My Burden to Keep - An Interactive Short Story

RiotEsper · Sun 03/06/2018 19:09:54

Game (soundtrack included!) available now on itch.io. Click the image above!
Cover artwork by Ivan Ulyanov.

STORY
It is May 3rd, 1941.
Just as the sun peeks over the horizon on that cold spring morning, a harrowing report comes in to the sheriff's department. The mayor has been murdered in his home.

Solve the murder/Clear your father's name. Two wills struggle on separate paths towards the same goal, to find out what really happened. Who killed mayor James Scott?

Play as detective Francis Dale and as the murder suspect's son Gabriel Heinrich in this short point and click adventure game. Featuring rich, detailed pixel artwork and animation and an old-school inspired soundtrack, with a few modern design conveniences. (No incessant saving-dying-loading!)

RELEASE TRAILER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLMP7vMtlMQ

SCREENSHOTS

Finally releasing a game (not counting a MAGS entry I posted with my old account many, many years ago) feels really strange. In a good way!
It's been a long journey to get here, with many smaller school projects and cancelled fan-games along the way, since back in my pre-teen years.

Huge thanks to everyone who's stopping by. I couldn't have mustered the energy to pick this project back up again if not for all the cool AGS projects that are already out there in the wild. Keep making amazing/intriguing/hilarious games, everyone!

ManicMatt · Mon 04/06/2018 20:54:20

I must remember how slow it can be on the AGS forums when I post my in progress game up! I'm commenting because this game looks like it deserves some attention! Good use of lighting, lovely graphics, and congratulations on releasing your game!

SarahLiz · Tue 05/06/2018 20:12:48

Very nicely done game...I completed it in about 30 minutes or so. I had to play the ending again, just to see if I could get a different outcome...

I loved the graphicsâ€"very nice. I almost always download anything with these kind of high-end pixelated graphics, and the storyline was good too. All in all, a neat little game. I didn't realize you'd been working on it for so longâ€"-good job finishing it!

Hope there will be more to come someday from you...

Sarah

RiotEsper · Tue 05/06/2018 20:28:47

Quote from: ManicMatt on Mon 04/06/2018 20:54:20
I must remember how slow it can be on the AGS forums when I post my in progress game up! I'm commenting because this game looks like it deserves some attention! Good use of lighting, lovely graphics, and congratulations on releasing your game!

Thanks a lot for the comment, ManicMatt! Much appreciated.

Quote from: SarahLiz on Tue 05/06/2018 20:12:48
Very nicely done game...I completed it in about 30 minutes or so. I had to play the ending again, just to see if I could get a different outcome...

I loved the graphicsâ€"very nice. I almost always download anything with these kind of high-end pixelated graphics, and the storyline was good too. All in all, a neat little game. I didn't realize you'd been working on it for so longâ€"-good job finishing it!

Hope there will be more to come someday from you...

Sarah

Thanks so much for checking out the game, Sarah! Really happy to hear that you enjoyed it.

Having finally finished MBTK has made me want to get started on another adventure game, but we'll have to wait and see what's next. So many ideas, too little time!

KyriakosCH · Wed 06/06/2018 08:27:34

Looks VERY cool!

Mandle · Fri 08/06/2018 15:32:47

Can't wait to get a bit of time to play this!!!

RiotEsper · Sun 10/06/2018 19:44:20

Quote from: KyriakosCH on Wed 06/06/2018 08:27:34
Looks VERY cool!

Quote from: Mandle on Fri 08/06/2018 15:32:47
Can't wait to get a bit of time to play this!!!

Thanks a lot for the comments! It means a lot.

Creamy · Sat 25/08/2018 15:40:55

Finished.

Maybe I'm biased because the game was announced in 2011 but I was expecting something meatier. It took me about 20 minutes to complete. I was only hindered by some pixel hunting in the first scene.

The gameplay consists of a search for clues and a few dialog choices. No inventory. The last puzzle could have been interesting but Gabriel half-solved it for me. I would have preferred to do it by myself with the clues noted somewhere.

To finish on a more positive note, the presentation is great and the music is good. The story's OK. It's just over way too soon.

I hope to see more games from RiotEsper in the future.

RiotEsper · Mon 27/08/2018 20:22:45

Quote from: Creamy on Sat 25/08/2018 15:40:55
Finished.

Maybe I'm biased because the game was announced in 2011 but I was expecting something meatier. It took me about 20 minutes to complete. I was only hindered by some pixel hunting in the first scene.

The gameplay consists of a search for clues and a few dialog choices. No inventory. The last puzzle could have been interesting but Gabriel half-solved it for me. I would have preferred to do it by myself with the clues noted somewhere.

To finish on a more positive note, the presentation is great and the music is good. The story's OK. It's just over way too soon.

I hope to see more games from RiotEsper in the future.

Thanks for playing the game and thanks so much for the feedback!
It's been in and out of development for many years, yeah. If it weren't for the fact that I tried out a new method for remaking the background art, chances are the game wouldn't have been finished and out there.

You make some very good points and I'll keep all of it in mind for my future projects. The next project hasn't been decided on yet, but I really do want to give detective Francis at least another game. One with more and better puzzles.

RiotEsper · Sun 28/10/2018 11:55:40

Hey everyone! A couple of short news about the game. As some of you may have noticed, the game was updated to version 1.0.1.1 a while ago.
The main features of this release are as follows:

New cover artwork by the very talented Ivan Ulyanov! You may have seen his work in another recent AGS title, Wadjet Eye's Unavowed (which I highly, deeply recommend!)
The title screen artwork has been changed to display this new piece, replacing the murder scene close-up, which is now featured during the background dialogue before the menu is displayed.

The game has also been updated to a more recent AGS engine release. A welcome addition is the ability to toggle "Render Sprites at Screen Resolution." Here are some screenshots for comparison:
Render Sprites at Screen Resolution - Off

Spoiler

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Render Sprites at Screen Resolution - On

Spoiler

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Last but not least, the game is on sale as part of itch.io's Halloween Sale! 50% off until November 1st, 14:00 CET. If you're tired of jump scares and cosmic horror, grab a nice, short and relaxing murder mystery!

Cassiebsg · Sat 10/11/2018 12:42:44

Congrats on the release...

but where is the demo? I was going to try it, but the link only seems to have a EULA pdf and no demo.

RiotEsper · Sun 11/11/2018 19:22:44

Quote from: Cassiebsg on Sat 10/11/2018 12:42:44
Congrats on the release...

but where is the demo? I was going to try it, but the link only seems to have a EULA pdf and no demo.

Hey Cassiesbg!

There is currently no playable demo of the game, since the length of the game is about 30 mins to an hour.
If you're referring to the "Download Demo" button on the game's AGS page, I couldn't find a way to disable it or change it to just "Store Link" or something similar.

Cassiebsg · Mon 12/11/2018 07:29:39

Yeah, sorry. I remember I had this problem last year also. Not your fault.
Hope AGA gets the site fixed soon.