Developer Grimtaste Studios and publisher DreadXP revealed RUNT, a rural gothic visual novel mystery set in a monstrous post-apocalypse where the sky has been black for ten years and something far worse than suspicion stalks the town of Skipclaw. Brought to you by an independent team of two best friends, a playable demo of RUNT is also available now to celebrate the premiere.
In RUNT, players step into the shoes of Runt Strayer, the 19-year-old youngest of five brothers, the last surviving sons of a dead cult leader who once called himself the Mouth of God. On the fifth anniversary of their father’s death, the brothers discover a horrific message written in blood across their boarded-up church pulpit: 5 Days. With the town of Skipclaw sealed behind protective walls and humanity no longer the apex predator, Runt must investigate the omen before the fifth day arrives, and choose who to accuse. Will you be able to guess right?
RUNT is a branching narrative experience where you’ll gather clues by speaking to townspeople, interrogating your brothers, and navigating the suffocating politics of survival. The order of conversations, the questions asked, and the conclusions drawn will all shape the outcome at the end. Over five days, you will investigate every brother and their secrets, build or fracture relationships with masked townsfolk, survive in a world haunted by otherworldly creatures, and decide who is responsible. On the final day, upon choosing a culprit, you’ll see one of over a dozen endings.
Skipclaw is a town in isolation. After a mysterious apocalyptic event cloaked the world in pervasive darkness, horrific creatures have emerged and replaced humans as the dominant predators. To survive, the townspeople must stay in the light, cover their skin, and hide their faces behind masks. Inside the walls, safety is fragile, suspicion is constant, and the Strayer family, architects of the town’s defenses, sit at the center of it all. Dialogue choices build hidden stats that influence how characters respond to you and which clues reveal themselves. The kind of person you become will determine which truths you’re able to uncover, and which ones you’ll never know.
- A mature story for both adventure and visual novel fans.
- Branching dialogue system where personality traits unlock different paths and clues as you develop relationships with those around you.
- Five-day investigation of collecting clues to draw conclusions, culminating in a player-driver accusation.
- Micro-games including HOGS (Hidden Object Games), puzzles, and bespoke manual labor vignettes.
- A meticulously crafted aesthetic featuring originally captured photographs and hand-painted art.
- Highly replayable rural gothic mystery with over a dozen different endings.
- A bleak post-apocalyptic setting where darkness is permanent and humanity is, unfortunately, not alone.
