Grotesqueresque
WELCOME TO THE SHOW!
10 GROTESQUE STORIES: A MAN PLAGUED BY INSOMNIA, A GIRL WHO ENJOYS FOREST STROLLS, A CURSED TV SHOW, A LEGENDARY CRYPTID HIDING IN ANTARCTICA, A SHADY CLINIC FULL OF HORRORS, AND MORE!
A game by A. V. Dossow (after like 6 months of not releasing a game)
All art, sprites, scenes and music by A. V. Dossow
Made for https://itch.io/jam/rpg-maker-horror-game-jam-10
Featuring:
- Grotesque pixel art (presenting my new improved art)
- Animated scenes
- Retro vibes
- Original soundtrack
- Different outcomes for each story depending on your choices
- Beard jiggle physics
- A limited palette (the entire palette is in the logo of the game)
- Different gameplay for each story
Download
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Development log
Comments
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Quick Summary
🟢 The Pros:
• The author's writing is profound and elegant, with narratives that consistently unfold in a smooth and intriguing way.
• The depiction of the playful manner of these demonic entities can be either disturbing (as in stories 1 and 2—it sent shivers down my spine) or hilarious (as in stories 7 and 9).
• Story 10 features the only jump scare that genuinely caught me off guard.
🔴 The Cons:
• Some stories are subpar or in need of a complete rework.
• Story 3 is too straightforward. It should build tension through more visual cues and subtle hints. ("It's stinky > it's very stinky" doesn't work ❌.) It also needs diverging paths for the player to choose from.
• Story 6 isn't the worst, but it's the most disappointing. It abruptly ends after the player picks one of four options, without further depicting or emphasizing the "unimaginable horror" of the Cthulhu-like creature.
• Story 8 feels like a downgraded version of Story 4, with less background mythology, a more predictable story progression and outcome, and a very forgettable ending. It almost deserves to be removed from the story set.
💡 Future Suggestions
As the opening monologue once said:
"LIKE A BLOODY ONION MADE OF SKIN, THE HUMAN SOUL HAS MANY BLEEDING LAYERS...
UNDERNEATH THOSE LAYERS, WE CAN FIND LOVE, HOPE, FEAR, PAIN, SUFFERING, SADNESS..."
This game could offer more emotional variety beyond just "unsettling" and "relief." Perhaps include a genuinely positive moment that doesn’t feel like a joke—something cheerful or beautiful that connects to the audience heart.
⚠️ Technical Note:
RPG Maker’s clunky controls make reaching the true ending of Story 7 much harder. Please consider adding more save points during the later part of the game.
Bro, chill with the critique like omg. Especially for the "cons" like wow, what a nitpick. Story 8 is BEST story in my opinion.
Ohh thank you so much Miss Mascherl, I really appreciate it! : D Thanks for the playthrough!
I thought this was a humorous and interesting game to play. The game's format reminded me a bit of the TV show Tales from the Crypt, which has that classic horror atmosphere. Thank you for creating this game. I made a two-part series.
Thank you so much Chillboomer01! : D
I do love Tales from the Crypt, so that show was one of my main inspirations!
You're welcome! It was pleasure playing this game. The farmer getting a good ending was very unexpected because most of the stories had a bad ending, except for the Fat Pony Apotheosis and Ningen and Me stories.
I loved all the stories! And the different endings! I've played another game by you "Doppelpartment" I believe, and the storytelling and art is so amazing!
Absolute PEAK. I would love more just like this with different scenarios to play through. The only thing I wish we had here was a quick way to go to a save like how visual novel games do it. besides that I thought this was perfect.
Thank you so much AphoRot! You're totally right,I definitely should have handled the save system in a different way, as that makes getting other outcomes really tedious, but I'll definitely keep that in mind if I make another anthology like this one.
Thank you for playing! : D
Oh thank you for considering my feedback. Your games are a treat. Keep up the great work.
The stories were so captivating. I normally hate games where I have to read a lot but this one was so interesting I couldn't stop playing. I hope there are more like it to come. It's creepy without being horrifying, the art style is so fun. In my opinion it's the best game I've played since Sally Face.
The stories we're so good!! And also it was scary too.. The jumpscare on the last story really caught me off guard lol and also I loved the pony story, it was so silly. Overall this game was peak. I really missed you but I'm glad you came back!! :D
amazing game, can't wait to see your next project
really loved all the stories) take care buddy!
Thank you so much for playing cristinicola! : D I really appreciate it!
cant believe this is a free game, enjoyed this one a lot and i LOVE the colour scheme and art style :3 that cursed tv show story reminds me of Late Night with the Devil movie
Ohhh thank you so much Aina! : D I'm glad you enjoyed the game!
I really like the color scheme too hahahah
no problemo, you're the creator and you should proud of your creation :3 hope to see more from you!
Really fine job on this. The stories were wonderfully grotesque, and I appreciate the extra effort to add a second ending to each one. Phenomenal work :)
Awesome narration! Thank you so much for playing and for the kind words!
Great game, loved the stories!! Nice work!!
Thank you so much SabrinaVampirschi : D!
THIS IS PEAK. 10/10. NEVER STOP MAKING GAMES!
Video in Polish.
Ohhhh awesome!! Thank you so much!
I'll definitely make some more games!
Really love the visuals and the soundtrack. The stories themselves were on the weaker side in terms of build-up to the scare, but still very much enjoyable.
Thanks for playing and for the feedback! I definitely focused more on the visuals and the music, so the writing and the gameplay are definitely the weaker points of the game (I also kinda rushed making the game). But I'm glad they're still enjoyable!
I really enjoyed this game, I liked the style of this game a lot and the story's are something. Nothing bad or anything it's just really strange and silly which make me enjoyed it in the first place. Looking forward for future games from you!
Awesome!!
Thank you so much for playing, Ezek! : D
Why is this free? This is rad shit and should be on steam for at least some moneys.
I love short stories, this was awesome! Somehow you made "silly", "bite-sized", "horrifyingly grotesqueresque" fit together, but I guess I should have expected this from your brilliantly silly, twisted mind. Well done, Dossow!
Hahaha thank you so much! : D
I love this game!
So simple, so dark, so creepy.
This is a real horror game!
Thank you a lot!
Thank you, I really appreciate it! : D
Ilove it! i hope you can do more in the future.
Thank you! : D I definitely want to make another horror anthology in the future
hey do you have a place to listen to the music? I love this background stuff
I might make a yt channel to upload the soundtrack (as well as other soundtracks I've made), and I can also upload it here. I'll probably do it this week
hello sorry to bother, have oyu made the channel yet?
Hello! Here's the channel
https://www.youtube.com/@A.V.Dossow-z5t
hey! would you be interested in a free translation into brazilian portuguese? i haven't finished it yet but i loved what i saw. i want to get experience in the gaming translation field. my contacts are on my online portfolio.
I really liked the stories, especially sepsis, and apple farmer. The pony story was really funny.
Thank you so much Jragon09! I'm glad you liked the stories! Most people hated the pony one hahaha
It's always cool to watch reactions of my games, I really appreciate it!
yeah i felt bad for wade but they aren't suppose to happy stories hahahahaha. Yeah the pony one was funny af. Thank you for making the game :3. Hopefully you'll be making more.
Amazing game Mr Dossow!! I liked the stories, new art sprites, different elements etc!!
Thank you! I really appreciate it! : D I'm glad you enjoyed the game!
so good awesome gameplay and art design
Thank you so much Renee! : D
I thought you were dead
No, he was just cooking up this game 😎🔥🔥🔥
REALLLL ITS SO GOOD
Thank you so much for playing and for the feedback Shadowprodigy0! Watching your reactions to the stories was really cool! : D
The stories were really great!
Thank you, I really appreciate it! : D
This game is peak narrative horror! The music has such an impact!
Thank you so much chaschinka! : ) I'm glad you enjoyed the game and the music!
W shrek begining
Wow. I was incredibly surprised when I realized that it was RPG Maker. This game is JUST. FUCKING. AWESOME. I love it.
Thank you for the new nightmares (at least a few)
Thank you so much! : D
My experience so far I'll give it 8/10 very good game. I'm definitely looking forward to finishing it!
Thank you so much for the gameplay and the review Sterelizi, I really appreciate it! I'm glad you've enjoyed the first stories so far! It also makes me happy that you liked the music, as I'm really happy with the soundtrack I made for this game (specially the song played during the first story)
So, you rated this game without finishing it. Wow.
"my experience so far"
My opinion is subject to change the more I play.
UwU
Whew, got two playthroughs so I could see both endings for each story. That was fun! I thought it was interesting that one of the stories had a no way out kind of situation, where you can't escape fate. Not just that you were doomed either way, but that you had the same exact result no matter what. I always like to see what people come up with, tbh.
Thank you so much Kruhl Sentru! Two playthroughs? That's awesome! I really appreciate the fact that you did a second playthrough to see the other endings :D
I tried to have a few "happy endings", but mostly I wanted the protagonists to be doomed no matter what (it's also a good excuse to show some animations)
STORY 1 KILLED ME 🤣
Very good game
Thank you so much Bis!
No problem
the way i got a heart attack in every story omg .. this was so well made its insane
Thank you so much, it makes me happy to read that! : D
of course! you did an amazing job putting it all together 💗 i really liked that there were some positive endings, and i will miss that woman telling us those stories haha
Just made another video covering all endings—this game deserves it!
My favorite was Story #8. It felt so real… the theme of a woman endlessly chasing beauty through surgery, to the point of destroying herself, really hit hard. Amazing work.
Wow, you even got all the endings!
Thank you so much PowerNana! Story 8 is probably my favorite too (and I also think it's the scariest/most disturbing one)
They'll be part of the DLC!
she built different lol
Absolutely loved this game!
Each of the 10 grotesque horror stories was unique and unsettling. The art, writing, and atmosphere were incredible. Thank you for making this
Ohhh thank you so much! : D I'm glad you enjoyed the game! I definitely had a lot of fun making it!
Thanks to you for playing it and for the gameplay!
Welcome back hope you are doing amazing!!!
Thank you CrazyScarlett! : D Have a nice day!
Dude, I'm glad you're back. We had a great time with this game on stream and we all wanted to ask you:
Is there ANY chance we can get a full Tolo Ratoney game? I'm all in and will help any way I can brother.
Tolo Ratoney always wins.
Hahahaha oh my God, that was really fun to watch, I had a lot of laughs during the Tolo Ratoney story! Now I'll laugh whenever I remember the "Tolo Ratoney always wins" message.
Thank you so much for playing, Laud!
Now I'm actually considering making a full Tolo Ratoney game or even an expanded universe hahaha, so yeah, there are real chances of that happening