A downloadable game for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android

Download NowName your own price

Waking up in a field off a 2-lane highway isn't the best start to anyone's night. Especially when you don't have a single clue how you got there to begin with.

Unfortunately, it's what Alec has to deal with tonight. It's cold, the wind's bitter, and he simply can't remember what happened earlier in the night. It must have been something big.

At least he finds a bus stop for shelter, but given it's a bus stop, he's not the only one there waiting.

Alec has two choices before him. Ignore the stranger's attempts to converse (he could be a serial killer, after all) and wait for the bus, or engage him (what else is there to do stranded at a bus stop) and see what happens.

The choice is yours.


Characters

Alec — a reserved young man of few words. He enjoys long drives at night on his motorcycle and isn't a fan of small talk.Stranger — another traveler who happens to be as stranded as Alec. Somehow, he's familiar, but Alec can't remember why. 

Features

  • 10,000~ Words! 
  • 11 Unlockable illustrations!
  • 3 Endings!

Credits

Content warning:
May not be appropriate for all ages. Contains mentions of suicide, swearing, smoking, and alcohol references.

More from Ronove

StatusReleased
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux, Android
Rating
Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars
(132 total ratings)
AuthorRonove
GenreVisual Novel, Interactive Fiction
Made withRen'Py
Tags2D, Atmospheric, LGBT, Narrative, Ren'Py, Short, Story Rich
Average sessionAbout an hour
InputsKeyboard, Mouse

Download

Download NowName your own price

Click download now to get access to the following files:

The Morning Star 1.0 PC 84 MB
The Morning Star 1.0 Mac 66 MB
The Morning Star 1.0 Linux 73 MB
The Morning Star 1.0 Android 86 MB
The Morning Star Ending Guide 743 kB

Also available on

Development log

Comments

Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.

(+2)

Where do I start? I'm a sucker for gameplay loops/timeloop story games,and not only is this that, it also wonderfully incorporates this mechanic into the story; my only complaint would be that MC doesn't react more to the repetition besides the intro. That being said, I can't say I have any more critiques. This game, it really doesnt have a genre. It is about so many things. It is a dark romance, it is a fantasy, maybe even a psychological horror on some levels. And the one interpretation I enjoyed above all was that, to some extent, this story is about overcoming su1c1d4l thoughts and finding a will to live again, a reason to live again. I found that particularly beautiful. The art goes without saying; absolutely stunning. It is far surpassed by the sound design, however. The thought that went into every little detail of sfx really built up the atmosphere here, and it does not go underappreciated. One final praise I have left to sing, a rather meek one compared to the overall moving narrative structure and game design is just how reasonably relatable MC's inner dialogue is; it sounds like a small thing, but it is where many VN's struggle, and yet where this prospers like in it's many other aspects. 

(+2)

I loved it too much, I didn't expect the direction of the story at all and not to mention how much the 3 endings made me cry <3

(+2)

i love the story, it's so beautiful and it also makes me think about afterlife. The morning ending made me tear up,😭 It is the ending I really liked along with the soundtrack.

I'm glad you loved the story! Thank you so much for playing!!

(+2)

A friend of mkine recommend the game and let me just say its Amazing and i hope more people see this masterpiece you've created.

Aww, thank you! I'm glad you liked it! 

(+2)

It's usually very difficult for me to read visual novels, since I'm an epileptic and they are almost always very bright and white. This one made my day, besides, it's not so long, so I don't get bored. The background music is perfect, it's not some kind of silly melody that gets annoying after five seconds. Alec has very good look, I really like your style. The story itself is beautiful, it's a difficult topic, but the ending I achieved was calm and good, leaves some satisfaction on my soul. Thank you for this game!

I'm really glad reading it was easy for you!! Thank you so much for playing! <3

(+2)

This visual novel is SO good ♥

Thank you so much!! ♥♥♥

(+2)

This visual novel is amazing and playing it for the first time feels like a dream because of the sounds and the atmosphere im absolutely in love ❤

Aww! Thank you so much! You're too kind! ❤❤❤

(+1)

oh I'm sorry! I didn't want you to go to the trouble of translating this message, but thanks for the warning!! when I have time to update the translations, I hope I do!! bye Bye! kisses!!<33

(+1)

Ei!! Só uma dúvida, você tem para o português do Brasil? Se não, mil desculpas!! Eu não falo inglês :P, é isso, tchau tchau! beijos <3

Sinto muito, não tenho em nada além do inglês. Eu simplesmente não tenho tempo. :( Isso foi traduzido com o google translate, desculpe por qualquer imprecisão.

(I'm sorry, I do not have it in anything other than English. I just don't have the time. :( This was translated with google translate, sorry for any inaccuracies.)

(+1)

Every now and then, I come back to this visual novel, and every time I do, I feel the same way as I did when I first played it. This is truly one of the best visual novels I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing, and I know that it'll remain so.

(+1)

Aww, thank you so much! 🥰 It means a lot to me to hear that.

(1 edit) (+1)

You did an amazing job filling this little project with life and atmosphere making it one of my favorite visual novels of all time.

crediting everyone that helped you do it shows how much thankful and grateful you are for minor things as well

you should be proud ❤️

(+1)

Aww, thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it! 🥰

(+2)(-1)

dang this was honestly not what I was expecting and was fun to play and I found the looping concept cool and the ending was super fun!

I'm super glad you enjoyed it!! Thank you so much!

(+2)

Interesting story! :)

(+2)

Thank you!

(+2)

I really enjoyed this VN! I loved the melancholy atmosphere and all the little variations and animations in the sprite art, like the cigarette smoke. And the true ending was so lovely and sweet! I'm really glad I picked it out of the queer games bundle to try. <3

(+2)

Thank you so much for playing!! I'm glad you found it and enjoyed it! 🥰

(+1)

i really enjoyed the games from both Jane Titor and Ronove. you two have a talent for making stories poetic and touchy. i really hope for more :D

(+2)

This is by far the best visual novel I've ever played, the history may be a bit short, but it is a great history that definitely surprised me a lot, everything about the game is amazing, I loved the history and how it is so greatly made, I loved the sprites and arts, as well the characters, they're just very well made and very unique and the music is simply amazing, for now I only got the ending where (SPOILER) both characters dance together as Alec gives the prince his soul, and it definitely was the best ending I ever saw in a game

I am so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for playing!!

(+12)

So, speaking with full honesty, I downloaded this more out of curiosity than expectation - more of an "It might be good?" rather than being excited for it. And I owe the creator an apology, because that was a gross injustice.

This game was absolutely fantastic. I went through so many emotions as I went through the various routes - confusion, chills, heartache, desperate sympathy, and finally delight - and the story was told so well, through the snippets, the hints, and the revelations. From such a simple premise, we're walked through a rich but desperate background, a horrific present (of sorts), and if you pick the right choices, you might even find a happy future.

In particular, I love that Alec was such a well-written character; he was so fucking tragic without it feeling tiresome or excessive, and at the same time it was so simply presented that he still felt incredibly relatable. What could have fallen into a Mary-Sue archetype instead felt so human and so authentic that I couldn't help wanting things to work out for him - I became wholly invested in him finding the happiness he deserved.

Download it, play a couple of routes for yourself, then work through the ending guide to get the full story - it's absolutely worth your time.

(+3)

Thank you! This is such a lovely comment! I'm glad it was able to resonate so well. Thank you again so much for playing!

(+3)

Big agree to all of this. I too downloaded like "looks a little interesting, might be good", but man, did it end up absolutely blowing me away. Absolute masterpiece, 10/10.

Thank you so much!!

(+1)

You're welcome! ^_^

(+2)

A beautiful and well written game ! The images are really evocative and WOOF did i felt Alec in the deepth  of my soul -no pun intended.  I am a basic symp for a more tender take on Lucifer in general and OH BOY does this Prince takes the cake ! Thank you so much for this experience !

Thank you so much for playing! I'm glad it resonated well with you! :D

(+1)

A nice game, if a tad sad. Beautiful art, too!

(+1)

Thank you for playing!!

(+2)

I don't know if I ever said how pretty this game really is so I'll say it now: the color scheme you chose for this looks fantastic together and I will never be able to stop staring at it! ;_;

All the staring!! :D

(+1)

This is such a beautiful game! I love everything about it.  Good job !<3

And yeah, it made me cry too

Thank you! I'm glad you loved it!

(+1)

DSKJHF GVLKJSLTVEH GJKV I LOVE THIS SO MUCHHHH its so sweet and hnestly i think i cried a little

Given the number of people who have cried, maybe I should put a warning! :P Thank you so much for the comment! I am so glad you loved it!

(+4)

Don't mind me. Just here crying.


I can't believe I got the good ending first go. I'm quite impressed. Then I spend all day getting every possible piece of dialogue. Loved it so much! Very good art, very good story! 10/10.

It's always nice when you get the good ending first! I'm so glad you enjoyed it (even with the crying) and went back to make sure you saw everything. Thank you so much!

(+1)

Truly lovely. I tossed the link to all my friends. XD

(1 edit) (+1)

Yah, just did an official-ish review. x'D

Truly one of the best games I have played on this platform. I loved the story so much and really would highly recommend it to others. Please keep up the good work. I really liked the little animations. I think this would be stunning with voice acting as well, though I understand why that might be slightly difficult, heh heh. At any rate, tossed $5 at it a while back and will certainly be following for more games. Highly looking forward to seeing what else you have. :)

Thank you so much again! :D

(+4)

Words can't describe how much I loved this game. <3  It was so heart wrenching, but the 'good' ending made me so happy.  I cried so much I almost ran out of tissue!

(+1)

I can translate your game into Spanish, if you wish.

(+1)

This game is really nice with great visuals and whole some story. The hopeful ending is really nice and feel good!

(1 edit)

I enjoyed this interactive story, I did both dance and take the bus, so I wasnt sure how about to go to a third ending, and would love to hear what it is. It's a game with a lot of meaning, and I enjoy games that have a message. There's a lot missing in this world, and understanding is a key. 

(+2)

If you can't get the third ending, (I think I called it the Morning Ending since you know, it's morning during it) check out my guide in the downloads! It gives you a step by step on how to get it.

Thank you for playing!

Thank you very much! :)

(+8)

This game was amazing! I really relate to Alec as I struggle with depression myself and he really is such a realistic character. I found myself being drawn to Prince as well, in a way that he felt comforting and I wanted to trust him but was still on edge. I loved going through and seeing each piece of new dialogue with the choices too. I cried a few times, but that's definitely a good thing! I love playing games that leave an impact like this one. Truly an amazing game.

(+1)

I'm very glad it resonated so well with you! It's partly why I wanted to make the story because I know it would resonant with me if I were the player. I'm glad you got to play and enjoyed the ride!

(+4)

This game was a lot of fun! The art work had me stunned with how pretty it was and how smoothly it moved! The music playing in the background was really nice and I found this to just be such a great experience! This was a bit longer then I normally play but oh my gosh I loved it so much! Alec stole my heart and even though he is simply just a character in a game I hope he lives a long happy life :(

(+1)

Thank you! I'm glad you had a lot of fun! :D

(2 edits) (+2)

I am so far enjoying this game! I found the sprite art style for the people a little hard to get used to but I grew to enjoy it. I really like the vibe and the music.  I'll edit this when I'm done!

(+3)

Hello, just want to say, awesome VN, it is so well done that I had to keep playing, perfect example of how you don't need a lot of characters to make a history work, the whole thing feels so intimate it just drags you in, I was questioning  whether to trust the stranger or not at every corner, it is a kind of intensity that is really hard to create, good job!

The soundtrack and art is of course a 10/10 and blend perfectly together, I hope we get more games from you because there is definitely quality in your craft.

(+1)

Aww, thank you! :D I'm glad you enjoyed it and I'm hoping I can put more games together for sure! Thank you for playing!

(+3)

Don’t mind me I’m just over here crying 😭 I really didn’t expect to get so attached to both characters. Uuuhg my HEART! I thought the atmosphere was amazing with all the little details adding real life to the game. 10/10 highly recommend! I made a play through if you want a sneak peak but I think you should really play through on your own 💖 Thanks devs for the amazing game no thanks for the side of crying 😆💛

(+1)

I'm sorry for the side of crying, but I'm glad you enjoyed it despite the crying! I should warn people to have tissues handy!

It was all over as soon as Alec started tearing up XD I hope you make more  games I really loved this one even with my pathetic tears haha

I have some more ideas for sure, so hopefully I can make more! Thank you again for playing and for linking the video!

(+1)

Played your game and it's really nice. The art style, sound effects and music come together perfectly. I'll be finishing it off record.

(+1)

Thank you so much for playing and I'm glad you're enjoying it! 

you’re welcome 😊 

(2 edits)

I went threw all the logical steps how is half the galerie locked

Im genuanly too stupid

Theres 8/9 questions with 16/18 outcomes i dont want to broutforce threw that

(1 edit)

Which parts of the gallery is still locked? The third row is for the endings, and there is only one you can miss (not counting the other endings) even if you get the third ending.

I asked wierdly i just want to know if theres a way to find out where the endings are and if theres like clues or if you just have to brout force all possible combinations (my old statement is wrong im really bad at math)

Currently, there is not a way! I can write up a post about how best to get the endings if that'll help! For now, the first available ending is basically don't engage with the stranger (so ignore him, etc.) in the beginning, also don't go to the bus stop right away (so wait here at the start), and then don't check belongings. Otherwise, it does show up as a choice if you make certain decisions but only one forced way to get the ending.

The second available ending you can get is easily gotten by not hitting the "Make him elaborate" choice--basically, never trying to learn WHY you're where you're at and just accepting well, this is where you're at and the second ending will show up. Not choosing the elaborate choice will let you choose between two of the endings (so the first available one and the second available one). Like the first ending, there is only one way to get this as a forced ending which is a little more complex to get, but I can include how to in my write-up.

I hope this helps! And I'll see about writing up a short thing this weekend to help guide players who want to make sure they get the endings!

So with my two 2 IQ brout force get it

I wrote two than 2 you can already see how retarded I am

(+1)

Really nice but i have to say the near consant blinking unnervse me

(+1)

This game is lovely. I replayed it as many times as I could just to follow all the different dialogue options. The music, the art, the dialogue, it's all just so so good!

(+1)

Thank you!! That's very kind of you to say! :D