Crimson Hydrangea (Day 2 Demo)
A downloadable game for Windows and macOS
"After a messy break up, you're left without a job or a safe place to live. Thanks to a family friend, you end up moving to a highly coveted and idyllic island off the northeastern coast called Saint Anne's. It's been a few months after your initial move and you've found yourself enjoying your new life more than you thought was ever possible.
A chill roommate, a compassionate boss, and a playful baker have done a wonderful job of making you feel at home on the small picturesque island. However, it seems as though you've recently caught the eye of Saint Anne's most eligible bachelor, Garret Belmont. His good looks, charismatic personality, and immense wealth would be considered a blessing to most, however everything is not what it seems at Saint Anne's..."
- Graphic Violence.
- Death and/or Murder.
- Emotional Manipulation.
- Psychological Horror.
- Kidnapping and Torture.
- Sexual Scenes.
- Unhealthy Relationship Dynamics.
- Yandere(s)
- More will be added as the story progresses...
- Day 1 and 2 currently contain over 35.5k words
- Nameable Protagonist
- Gendered options ( Female, Male , Nonbinary)
- Five love interests ( Some routes will be released later than others)
- Several endings, both good and bad.
- 6 fully illustrated CGs.
- Patreon exclusive CGs.
- Days 3-5
- Fully Illustrated scenes/cgs.
- 18 scenes for each character/ route.
- and much much more!
Patreon - Crimson Hydrangea Twitter - Main Twitter
Check out my Patreon for the latest updates, sneak peeks, and early access and feel free to follow me on either of my twitters for updates.
All music was created by https://lolurio.itch.io/
Sound Effects are from https://pixabay.com/
Since this is my first game, any and all comments and donations are very much appreciated and adored!
Download
Click download now to get access to the following files:
Development log
- Crimson Hydrangea - Devlog - Version 2.1Jun 17, 2024
- Crimson Hydrangea - Devlog - Day 2 ReleaseJun 16, 2024
- Crimson Hydrangea - Devlog - Version 1.5Mar 01, 2024
Comments
Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.
First off, thanks so much for all your hard work •ᴗ•
Playing through days 1 and 2, I experienced so many 'firsts.' At times, it felt like I was in an episode of Gilmore Girls or something.
It’s the first time I’ve been so hooked on all the characters, and I just want to know more and MORE about them (｡>\\<) (hopefully I won’t regret that… especially with certain blonde and redheaded characters).
Right from the start, the characters grabbed my attention: the ‘perfect’ Garret, Marcelo is as sweet as the delicious pastries he makes, the reliable ♡♡Rita♡♡ who’s looking out for us even when she’s not feeling great, the lovely and charming Camilla, and Teagan. The momen t they showed up at the pier, I felt like running away too ¡Jajajaja!
What I loved most were all the changes depending on the route, especially with Garret. That first lunch DATE totally left a mark ➳♡ and don’t get me started on the citron incident—I never thought something so embarrassing (and kinda dangerous) could lead to such a HOT moment (๑/////๑ " ).
Anyway, I’m super excited and a little nervous to see what’s next!
P.S. Any chance you’re planning on a version in another language? Like, maybe Spanish?
P.S. 2. If not, I’m happy to volunteer as tribute
Saludos desde México ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡
I love this My most fav is Garret and Marcelo both them so cute <3! and I love when you put little POV in there as well I love it<3! I am huge sucker on POV on these kind of game <3 also what you pick for the night like a movie or read a book or...play with your new toy nothing happens it just skips all that is that suppose to happen or will be put in a later update?
OMG Thank you so much for not only taking the time to play/review my game, but to make a whole video about it! I'm so honored that you enjoyed it so much! It was a blast watching your reactions to the characters, backgrounds (lol), and the memes/jokes were great! I can only hope that you enjoy the future installments just as much as you've liked everything so far! <3
Oh wow I love this! I have a penchant for yandere characters and games so this is right up my alley. The writing is also rlly good! Looking forward to play more ^^
Thank you so much for your kind words! I have a similar penchant for yandere characters and it means a lot to know that someone who shares my passion enjoys what I've created so far! <3
I found your game so comforting, Marcelo is now in my thoughts, I look forward to what is to come 😍
Awww! That's so sweet! I'm really glad that you find it comforting, though I'm not sure how long it'll stay that way with the coming updates haha. And don't you worry, you're in Marcelo's thoughts too! ;)
You know, of all the things that happened just in the whole 2 days, i'm.. strangely anticipating how 'Garret Vs Teagan' arc will play out (should i called it an arc? 😭). It's not something i usually run into when playing this kind of game where i can see two yandere(s) potentially clashing with each other (they're considered as yandere in this game, right? or not?). It's kinda exciting and i can't wait to see how it will turn out in the next chapter.
All the sprites art are really nice to look at, and The CGs are well-done :D. I personally really love Garret's CG in Day 2, and Camila's as well!. They look adorable and sweet in there like, whaaaat T_T. It really captured their affections for MC - i love it.
And among all of them, i would say my favorite is Rita. She strike me as someone who's level-headed and also kind. Like, a good balance between mind and heart, i guess? Not to mention she's also a hard-worker. I love that vibes about her. Though, she could use a big hug :'). -And It was hard to lie to her, but i'm curious about Teagan too T_T. Argh, i feel bad for lying to her-.
Can't wait to see what you bring next :).
Fortunately, you might just get what you wish for in the next update. ;) And yes! Both Garret and Teagan are considered Yanderes, though both are coming at it from completely different viewpoints haha.
Thank you so much for the incredibly kind words about the characters and artwork! I did my absolute best to nail down their expressions and it fills me with joy that I was able to convey their affections to you.
I think that's a wonderful description of Rita! She would absolutely love a big hug ( or several) from you. I totally feel your pain about lying to her though, I know I would if I were in your shoes. Is she disappointed? Sure, but she won't hold it against you. Though in some cases that only makes you feel worse...
Thank you so much for the detailed comment! I love hearing your thoughts about the game and it really motivates me when people care enough about it to comment! <3
I loved everything! I found the scenery very beautiful with good angles. The story is well written and the island is very interesting!
Thank you so much! I tried really hard to make sure the perspective/ angles were appealing and I'm glad it worked out! I can only hope you enjoy what else I have in store for you in future updates! <3
This was SOO GOOD! you really should be proud! the progress you made from day one to two is great I think you're becoming better and better! I can't wait for the finished product at this point it's bound to be worth all the wait and money :D
I in particular loved the seaside Garret route (I'm so sorry Rita)
it was really nice how we got more than one way to meet Garret and see what differs between the showing up for work route and the seaside route.
Awww thank you so much! You're so incredibly sweet! Creating a VN from scratch is an entirely new territory for me, so I really appreciate all of your patience as I grow, learn, and improve the game!
And I'm so glad you enjoyed Garret's seaside route! I took a little extra time trying to figure out the audio mixing for a few scenes, but I'm glad it seemed to pay off in the end!
I'm a huge proponent of the butterfly effect in VNs, so even though it's extra work, I love coming up with a few alternative routes so it really feels like your choices actually matter.
Thank you again for your comment and I really hope you enjoy what I have in store for the future! <3
Gooood I love obsessed yanderes so much, I love Garret so much, thank you for this deliciousness
Thank YOU for playing! I'm so happy you're enjoying it so far! <3
Aaaaaa I felt so bad not helping Rita but I wanted to meet Teagan.
Haha no worries! In future days you'll be able to see Teagan as well, though I can't promise they'll be as "pleasant" as Day 2's reunion was. ; )
I loved the update, I am so impressed by how much content and changes you included! Out of curiosity, will we ever learn Marcelo tried to erase in his note to us or is it just the same?
Aww! Thank you so much! It really means a lot to hear you acknowledge all of the hard work I put into Day 2 and revamping Day 1!
To answer your question, currently there are no plans in the main game to reveal what he originally wrote to you. However, I might consider making a few short stories for each of the characters if people are interested. One of which could potentially answer this question. >u>
Loved this update! I played around w/ options to see what I would get. I'm definitely loving where the story is going and how individual each character feels. I absolutely ADORE Rita and Camilla, so happy we got to see them more on day 2! It made me sad to have to lie to Rita to get the dock's story portion but the drama/outcome was so good.
Something I really admire is just how messy Garret can be, the way he tends to let facts he probably shouldn't know slip and his distaste when MC doesn't reciprocate/ let things slide is a nice touch! It really helps give more character and insight to how obsessive/unhinged he can possibly be. I also love the options that lend to be a more rationale MC like being able to reject/be dismissive. Really looking forward to seeing more from this game! You're doing an amazing job!! (also the CGs???? absolutely love them. the art is so nice!!! ritas and camillas were adorable ahhh love them sm)
You are so incredibly sweet! Thank you for not only giving Crimson Hydrangea a try, but for posting such an in depth look into your thoughts and feelings about all of the characters! I'm so happy that you've enjoyed all of the CGs and characters that I've created and picked up on how varied they are personality wise. I'm also glad to hear that you enjoyed the drama at the docks! I kept going back and forth on it and your comment reassured me that I made the right choice.
It also fills my heart to hear that you enjoy just how much of a hot mess Garret can be when it comes to anything that involves you and only you. Usually his social mask is firmly in place, however every time he spends time with you it's starting to crack more and more revealing the imperfect person he's tried to hide and get rid of his entire life.
Thank you again for your incredibly thoughtful and generous feedback! It really does bring a smile to my face and motivates me to keep going! <3<3<3
Hello! It hurt me to refuse to help Rita so that I could go to the coast. I would really like to be able to help Rita and get to the seashore >.< is it possible in the future? I am very responsible and anxious <3 You are a wonderful developer. Thank you very very
Hello there! Thank you so much for checking out Crimson Hydrangea and leaving a comment! As someone who is also very anxious and responsible, I completely understand your plight and my heart goes out to you. <3
Unfortunately when it comes to Day 2, you'll have to choose between helping Rita or going to the seashore. Because of time and story constraints, there currently isn't a plan to be able to do both activities in Day 2.
That being said, in Day 3, you WILL have the option to go to the beach/ seashore in at least 2 of the routes/options. Technically, you should be able to explore/get both of the options even if you helped Rita in Day 2. However, they will depend on a few other actions/ questions in the game, but I won't say much more in fear of spoiling what I have planned haha.
I really enjoyed playing the VN, I love all the characters!!
However, I will say there are minor game mistakes that weren't there when day 2 was released. When grabbing lunch at Marcelos work and you choose the new dessert option, Marcelos sprite disappears completely at one point. There are also a lot of minor mistakes that kind of take you out of the immersion of the game a bit, simple mistakes like grammar, not properly labeling the characters or the "You" title when the player is speaking etc.
This is just me being constructive with my criticism but I think it'd be best to just go back and look into polishing up these mistakes as they're easy to make but easy to fix.
I still enjoyed playing this game genuinely and I'm excited for future updates!
Thank you so much for your support and mostly positive feedback!
I also really appreciate you taking the time and noting a few issues you noticed during your play through, especially in such a respectful manner! I went ahead and took a closer look at everything you listed and I think I resolved most ( if not all ) of the issues you ran into. At the very least, Marcelo's back and a few grammatical and name "signs/labels" have been fixed.
Since I'm doing all of the work on my own, I'm bound to make mistakes here and there. Your comment was immensely helpful and I'll make sure pay closer attention moving forward. Thank you so much for your input and support!
Best Visual Novel out there tbh
Awww! Thank you so much, I appreciate the high praise. I'm so glad you're enjoying it so far!
Garret blushing making me feel stuff 😳
Don't worry, you're making him feel a LOT of stuff too. ; )
OMG!!! I really liked it, and I have play a variety of visual novels. Honestly love all the characters and the story line. Very excited to see where this goes .
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! It really brightens my day to know that a VN enthusiast enjoys my game and looks forward to seeing more. : )
Just played and this demo looks really good. Since I'm yandere trash I am really interested in Garret but Marcelo is also such a sweetheart! Can't deny the excitement I have to meeting Teagan over their personality traits. I'm guessing they're the Ex? I may love them or love to hate them, time will tell.
Aren't we all yandere trash? I know I certainly am! I hope you enjoyed Day 2 and finally meeting Teagan! Regardless if you liked them, at least you still have Garret and Marcelo who are both more than willing to fight for your attention. ; )
is there an approximate release date for day 2?( your novel is interesting 5
Thank you so much! I don't have an exact date in mind, but I will say that it should come out sometime next month. ; )
Will the sexual scenes be optional?
Yes! Though, in some cases during day 3 you might lose out on a bit of story and character lore if you do end up skipping the nsfw scenes. Regardless, there will be an option to skip the more sexual scenes.
wooo i like the game its nice
Rita and Marcelo stole my heart already i mean the others are also cute but the both were first there
i can't wait for day 2 and Teagan
and you did a great job for your first game :D , keep it up !and dont stress yourself <3
Thank you so much for your incredibly sweet and kind comment! I'm so happy to hear that Rita and Marcelo have found their way into your heart. <3
Thankfully you won't have to wait too much longer for Day 2 to come out so you can learn more about the characters and finally meet Teagan.
Thank you again for commenting and supporting my efforts! It really does mean a lot to me and motivates me to keep going!
Does Teagan only appear on day 2? I can't recall seeing them on my playthrough
Correct! While Teagan doesn't make a physical appearance in Day 1, they will on Day 2 and on. Of course, whether or not you'll actually see/encounter them in Day 2 will heavily depend on your choices and which route you take. I would HIGHLY recommend checking out all of the routes in Day 2 when it does come out. ; )
Dude I loved the demo! Hell I was so emersed that when it ended, I was like "Huh?? That's it??" lol
Overall looking forward to the development of this game, I'm so invested in the characters lol (So far Marcelo and Rita are my favorite! <3)
Oh my gosh! Thank you so much for your incredibly sweet and kind comment! It really means a lot to me to hear that you're enjoying the game so far and want more content! Fortunately there's a lot more content coming soon with the Day 2 update. <3
Like, whoa? Didn't expect that.
This is interesting! It hooked me up right away. At first, i was just looking for something to play in my free time and then i found this... Which, turned out, could intrigue me.
The characters are well-made, and they're lovely, especially Marcello (or Marcelo? My memory is short :')). He really is fit the description as the reliable big brother figure! It made me warm, tbh.
And poor Rita :'). At this point i just wanna give her a hug. I can't stand seeing her all tired and looks haunted.
Then there's our roommate (or is it flatmate? Housemate?). Camilla is sweet! It'll be sad if anything bad happen to her :'). She seemed chill and, i don't know, kinda give off this 'mother-hen' vibes around MC. It made me melt, aaaaaa--
But, sadly, i don't have any strong opinion on the Ex and Garret as for now. I've seen their general profile too, but i still don't have any opinion or something to say about them. Though, judging by the fact they have the same personality traits, it might would be a nightmare for MC 😭. Poor MC-- But i can't wait to see those two shows their.. toxic side. Dang, i'm also excited to see that 😂. And.. i think it would be thrilling, amusing and messed up if the two meet. I want to see the chaos run free and clash, tho, lol.
Overall, this is promising and intriguing. I can't wait to see the update!. But please, take your time and enjoy the progress of making this! Don't feel pressured :).
Thank you so much for your kind and incredibly thoughtout comment! It's so nice to hear that you're really enjoying Marcelo, Camilla and Rita! <3
And don't you worry, you'll be able to see just how toxic both Garret and Teagan are sooner rather than later. ;)
Thank you again for your lovely words! It truly does motivate me to keep going if I know you enjoy it and are interested in seeing more! <3
Really enjoying the upcoming Demo updated! Each casts I've met each has unique personality and ways of talking. I'm just going to list the characters of what I'm thinking about them in my opinion (Probably going to pass a few of word to each character tho):
Rita- In my first mind, she's the perfect partner material type (Sorry to Garret and Teagan yet not sorry at all— :P) Really appreciating the maturity she's got towards the reader, to be in a character or not for me, it was very worrisome about her health, please pass a word for her to rest well Phantom! Thanks! ^3
Garret- The first impression of him was a little shocking yet 'startling' coincidence to be fair, really showing the charming and chivalry of his when he speaks and acts to the reader. Though probably as a tint of golden retriever feeling here for some reason - just for me perhaps :) Just going to pass a little word to him, "Hello gorgeous boy, how are you today?" :)
Marcelo- Hello Marcelo my chaos-flirty-yet-easily-blushing friend, I really do enjoy the free food you're giving to me but I need to pay to it to make it up your efforts. Perfect gourmet boy you're serving on a silver plate, really enjoy the moment when he flusters and stutter. "A pretty boy much, aren't you?"
Camilla - Camilla, my baby girl is a baby, love her very much out of the characters (actually loving every character you made, even Teagan—) Looking reliable as hell when offering the leftovers because of my dumbass clumsiness and forgetfulness. That's probably my own reaction but I'm falling both my knees down to call her "My saviour, god, you saved my life!" while sobbing ugly :P
To the end of the demo it was really a surprise to be in fact: someone breaking into your apartment just to say hi :) Though most of the anons probably suspect the ones who you already met, I'm having....probably 2 or 3 suspects right now, not really going to spoil it though for the sake of the creator :P
Then at last to the creator, really enjoying the piece of cake your serving, I'm gobbling it all over the place actually—But please do keep yourself hydrated, eating well and sleep well, a good mood means a good start!! ^^
Kind regards- 0
Oh my gosh, thank you so much for such a sweet and comprehensive comment! It was a lot of fun seeing what you thought of each character and what you would say to them!
It really warms my heart and motivates me to keep going on this project, so thank you from the bottom of my heart! I hope you also take your own advice and stay hydrated, sleep well, and eat delicious and nutritious food! <3
I really enjoyed it and every character especially Marcelo hehe
I will definitely will keep myself updated with this game because i see potential :D
Take care
Aww thank you so much! I'm so glad Marcelo (and the game) struck a coord with you!
If you want to stay updated I'd recommend checking out the official Crimson Hydrangea Twitter or Tumblr since they'll be updated a lot more frequently than Itch.io haha.
Thanks again for your support and stay safe! <3
I don't really have and use social media so i just followed you on itch.io ^^
That's fair! Thank you for the follow on here, it means a lot! <3
Can't really seem to find the application using mac
help please?
Oh strange! I just tested it out on my end and it seems to be working. Just to make sure we're on the same page, did you...
1. Select the white "Download Now" button
2. Either donate a random amount or bypass the donation section by clicking "No thanks, just take me to the downloads"
3. Select the mac option and start the download
4. Locate it in your downloads folder and unzip the zip file
5. Then click the renpy file named Crimson Hydrangea to start the game?
If you did all of that and are running into additional errors, you might need to either adjust your security settings OR troubleshoot with renpy since that's the program I used to create the game. I was able to download and have it play on my mac so I think it should work.
I have downloaded the mac file already. I'm just having some trouble with finding the application
Hmmm, do you have a downloads folder? I'd recommend searching for a file called CrimsonHydrangea-0.1-mac.zip . Once you've located that you can right click and click " open with" and select "archive utility" in order to unzip that file. Then once it's unzipped, you should see a new file appear labeled CrimsonHydrangea and once you double click the game should start playing.
If it still doesn't work I'd recommend either downloading or troubleshooting with https://www.renpy.org/ to make sure that it's compatible with your mac.
I've unzipped the file and I can't find the game app.
I'm gonna try other things and will get back if anything comes up
How strange! I'm so sorry I wasn't able to help you out. If you do find a solution please let me know. Good luck Phantomflower08!
Maybe try downloading it from the website rather than the app. It always works in my case if it doesn't work in the app
from the Itch.io page? I have
Do I need to try the Renplay page?
Then download the itch.io app and try it there
nevermind i figured it out :3
Nice ^^
This looks so good!! really looking forward for whats to come! good job!
Thank you so much! I'm so happy to hear that you not only enjoyed it, but are looking forward to more updates! <3
Thank you for this game, i love the backgrounds, characters designs and the story looks wonderful. Marcelo currently have my heart ! But there's a "yandere" tag, is there more than one yandere or... ?
Thank you so very much for your kind words! I'm so glad that you've enjoyed it so far! <3
To answer your question, it depends on which route you take whether you'll encounter one or more yanderes. However, there will always be at least one yandere in each route. Hopefully that helps clear things up!