Artificial Selection
A downloadable game for Windows, macOS, and Linux
Saeva, a socially anxious teenager, finds himself trapped in a building along with 13 other young adults. Their captors accuse them of being criminals and explain that the only way to escape is by proving their worth and potential for improvement.
The only problem is... Saeva can't think of any crime he's supposed to have committed. How do you repent for something you can't remember doing?
Help him recover his memories and embark on a journey of personal growth — all while trying not to die!
Artificial Selection is a mystery visual novel with escape room sequences and optional romance.
- There are 14 hot singles in your confined area!
Dive deep into the psychology and philosophy of 14 different (supposed) criminals! Who knows, you might grow closer to them than expected...
- Solve escape room puzzles!
Exercise your brain and build a sense of solidarity with the other participants by overcoming various tasks together.
- Prove your debate skills!
The majority decides who gets left behind, so it's up to you to convince them who that is. Change the tides of a debate by strategically attacking or defending the right opponents.
- A highly complex flowchart!
Keep track of affection opportunities you might have missed, and jump back and forth between branching paths with ease.
- Bisexual lighting!
A heavily stylized blue, pink and purple environment surrounds you every step of the way. Heaps of customization options allow you to adjust the game's look to your liking.
Artificial Selection is under active development. Here's what you can expect:
| Demo | Beta | Full Game |
| 4 escape rooms | 5 escape rooms | 10 escape rooms |
| 140,000 words | 195,000 words | 500,000 words |
| 8-13 hours | 13-20 hours | 40 hours |
| 2 endings | 4 endings | 20 endings |
| --- | 1 route | 14 routes |
New content is added every month, and Insider supporters on Ko-fi can play the Beta, which is 6 updates ahead:
Join our Discord server to follow the project more closely and chat with other players!
Story, Art, Programming: KigyoDev
Music, SFX: Zaxcess
Update history
0.6.7 The End of the Demo draws Near (November 2024)
0.6.6 The Electronics Store (October 2024)
0.6.5 Not Yaoi (September 2024)
0.6.4 Art Boost (August 2024)
0.6.3: Bootlicking (July 2024)
0.6.2: Hijacked by Ashor (June 2024)
0.6.1: A new path opens (May 2024)
0.6.0: UI Overhaul Reloaded (April 2024)
0.5.16: Effera Finale (February 2024)
0.5.15: The Arcade (January 2024)
0.5.14: WE ARE SO BACK (December 2023)
0.5.13: Gameplay Improvements (September 2023)
0.5.12: Elevator Rush Minigame (August 2023)
0.5.11: The Third Floor (July 2023)
0.5.10: Maesol's Feelings & Content Warning System (June 2023)
0.5.9: Minor Fixes (May 2023)
0.5.8: A new Ending & Chibi CGs (May 2023)
0.5.7: Text Bleeps & more (April 2023)
0.5.6: Effera Route — First Phase (April 2023)
0.5.5: An embarrassing amount of fixes (February 2023)
0.5.4: Implemented initial feedback (February 2023)
0.5.3: Bonding choices & Demo extension (February 2023)
0.5.2: Phase 3 Debate (January 2023)
0.5.1: Implemented initial feedback (December 2022)
0.5.0: First ending & flowchart (December 2022)
0.4.2: Added gamepad support (November 2022)
0.4.1: Implemented initial feedback (October 2022)
0.4.0: Preparation for Early Access (September 2022)
0.3.0: GUI Update (February 2021)
0.2.1: Added a content warning and more hints (August 2020)
0.2.0: Complete overhaul (July 2020)
0.1.1: Added more hints to one of the puzzles (July 2019)
0.1.0: Initial Release (June 2019)
Download
Development log
- The End of the Demo draws Near (0.6.7)13 days ago
- The Electronics Store (0.6.6)43 days ago
- Not Yaoi (0.6.5)76 days ago
- Art Boost (0.6.4)Sep 01, 2024
- Bootlicking (0.6.3)Aug 02, 2024
- Hijacked by Ashor (0.6.2)Jul 01, 2024
- A new path opens! (0.6.1)Jun 01, 2024
- UI Overhaul Reloaded (0.6.0)Apr 30, 2024
Comments
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so i remember coming across artificial selection on the lemma soft forums and playing a much earlier demo of it all the way back in 2017.. i really enjoyed it back then, and i've found myself thinking about it from time to time over the years, so i was happy to see it's still in development and looking better than ever! i had so much fun playing this version of the demo - i'm really liking most of the characters (maesol is probably my favourite as of right now and i'm loving watching her defrost, but i'm also curious about diven's whole... thing), the escape room puzzles are satisfying to figure out, and the set up and plot are really intriguing! as a big fan of games like zero escape, danganronpa, and your turn to die, this is definitely reminding me of them in all the best ways.
apart from that, i'm also enjoying the worldbuilding and how naturally all the little details about the futuristic setting are slipped in! it's cool to see how the characters' mindsets have been shaped by their society and its view on crime and punishment, and i'm definitely curious to find out more about how this game slots into their justice system.
finally, i just wanted to say that the art, ui, presentation, and colour palette are all really slick, and the game just overall looks great so far! keep up the amazing work!!
Thank you so much, I don't even know where to start!
I'm glad to hear AS stuck with you this whole time, and that you decided to check up on it again. It makes me so happy to hear that certain details are noticed and appreciated. Comments like yours are what really motivates me to keep working hard.
Thank you again, and I hope you look forward to future updates!
hello! i normally don’t write comments on posts but… I’m a little confused with the first puzzle. I don’t know if the game is just glitching or I’m missing something. I’m pretty sure I did everything I could. It’s saying I have missed one puzzle, but I can’t click on anything I already completed. I think the issue stems from the chairs? I moved them in the correct positions but the game didn’t achieve it as something I did correctly even though I’m unable to interact with them anymore.. Could I please have assistance.. I’d love to continue playing, it’s just this issue is refusing to let me.. I apologise for the long message lmao
Thanks for reporting this! I’ll look into it today and get back to you as quickly as possible.
Uploaded a new version that fixes the issue.
Sorry for the inconvenience, and thanks again for reporting! I hope you enjoy the rest of the demo. :D
Thank you so much! I was able to complete the current demo, and I adored it! Even if the perspective shift caught me off-guard, that didn't deter me from enjoying it!
Keep up the amazing work! <3
我想播放这个演示但不幸的是出现了一个错误🥺
Thank you for reporting, and sorry about the problem. I will look into this today!
I am looking forward to it🥰🥰🥰
Hi again! So I really was not able to find the issue in the game, but a "thief.rpy" file in your game folder is causing the issue. Since this is not included in the game by default, is this some kind of plugin you added? If it is a translation tool, I am happy to try and make it compatible; you can send it to [email protected] if interested!
Otherwise, I can't offer any advice except removing that file... I hope this helps!
Thank you very much for your help. I tried to remove the plugin that was indeed a translator and played it again, and it was indeed successful. I will send you this translator.
PS. If this translator is not compatible, it's okay. I will use other feasible translation tools to play (because my English is not very good💦💦). By the way, I am looking forward to your game and will purchase it when steam is available. Wishing you a happy life❤️❤️🥰
*laughing* Oh WOW was I overthinking the final puzzle in the break room.
i need help on the break room puzzle, i cant figure out what to do with the blank note
Sorry for the late response! You might receive a useful hint if you show it to the other people that are in the room with you. If you still need help after that, I'm also happy to tell you the answer.
woooo new food for us in the demo!!!! looking forward to the monthly updates :D
hello creator! I really like the game, the puzzle, that puzzle painting, and the profiles were my favourite in the whole visual novel than the story itself.
The coding must be hard, and hence, my apologies if this sounds rude, is there any guide especially the debate? I was in the middle of a debate right now and I'm pretty dumb in this type of situation :,D.
Thank you for your kind words, and I'm sorry to hear that you got stuck!
In the debate, you first have to click on your action (like Attack, Defend, Silence), and then on a character's face. Sometimes, there are multiple options, sometimes there is only one. I've adjusted this to be more intuitive in the next update, so I appreciate your patience.
Let me know if this solved your problem, or if you need any further help!
It was a fun experience! Looking back at this game how it used to (2019, for the first time), it does surprise me tho :O.
It shows how you improve a lot. And I finish the game! and again, I hope you won't cancel this game like other creators.
Oh, cool that you've been following the project for so long!
And I definitely won't cancel it, so no worries. :D
Hello creator and others, I would like to introduce myself as THE GamerMan ( very small channel currently), and I made a video, which will turn into a mini video series, on this game, and if you guys do not mind to come check it out.
video link:
if that does not work then here's the channel link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv8Gb4LDmgiBSHHg3JCU31gI hope this game comes to its full potential in the near future ,and I hope that this video I made will decide for future downloaders to play this game!!
thanks you all!!! ;)
I'm looking forward to "Artificial Selection full release in Summer 2030"! :) /j
Ngl I had hopes for this game haha, and I like how the 'villains' here are xSxJs and not xNTxs for once XD
Umm will there be an android version of this
Thank you for your interest!
Unfortunately, I doubt it. The escape rooms aren't optimized for small/touch screens, and it would probably take a lot of effort to make them work. I'd prefer to focus on finishing the game first.
I had such a great time playing your game!! The characters were very interesting and the fact that their profiles contain their MBTI types was a pleasant surprise!! As an INFJ I felt really connected to Diven but all characters were a fun ride. I also liked the combination of visual novel sprites with pixel art, it was a nice touch and made the game more engaging. Still, my favorite part was definitely the dialogues, I'm a big sucker for dialogue-heavy games and yours was a lot of fun!!
Looking forward to the full version!
I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the demo and that Diven is a reasonably accurate INFJ. It's always tricky to get types other than your own right, so that's reassuring lol. Thank you very much!
Just played this on stream with a couple of folks and had a blast! Thanks a lot. Big fan of Danganrompa like games and this is a really nice homage to the genre (I liked the callout to it too!).
Despite having a wide cast the characters all stand out as individuals and I'm looking forward to getting to know them all in future releases.
That cliffhanger at the end! Ahh! We'll be waiting for the next release haha.
You really need to include a major character death warning in the bio of this game somewhere, I was not prepared for something like that and I'm afraid I don't like to play games with scenarios like that.
On a slightly lighter note the art and game design is well put together, I liked the characters personalities and thought they worked really well together.
Overall best of luck with your game but you should warn people that there is going to be lots of death in a game before they download it.
Sorry, I completely forgot to reply to this.
Originally I thought the setting and general tone of the game would be enough of a warning, but a proper screen for it has since been added.
Thank you for letting me know, and I apologize for this bad experience.
That's okay, I'm just glad it's been resolved.
Hi, i played the recent update and it crash a few times, but the plot is amazing and the characters funny. It seems it's going to be a very tragic story, but the funny moments were awesome. I would like to suggest a little bit of more hints to solve the puzzles (N°2 in my case) for stupid people like me XD.
Overall it was an amazing demo and i'm looking forward to the final game!!!
Hey, thank you so much for your feedback! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the game despite encountering a few issues.
I'll definitely consider to add more hints. What exact puzzle(s) are you referring to?
The one we have to use to make the pachiko machine work after using the dog food.
Got it! I'll try to include a few more hints in a future update.
I'm extremely disappointed
THAT I ONLY PLAYED THE DEMO RIGHT NOW EVEN THO I'VE HAD IT IN MY FOLDERS SINCE LAST YEAR RESZJDXYGHJKM
Majority of the characters are lovable (some of them I might need more interactions, but pretty good for all of them!) All of them are pretty interesting, wondering what's their story~
alsoimhurtWHYWHYWHYStory-wise, I love how it's unfolding! I'm not really good at giving compliments, but I can say that if this were a novel, I'd 100% binge read it even if it takes me months without any breaks XD.
ItssointenseIactuallystartedpanickingaroundtheelevatorpartI actually enjoyed the new gameplay mechanics in this game? I've played any visual novels with the same mechanics! The escape room was enjoyable, puzzle was challenging, but all is well
the amount of dog food left me dumbfounded because I still can't understand itI don't know what to say anymore BUT I LOVE IT <3
Overall looking forward to see this game completed! <3
Do your best, and goodluck! <3
IwilldrawfanarttoobecauseYESwhat program did you use to make this?
If you mean the engine, it's called Ren'Py!
I liked Robot Daycare so much, that I had to try this out. It's a new game concept to me. I recognise some of the influences, but they're brought together in a new way.
That many characters sound like a lot to deal with, but mostly paired off and dealt with in various combinations works.
I wonder a lot about the setting, who is behind all of this, and about the character whose grave we see near the beginning. I look forward to more!
I've been a little hesitant to download the game at first, mainly because i thought it would focus too much on sci-fi (I'm not really sure where I got that from? lol) element and I wouldn't be able to finish the puzzles. But it was actually very enjoyable! The graphics and mechanics were really nice. I've already gotten a bit attached to some characters, so I will definitely follow the development of this game! I can't wait to see it finished ^^ Good luck!
Very interesting and original demo :) Keep it up!
Very good demo. It will be interesting to see how this game unfolds, as well as what will happen with the characters.
I wonder what kind of divergence might result from choosing the top option during the second player decision.
This was such a fun game! I enjoyed the art style and the characters were very interesting. The story was on a whole new level and I instantly felt drawn to it. I really liked the fact that you have the different sins in the story and the concept was something I never heard of before. I can't wait for the full game, keep up the good work :D
I don't know if you've heard of Game Development World Championship before (gdwc2019) but it's a competition for indie game developers where they can submit their games and it's free! It's great if you want some more visibility for the game and it only takes a couple of minutes to join :)
I'm not going to lie, this was extremely fun! Saeva reminded me of Lycoris a bit (face-wise), but your art style's really cute and the puzzles were absolutely lovely. I was (truthfully) a bit stupid in muddling around the escape room but I figured it out!
... but cliffhangers.
Cliffhangers.
You've given a new definition to cliffhangers.
Thank you for your kind words! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed yourself and that the escape room wasn't too hard.
And hehe... I hope it made you look forward to the full game! B)
Almost a year later, I am still stupid at muddling around the escape room xD
In that case you'll like the new demo coming soon! I made some changes to the cells which should make the puzzle both more fun and easier to understand. Please look forward to it!