10 are my favourite in the game, she’s breathtakingly beautiful.
Her relationship with August is another favourite in the game, something that starts off antagonistic, but there’s a part of them that you can tell that they care about each other really sells it. Them repairing their relationship with each other over time, while still keeping up with a slightly more playful bantering that deliberately hostile is also something that is great to experience. You can tell that those two really could change the world if they could just work together.
August – The Hunter might be the main character of the game, but in my mind, I always thought of August as the true protagonist of this story. They are by far this most dynamic character, and their story arc throughout the game is the most impactful one. August in the core of this game, they are the driving force behind the plot as much as the Hunter is. Their relationship with the Hunter, whether as friends or their romantic relationship is the beating heart of the game. Their transformation to partial antagonistic force to the Hunter’s strongest ally, and taking their role as the new Lieutenant General is poetic. Their relationship with Harry as well, the Father-Child relationship for August who had a tumultuous relationship with their own parents, and the heartbreaking realization that Harry has betrayed them is an incredible moment. Seeing them break down in tears in Chapter 8 is an emotional crux that leads us into the finale of the game. Some of my favourite parts of them is a little strange, it’s actually the fact that they are very emotional, although I think they would rather not be. The fact that we can usually tell whatever they are thinking and that they’re expressive when they try not to be is something that’s very sweet. August really grew on me, and I would hazard to say that their romance is the best one in the game. Their transformation especially with the Hunter in their route is beautiful to watch, and I am so proud of them by the end of the game.
On the flip side, August was the first route I did with the ‘Pledge’ choice, because I knew it would be the most heartbreaking, and I was right. I do love the Pledge route, but I think August’s is the best because of how incredibly heartbreaking it is to watch because they fall so in love with the Hunter and then they break their heart.
I think one of my favourite moments with them is actually just what we hear from word of mouth. During the ‘Pledge’ and ‘Liar Liar’ routes, we hear from our respective love interests that August came to them, in tears and completely distraught at the thought of losing the Hunter to Harry. That idea that they were in hysterics over the thought of losing the Hunter, romanced or not, is so emotional. You can really see in that moment how much they have grown to care for you.
August’s design is gorgeous as well, they’re just a beautiful person and this has been pointed out before, but another thing I love is the stark difference between the way that August looks at the Hunter in their first CG, and the way they look at them in Chapter 8 and 10.
Also, there aren’t many Non-Binary characters in media in general, let alone in Visual Novels. Seeing someone like August was really nice to have a character like that written in the way they were. It’s refreshing to see that kind of representation, and it was nice to have a NB character, I always think LGBTQ+ representation is so important.
Harry – As the antagonist of such a brilliant game, Harry had to be no less that amazing, and he really delivered. His twisted worldview come from his loss and sense of powerlessness, it really changed up the story. What started off as a monster hunting story became something more when we realized what was really happening behind the scenes. Placing Harry in this powerful position, and a position of trust and admiration really set up his fall from grace in the Hunter’s eyes. He was a truly scary villain, something that is often hard to do.
What I love most about Harry is his parallels with the Hunter, as I’m a sucker for a good hero/villain dynamic, although this aspect of their relationship shines the best in the Pledge route. The fact that the Hunter seeks his approval even after everything is so interesting, that the Hunter fell victim to the pursuit of power just as he did, both of them sacrificing loved ones to do so. It’s masterfully done.
Harry as the twist villain of the story was actually not what I expected, I was actually delighted and surprised by the end of Chapter 7, and Chapter 8 had me on the edge of my seat for an explanation. The final fight between the Hunter, August, and him in Chapter 9 is really the climax of this story, and feels like it’s all been leading up to this moment.
He’s an amazing villain, overall.
James – Something that I love at the start of Chapter 7 is the fact that we are in James’ perspective. James is a large part of this story from the very start in Chapter 2, with the Hunter the whole way through in his own way. His is the story of tragedy. Getting to see him in Chapter 7 in the dream sequence is an incredible moment, finally getting the answers we needed while opening up new ones. He is a kind man, I think he would’ve made an amazing father if he had ever gotten that chance. In the ending credits that we learn that he stays with a captured Harry is heartbreaking, and I really feel for the character. Love his design as well, he’s a handsome man, looks good with Harry in the flashbacks we see them together, and is really an emotional crux for Harry’s story and downfall.
Aurora – I am always a big fan of villainous female characters, and Aurora did not disappoint. I loved the creepy vibe of her in Chapter 2, it really started off the investigation nicely. She also provided this strange counter view on creatures and the world, her twisted mindset was really interesting to explore. I don’t know, but I just really loved her snarky, pretentious attitude, I just love characters that aren’t always good, and she is a very interest character to bounce off of, seen best at the start of Chapter 6 as she gets the Love Interests pretty riled up. She really shines in the final chapter of the Pledge Route, and her twisted devotion to the Traitor Hunter is a very interesting relationship. I was really happy to see her again because I actually missed her in many of the chapters, even though her presence wouldn’t really make, I just really love her character—it was just nice to have that final moment with her. She’s a very complex and interesting character and a great addition to the story.
Armaros – I actually really love Armaros, especially with his relationship with Elaine, especially when the Hunter is either in the Omen route or the Alkar/Omen route because of the parallels. I love the conclusion with him at the end of Chapter 10, also a wedding! I’m so excited. But I love him being the quieter, more reserved in the pairing with his sister, and you can tell he really cares for her, and their story is a sad one, but I’m glad it took an upward turn for him when he meets Elaine.
Elaine – She really is this interesting dynamic with Omen, especially in the romance route with him. She’s sweet like him, but her darker demon side is just a touch more obvious, she’s just a little less concerned about fitting in or loving humanity and I love it. She really gives this impression that she is this demon princess, daughter of the Devil, where she’s nice, but just sharp enough to cut you if you get too close. Her relationship with Armaros is also a very nice background part, and again—wedding! That’s so cute. My favourite moment with her is in the Omen route where she kinda of tricks the Hunter into a ‘deal’ to keep her brother safe, I believe? It’s a brilliant, quick-witted, and a little scary moment that sets the tone for her character and it’s fantastic. Her design is also beautiful, she’s gorgeous.
Raven – I adore Raven, she’s very fun to bounce off of Finn, and their relationship is very sweet in that brother/sister type of way. She’s a very fun addition to have around, and getting to meet her while romancing Finn is cute, and she’s very endearing in her own playful way. She’s a very fun character, and I love her design she really looks amazing.
Lux – In the little moments where we get to meet Lux, it’s very sweet. She’s a really cute character and her relationship with Raven is adorable. I love their matching necklaces, it’s such a cute little touch. The moment at the end of Finn’s route with them is so sweet because it really feels like a family moment.
Fiero – In our brief interactions with him, I really loved him as a character. That moment in Chapter 8 where he calls us out if we romance Finn about warning us about breaking his heart is so sad, because you can tell how much he cares for him. As a whole, the character is very cool, a unique character in that he’s a little more reserved, and it’s a nice contrast between Finn and Raven as another vampire.
It's taken us a while to respond because we've actually read it a few times and are all just beyond flattered and humbled by your incredible comment. You truly understood all of the little intricacies and nuances with both the plot and the character relationships that we plotted exactly as we hoped everyone would, and that means the world to us. So thank you from the bottom of our hearts! You've made our week x
What an amazing journey it has been, thank you so much for making the game! Loved the writing, the art, the amazing characters you created!! Definitely looking forward to the mini stories Errant Kingdom :D
I'm so happy that i played this game i really loved it the story was just amazing and the characters they are great. Thank you for making this game. :)
i just finished this and im so sad!! i even cried a bit upon seeing 'the end' omg, but honestly thank you so much for making this! the story was overall amazing and the characters were all so great! im not very good with words, but truly thank you to everyone involved! i cant wait for any possible mini stories ;;
Hey so I was trying to play chapter 10 after it updated, but my game keeps ending on chapter 9 and then sends me back to the title screen. Do you know what's going on exactly?
i accidentaly clicked on "Start" and the game restarted :( idk what to do, i have my saves folder,,, pls help i was on chapter 3 and it took me a lot :(
Anyone know if the locked slots in the gallery are going to be for future beautiful artworks, like in the mini stories that are yet to come? Or maybe I just missed something.
As we use Ren’py for coding the game we used a pre-made gallery layout. This is why there are locked areas, not necessarily to indicate that there are missing CGs. There may be more CGs in the future if we do mini stories.
Oh my GOSH!!! I won't spoil anything for anybody, but Chapter 10 has some fabulous lines in it. I cracked up more than once, and the artwork had me deep in my feels. 10/10, love this game
Yesterday the 10th and final main chapter was released. There was a bit in the credits that said mini stories would be coming in 2020 which I am very hyped about!!
I really wish that I could give this visual novel a rating that was higher than 5 stars, because if I could then I would really give it all the stars.
I know it's been said before by many but this is one of the best visual novels I've played and I super can't just pick one element that I like best. The characters are so well developed and the writing was something that really hooked me, which is probably why I have already replayed this visual novel a lot... Like seriously a lot and have played through every single LI - although I am trying to steel myself to play the pledge route because I am too much of a softy - but I will get there.
I will also admit to reading through chapter 10 for all LIs on the non-pledge route from around 4am this morning because I had to read all of them because I needed to find out how things ended for them and couldn't wait for non silly o'clock (it was super worth the lack of sleep, although it was probably as well that I am still currently on holiday and thus didn't have to worry about going to work xD )
Adding on to my last review, I will admit to having never played a game with poly routes before WTNC, but both poly routes were beautifully written and I really enjoyed both for different reasons.
I really also appreciate how available the devs are to their fans, I may not personally be on social media, but I can see how readily the game social media accounts are updated (and have learnt a lot of game lore by reading through past asks on the tumblr - and from the patreon).
I will definitely be replaying as WTNC is definitely a visual novel to come back to over and over (and I do still need to play the pledge route).
Thank you devs for this beautiful visual novel.
I am also super looking forward to Errant Kingdom and to seeing what the devs come up with in future.
i literally just finished playing chapter 10 and getting to the ending was such a bittersweet moment :') I freaking LOVE the afterthought of what each of the characters did after the ending and i can't wait for those mini stories later on in 2020 because i feel like i will definitely need to see my sweet bb's again in the future if i feel like i'm missing them. Thank you SO much to the beautiful hard working people of Lunaris Games for creating such an amazing full FREE game that just completely blew all other free VNs i've ever played out of the water.
Amazing story line, amazing art, drool worthy & cheek-pinchable ROs, i truly hope for all the best and all the success in your upcoming projects! I am vibrating with excitement now for Errant Kingdom and i don't even care if i have to pay to play errant kingdom because you guys have proven to deliver some very terrific art works and plots to your VN. I will gladly support y'all and i can't wait to snuggle up with Maja, Erik, Lucien and Raiden next lmao
This game is one of the best visual novels I've ever played - and in my top list of games ever. It is beautifully written and illustrated, and it's been wonderful following it to its (amazing) conclusion. I'm excited to follow Errant Kingdom next, but I don't doubt I will come back and replay WTNC many times.
Thank you guys for making this wonderful game with characters that truly touch people's hearts! And best of luck going forward. 💖
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i really enjoyed playing this game! i just finished finn's route and i'm currently playing august's route! i love the vivid, descriptive writing and the way the relationships with all of the characters developed over time. i also appreciate the ability to choose gender neutral pronouns as a player and the attention to detail when writing the romance scenes. i've never played a game before that was so thoughtful about using inclusive language during romance scenes and i didn't realize how important it was to me until i played this game. so thank you!
one thing i'd like to say though is that i kind of got whiplash after playing finn's route (and falling in love with him !!!) then going down a different route. it feels weird to have ezra and finn together (and for me as the mc to nudge them forward) after just playing finn's route. for me it made the route i just played with him less special.
i wonder if in the future, there is a way to write the characters a little differently if they're not currently being romanced? i enjoyed the dynamics of august, ezra, and piper's relationships and i feel as though that same love and respect can be displayed between all characters without romance (unless their route is being played)?
just a suggestion! i look forward to playing the other routes and checking out other games you have made as well!
Thank you so much for enjoying, and thank you for your feedback! We definitely struggled with how to implement the poly relationships (as we hadn't personally played anything where it had been done before) but this is definitely something we can take into consideration. It was a little hard sometimes to naturally intertwine everyone and have them all interacting in a way that didn't feel forced, but we will be releasing some side-stories throughout this year so can hopefully explore those friendships there :)
This game is absolutely amazing and i feel guilty for the fact that the game is for free. Characters are fantastic and easy to fall in love with (where in real life can i get such cuties?). I've already finished two routes and I need to try even more. The history, art, music, dialogues and everything is wonderful and I can't wait to buy ''Errant Kingdom'' when it'll be released (by the way I have no doubt that this game will be at least as good as WTNC but I guess it'll be even better and I can already say that I love the art and the ability to choose your role). I really appreciate the support for LGBTQ+ community and the fight for equal rights. So... if you want to play a really good visual novel, you need to try this one!
I'm already excited at the thought of playing your next masterpiece. I hope to see more vn as good as this one soon and one day I'd like to belong to a team that creates such wonderful things. You have something to be proud of.
Thank you so much for your kind words!
OMG. I can't express my eternal love for this game. It has my undying affection. Just like my love for Finn. My vampire babe. Anyway I just adore the game.
Thank you!!! x
This game is without doubt one of the best ones I have ever played! I honestly can't express how much I love it! All the characters, their interactions and relationships are incredible complex!
My favorite route was Gus but all the other routes have a special charm that make playing them something fascinating! The entire game has a really deep history and everything just flows naturally.
Although I discovered the true behind the murders long before it was revealed, I wasn't bored or anything. On the contrary, it made me more excited about it, I wanted to know the WHY of it! (The true behind the Hunters did caught me by surprise!!). The "good" and "bad" endings are both amazing!
The illustrations are breathtaking! Although some of them have a different vibe, they all feel connected. The colours, the lighting, the emotion behind the eyes, I love them!!!
My only “critic”, is that if you play the no-romance option with the “good” ending, you don’t get a new illustration with the entire group at the end of the game, which made me really sad because I was really hoping for that u.u. But I also understand that group illustrations are a pain in the ass, so yeah lol
I want to congratulate the entire team. The people behind the writing and the art!The person who programed everything! Everyone! This game was a delight to play and I can't wait to do it again!
You're so kind, thank you so much! We made the game with very limited resources but we are planning on implementing a few changes to both the artwork and other things in a re-release planned for later this year. We hope you'll come back and play when that happens! x
Hello! Any chance for game to be released at Steam? I want a key for my library))))
yes next year! :)
Thank you much than I'll buy it) With EKingdom)))
I played 1 route so far! This game is awesome. ^^
thank you! we hope you get to try the others!
I might've stayed up playing this game instead of studying for finals haha. It was well worth it!
whoops 👀❤️
Totally completely love/adored this game, this is the best one i have ever played. I have done every romance they were to die for and the pictures - ace! looking forward to errant kingdom and every future game you do... keep up the truely excellant work x
that’s so kind! Thank you so much :)
The game is fantastic and I've thoroughly enjoyed it so far ( yet to finish it). Congratulations to the team on making such interesting, lovable characters and a genuinely intriguing storyline!
Literally my only criticism is that it doesn't really make sense for Alkar to have two pairs of ears? I know it's a small thing but it kind of just looks... wrong?
Regardless, I'm very much enjoying the game so thank you for making it!
Alkar says, “Twice the chance to hear people talking shit about me. Also no one questions demons having ten eyes so why me?”
I only now finished the last episode (because I kind of, absolutely have, an irrational fear of endings) and holy FrIgGING SHiT I'M ScreAming
OMEN. MY BOY. I LOVE YOU.
Thank you so much for making this game, for creating these amazing characters, for making this world come to life. You literally changed my life.
I'm gonna cry myself to sleep now out of happiness.
Omen. MY. SWEET. BOY.
Thank you!!!
Ugh this was so awesome!!! I've only been able to finish August's route so far but this definitely leaves an impression on you. I'm usually one to focus on the storyline but the romance scenes made me melt...
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed ✨
(minor spoilers)
I just wanna say that I love this game! I'm always on the hunt for games that have meaningful choices + plot and there are only a few that keeps me intrigued to satisfy my thirst for romance. I usually play ones that have a (customizable) female lead so I can immerse myself in the game and with that, I'm pretty so-so about the MC. I understand that it's supposed to be LGBTQ+ but there were some moments where it was obvious that the MC was male. I'm not sure if that was intentional or not... Regardless! I adore the story line and appreciate the inclusion for the community.
At first, I was immediately drawn to Alkar with his
absolutely hotappearance and brash personality but when the game ended, I was slightly disappointed with his route. There was something missing and felt like there could have been more to his story since I noticed it was a bit short :/ (same with Omen...) However, I do understand that this is more based on mystery rather than romance (?)On the other hand, I have played everyone's route (I have not gotten up to the polyamorous route + piper [yet]) and so far, I LOVE Finn and Ezra. Both of their paths were very fulfilling with enough fluff and angst (sucker for both!) I also liked the idea of choosing whether or not to lead during Ezra's path.
Also, OOF, that plot twist though! Kind of made me feel sorry for him since he just wanted to make the world a better place (reminded me of an anime but I can't think of it from the top of my head rn...). I was kind of confused though. What exactly happened to James and how did he die? (I have a feeling it was Harry but... I just wanted some clarifications if you don't mind!)
Overall, awesome game with a mind boggling plot twist, mystery, and romance :) btw, what is the name of the opening song? It's so catchy *_*
Thanks so much for playing And we’re so glad to hear you enjoyed!
The MC is absolutely not intended to just be viewed as ‘male only’ and the game is written by an LGBTQA+ team, so we put great care into creating the game so that everyone, no matter their gender, can play and feel included. We pride ourselves on having a strong and independent MC who isn’t afraid to stand up for themselves and forge their own path, which certainly isn’t something restricted to male-only characters.
We will certainly take your comments into consideration though! Again, thank you so much for playing and enjoying the characters 🌙
I can't say enough about this visual novel. I love it all! The music is amazing an the character designs are so clean and some how add a lot of emotion into the game. I did the Finn and Ezra route and the just Ezra route so far. Ezra is adorable and yet still very surprising. I love their forms when they fight for you, it adds a more beautiful aspect to them. The glow of the magic in the game is honestly amazing and satifies me in some way. Overal, so for I would say that this game is literally a 12/10.
Thank you so much for a wonderful comment! We’re thrilled you enjoyed the game ✨
Wow the characters & the music & the plot of this were so amazing! There are not many games like that, I also loved how it was drawn!
Thank you!!
This game/story was so much fun. The music is still running through my head when the house is quiet, and I think fondly back to my supernatural friends.
Thank you so much XD
I'll try to succinct, but I cannot describe how truly incredible this game is. It is by far my favorite VN, and most definitely one of my favorite games in general. The artwork is beyond beautiful, the soundtrack plays such amazing paralells to the story, and the writing is beyond my expectations. Kris and Kevin are so incredibly skilled, I can only aspire to write as well as them.
I'll admit, I have to contain my excitement while writing this. I keep wanting to bring up how great every aspect of this is, but I'll try to reign it in. It's the little things, really. I can't get over how the y'all managed to portray all the characters with such well-rounded, intricate personalities, it really is beyond me. Especially the well-paced, fulfilling build-up in romancing, at least in Finn's route, as I've only just made it to the end and finished his route and needed to write my thoughts immediately, however jumbled they may be..
So, it may not mean much coming from a stranger, but I hope everyone who helped work on this game is unbelievably proud of themselves, it very much so is a work of art. I hope for only the best for this team of creators and their future work!
It absolutely means the world to us to hear how much you enjoyed it! Thank you for your very kind words 🌙
I enjoyed this game so much! It has a wonderful story and characters. Alkar was a delight to romace. He is absolutely adorable!! The ending made me feel so proud of all the characters and their achievements. It was a truly memorable game. Thank you for creating this piece of art and sharing it with others❤️!
Thank you so much 🌙
I plan on writing a mini review after I finish all of the routes. It's definitely among the top VN's I've played. I really wish I had an August in real life. They're my absolute favorite.
Also, I love the song you chose for August. If anyone wants to know which song it is, I looked it up and it's 'Phantasm', by Kevin Macleod.
Thank you! We adore that song too ✨
Hello! I was playing this game all night long, and my boring daily routine faded away, that was awesome. I want to thank your team for making good games, keep it up c: Also, I was wondering if we could translate this game into Russian! It'd be nice to let our non-English speaking readers take a look at your creation (but we're not a pro team, just two average translators;;)
Just finished my first playthrough, and this game is amazing! I do have a lingering question or two, though: why were all the murder victims Hunters? Why one every seven days? I'm not sure if this was explained and I missed it, or if we were supposed to infer it from clues.
Thank you!! Spoilers...
The victims were all hunters as they are the only ones who would oppose the creatures. The creatures/turned hunters were not out looking to harm anyone, but when cornered/approached by a Hunter their instinct to survive would make them attack. They often approached Hunter’s out of lingering familiarity too.
Thank you for the explanation! Wow, the creatures/turned hunters seem a lot more sympathetic to me now.
This is the first time I have played WTNC and I have a comment about the transition between Chapter 8 and 9.
There is a large part of the end of Chapter 8 that is repeated at the beginning of Chapter 9, unlike the other chapters where there are 2 or 3 sentences. I find that this breaks the flow of the story when it was not the case with the other transitions.
Do you plan to reduce the number of repeated sentences for the beginning of Chapter 9 in a future update?
We had an issue with our coding and the selection from the end of Ch8 didn’t carry over hence the repetition. This is something we’ll fix in our updated version which will release here and on steam in 2020!
Thanks, I understand better now! :)
I also have another question. How many GGs are there for each character, please?
I'm very happy that a friend recommend this game . I really fell in love with Lunaris and the characters especially Augustus. I'm looking forward to the mini stories and Errant Kingdom.
ive been here since chapter 2 and d a m n has this shit come far
i love this game so much my dudes
Thanks! We love YOU!
Will this be coming to android at any point? It looks amazing!
We are hoping to port the game to an app version next year!
I'm so excited to hear this. I would love to recommend this to some friends but majority of them are phone users. T_T
just a quick question– i want to go back and replay all the routes with different choices, but i don't want my saves to get cluttered. is there any way to delete save files? i'm on a mac, and the hover-delete method isn't working for me. thank you so much!
We'll look into this for you as we assumed it would be the same as the windows version! If you're looking to delete older saves you can go straight into the saves folder and do it manually, but they aren't named unfortunately.
to do that, would it be in the package contents of the actual app file? i poked around and can't find the saves folder. maybe i'm just not looking in the right places?
Are you thinking of doing a walkthrough or guide now that the game is over?
We don't think a walkthrough is really necessary for this particular VN! We've tried to be really transparent with our choices throughout the game so you're aware of what direction your chosen options will lead to you in!
I'm going to crosspost on here as well as tumblr, but to start off, thank you so much for creating this game, I have had countless hours of fun this world and these characters and this story, and it really means a lot to me. So thank you! Your team is incredidbly talented!
SPOILERS FOR THE ENTIRE GAME AHEAD
With the final chapter released and the game finished, I thought I’d put together a ‘final thoughts’ piece about this game because it had such a profound impact on me.
I will be covering my thoughts/opinions/experiences with the game, the characters, the writing, artwork, music and anything else I can think of. I have played through basically every part of this game, with all of the different routes and almost all of the different choices. I’m a little bit of a completist.
First off, I’d like to start by saying how much I love this game. I really do. I think I can safely say it’s my favorite visual novel, and possibly in the running for my favourite games. It’s so easy to get lost in the world and the story and I have probably over 30 hours of this game played. I loved all of the choices and the routes to create a unique experience. I am invested in this game, in the world, and with the characters. I have had dreams about them.
The Story – what I loved about this visual novel compared to many others that I played is the strong story that is at the heart of this game. Obviously, the romances are incredible, but the non-romance option and just the general over-arching story had me on the edge of my seat. I’ll admit, horror games aren’t really my thing, and I was a little nervous going in because of that tag. Honestly, I would be so lost in the story that I would sometimes forget it was a horror game until suddenly something would happen and I would be terrified. The encounters with the Chimera in Chapter 4 and 6 were scary in their own right, but the moment that had my heart pumping the most was actually at the end of Chapter 8 where the Hunter and August are about to talk to Harry. I think it’s poetic that a game full of monsters, that the scariest thing is just a human.
I loved the murder mystery aspect of it, I loved unravelling each new part. I loved getting to know the characters and having them help you along your journey. It was also a very satisfying story. Chapter 7 in particular with the dream sequence with James is one of my favourite moments. The reveal about the Hunters and about Harry and the tragic love story that is Harry and James was very well-executed. It also features a chilling moment that made me pause for a moment. As a player, we are used to the 2 choices in game, either asking two questions or 2 different attitudes in response to the other characters. So when we are just presented with the singular option of “Am I dead?” there was something very unsettling about it, and I loved it.
The ending of the story, or the ‘Good’ ending feels like everything is nicely tied up, I felt satisfied and resolved. Endings can be very tricky, but this one felt like it was worth the waiting and playing through the game. It was also emotional, there was definitely a part of me that dreads saying goodbye to these characters, but I know that they’re not really going anywhere.
I also loved that the end credits changed depending on some of the choice you made in game, it was a nice touch that made playthroughs feel unique and special.
As another note, I actually loved the ‘Liar Liar’ route probably the best in Chapter 9 because it’s got the emotionally charged moments of the Pledge Route, while still having a happy ending of the “Condemn” route, and it’s a sweet blend of the two.
I also really appreciated the ability to name our Hunter and to choose their pronouns. It was a small thing, but a really nice touch.
The Pledge Ending – I loved that there are different endings, and meaningful ending based off the choices we made. The ‘Bad’ ending was very well done and really lent itself well to this game. Starting from Chapter 8, and having to start breaking the hearts of these characters that as a player and character you’ve grown to love started off this emotionally driven tragedy. The fights in Chapter 9 were heartbreaking, and angsty and everything I wanted from this story of a fallen hero. The brilliant parallels between the Hunter and Harry are really nice, and I believe it’s in the Finn/Ezra route and then one of their individual routes where they talk about how Harry basically killed his own husband through his creation, and would the Hunter be willing to do the same? I’m paraphrasing, but it’s heartbreaking. With the leadup through the whole game, this version of the story is twisted and dark and brilliant. Chapter 10 really illustrates this the best, and as a player, you see how much effect your choices had on this world. The fact that everyone flees Lunaris is so sad, that this town is destroyed because of your influence. All of the final moments with the characters feel like punches to the gut. All of them are sad (August’s is possibly the worst) but there’s a line from Omen’s route that really stood out to me and took my breath away. The Hunter says to him, “I love you.” And our demon responds with “I—Yes, yes you do.”
The Pledge Ending is the Shakespearian tragedy I love in fiction, with a satisfying downfall of our traitorous Hunter.
The Music – the soundtrack of this game is beautiful, and I actually dived into the files to save it to my computer because I love it so much. All of the tracks add to the atmosphere and story, from the creepy moments of unease, to the comforting stops along the way, the music set the tone beautifully. The main theme especially is a song that gets stuck in my head, and to hear it at the ending credits was an emotional moment. Overall, I adored the music and felt it added so much to the experience of playing the game.
The Artwork – the art in this game is phenomenal. With visual novels, they are so much more than just a standard novel, and the ‘visual’ aspect of it is so important. And WTNC really knocks it out of the park The sprites are so well done, expressive and endearing. I got excited every time I noticed a new sprite being used, whether expression or outfit. There is a level of care put into these sprites that really comes across, and the wide variety is much appreciated.
The backgrounds are beautiful. They enhance and illustrate this world, I love the contrasting between night and day because that’s such an important aspect to Lunaris, that the night isn’t safe. With the sprites, I was excited to see new backgrounds. August’s bedroom stands out to me as one I was so in awe of when we got to see it for the first time. Actually all of the bedrooms are really wonderful, I loved getting to see Ezra’s and Piper’s as well. I think my favorite background in game was one we saw right at the very end, what was probably the last one created if I had to guess. For context, the Finn/Ezra Route is the one I consider my ‘True’ Route because it’s the first one I did, and at the end of that one and the end of Ezra’s solo route, the Hunter and their SO(s) go down to the beach under the moonlight. It was breathtakingly beautiful, and I actually started crying. It was a perfecting ending to this game I love so dearly, in my favourite route.
The CG’s again are such a brilliant part of this game. The collector and completionist in me loved being bale to see them and have them in the gallery as well. The artwork done on these is just amazing, and made me so happy every time I came across one in game. I think Chapter 10 might me my favourite chapter for CGs overall, there’s just so much love and care put into them. They are absolutely beautiful and there were many times where I would just have to stop and stare and marvel at them. So well done!
In conclusion, When the Night Comes has got to be my favorite visual novel to date, Lunaris Games worked so incredibly hard to create this amazing story and their accomplishments cannot be praised enough.
This story and these characters will be in my mind for a long time to come, not forgettable in the slightest. I had so much fun playing this game, and just wanted to thank the developers from the bottom of my heart for letting us into this world, and I am very excited to follow what comes next!
So I had to split this into 2 parts because it got too long!
MAJOR SPOILER WARNING AHEAD
The Characters – So I adore these characters, and wanted to do a little run through of each of them, both as they are in the story and also romance specific.
Ezra – So I know that I love all of these characters equally and all of them are amazing but everyone has to have a favourite, and when I saw this soft witch boy for the first time at the very start of the game, well, I fell in love with both him and the game. He drew me into this world, as he was my first playthrough that eventually branched into the Poly route with him and Finn, but more on that later. Ezra is this brilliant character in that he’s so genuinely kind and sweet and endearing because of that. A lot of times in fiction, male characters are a little more emotionally reserved, more ‘tough’ than sweet which is absolutely fine, but Ezra is also a breath of fresh air to those tropes. Having him be so unwaveringly kind and supportive and having him throughout the game was a good rock to anchor the Hunter to. I also just love his design as well, he’s adorable. I definitely have a special place in my heart for him.
Just because my piece of August got long, I’d also like to put in that the Gus/Ezra relationship is really nice, because first off you’re like, who would ever not like Ezra? And you can tell that Ezra really cares for them still, and to see them mend their relationship is nice.
Finn – I’ll admit, I wasn’t that into vampires before, but now? Finn changed the game for me. His romance was a brilliantly written one, and I love his characterization. He has some of the most romantic lines in the game, and there is something that is really sad about him, this weight to his immortality that comes across really well. The scene where he shows the Hunter his box where he has mementos from his past is a great scene, but I loved it especially because it’s a different scene given the context. With the Condemn route, it’s something sad but sweet, but in the Liar Liar route, it’s a warning. I think his story is definitely sad, the idea that he so badly wishes he was human. He’s a very well written and lovable character that’s very easy to fall in love with.
Finn/Ezra – This route was both my first and favourite route in the game. The chemistry between Ezra and Finn is very well done, and from their first scene together it’s easy to see their love for each other. The blend between these two characters in their route is something that really drew me in, and I argue to say that this is the (second) best route in the game, although I am very biased. What’s the first? I’ll get to that. But the relationship between the characters and with the added mix of the Hunter is something that is very well done and feels very natural. Poly routes are an uncommon sight in these Visual Novels, so it was a really nice and unique experience. Also that last CG of them in Chapter 10 just made my heart sing, I love these two boys so much.
Alkar – I have a special place in my heart for this wolf boy. He’s one of the funniest characters in the game, all snark and a tough out wall, but he truly shines when we get to see what’s underneath all of those layers and he becomes more vulnerable. Seeing him in the romance route become more open with the Hunter is satisfying and endearing to watch. He’s a very fun character, and well written, and plays off both the Hunter and many of the other characters very well. In Chapter 10 when we get to see him in his new outfit, with his bandages off, was a really sweet moment, a visual representation of how he’s changed.
Omen – Omen is probably one of the most complex characters in game. In the romance route especially, the Hunter really sees—not a transformation, because he was always this way, but it’s more like a reveal of his true nature. It’s not a personal transformation, the changes he goes through are simply a change in perception from the perspective of the Hunter, if that makes any sense at all. He starts off as this very sweet, chocolate loving, soft demon boy and he is still very much that, but as the game progresses we see the layers peeled back on this entity and what resides underneath. It’s so easy to forget that he’s this ancient demon prince of incredible power, that when we are reminded of it, it’s shocking and takes your breath away for a moment. When we get to see glimpses into this nature, this ancient, almost unfathomable being, it’s a reminder of who is truly is. Omen has many lines in the game that I have screenshotted because they made me pause or gasp. I think the trick with him is that this flipped expectations, he is a demon, the son of Satan himself, and yet he is kind, he is good. He loves humanity. This creates this compelling character that draws you in, wanting to know more.
I think one of the moments that illustrates this the best is in the Alkar/Omen route, and it might be in the solo route as well I can’t remember off the top of my head, but the Hunter and Alkar are expressing concern about him eating chocolate because of the salt, and what if his tounge swells up and he chokes? And Omen just responds with something like “You’re very cute to worry about my fake mortal form that doesn’t actually need to breathe.”
And I was like, oh…right. Ancient demon prince.
And it was a moment that really stood out to me, there were a lot of moments that Omen had that were really impactful, and I really love him as a character.
Alkar/Omen – their relationship, whether with the Hunter or not is a really fun one. Seeing them become friends and the endearing way they talk about the other is sweet, and while in other romances it’s very cute to watch them fall for the other. Their dynamic is a fun one, a definite partner-in-crime type relationship, and the Poly route was just as fun. They feel natural together, like they’re meant to be together.
Piper— She’s got both Big Best Friend Energy, and Big Wife Energy, but honestly, your SO should also be one of your best friends. I love Piper, I adore her. She’s everything I would want in a partner and more. She’s funny and witty and brilliantly written. She another character that even if your not in a romance with her, her relationship with the Hunter is just a natural part of the story, and she’s got amazing best friend material. Her transition from (unfairly) blaming the Hunter for taking her job, basically, to befriending us and helping us out was awesome to watch and experience, and doing missions with her were some of my favorite parts because she just has amazing chemistry with the Hunter. Seeing her regain her rank as General at the end of the game was also the cherry on top.
I love her romance route, it feels natural and heartwarming, and really drew me in. You can tell she really falls for the Hunter, and it’s pretty amazing to watch. As a side note, her CGs in Chapter 4 and 10 are my favourite in the game, she’s breathtakingly beautiful.
Her relationship with August is another favourite in the game, something that starts off antagonistic, but there’s a part of them that you can tell that they care about each other really sells it. Them repairing their relationship with each other over time, while still keeping up with a slightly more playful bantering that deliberately hostile is also something that is great to experience. You can tell that those two really could change the world if they could just work together.
August – The Hunter might be the main character of the game, but in my mind, I always thought of August as the true protagonist of this story. They are by far this most dynamic character, and their story arc throughout the game is the most impactful one. August in the core of this game, they are the driving force behind the plot as much as the Hunter is. Their relationship with the Hunter, whether as friends or their romantic relationship is the beating heart of the game. Their transformation to partial antagonistic force to the Hunter’s strongest ally, and taking their role as the new Lieutenant General is poetic. Their relationship with Harry as well, the Father-Child relationship for August who had a tumultuous relationship with their own parents, and the heartbreaking realization that Harry has betrayed them is an incredible moment. Seeing them break down in tears in Chapter 8 is an emotional crux that leads us into the finale of the game. Some of my favourite parts of them is a little strange, it’s actually the fact that they are very emotional, although I think they would rather not be. The fact that we can usually tell whatever they are thinking and that they’re expressive when they try not to be is something that’s very sweet. August really grew on me, and I would hazard to say that their romance is the best one in the game. Their transformation especially with the Hunter in their route is beautiful to watch, and I am so proud of them by the end of the game.
On the flip side, August was the first route I did with the ‘Pledge’ choice, because I knew it would be the most heartbreaking, and I was right. I do love the Pledge route, but I think August’s is the best because of how incredibly heartbreaking it is to watch because they fall so in love with the Hunter and then they break their heart.
I think one of my favourite moments with them is actually just what we hear from word of mouth. During the ‘Pledge’ and ‘Liar Liar’ routes, we hear from our respective love interests that August came to them, in tears and completely distraught at the thought of losing the Hunter to Harry. That idea that they were in hysterics over the thought of losing the Hunter, romanced or not, is so emotional. You can really see in that moment how much they have grown to care for you.
August’s design is gorgeous as well, they’re just a beautiful person and this has been pointed out before, but another thing I love is the stark difference between the way that August looks at the Hunter in their first CG, and the way they look at them in Chapter 8 and 10.
Also, there aren’t many Non-Binary characters in media in general, let alone in Visual Novels. Seeing someone like August was really nice to have a character like that written in the way they were. It’s refreshing to see that kind of representation, and it was nice to have a NB character, I always think LGBTQ+ representation is so important.
Harry – As the antagonist of such a brilliant game, Harry had to be no less that amazing, and he really delivered. His twisted worldview come from his loss and sense of powerlessness, it really changed up the story. What started off as a monster hunting story became something more when we realized what was really happening behind the scenes. Placing Harry in this powerful position, and a position of trust and admiration really set up his fall from grace in the Hunter’s eyes. He was a truly scary villain, something that is often hard to do.
What I love most about Harry is his parallels with the Hunter, as I’m a sucker for a good hero/villain dynamic, although this aspect of their relationship shines the best in the Pledge route. The fact that the Hunter seeks his approval even after everything is so interesting, that the Hunter fell victim to the pursuit of power just as he did, both of them sacrificing loved ones to do so. It’s masterfully done.
Harry as the twist villain of the story was actually not what I expected, I was actually delighted and surprised by the end of Chapter 7, and Chapter 8 had me on the edge of my seat for an explanation. The final fight between the Hunter, August, and him in Chapter 9 is really the climax of this story, and feels like it’s all been leading up to this moment.
He’s an amazing villain, overall.
James – Something that I love at the start of Chapter 7 is the fact that we are in James’ perspective. James is a large part of this story from the very start in Chapter 2, with the Hunter the whole way through in his own way. His is the story of tragedy. Getting to see him in Chapter 7 in the dream sequence is an incredible moment, finally getting the answers we needed while opening up new ones. He is a kind man, I think he would’ve made an amazing father if he had ever gotten that chance. In the ending credits that we learn that he stays with a captured Harry is heartbreaking, and I really feel for the character. Love his design as well, he’s a handsome man, looks good with Harry in the flashbacks we see them together, and is really an emotional crux for Harry’s story and downfall.
Aurora – I am always a big fan of villainous female characters, and Aurora did not disappoint. I loved the creepy vibe of her in Chapter 2, it really started off the investigation nicely. She also provided this strange counter view on creatures and the world, her twisted mindset was really interesting to explore. I don’t know, but I just really loved her snarky, pretentious attitude, I just love characters that aren’t always good, and she is a very interest character to bounce off of, seen best at the start of Chapter 6 as she gets the Love Interests pretty riled up. She really shines in the final chapter of the Pledge Route, and her twisted devotion to the Traitor Hunter is a very interesting relationship. I was really happy to see her again because I actually missed her in many of the chapters, even though her presence wouldn’t really make, I just really love her character—it was just nice to have that final moment with her. She’s a very complex and interesting character and a great addition to the story.
Armaros – I actually really love Armaros, especially with his relationship with Elaine, especially when the Hunter is either in the Omen route or the Alkar/Omen route because of the parallels. I love the conclusion with him at the end of Chapter 10, also a wedding! I’m so excited. But I love him being the quieter, more reserved in the pairing with his sister, and you can tell he really cares for her, and their story is a sad one, but I’m glad it took an upward turn for him when he meets Elaine.
Elaine – She really is this interesting dynamic with Omen, especially in the romance route with him. She’s sweet like him, but her darker demon side is just a touch more obvious, she’s just a little less concerned about fitting in or loving humanity and I love it. She really gives this impression that she is this demon princess, daughter of the Devil, where she’s nice, but just sharp enough to cut you if you get too close. Her relationship with Armaros is also a very nice background part, and again—wedding! That’s so cute. My favourite moment with her is in the Omen route where she kinda of tricks the Hunter into a ‘deal’ to keep her brother safe, I believe? It’s a brilliant, quick-witted, and a little scary moment that sets the tone for her character and it’s fantastic. Her design is also beautiful, she’s gorgeous.
Raven – I adore Raven, she’s very fun to bounce off of Finn, and their relationship is very sweet in that brother/sister type of way. She’s a very fun addition to have around, and getting to meet her while romancing Finn is cute, and she’s very endearing in her own playful way. She’s a very fun character, and I love her design she really looks amazing.
Lux – In the little moments where we get to meet Lux, it’s very sweet. She’s a really cute character and her relationship with Raven is adorable. I love their matching necklaces, it’s such a cute little touch. The moment at the end of Finn’s route with them is so sweet because it really feels like a family moment.
Fiero – In our brief interactions with him, I really loved him as a character. That moment in Chapter 8 where he calls us out if we romance Finn about warning us about breaking his heart is so sad, because you can tell how much he cares for him. As a whole, the character is very cool, a unique character in that he’s a little more reserved, and it’s a nice contrast between Finn and Raven as another vampire.
It's taken us a while to respond because we've actually read it a few times and are all just beyond flattered and humbled by your incredible comment. You truly understood all of the little intricacies and nuances with both the plot and the character relationships that we plotted exactly as we hoped everyone would, and that means the world to us. So thank you from the bottom of our hearts! You've made our week x
What an amazing journey it has been, thank you so much for making the game! Loved the writing, the art, the amazing characters you created!! Definitely looking forward to the mini stories Errant Kingdom :D
Thank you so much! Us too!
I'm so happy that i played this game i really loved it the story was just amazing and the characters they are great. Thank you for making this game. :)
Thank you for playing :)
i just finished this and im so sad!! i even cried a bit upon seeing 'the end' omg, but honestly thank you so much for making this! the story was overall amazing and the characters were all so great! im not very good with words, but truly thank you to everyone involved! i cant wait for any possible mini stories ;;
Thank you so much! Don't be sad, they'll be back <3
Hey so I was trying to play chapter 10 after it updated, but my game keeps ending on chapter 9 and then sends me back to the title screen. Do you know what's going on exactly?
Sounds like you may need to re-download the update & ensure you’re copying the contents of the unzipped file over your old ones!
i accidentaly clicked on "Start" and the game restarted :( idk what to do, i have my saves folder,,, pls help i was on chapter 3 and it took me a lot :(
If you still have your saves in the game folder then you should be able to just load them from the load screen
oh yeah it worked!! thanks <3
how come the ending doesn't say how our relationships go after everything? did I do something wrong or will we see in the side stories
Your relationship is alluded to in the slide with your chosen LI. it was kept brief as there is going to be a continuation in the mini stories.
Anyone know if the locked slots in the gallery are going to be for future beautiful artworks, like in the mini stories that are yet to come? Or maybe I just missed something.
I really would like to know as well!! I have 3 missing CGs in almost every non poly route :/ ( don’t know about Piper since I didn’t play her)
As we use Ren’py for coding the game we used a pre-made gallery layout. This is why there are locked areas, not necessarily to indicate that there are missing CGs. There may be more CGs in the future if we do mini stories.
Awesome, thanks for clearing this up.
Love this game!!
Oh my GOSH!!! I won't spoil anything for anybody, but Chapter 10 has some fabulous lines in it. I cracked up more than once, and the artwork had me deep in my feels. 10/10, love this game
how many chapters will there be?
Yesterday the 10th and final main chapter was released. There was a bit in the credits that said mini stories would be coming in 2020 which I am very hyped about!!
I really wish that I could give this visual novel a rating that was higher than 5 stars, because if I could then I would really give it all the stars.
I know it's been said before by many but this is one of the best visual novels I've played and I super can't just pick one element that I like best. The characters are so well developed and the writing was something that really hooked me, which is probably why I have already replayed this visual novel a lot... Like seriously a lot and have played through every single LI - although I am trying to steel myself to play the pledge route because I am too much of a softy - but I will get there.
I will also admit to reading through chapter 10 for all LIs on the non-pledge route from around 4am this morning because I had to read all of them because I needed to find out how things ended for them and couldn't wait for non silly o'clock (it was super worth the lack of sleep, although it was probably as well that I am still currently on holiday and thus didn't have to worry about going to work xD )
Adding on to my last review, I will admit to having never played a game with poly routes before WTNC, but both poly routes were beautifully written and I really enjoyed both for different reasons.
I really also appreciate how available the devs are to their fans, I may not personally be on social media, but I can see how readily the game social media accounts are updated (and have learnt a lot of game lore by reading through past asks on the tumblr - and from the patreon).
I will definitely be replaying as WTNC is definitely a visual novel to come back to over and over (and I do still need to play the pledge route).
Thank you devs for this beautiful visual novel.
I am also super looking forward to Errant Kingdom and to seeing what the devs come up with in future.
i literally just finished playing chapter 10 and getting to the ending was such a bittersweet moment :') I freaking LOVE the afterthought of what each of the characters did after the ending and i can't wait for those mini stories later on in 2020 because i feel like i will definitely need to see my sweet bb's again in the future if i feel like i'm missing them. Thank you SO much to the beautiful hard working people of Lunaris Games for creating such an amazing full FREE game that just completely blew all other free VNs i've ever played out of the water.
Amazing story line, amazing art, drool worthy & cheek-pinchable ROs, i truly hope for all the best and all the success in your upcoming projects! I am vibrating with excitement now for Errant Kingdom and i don't even care if i have to pay to play errant kingdom because you guys have proven to deliver some very terrific art works and plots to your VN. I will gladly support y'all and i can't wait to snuggle up with Maja, Erik, Lucien and Raiden next lmao
This game is one of the best visual novels I've ever played - and in my top list of games ever. It is beautifully written and illustrated, and it's been wonderful following it to its (amazing) conclusion. I'm excited to follow Errant Kingdom next, but I don't doubt I will come back and replay WTNC many times.
Thank you guys for making this wonderful game with characters that truly touch people's hearts! And best of luck going forward. 💖
Thank you so much!! x
Could you upload the Linux version for chapter 10? I know you had internet problems, so no rush.
Uploading it now :)