Invasive Species
If you've ever found a random object on the ground and wondered how it got there and what story was lost behind it. This game is for you.
This is a love story. Not a lot of gameplay. No game overs or wrong paths or wrong choices. It's simply a celebration of all the voices that are lost to us. Their songs are unsung, but they still matter. Take them to the top of the world.
Special shoutout to Axel! https://avdossow.itch.io/ for all his help and support with the soundtrack. This was my very first time making music from scratch and couldn't have done it without a metaphorical shoulder to cry on.
Download
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Development log
- Bug Fixes!May 17, 2024
Comments
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I got softlocked on the third act (iirc), being able to move through everything.
Love your writing.
thanks for the heads up and for giving it a go!
i... wow.
i believe i commented in one of your games that you always nail the atmosphere in all of your projects. well, this has convinced me you're also a goddamn expert at storytelling.
we just don't get stories like these anymore. so well-written, so genuine, so simple and so complex, so thought-provoking and so charged with little things that have so much meaning behind them... simply put, this was beautiful.
i could gush about the characters and how it feels like we're just taking a peek into this world, giving the feeling that there's so many other stories that could be told. written or not. like this was a chapter in a universe that had so much passion put into its creation.
i could gush about the art style, and how small things like how part of Rubi's hair and sparkles following you around, or the animations of the animals changing slightly while running, or just the text font (which you made YOURSELF what?!?!) add so much texture to this story and make it feel more alive.
i could gush about the music, which was excellently used all the way through and a ridiculously great first attempt at making an ost from scratch (need the mp3's for the forest theme and animal transformation rn, please and thank you).
i could gush about the narration, which is SO FRIGGIN GOOD and conveys the feeling of a storybook better than... honestly anything else i've seen? it nails things so much that even just the first description of the father -literally only like 5 TO 10 pieces of text- already made me feel intimidated.
i could gush about all of that...
...but i won't, because i was too busy chanting "FOREST YURI FOREST YURI FOREST YURI" repeatedly during my entire playthough so i didn't pay attention to anything, sorry!
edit: wait what do you mean gLYPHOSATE IS AN ACTUAL THING WHAT-
Ahahaha! Thanks for this comment omfg!! I always love hearing your feedback. I had a lot of fun with this one. Like two months ago in the jam discord I was literally like "think I'll f around and do a love story next" lol. I just love writing a sad love story, SIGH. It's been really cool slowly trying to get better at the engine aspect of things so I can focus on what I really love, which is telling stories. And sharing them with lovely people like you who celebrate them and are willing to give me their time and attention. <3
Yes glyphosate is a real thing! It's not as like, cartoonishly evil as I make it out to be haha, I don't think people are drinking it. But it is bad and I have a lot of passion about nature and ecosystems. I love thinking critically and creatively about systems of power and abuse. And in many ways I think "big ag" functions like a cult. You buy into it and can't leave OR ELSE, kind of energy. It really bothers me.
FOREST YURRIIII hahahaha gods that's so real omfg, me out here like alright if there's not gonna be enough sad weird gay games ILL JUST MAKE THEM >:D
(I really hope to keep doing my OSTs!!! Maybe in the future once I have a good list going I'll drop a disc. What do kids do these days? drop a track? A spotify playlist? Idk I'll drop some music somewhere in a list type format lol)
definitely was really cool to get a love story from your perspective! it's a genre that has fascinated me more and more the longer i've seen it haha. and this might sound weird, but... i liked how it wasn't an *overtly* romantic story? like obviously yeah this is a love story, but i like how it's more focused on building the two characters individually and how they complement each other, rather than explicitly on their romance. idk if it makes sense lol. and obviously i have no problem with super romantic stories! i just thought this approach worked really well for the game.
and i really hope you keep making songs too!! :D you've definitely got talent for nailing the emotion each scene needs to have, and it's conveyed super well with the music! :>
that was pretty traumatic, but beautiful
Thanks for playing!!
I look forward to more games like this one
5 stars is not enough - here more⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
💜💜💜💜
Thank you!! ahhhh <3 <3
oh btw, you improved the font so much it's perfectly readable but still pretty unique:>
THANK YOU gods that was hard but a fun challenge haha. Like wtf @me why did I feel the need to do that haha. Who knew you could draw ur own font?!? So cool.
Wow....what a beautiful story. I'm really trying not to tear up as I write this, haha! ((SPOILERS BELOW FOR PPL WHO HAVEN'T PLAYED))
I want to say, I absolutely love your tilework and the idea for the hair trailing behind Rubi was a really nice touch! I loved the tunes, and the overall dread hanging over our heads, as the player. I also really love the implementation of helping players who go too low in the map by moving us back to a starting point- it was really helpful when I got too curious about hopping around!
I think you really captured what it feels like to be held captive in ones home- especially considering the circumstances of Dulcis. The backgrounds during the sunset/sunrise were really beautiful too!
Also, being able to transform into different creatures was really fun!!
!!ONTO SPOILERS!! (somewhat)
This really felt like a Romeo and Juliet type scenario...it's beautifully tragic, and I felt my heart ache when I could tell what was about to happen. I think you handled the writing of both a sheltered person and somewhat aloof creature, in both protagonists. It felt like both of them were, as stated, two halves they didn't know the other complimented. Both knew and didn't know about so much, and yet they came together as one, even in the end. Oof, I'm getting teary again, haha;;
Phenomenal- absolutely beautiful storytelling and visual, the whole game felt like it could be a short film, if I'm being honest! Thank you so much for sharing this story <3 <3
Egg your kind words mean so much! Thanks for this wonderful feedback. I had a lot of fun making this and it's so cool to see it well received. I'm really glad you mentioned Rubi's "aloof" ness, that's such a good way to put it. I really wanted to try and drive home that she's almost the enemy of another story, even if she doesn't see it that way. She's still a destructive force on the forest. I'm glad you liked the art style! I'm really starting to nail down my look and every project I'm honing those skills more and more. And thank YOU for the wonderful fan art you made of these two, really moved my heart. <3333
Of course! Also, after learning more from you abt the "weeds" or how wilde blackberries can get, it definitely makes sense how Rubi can be seen as this "infestation" to the forest. I love how she and Dulcis are like one in the same in their own respective rights but like parallels- a "parasite" on humanity as a self-perceived burden to others, vs Rubi etc.
Also, you're very welcome!! I really look forward to seeing more of your work!!