The Doll Beneath
Small Bugfix
Episode 4-5 is now out! (And more)
Unlike previous updates, I'm not actually going to spoil too much of the actual details, I'll let you figure it out yourself! There's quite a bit to explore, with a lot more secrets than you might think. Heck, there's some secrets that might not even be found.
I've spent a lot of time trying to playtest and change things up, but I'm sure I still missed some bugs. If there's anything out of the ordinary, just let me know, I'll fix it up.
The Doll Beneath has been quite the heavy load on me, especially on the lore sides of things. It's been a lot of fun over the past few years, and an amazing learning experience too.
Anyway, let's go over some of the new features:
ADDED
-Episode 4
-Episode 5
-4 Endings
-Gallery Changes
-NEW SIDE MODE: Matsuo's Escape
MATSUO'S ESCAPE
After completing the main game, try out the small little side mode I tossed into the extras menu. It's rather short, so I wouldn't expect much, but a nice little touch of extra content if you're looking for a bit more. Who knows, completing it might even net you a teaser into what I'm cooking up next. Try to get the best time if you can!
ENDINGS
The endings are pretty self explanatory, so I won't say much else.
It was really hard to top the banger that was Episode 3, but I still tried my best. Any remaining updates to the game will be bug fixes and optimization changes. Episode 5 has a few hiccups here and there, and I still want to fix them before leaving entirely.
Anyway, expect an announcement for my next project! It's NSFW however, so unfortunately, I cannot show much of anything on here. Either way, I hope you enjoy!
Episode 4-5 Release Date
"The unending truth was too much to bear."
"Now I lie in a void of silence."
Yup, it's almost here. It's been two years since I originally started working on The Doll Beneath, and now it's finally time to bring it to a close. I've thought long and hard on how I want it to end, especially with how much time and effort I put into the characters. Now that a good amount of time has passed, I think I can safely end it without much worry about what people might think.
To be fair, this is technically my first game I've officially released to the public. Sure I've made other "projects" in the past, but none of which can really compare to this.
EPISODE 4
Play as Kiyoko as you attempt to piece together the loose ends left behind by a long and forgotten cult. New faces, old friends, they're all the same. In the end, Akio is all you will ever need. "He" is all you will ever need. Listen to your heart, not your mind. The face isn't there to harm you.
EPISODE 5
Play as [???] as you enter into the minds of [???], in an attempt to save them. With the knowledge you've gathered, do you have what it takes to finally end this?
Besides all that, I also have one other surprise planned for the final release. Have you ever wondered what was behind the door in the gallery? Well you will soon.
The final release will drop on May 3rd. Trust me, it'll definitely be worth your time.
I also have another announcement that will soon follow regarding my next project, which isn't exactly "safe for work," but still a game nonetheless.
Anyway, that's it for now. See ya!
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Oh, and has anyone found the easter egg in Episode 2, Chapter 3 yet? I've searched high and low, and I don't think anyone has found it. Ahh, oh well.
The End Is Near
As the truth becomes clearer, the path towards salvation slowly begins to reveal itself. Episode 4 and 5's release window is inching ever so closer. It's been a long journey, but all good things must come to an end. I don't have much to say, so I'll make this brief.
While I don't have an exact release window yet, just know that stuff is coming. I kind of wanted the last two episodes to be a surprise, since they're technically both connected. However, since it's already been a month and a half since the release of Episode 3, I felt kind of bad for being so silent.
At the moment, I currently have around five endings planned for Episode 5, all with different variations of each other. I was also thinking about adding a joke ending or two, but I don't know yet. Episode 4 is pretty much done, so right now, my main focus has been trying to piece together how I'm going to do the finale. I was also going to post a teaser in here, but I realized at the last second that the thumbnail of this post is quite the spoiler in of itself, so I'll just leave it at that.
Anyway, that's about it for this update. The next post from me will likely be a release date, so stay tuned!
Write.
The Final Few
I have now begun work on Episode 4. As always, it might take me a month or two, but will definitely be worth the wait. Wanna know why?
Well, it's because Episode 4 and 5 will be released in the same update! Yup, you heard it right. The final few chapters will be released at the same time, marking the game as fully complete. Episode 4 will, as always, be a 2 hour experience. Episode 5 on the other hand will not have 4 chapters like usual. Episode 5 will be the shortest entry, and will act as a sort of "conclusion" to the story. Episode 5 will also have multiple endings depending on how you play, and the choices you make.
I don't really have much to tease at the moment, but I definitely will in the coming weeks. I have also begun work on my next game as well. It won't be for everyone, but it'll definitely satisfy a certain audience, if you catch my drift. Before I just leave the game, I still plan on making last minute adjustments and fixes before I go full force into my next project.
I'm glad people enjoyed the story, even if it wasn't much. To be fair, The Doll Beneath hasn't even come close to my full potential, and I have learned a lot of new things in my time working on this game. My next game isn't exactly a horror, nor is it a thriller, but that doesn't mean I still don't have plans for more games in the genre.
Anyway, rant over. Stay tuned for updates on Episode 4 and 5.
The Doll Beneath 1.0.4 Hotfix
-Leighton and Android to character gallery
Yeah, I literally forgot to add her.
Sorry Leighton.
Episode 3 is NOW OUT!
ADDED
-Episode 3
-New art in the gallery
-New characters added in the gallery
FIXED
-A bug that would allow the player to climb the wall on the third floor in the Losinglight
-Small sprite changes
CHANGED
-The static in some of the action sequences has been tweaked to be less annoying
Besides that, expect one other patch to be released within the day to address a couple more sprite issues, one of which is in Episode 3. I also plan to change a lot of the music to address the copyright claim issues some people have been getting.
That's about it! If there are any bugs in Episode 3, feel free to let me know on the discussions! I mostly work on this alone, so I probably missed some things. This chapter gets pretty weird, so expect a lot of....umm...stuff.
A Slight Delay
As you can probably assume from the title, Episode 3 will unfortunately have to be delayed to December. There's a number of reasons why, but without going into excuse territory, let me simplify it.
I ended up getting sick with a certain....."infection" and things haven't been easy. If you've been up to date with recent events over the past few years, I'm sure you can guess what it is. Not just that, but I ultimately want to make chapters 3-3, and 3-4 a lot longer than the previous entries. 2-3 and 2-4 were pretty short, and I kind of want to change that.
I don't have any specifics on the new release date, but it should be out sometime in December. Given the "theme" of Episode 3, I actually think a December release date is a lot better as well. You'll see.
Going forward, Episode 4 and 5 will actually be a lot easier to make. Episode 3 is the most story-intensive entry, so naturally, it's taking the longest out of all of them.
The next time you hear from me, I'll likely be announcing the full release of Episode 3...
...or not. Haha, I might just end up releasing it with no prior warning.
Anyway, that's all for todays announcement. See you next time!
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Don't forget to sign the integration waiver on the way out.
Episode 3 Release Date
The Losinglight subjects finally arrive at the doorstep of the Kemden Tower, formerly owned by a mysterious robotics company. Follow Yuko Sakuma, as she slowly unravels EGO's secrets, as well as her own.
Just remember, you're not alone in there.
One of the Doll Beneath's main piece of criticism from the previous episodes was the fact that the story is extremely slow, and rarely has moments of intensity. Taking that feedback, I've went out of my way to make Episode 3 a lot more fast-paced and unique. We're at the half-way point, we might as well amp things up.
I can't wait to finally get this out, as it will be one of the most lore heavy chapters to be released yet. Episode 3 will be released on November 30th, 2022.
Now...
CAN YOU SEE ME?
It's been a while since my last update. Work has kinda slowed ever since the game first launched, so naturally, I didn't have much to talk about. Now that I have resumed work on Episode 3, I have another small teaser to share! How exciting!
Episode 3 will be a lot different than the first two installments. Taking the role of Yuko, you will venture forth into the Kemden Tower, in search of a long forgotten childhood memory. Just like the first two episodes, expect a lot of twists and turns along the way. I expect to have the episode finished by either late November, or early December.
Now, without further ado...
Can you see me?