First of all i wanna say i enjoyed the game SO MUCH!
I really liked the story it was very interesting and as for the art I LOVE IT!
I loved all the main guys and enjoyed their route and i also REALLY like the side characters as well i just love their interactions with the MC and i hope that one day if possible they can each get their own route because that would be amazing!
I played on all endings and it was so good, but short for me (ಥ﹏ಥ). One route - one day and when it's ended i was like "I WANT MORE!!!!" I played in this order Zeikun > Junoru > Kurato > Sachiro.
Zeikuns route: i played it first because i liked Zeikun the most in the demo and expected much from him(„ಡωಡ„). His route answered all my expectation. Story and romantic line was good, but sometime i was thinking that protagonist spend more time with Kaichi than with Zeikun(not like i'm mind (~˘▽˘)~). And I'm cried the most in his normal end(i was not ready for so many deaths). Ikuya and Lioji are such good friends, i started ship them without noticing it.
Junoru route: this route was depressin, i'm not good with sad stuff, but i liked story part most of all routes. His route cardinally changed my opinion on side characters. I liked Chain the most of side characters after demo, but when i played Junoru route i nearly started to hate him. He didn't have any evidence, but still kills Roya(in every damn route, poor boy (ﾉಥ益ಥ)ﾉ) and even tried to kill Junoru. Junoru was so good pure boy and didn't try to take revenge for Roya. But Chain still come for him and Junoru ends up killing him PROTECTING protagonst. I was feel so bad for Junoru on this moment. Romantic part on this route was so CUTE ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡ , i could't stop smiling because of Junorus red cheeks(´ ε ` )♡. But then.... my bigest problem of this game started.... twins. I liked them so much during this route, especially Blace he was so my type that i could't take my eyes off him heh.
Kurato route: this route was most shocking for me. Didn't expect his background to be so interesting. But to be honest, i was too in love with twins on this moment that when they show up i completely forgot about Kurato(i'm so sorry m(_ _)m). I feel like 28 achievement was created for me...
Sachiro: at first i didn't want to play his route because can't see such little boy(not only in appearance) as love interes. I started it for the bonus content, but end up liking him the most of the main boys lol. His older form turned out to be so cool, charming and hot(hot spring moment (*￣ii￣)).
Generally after played all routes i changed my fav main boy(from Zeikun to Sachiro), changed my fav side boy(from Chain to Blace), shipping Lioji/Ikuya and have this sort of questions: Why Chain hates supernatural beings? What was Rasumis goal? Why Roya wanted to die? Why twins killed Junoru and Roya parents? How Kurato traveled into the future? Horror part was created so good that even i(playing horror games with poker face) was feel little nervous. Story part was interesting and kept attention my attention from the start to end. Romantic part was like special for each route it was filled with different emotions, but in the end i wanted more romantic moments and CG on it( ಠ ͜ʖ ಠ). Graphic part was on the pro level. So game was more than what i expected and i held my hand up for fandisk for this game.
Thank you so much for your hard work during the last couple of years to bring us this game; it is the motivation I need to finish my midterms and finals!
I'm so blown away from this game. I was on tumblr as I discovered it and I fell in love, I just finished Junorus Route. I first played Sachiros Route, after that Kurato and then Junorus and I have to say I like Sachiros and Junorus Routes more, or at least their characters.
The art is so pretty, istg- I really love the game. The game is amazing. AND I FELT THE ACHIEVEMENT "Sorry, they are just side characters" AHHHHH. I love these two after Junorus Route ;; I actually love every side Character, except Rasumi..brrrr. Don't hurt our poor bois pls ;; (I gotta admit tho: She looks damn pretty. I wish I could draw like Pinlin.)
The story is interesting and I normally hate horror as a genre (I also normally don't play these, only watch Let's Plays, but..this game seemed nice). AND THEN I HAD TO PLAY SACHIROS ROUTE FIRST WHERE THERE IS AN ACHIEVEMENT LIKE "What's with all the horror in this route?" AHHHHH. I screamed at some parts and was so startled, brrrr.
I really love the game, thank you for creating this story! If I ever start recommending Otome Stuff on tumblr I'll make sure to recommend this game, since the art is so nice and the story isn't boring either! (I also love the MC, she's a cutie and somewhat relatable to me :'3)
And with that I should end my comment. Thank you so much again for creating this Otome Game! (I'll make sure to give you some money for the game when I have Paypal, but that can only take a year or more whoops. I still want to support you guys!)
Ah, yes, another excellent otome VN that i'd spend my boring life with. It's so simple yet captivate me, great work for creating this VN.
Finally, i've got all romantic & normal end from each route, now that leaves the death end. I think i like the both end from Sachiro's route best, and i dunno why the both end from Kurato's route feels so unsatisfied to me.
Love all the bois (except Chain, he still kinda makes me uncomfortable), but i love Junoru, Kurato, Kaichi, and Roya the most in my opinion.
*sigh* seems like it would take some time to move on from my bois- from this VN.
I haven't found all the endings, but I love the art and storylines! I love all the characters, even when they seem evil their always seem to be a better side to the character based off of what you chose. The only thing I wanted was a route for Chain, Kaichi, and the the others! I really got second lead syndrome and every other character syndrome xD
I really like this VN the. The protagonist is strong and each of the routes stories are compelling. I cant decide which is my favorite they all have something I like a lot. The art style is also beautiful and amazing to look at.
I think I already finished all the 16 endings but the extra scene remain unlock.. did I need to do something to unlock or it auto unluck after I finish all endings?
There was a bug in the first upload, so make sure you've downloaded the latest version 0.1 The 16 endings are achievements 1 to 16. If you've gotten these, you should be able to unlock the bonus features.
I just finished Zeikun's route and got romantic ending 2 and oh my gosh. I am just completely blown away. I fell in love with this game. The artwork, the music, the story, the characters, I love everything. I currently don't have the financial possibilities to support you and even though the game is free, I will definitely make sure to support you when I'm able to!! I completely fell in love with Zeikun. I just have a question. I read that there are multiple endings to each route. Even though I am more than happy with the ending I got, I would love to see the other ones. Do I have to play Zeikuns route from the beginning and choose different things or is there a way to get there faster? It just took me about 7 hours to finish my first run and I really want to see the other routes too but I really can't afford that much time :(
Ok I just read in the comments that there are death endings? I really want to appreciate your work and detail and everything but I can't see my boy Zeikun die so I think I'm gonna skip that one xD
Thank you for your support! I'm happy to know that your first route left a good impression. When you follow the sound guide during menu choices, you'll get the romantic end. If not, you get the normal or bad end. If you want to skip through fast, use the "Skip" or "Skip to" feature. Make sure to set your skip setting to "Seen" so you won't accidentally skip scenes you haven't read. Experiment with the choices and you'll unlock all of the endings and achievements.
I recommend to go through the bad ends because they show other possibilities. I won't spoil anything for you, hehe. If you get all 16 possible endings; you'll unlock 2 extra features in the galley. Play whenever you have time _(: D
(I deleted this comment because I just read that the devs will post the walkthrough in 3 days or later, and I was spoiling it, so pardon for my intrusion)
Ahh, no worries! Your walkthrough is very in-dept and I enjoy your commentary. I think you're better at writing the guide than I do. To be honest, I anticipated the community to post a walkthrough, and I encourage that. Right now, I have my hands occupied with feedback. It's nice to see players helping each other out. When posting guides, but sure to tag it with "Spoiler".
Note: regarding Death 8 ending; there is no point requirement, but a condition. When Ikuya asks you who you like the most and you don't pick Blace, then choose to go after him, he sends you back into the past.
Some other achievements trigger in this way too. I applaud you for finding all of the endings by yourself.
Ah well then, thanks for the permission. Here goes nothing
(REPOST, SPOILER)
Actually, the devs already answered your question also provided enough tips and clues. But here is more elaborate steps to at least avoid the death trap.
Zeikun : in Chapter 2-Hiding, if you take a wrong turn and cornered to dead end, you will literally get Death End 7(the correct escape way is left - right - left, or straight - right - straight, or right three times then straight ).
As stated by Pinlin, Zeikun's route is different from the other routes as three endings is all wrapped up and decided by the choices which Rasumi damn angel asks you about in Chapter 3-Lonely Demon. Choosing "Ha ha, it's a silly question" will give you Death End 3.
Junoru : in Chapter 2-The Hunter, if you assure Junoru not to take revenge but when Chain confronts him and you beg him to run, you'll get to Death End 1.
If you succeed in obtaining Chapter 4-Escape, you'll regret it if you chose to not intervene and you will deal with Death End 2.
Sachiro : in Chapter 2-Stories, you have to lie at least for two of the Shinigami's question whether if you have encountered supernatural event or not. Otherwise, he will "save you from your own demise" and go to Death End 5.
In Chapter 3-Awakening, when you visit Sachiro's past, choosing to pull his scarf when you are attacked by a mild dangerous spirit will lead you to Death End 6.
Kurato : if you run from or even kick the school ghost in Chapter 1-Visits, you rather deserve Death End 7.
(Answered by Pinlin) If the requirement isn't followed in which you feel like having a bit of side crush to Blace who doesn't tho in Chapter 3-Death Hours, you will be transferred through time and get Death End 8. Otherwise with enough romantic points, you will walk to Romantic Ending. Choosing to confront Kaichi instead will only lead to Normal Ending.
The key to Romantic Ending is basically listen to that sweet heavenly bell sound effect that assure you yes you are in the right path now you can relax honey. If you feel that you misheard it, you can always use the Page Up button to scroll back (I didn't count if it takes only two "bell" choices per chapter or you have to choose perfectly from Chapter 1 till the end of Chapter 3, I may get back to it later. Because I just realize that for Zeikun, there is a romance point counter to unlock the After Story). Also, Chapter 4 will be the final indication, as it has.. more optimistic title than its "normal" counterpart ;')
Anything you choose other than those above or as long as you avoid the "death" choices, it will lead you to Normal Ending and various mischievousAchievements.
*behind the scene*
Other routes : Welp, my mistakes for choosing that dumb option and wrong turns, here we go again...
Junoru's route : WHERE IS THOSE DAMN DEATH ENDINGS!! I BETTER GO DIE INSTEAD OF JUJU!
Finally found the Death Endings in his route : Kenriji family sure is suicidal or something??!! Let me die!!
I love this game so far, I played Sachiro's route got the normal and romantic endings and Zeikun's route and got the normal and romantic endings, im having a hard time getting the other two endings for Sachiro's route but i will not give up till I get all the endings. Thank so much for making such a great game I have been waiting for this game since 2016 when I found your website for the game I just fell in love with all the characters after reading all the information you had on them
Hello! I played Sachiro's route and boy, it sure got me hooked, i was going to ask if there's any way to check the remaining endings i haven't done aside from achievements? Overall, this is a great game! Definitely will tell my otome enthusiast friends about this~
I'm glad my recommendation made a good impression! The only way is checking the achievement names. Each route has 4 ending achievements. To give you a hint: nr 1-16 are the endings while the rest you get randomly through certain events.
The worst decision I incidentally made is : going to Junoru's route (moreover getting the Normal Ending)right after reading the Sachiro's Romantic Ending . From that one bouquet of white flowers in the Opening, I already expected someone's funeral but still.... Also damn that one angel experiments on my poor boys and village *angrily sobbing*
Besides some minor typos, how the major mystery actually a tangled tragedy from each charaters is well-written, supported by the lovely artworks and fitting atmosphere. The foreshadowing in MC's history lesson and the romance novel series (it's especially pretty heavy on Sachiro's route), slipt information from NPCs that casually become clearer from one route to another, and that one pop culture reference in Zeikun's route are entertaining :D
As four endings for each routes, I assume there are two Deaths, Normal, and Romantic? The "Normal" Ending sure is more brutal than the Death one, tho... :')))
The typos are endless, considering the story alone is over 270,000 words. With the coding and all, the word count might be double. Typos are guaranteed. Sometimes I fix a line, but it leave another typo. Through the whole project I've been spending months to polish up the spelling and grammar ლ(ಠ_ಠ ლ) /flashback on documents of over 100 pages for just one chapter Please report the errors in the google form linked in the download page!
There are many references in Sachiro's and other route as well! A lot are classic references; ranging from arts, movies, series to culture. Thank you for the positive feedback! This is the first project I have my art accompanied by text and sound. I'm glad everything blends seamlessly.
Each route has 4 endings, just like you said. Heh, some normal endings are brutal. I think it hits harder after so deep into the plot :'D
Ah, I understand the pain in the writing and coding. It didn't disturb me that much from enjoying the reading, but well I will keep a thorough list of typos I found in the game and send it through the google form as soon as possible.
I absolutely love love LOVE this game so much, everything about it is so unique and intriguing and wonderful!! I can't believe a game this amazing is free, thank you so much! Is there ever going to be a release of a walkthrough? I've been playing for 2 days and I've gotten all but one ending/achievement and I'm struggling a little bit to find number 13. Thanks and bless you for making this gorgeous work of art <3
I'm glad you enjoyed my directing! Since it's my first work, I decided to make it for free. I hope for many to enjoy it. DN was initially shorter and simpler, but as years passed by, I became perfectionistic and ambitious.
I applaud you for getting most achievements by yourself. I won't release a walkthrough for now because it's too early. The game has only been released 3 days ago and I don't wish to spoil it. As for your question, the hint lies in Kurato chapter 1. You can join my discord group to discuss or ask for help from fellow players! Link in the download page, above the comments.
I was playing otome games since for how long I can remember but this is the first time that I created an account just to comment on one. Because this was the first otome that I waited for years and was highly anticipated to. I was so astonished to see that it was already been released since I know some creators tend to give up on their work. So kudos for you and I highly respected you because of that. I couldn't wait and didn't sleep so I am awake for more than 24 hrs haha. I started playing the route of Zeikun since the beginning at the poll I also picked him to play first, luckily i got the romance end 2. There are so many things i wanted to say to you. But to sum it all I love and wished you create more and I dont care for how long it takes to create I will wait patiently. Thank you so much for giving us this opportunity to play your game that took for like 5 yrs at most and it is free. There is a question though, there are now 4 endings but I only know the romance, normal and death. What is the other one? On zeikun's route there are 2 cgs that I did not unlocked I am guessing thats the normal and death end?
I'm flattered to receive such praise from a veteran in this community. Thank you for this comment, it made my day! During the development, I had very little to show, because I was more focused on writing. I didn't allow myself to spoil too much of the art. Even with the very little, I'm glad it drew your interest. The project has taught me so much and I was far from giving up on it.
I assume you were following the countdown? I hope you got to sleep a bit :'D The 2 CGs you mentioned are probably from the normal ending. The CGs are listed in order. Zeikun's route is programmed a bit differently than the rest; his endings branches from the last menu. Experiment with the choices to get different endings and achievements.
I am now on Sachiro's route and I saw one of the CG on the opening that I haven't unlocked on Zeikun's route I badly want to see that, I will experiment when I finished all the romantic ends since I am the type who would go first on the happy ones rather than the sad ones because I will feel less sad haha
It's a cutscene, so it won't be showed in the galleries. The quality wasn't up to my standards and the gallery is already packed with art. If you still have locked CGs it is probably from the other ending.
Completed Sachiro's route so far. I have to say, I absolutely love your artstyle - there's a lot of anime artists out there, but your work stands out because it just looks so... luminous, gentle and alive.
Thank you for the praises on my art! It took years to polish it and get to where I am now. I've developed this style especially for DN. It took some experiments to find a style that is easy on the eyes, detailed, yet can be drawn fast. After all, I drew over 100 illustrations in a short period of time, including failures. I couldn't take too long on it, because I knew my style would change over time (it still happened).
I started off as a beginner in digital art. It was hard to learn the necessary elements to bring my imagination to life, but I tried in small steps. I'm delighted that my efforts were worth it!
I just finished Sachiko's route and holy crap that was really good! So impressed with the amount of artwork as well! Like even big releases from otomate have like 10 cg per route and you offer routes with more for free!
Super looking forward to playing the other routes!
Thank you for the praises! I had many illustrations in mind for the routes. It started off with 6 and it quickly grew to 12. I don't think my art is up to Otomate's standards, hehe. I hope you'd enjoy other routes as well!
First, I want to thank Pinlin for making such a good game. I loved the demo so much that I played all it had to offer. I usually don't have too much hope on demos because most of the times, they never releases the whole game, but I really hoped Dark Nights was an exception so, a year later, when I saw the release date I was shocked, like, can I really play the whole game??? Really??? I even donate for the game because I wanted to play it sooo bad... And now, playing it, I see all the hard work and the result is beautiful. Also, I love Heroine's personallity, she is not the cliche main character and this is something pretty important in my opinion.
After so many years of developement, there was no way I would drop this project. In the last months we have been working harder to polish up the script and visuals. Thank you for your faith in this project. Your calls have been heard- thank you so much for the donations! The amount of support surprises me. I can't wish for more as creator. I like a headstrong and no-nonsense Heroine which I don't often see. She acts slightly different depending on who she interacts with. In real life people usually act differently around peers too.
Oh, itch works like that. I wasn't sure how to notify people about the release. I hope Dark Night's world will lessen the stress, if not, distract. Thank you for the celebration! Have fun playing!
I am so freaking proud of you omg what a journey TTTTT thank you so much for your dedication and look at what a beautiful game you made <3 I'll definetly remember Dark Nights for the rest of my life
I'm honored, ahhh- I'm glad it made a good impression! It was my pleasure to bring this project to life. Initially, I wanted to find a way to introduce my characters and a way for people to interact with them. I stumbled upon visual novels and here it is! The developement in a nutshell.
Congratulations on the release! I've been looking forward to playing this for, well, years now ever since it was first in development. Couldn't believe my joy when I'd finally played the demo, and now I am absolutely thrilled to begin the full experience. You've put so much work into this, and so much time, and I can't imagine how long of a road it has been for you, but you've made it to the end.
Give yourself a pat on the back. Thank you so very much for bringing something so artistically intriguing. I look forward to leaving a review sometime in the future, but until then, I'm going to take my time and enjoy it.
The journey of Dark Nights may have ended here (or not), but my own journey continues. I'm glad to have so many supporters. Thanks to feedback, I kept moving and growing. It's feels like yesterday I posted a journal about starting a visual novel project. To think that 5,5 years flew by.
Thank you, I'm looking forward to hear your thoughts! Meanwhile, enjoy my little world.
I had to make an account to leave a comment because when I first played the demo a few months ago I was too shy to leave any feedback. But now, a few months later, I don't have that problem anymore.
I just want to say - thank you so much for creating 'Dark Nights' and congratulations on the release!! I haven't played the full version yet (I'm going to get to it in just a few minutes) but the moment I first saw it , I was immediately intrigued.
I enjoyed the story so much and quickly grew to love all the characters (though Kurato and Junoru are my absolute faves), but I'd like to take a second to appreciate something else. The art for the entire project is simply gorgeous and I can't get enough of it! Most of all, everything about 'Dark Nights' makes me feel so inspired! I just really wanted to thank you for creating something which I and many others can find so much joy in, but also for being such an inspiration by actually pulling through and seeing this project through to completion!
Aww, thank you for gathering the courage to drop a comment! I wouldn't want to miss out your thoughts.
I added many improvements since the demo. I recommend to go through the prologue+ first chapter again, because there are new background art and soundtracks. I hope you'll like the full version even better!
It took a long time to polish the characters up. I even did my best to reach the same standards with the side-characters. Art is my strength; I like to put it to good use. The game's total length is long, so there is a lot space for creativity. It took multiple experiments to get where I am. Overall, I'm satisfied with the directing. I'm flattered to receive your praises. Even though I dropped previews here and there, most of the project has been behind the curtains.
I just finished the demo, and may I say it's amazing. The plot is super interesting and thrilling, the art is beautiful, the concept is really cool and the story is well-written. All the characters are really interesting and likable. The music is fitting to the story and at some intense points in the story, the music made the atmosphere feel even more dreadful and intense. Also, the opening song was really good and I really liked the video it accompanied.
overall, an amazing visual novel, I can't wait for more of it!
Just wanted to say I thoroughly enjoyed what you've released so far. The scope of your efforts was certainly not lost on me. Everything looks lovely in the game, from the characters, to the backgrounds, to the GUI, and I thoroughly enjoyed the cliffhangers you left upon the demo's ending. It exceeded my expectations and I look forward to seeing the completed version!
Do take your time. You stated at the end of the demo just how long you've been working on it, and it shows! Rather masterful if I may say so. Is there a way to donate to you in a show of support?
I had to check out your DeviantArt page afterwards and I find your style absolutely captivating. I look forward to seeing what other wonderful creations spill from your head. ^_^
Thank you for your praises! What I've shown in the demo was only the tip of the iceberg. During the development I made more changes to the elements you named. I'm perfectionistic when it comes to visuals hehe.
This project is actually a side-hobby of mine. I started off sharing doodles on social media. At some point people were more interested in my characters and I tried to find an interactive way to introduce them.
playing the demo right now, and it's pretty promising. the prologue seemed a bit longer than necessary... but mostly i'm pulling my hair out over mc not thinking to bring the boy to the creepy mansion she loves so much when he asked about a haunted house.
got to the end! i switched routes and i'm very eagerly anticipating the full version. i feel a little bad for it but figure i should admit- i tend to skip through all the stuff with mc's friends/classmates. i was originally pretty interested, but it got kind of old/repetitive, and i just want to know more about the mysteries and the bachelors.
The prologue was an introduction and used to set the atmosphere. After the first chapters, the game will progress more fast-paced. I understand your frustration. I, too, tend to skip ahead to the bachelors most of the time. In the rest of the game I kept in mind not to make things repetitive. The dialogue with mc's friends/classmates vary in topics and the number of times they talk. In some routes she barely interacts with them. Thank you for your feedback!
I just finished the demo and I have to say , I loved every moment of it. The story is beautiful written and I'm intrigued to see where this story will go. I can't wait for the full release and will be watching out for it closely.
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First of all i wanna say i enjoyed the game SO MUCH!
I really liked the story it was very interesting and as for the art I LOVE IT!
I loved all the main guys and enjoyed their route and i also REALLY like the side characters as well i just love their interactions with the MC and i hope that one day if possible they can each get their own route because that would be amazing!
So thank you for making this amazing game Pinlin!
I played on all endings and it was so good, but short for me (ಥ﹏ಥ). One route - one day and when it's ended i was like "I WANT MORE!!!!" I played in this order Zeikun > Junoru > Kurato > Sachiro.
Zeikuns route: i played it first because i liked Zeikun the most in the demo and expected much from him(„ಡωಡ„). His route answered all my expectation. Story and romantic line was good, but sometime i was thinking that protagonist spend more time with Kaichi than with Zeikun(not like i'm mind (~˘▽˘)~). And I'm cried the most in his normal end(i was not ready for so many deaths). Ikuya and Lioji are such good friends, i started ship them without noticing it.
Junoru route: this route was depressin, i'm not good with sad stuff, but i liked story part most of all routes. His route cardinally changed my opinion on side characters. I liked Chain the most of side characters after demo, but when i played Junoru route i nearly started to hate him. He didn't have any evidence, but still kills Roya(in every damn route, poor boy (ﾉಥ益ಥ)ﾉ) and even tried to kill Junoru. Junoru was so good pure boy and didn't try to take revenge for Roya. But Chain still come for him and Junoru ends up killing him PROTECTING protagonst. I was feel so bad for Junoru on this moment. Romantic part on this route was so CUTE ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡ , i could't stop smiling because of Junorus red cheeks(´ ε ` )♡. But then.... my bigest problem of this game started.... twins. I liked them so much during this route, especially Blace he was so my type that i could't take my eyes off him heh.
Kurato route: this route was most shocking for me. Didn't expect his background to be so interesting. But to be honest, i was too in love with twins on this moment that when they show up i completely forgot about Kurato(i'm so sorry m(_ _)m). I feel like 28 achievement was created for me...
Sachiro: at first i didn't want to play his route because can't see such little boy(not only in appearance) as love interes. I started it for the bonus content, but end up liking him the most of the main boys lol. His older form turned out to be so cool, charming and hot(hot spring moment (*￣ii￣)).
Generally after played all routes i changed my fav main boy(from Zeikun to Sachiro), changed my fav side boy(from Chain to Blace), shipping Lioji/Ikuya and have this sort of questions: Why Chain hates supernatural beings? What was Rasumis goal? Why Roya wanted to die? Why twins killed Junoru and Roya parents? How Kurato traveled into the future? Horror part was created so good that even i(playing horror games with poker face) was feel little nervous. Story part was interesting and kept attention my attention from the start to end. Romantic part was like special for each route it was filled with different emotions, but in the end i wanted more romantic moments and CG on it( ಠ ͜ʖ ಠ). Graphic part was on the pro level. So game was more than what i expected and i held my hand up for fandisk for this game.
Thank you so much for your hard work during the last couple of years to bring us this game; it is the motivation I need to finish my midterms and finals!
I'm so blown away from this game. I was on tumblr as I discovered it and I fell in love, I just finished Junorus Route. I first played Sachiros Route, after that Kurato and then Junorus and I have to say I like Sachiros and Junorus Routes more, or at least their characters.
The art is so pretty, istg- I really love the game. The game is amazing. AND I FELT THE ACHIEVEMENT "Sorry, they are just side characters" AHHHHH. I love these two after Junorus Route ;; I actually love every side Character, except Rasumi..brrrr. Don't hurt our poor bois pls ;; (I gotta admit tho: She looks damn pretty. I wish I could draw like Pinlin.)
The story is interesting and I normally hate horror as a genre (I also normally don't play these, only watch Let's Plays, but..this game seemed nice). AND THEN I HAD TO PLAY SACHIROS ROUTE FIRST WHERE THERE IS AN ACHIEVEMENT LIKE "What's with all the horror in this route?" AHHHHH. I screamed at some parts and was so startled, brrrr.
I really love the game, thank you for creating this story! If I ever start recommending Otome Stuff on tumblr I'll make sure to recommend this game, since the art is so nice and the story isn't boring either! (I also love the MC, she's a cutie and somewhat relatable to me :'3)
And with that I should end my comment. Thank you so much again for creating this Otome Game! (I'll make sure to give you some money for the game when I have Paypal, but that can only take a year or more whoops. I still want to support you guys!)
Ah, yes, another excellent otome VN that i'd spend my boring life with. It's so simple yet captivate me, great work for creating this VN.
Finally, i've got all romantic & normal end from each route, now that leaves the death end. I think i like the both end from Sachiro's route best, and i dunno why the both end from Kurato's route feels so unsatisfied to me.
Love all the bois (except Chain, he still kinda makes me uncomfortable), but i love Junoru, Kurato, Kaichi, and Roya the most in my opinion.
*sigh* seems like it would take some time to move on from my bois- from this VN.
When you hear a *ding* noice, it means you've made the right choice to the romantic end, my bud!
Ah, it worked. Thanks, bud! Seems like i just kinda doesn't focus enough.
And also, you have to chose all of the right choices!
I haven't found all the endings, but I love the art and storylines! I love all the characters, even when they seem evil their always seem to be a better side to the character based off of what you chose. The only thing I wanted was a route for Chain, Kaichi, and the the others! I really got second lead syndrome and every other character syndrome xD
I really like this VN the. The protagonist is strong and each of the routes stories are compelling. I cant decide which is my favorite they all have something I like a lot. The art style is also beautiful and amazing to look at.
i'm so happy to see this finished, it's quite excellent! i wish it were on steam so i could have a record of the achievements i've gotten in it :)
I think I already finished all the 16 endings but the extra scene remain unlock.. did I need to do something to unlock or it auto unluck after I finish all endings?
p/s : sorr for my bad english
There was a bug in the first upload, so make sure you've downloaded the latest version 0.1
The 16 endings are achievements 1 to 16. If you've gotten these, you should be able to unlock the bonus features.
ahh I see... and I already done all the extra scene too.... ahh I love this game so much as I love all your work ahh //fangirling
WHOO! So excited for this! Been busy since Halloween but I have the time to play now! The game looks amazing <3
I just finished Zeikun's route and got romantic ending 2 and oh my gosh. I am just completely blown away. I fell in love with this game. The artwork, the music, the story, the characters, I love everything. I currently don't have the financial possibilities to support you and even though the game is free, I will definitely make sure to support you when I'm able to!! I completely fell in love with Zeikun. I just have a question. I read that there are multiple endings to each route. Even though I am more than happy with the ending I got, I would love to see the other ones. Do I have to play Zeikuns route from the beginning and choose different things or is there a way to get there faster? It just took me about 7 hours to finish my first run and I really want to see the other routes too but I really can't afford that much time :(
Ok I just read in the comments that there are death endings? I really want to appreciate your work and detail and everything but I can't see my boy Zeikun die so I think I'm gonna skip that one xD
Thank you for your support!
I'm happy to know that your first route left a good impression. When you follow the sound guide during menu choices, you'll get the romantic end. If not, you get the normal or bad end. If you want to skip through fast, use the "Skip" or "Skip to" feature. Make sure to set your skip setting to "Seen" so you won't accidentally skip scenes you haven't read. Experiment with the choices and you'll unlock all of the endings and achievements.
I recommend to go through the bad ends because they show other possibilities. I won't spoil anything for you, hehe. If you get all 16 possible endings; you'll unlock 2 extra features in the galley.
Play whenever you have time _(: D
Ah ok that sounds good, I'm definitely gonna do that :) Thanks for your help <3
(I deleted this comment because I just read that the devs will post the walkthrough in 3 days or later, and I was spoiling it, so pardon for my intrusion)
Ahh, no worries! Your walkthrough is very in-dept and I enjoy your commentary. I think you're better at writing the guide than I do. To be honest, I anticipated the community to post a walkthrough, and I encourage that. Right now, I have my hands occupied with feedback. It's nice to see players helping each other out. When posting guides, but sure to tag it with "Spoiler".
Note: regarding Death 8 ending; there is no point requirement, but a condition. When Ikuya asks you who you like the most and you don't pick Blace, then choose to go after him, he sends you back into the past.
Some other achievements trigger in this way too. I applaud you for finding all of the endings by yourself.
Ah well then, thanks for the permission. Here goes nothing
(REPOST, SPOILER)
Actually, the devs already answered your question also provided enough tips and clues. But here is more elaborate steps to at least avoid the death trap.
Zeikun : in Chapter 2-Hiding, if you take a wrong turn and cornered to dead end, you will literally get Death End 7(the correct escape way is left - right - left, or straight - right - straight, or right three times then straight ).
As stated by Pinlin, Zeikun's route is different from the other routes as three endings is all wrapped up and decided by the choices which Rasumi damn angel asks you about in Chapter 3-Lonely Demon. Choosing "Ha ha, it's a silly question" will give you Death End 3.
Junoru : in Chapter 2-The Hunter, if you assure Junoru not to take revenge but when Chain confronts him and you beg him to run, you'll get to Death End 1.
If you succeed in obtaining Chapter 4-Escape, you'll regret it if you chose to not intervene and you will deal with Death End 2.
Sachiro : in Chapter 2-Stories, you have to lie at least for two of the Shinigami's question whether if you have encountered supernatural event or not. Otherwise, he will "save you from your own demise" and go to Death End 5.
In Chapter 3-Awakening, when you visit Sachiro's past, choosing to pull his scarf when you are attacked by a mild dangerous spirit will lead you to Death End 6.
Kurato : if you run from or even kick the school ghost in Chapter 1-Visits, you rather deserve Death End 7.
(Answered by Pinlin) If the requirement isn't followed
in which you feel like having a bit of side crush to Blace who doesn't thoin Chapter 3-Death Hours, you will be transferred through time and get Death End 8. Otherwise with enough romantic points, you will walk to Romantic Ending. Choosing to confront Kaichi instead will only lead to Normal Ending.The key to Romantic Ending is basically listen to that sweet heavenly bell sound effect that assure you yes you are in the right path now you can relax honey. If you feel that you misheard it, you can always use the Page Up button to scroll back (I didn't count if it takes only two "bell" choices per chapter or you have to choose perfectly from Chapter 1 till the end of Chapter 3, I may get back to it later. Because I just realize that for Zeikun, there is a romance point counter to unlock the After Story). Also, Chapter 4 will be the final indication, as it has.. more optimistic title than its "normal" counterpart ;')
Anything you choose other than those above or as long as you avoid the "death" choices, it will lead you to Normal Ending and various
mischievousAchievements.*behind the scene*
Other routes : Welp, my mistakes for choosing that dumb option and wrong turns, here we go again...
Junoru's route : WHERE IS THOSE DAMN DEATH ENDINGS!! I BETTER GO DIE INSTEAD OF JUJU!
Finally found the Death Endings in his route : Kenriji family sure is suicidal or something??!! Let me die!!
I love this game so far, I played Sachiro's route got the normal and romantic endings and Zeikun's route and got the normal and romantic endings, im having a hard time getting the other two endings for Sachiro's route but i will not give up till I get all the endings. Thank so much for making such a great game I have been waiting for this game since 2016 when I found your website for the game I just fell in love with all the characters after reading all the information you had on them
It takes a few experiments to get the endings; the routes are coded and branched in different ways. Even by playing blindly will get you somewhere.
Thank you for following this project for so long and your faith in me to finish it. The journey was long, I managed to reach the goal!
Hello! I played Sachiro's route and boy, it sure got me hooked, i was going to ask if there's any way to check the remaining endings i haven't done aside from achievements? Overall, this is a great game! Definitely will tell my otome enthusiast friends about this~
I'm glad my recommendation made a good impression!
The only way is checking the achievement names. Each route has 4 ending achievements. To give you a hint: nr 1-16 are the endings while the rest you get randomly through certain events.
The worst decision I incidentally made is : going to Junoru's route (moreover getting the Normal Ending) right after reading the Sachiro's Romantic Ending . From that one bouquet of white flowers in the Opening, I already expected someone's funeral but still....
Also damn that one angel experiments on my poor boys and village *angrily sobbing*Besides some minor typos, how the major mystery actually a tangled tragedy from each charaters is well-written, supported by the lovely artworks and fitting atmosphere. The foreshadowing in MC's history lesson and the romance novel series (it's especially pretty heavy on Sachiro's route), slipt information from NPCs that casually become clearer from one route to another, and that one pop culture reference in Zeikun's route are entertaining :D
As four endings for each routes, I assume there are two Deaths, Normal, and Romantic? The "Normal" Ending sure is more brutal than the Death one, tho... :')))
The typos are endless, considering the story alone is over 270,000 words. With the coding and all, the word count might be double. Typos are guaranteed. Sometimes I fix a line, but it leave another typo. Through the whole project I've been spending months to polish up the spelling and grammar ლ(ಠ_ಠ ლ) /flashback on documents of over 100 pages for just one chapter
Please report the errors in the google form linked in the download page!
There are many references in Sachiro's and other route as well! A lot are classic references; ranging from arts, movies, series to culture.
Thank you for the positive feedback! This is the first project I have my art accompanied by text and sound. I'm glad everything blends seamlessly.
Each route has 4 endings, just like you said. Heh, some normal endings are brutal. I think it hits harder after so deep into the plot :'D
Ah, I understand the pain in the writing and coding. It didn't disturb me that much from enjoying the reading, but well I will keep a thorough list of typos I found in the game and send it through the google form as soon as possible.
I absolutely love love LOVE this game so much, everything about it is so unique and intriguing and wonderful!! I can't believe a game this amazing is free, thank you so much! Is there ever going to be a release of a walkthrough? I've been playing for 2 days and I've gotten all but one ending/achievement and I'm struggling a little bit to find number 13. Thanks and bless you for making this gorgeous work of art <3
I'm glad you enjoyed my directing! Since it's my first work, I decided to make it for free. I hope for many to enjoy it. DN was initially shorter and simpler, but as years passed by, I became perfectionistic and ambitious.
I applaud you for getting most achievements by yourself. I won't release a walkthrough for now because it's too early. The game has only been released 3 days ago and I don't wish to spoil it. As for your question, the hint lies in Kurato chapter 1. You can join my discord group to discuss or ask for help from fellow players! Link in the download page, above the comments.
I was playing otome games since for how long I can remember but this is the first time that I created an account just to comment on one. Because this was the first otome that I waited for years and was highly anticipated to. I was so astonished to see that it was already been released since I know some creators tend to give up on their work. So kudos for you and I highly respected you because of that. I couldn't wait and didn't sleep so I am awake for more than 24 hrs haha. I started playing the route of Zeikun since the beginning at the poll I also picked him to play first, luckily i got the romance end 2. There are so many things i wanted to say to you. But to sum it all I love and wished you create more and I dont care for how long it takes to create I will wait patiently. Thank you so much for giving us this opportunity to play your game that took for like 5 yrs at most and it is free. There is a question though, there are now 4 endings but I only know the romance, normal and death. What is the other one? On zeikun's route there are 2 cgs that I did not unlocked I am guessing thats the normal and death end?
I'm flattered to receive such praise from a veteran in this community. Thank you for this comment, it made my day! During the development, I had very little to show, because I was more focused on writing. I didn't allow myself to spoil too much of the art. Even with the very little, I'm glad it drew your interest. The project has taught me so much and I was far from giving up on it.
I assume you were following the countdown? I hope you got to sleep a bit :'D The 2 CGs you mentioned are probably from the normal ending. The CGs are listed in order. Zeikun's route is programmed a bit differently than the rest; his endings branches from the last menu. Experiment with the choices to get different endings and achievements.
I am now on Sachiro's route and I saw one of the CG on the opening that I haven't unlocked on Zeikun's route I badly want to see that, I will experiment when I finished all the romantic ends since I am the type who would go first on the happy ones rather than the sad ones because I will feel less sad haha
I finished Sachiro's route, I also got the "kiss" CG, but when I checked my gallery it wasn't there.. I already reload the scene. Is it a bug?
It's a cutscene, so it won't be showed in the galleries. The quality wasn't up to my standards and the gallery is already packed with art. If you still have locked CGs it is probably from the other ending.
Completed Sachiro's route so far. I have to say, I absolutely love your artstyle - there's a lot of anime artists out there, but your work stands out because it just looks so... luminous, gentle and alive.
Thank you for the praises on my art! It took years to polish it and get to where I am now. I've developed this style especially for DN. It took some experiments to find a style that is easy on the eyes, detailed, yet can be drawn fast. After all, I drew over 100 illustrations in a short period of time, including failures. I couldn't take too long on it, because I knew my style would change over time (it still happened).
I started off as a beginner in digital art. It was hard to learn the necessary elements to bring my imagination to life, but I tried in small steps. I'm delighted that my efforts were worth it!
I just finished Sachiko's route and holy crap that was really good! So impressed with the amount of artwork as well! Like even big releases from otomate have like 10 cg per route and you offer routes with more for free!
Super looking forward to playing the other routes!
Thank you for the praises!
I had many illustrations in mind for the routes. It started off with 6 and it quickly grew to 12. I don't think my art is up to Otomate's standards, hehe. I hope you'd enjoy other routes as well!
First, I want to thank Pinlin for making such a good game. I loved the demo so much that I played all it had to offer. I usually don't have too much hope on demos because most of the times, they never releases the whole game, but I really hoped Dark Nights was an exception so, a year later, when I saw the release date I was shocked, like, can I really play the whole game??? Really??? I even donate for the game because I wanted to play it sooo bad... And now, playing it, I see all the hard work and the result is beautiful. Also, I love Heroine's personallity, she is not the cliche main character and this is something pretty important in my opinion.
After so many years of developement, there was no way I would drop this project. In the last months we have been working harder to polish up the script and visuals. Thank you for your faith in this project. Your calls have been heard- thank you so much for the donations! The amount of support surprises me. I can't wish for more as creator.
I like a headstrong and no-nonsense Heroine which I don't often see. She acts slightly different depending on who she interacts with. In real life people usually act differently around peers too.
Excuse my excitement!!! :D
Oh, itch works like that. I wasn't sure how to notify people about the release. I hope Dark Night's world will lessen the stress, if not, distract.
Thank you for the celebration! Have fun playing!
I am so freaking proud of you omg what a journey TTTTT thank you so much for your dedication and look at what a beautiful game you made <3 I'll definetly remember Dark Nights for the rest of my life
I'm honored, ahhh- I'm glad it made a good impression! It was my pleasure to bring this project to life.
Initially, I wanted to find a way to introduce my characters and a way for people to interact with them. I stumbled upon visual novels and here it is! The developement in a nutshell.
Congratulations on the release! I've been looking forward to playing this for, well, years now ever since it was first in development. Couldn't believe my joy when I'd finally played the demo, and now I am absolutely thrilled to begin the full experience. You've put so much work into this, and so much time, and I can't imagine how long of a road it has been for you, but you've made it to the end.
Give yourself a pat on the back. Thank you so very much for bringing something so artistically intriguing. I look forward to leaving a review sometime in the future, but until then, I'm going to take my time and enjoy it.
Again - congratulations!!
The journey of Dark Nights may have ended here (or not), but my own journey continues. I'm glad to have so many supporters. Thanks to feedback, I kept moving and growing. It's feels like yesterday I posted a journal about starting a visual novel project. To think that 5,5 years flew by.
Thank you, I'm looking forward to hear your thoughts! Meanwhile, enjoy my little world.
I had to make an account to leave a comment because when I first played the demo a few months ago I was too shy to leave any feedback. But now, a few months later, I don't have that problem anymore.
I just want to say - thank you so much for creating 'Dark Nights' and congratulations on the release!! I haven't played the full version yet (I'm going to get to it in just a few minutes) but the moment I first saw it , I was immediately intrigued.
I enjoyed the story so much and quickly grew to love all the characters (though Kurato and Junoru are my absolute faves), but I'd like to take a second to appreciate something else. The art for the entire project is simply gorgeous and I can't get enough of it! Most of all, everything about 'Dark Nights' makes me feel so inspired! I just really wanted to thank you for creating something which I and many others can find so much joy in, but also for being such an inspiration by actually pulling through and seeing this project through to completion!
(See you again when I complete the game? haha)
Aww, thank you for gathering the courage to drop a comment! I wouldn't want to miss out your thoughts.
I added many improvements since the demo. I recommend to go through the prologue+ first chapter again, because there are new background art and soundtracks. I hope you'll like the full version even better!
It took a long time to polish the characters up. I even did my best to reach the same standards with the side-characters.
Art is my strength; I like to put it to good use. The game's total length is long, so there is a lot space for creativity. It took multiple experiments to get where I am. Overall, I'm satisfied with the directing.
I'm flattered to receive your praises. Even though I dropped previews here and there, most of the project has been behind the curtains.
Anyway, enjoy the game!
Congratulation for the release!!!!! I was really looking forward to Dark Nights! <3 :D
This game was extremely beautiful! I loved the artwork, the music and the dialogue. I also have a weak spot for shotas >.<
I have a question sorry, will there be a recommended route order for the full version?
Yes, I do have a recommendation if you want to explore the game:
Sachiro - Easy to start off and mild complexity
Zeikun - Linked with Sachiro
Junoru/Kurato - both are plot heavy
I recommend not to start with Kurato but after completing any other route. There are a few scenes that only unlock after you complete another route.
Even if you play a different order, it's not a problem. In the end you have to play all to understand the whole story.
Thank you!
Love this game!
Looking forward to the release!
But one question:
is Chain dateable? Or maybe in the future?
Thank you for your feedback!
Chain is not dateable. I may consider in future, but it depends on in the interest of the players.
Well your already have one person who is interested! The fact is that i kinda have a weak spot for green haired boys! xD (quiet and badass to!)
Hope that the others will be interested to!
interested!
I just finished the demo, and may I say it's amazing. The plot is super interesting and thrilling, the art is beautiful, the concept is really cool and the story is well-written. All the characters are really interesting and likable. The music is fitting to the story and at some intense points in the story, the music made the atmosphere feel even more dreadful and intense. Also, the opening song was really good and I really liked the video it accompanied.
overall, an amazing visual novel, I can't wait for more of it!
Just wanted to say I thoroughly enjoyed what you've released so far. The scope of your efforts was certainly not lost on me. Everything looks lovely in the game, from the characters, to the backgrounds, to the GUI, and I thoroughly enjoyed the cliffhangers you left upon the demo's ending. It exceeded my expectations and I look forward to seeing the completed version!
Do take your time. You stated at the end of the demo just how long you've been working on it, and it shows! Rather masterful if I may say so. Is there a way to donate to you in a show of support?
I had to check out your DeviantArt page afterwards and I find your style absolutely captivating. I look forward to seeing what other wonderful creations spill from your head. ^_^
Very inspiring. Thank you.
Thank you for your praises! What I've shown in the demo was only the tip of the iceberg. During the development I made more changes to the elements you named. I'm perfectionistic when it comes to visuals hehe.
This project is actually a side-hobby of mine. I started off sharing doodles on social media. At some point people were more interested in my characters and I tried to find an interactive way to introduce them.
I made a Ko-fi account! You can support me by donating here: https://ko-fi.com/pinlin
Other ways are through the itch donation system and Dark Night's website: http://darknights-time.weebly.com/support.html
Thank you for your support! ^^
playing the demo right now, and it's pretty promising.
the prologue seemed a bit longer than necessary... but mostly i'm pulling my hair out over mc not thinking to bring the boy to the creepy mansion she loves so much when he asked about a haunted house.
got to the end! i switched routes and i'm very eagerly anticipating the full version. i feel a little bad for it but figure i should admit- i tend to skip through all the stuff with mc's friends/classmates. i was originally pretty interested, but it got kind of old/repetitive, and i just want to know more about the mysteries and the bachelors.
The prologue was an introduction and used to set the atmosphere. After the first chapters, the game will progress more fast-paced. I understand your frustration. I, too, tend to skip ahead to the bachelors most of the time. In the rest of the game I kept in mind not to make things repetitive. The dialogue with mc's friends/classmates vary in topics and the number of times they talk. In some routes she barely interacts with them.
Thank you for your feedback!
BOI
I love dis game much uwu'
im so exited for the full release :D
any idea when it will be released??
SO GOOOOOOOOD!!!
I'm really happy that i played this, It's good!!!
I Had Fun Playing This Game!!! When is the full version of Dark Nights Coming out? Please Reply!!! im really excited for the full version!!!!
I adore this game! How did you make this?
would i be copyrighted for uploading play through of this ?
As long as you write the right credits and a link to the source, it is okay to me!
I just finished the demo and I have to say , I loved every moment of it. The story is beautiful written and I'm intrigued to see where this story will go. I can't wait for the full release and will be watching out for it closely.
aaaaa i miss them already, please tell us when the next update (or full game) releases !! its been 84 years,.,.,.,. love your work