OBSCURA
A downloadable game for Windows, macOS, and Linux
I once heard a story...
There's a marketplace under the mountain where anything can be bought and sold. Visitors wear masks to become faceless strangers. It's home to the unscrupulous, the outcast, and the desperate.
You're one of the desperate.
Strangers with their own secrets and ambitions can show you ways through the market. They'll guide you to your goal, but don't trust them to have your best interests at heart.
Features
- First chapter available as a demo, second chapter available in early access.
- Choose the protagonist's name, pronouns, and mask.
- Four mysterious love interests.
- Over 200k words (70k in the demo, 130k in the early access release)
- A dark, mature story with many ways to fail.
- Timed choices! Or turn them off for an easier game.
- Original music by Cajsa.
- Use the default, OpenDyslexic, or Atkinson Hyperlegible font for ease of reading.
Characters
Creator Policy
All information is available on our website, but in short: show as much of the demo content (Chapter 1) as you like, you may stream paid content freely as long as there is commentary, but VODs of paid content should only show ~20% of the script; this currently comes out to approximately 30-60 minutes of material for Chapter 2 total depending on reading speed.
Content Warnings
The game contains unhealthy relationship dynamics, religious themes, drugs and alcohol, violence, and themes of human trafficking. More specific warnings are available in the game and a comprehensive list of warnings is available here (warning for spoilers). This game is recommended for an 18+ audience.
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Purchase
In order to download this game you must purchase it at or above the minimum price of $14.99 USD. Your purchase comes with a Steam key. You will get access to the following files:
Download demo
Development log
- Francesco Chapter Two is Here!5 days ago
- January round-up16 days ago
- December round-up43 days ago
- November round-up80 days ago
- October round-upNov 06, 2025
- September round-upOct 05, 2025
- August round-upSep 02, 2025
- July round-upAug 06, 2025
Comments
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Definitely my favorite visual novel of all time. The protagonist doesn't feel overly feminine or masculine and isn't annoying, the love interests are actually fleshed out with distinct personalities and the art is beautiful. If anyone is reading the comments to determine if they should buy it, do it. I cant wait to see what else the developers of Obscura have in store for us!
honestly same, one of my fave visual novels too! for me the mc is a bit boring/rude a lot of the time but maybe thats just because im a very kind and eccentric person lol.. :'D i do love the times when mc gets to be more vulnerable tho, like in cirrus' route or at the start of keirs. overall its still amazing though, cant wait for more updates^_^
i dont usually like more than 1 love intrests/ interactive characters to play with but this one by far changed my pref completely!! im in love and cant wait for the full game
following on me and whatch my games
YESSSSSS LET'S GOO
I bought this game from steam,and I really really like it .Keir is soooooooooo cuteeeeeeee. and i enjoy everything that i experienced in this game,Love u sooooo much .I can't comment in steam,so i'm here to let u know how much i love your game.heart heart
I've just played the demo, the writing and art style is thoroughly enjoyable. I already have a favourite, I NEEEED cirrus so bad. I was also wondering that if i buy the early access (which i assume also means ill be able to play the full game once it is released?) would i have to delete the previous download/demo in order for it to work? and will it save my progress? sorry if its a silly question.
Buying the game in Early Access on here or on Steam will mean you'll get the rest of the chapters as they release (you may need to manually re-download the game if you're getting it here on Itch), so no worries on that front.
The demo save data does carry forward into the main game (provided it's all on the same device, I should say!), so you should be able to continue playing without issue. If you're download the game files here on Itch, you won't need to fold onto the demo game files afterwards. Ren'py saves the game data in two places on your computer, and the demo and main game both check the same folders for save data, so everything carries over.
Thank you so much for clarifying !! ^^ very excited for the full game release
just bought this game and i'm really loving it so far! the writing is so very refreshing :)
just one question- i did buy on steam and noticed that there's a free ending and achievement guide for chapter 1. is it not free for the later chapters, and if it is, how would i be able to get it since i bought via steam and not itch.io?
thanks for all your hard work :3!!
The guide is up on Steam as well, but it is age-gated and Steam is very very bad at communicating this. You'll need to go to your account profile, then adjust your store preferences to allow Community content for games that contain "Frequent Nudity or Sexual Content". We think the fact Obscura has this tag is extremely silly and wouldn't have applied it ourselves, but since Valve decided we need it all Community content (including the guides) are completely hidden from you until you change your store preferences.
ahh okay, thank you! hopefully the tag gets sorted upon the full release!
Forgot to comment on this - but amazing premise. Protagonist is as charming as the LIs and acts as one would if they were struck with odd circumstances and dumb luck. Atmosphere is insane and characters are very charming (although I do have my favorites).
Hey ! i have a question concerning the game :
I'm going to finish the demo soon and im veryyyy tempted in buying the game but, if im not mistaken, the game isn't finished yet. I was just wondering how everything works if i buy the game (on steam only) like do the updates are updating themselves ?? or do we have to download them ourselves ?
Second question, if i buy the game now even if its not finished, do i have to buy the future updates too or not? i just want to know how that work before potentially buying it. :)
If you buy the game on Steam, updates will be downloaded automatically, yes! If you get it here on itch.io you will need to download updates manually, but you will always have access to the download page via your library.
And the updates are free, yes. You won't need to pay again for Francesco's second chapter, or any of the third chapters.
this is amazing holy shit. take all my money now. i cant wait for chapter 3 , thank you for your hard work!!
im gonna cry its so good i need it in my veins
UGHHH I PLAYED THE DEMO AND I LOVED IT BUT IM TOO BROKE TO DOWNLOAD IT RN
IM CRYINGGGGG I DONT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO DOWNLOAD OBSCURAAA (lucky me, christmas is tomorrow..)
olly i love you. i need more of olly. please im begging you olly chapter 3
Criem uma versão para Android,Por Favor
Please make android version
This game has made me feral, I'm going to start biting, well done!!!
I haven't actually played the game because it's in English and I'm from an Arab country, so I don't understand much of it, but it looks amazing! I just wish it had Arabic! 🎀
Probably one of my favorite VN ! ❤️
How do u romance Francesco? I'm aware you need to choose Kier and Cirrus route in the 'go to church or remain in street' but i only encountered Francesco after church option but I keep getting bad endings on Cirrus so I can't move on at all.
Also, Im actually glad I started on Kier route accidentally or I would've never gave the game a chance if I started on Cirrus route. Starting with Cirrus route would've made me assume everything I do early in the game would result in a bad ending which sucks because I just met the character and not connected enough with him to have the patience for all these frustrating reloads.
Now I just want a cutie patootie Francesco so please tell me how to romance him.
When you get the option to escape to the church or stick around, you need to pick the "leave" option instead, that's the path that leads to Oleander and Francesco.
Random question: But i saw this random image of the Curch in Munich (Germany): Asamkirche and i kid you not- my mind immediatly went to our lovely church in the underground. Is the background image used there from that church? I just have to know, please xD
omg this comment made me so happy!!! I thought the same the SECOND I saw it lol <3 I hope we get to find out whether that’s the Asamkirche or not ^^
keir help me
keir
save me keir
This is THE best game that I have ever found on itch.io and I have been around the block a couple of times. Your writing is phenomenal and I was immediately hooked! Thank you so much for creating such a wonderful story and I am looking forward to what turns and twists done the road await - 10/10
is there a chance we will see mc's face or without cloak?
Well, never say never, but also probably not. While Vesper, the MC, has a fairly strong personality, there are a lot of things about them that simply aren't important for the story we're telling, and their appearance is one of those things. We're happy to leave that space open for them to imagine the MC with whatever appearance they like.
Ey, I was very interesed on playing but I have 2 questions.
1. Is there any other way to play that is not steam? Let say im super shy 😅
2. I understand the game is still on alpha but of out curiosity, is it gonna a third one and done, or more than that? You dont have to say how many lol or even answer this one, Im super afraid of cliffhanger so I thought i might ask
I understand that a game like this takes a lot of time to do! And it looks incredible, thanks for all the hardwork
1. You can get the game here on itchio if you like, of course! It's the same as the Steam version, and all future updates will be free and come at the same time. The main difference is that Itch doesn't support regional pricing, so if you're using a currency other than USD then Steam may have a better price for you. You can also buy games on Steam and mark them as "private", which does prevent others from seeing it's in your library or that you're playing them, if that's your concern. There's a dropdown menu in the shopping cart page to choose that option.
2. Each route is going to have three chapters, so the story will be done after that! We can't promise we won't add to the game after that, but that should just be fun bonus material, if we're feeling like it. That said, all the routes currently have very intense cliffhangers in Chapter Two, so if you want to avoid that then I'd suggest wishlisting the game or following us here on Itch and waiting for it to be finished.
Ohh supeer! I will definetly will be getting it once it's completed. Thank you for all the information and the private option from steam 😆
"Surely I won't be obsessed with THIS white haired character, he's not even my type" - I say, foolishly, like a fool
(Also I will say the soundtrack is phenomenal, and suits this setting so much. And the masks! The world building! This game really is so clever. I cannot wait for the full release)
I have bought this on Steam but had to comment that I really like what you have done with this game, but I have to give extra credit for the SOUNTRACK. It is so distinct and feels like it has forever wormed inside my brain and will evoke nostalgia by the time the whole game is out LMAO. Props to you all (I also learned something new about myself when I started Cirrus route and liked it)
The visual are stunning!!!!
Played the demo for this and was absolutely hooked. It really felt on par with the higher-quality otome games I’ve loved in the past. While I did die in the demo (entirely my own fault lol) I enjoyed every second and plan to come back for the full game when I have more time. I really enjoy darker media like this and wish more people would explore the genre. Thank you for creating something that hit the mark for me.
I love cirrus but I love Francesco more
I have a love-hate relationship with Cirrus
I love this game sm it feels like I have a little worm that's buried itself into my brain and won't let me stop thinking about my glorious king Oleander (AND Keir, love my gigantic husband number two <3)
I just want to say first, this game is gorgeous. The art, the soundtrack, the vibe, everything feels so carefully crafted and original. I can tell how much love and effort went into this project, and it really shines through. I will definitely be supporting the early access when I get my paycheck.
SPOILERS BELOW
Okay, so. Keir.
This man drives me insane. Perfect enemies to lovers fuel, but also the most frustrating hypocrite alive. He literally set up MC twice in one of the endings and did not even apologize. I get that technically he does not owe MC anything, but if you are out here saving people from the auction out of your morals and values, how are you so chill with risking MC’s life? Make it make sense.
And yet… he is still my second favorite. I know, I know, I am a walking contradiction too. He pisses me off beyond belief, but he is also sinfully delicious. His design is stunning, his dynamic with MC is fiery and fun (her being mouthy is everything), and I can already see his romance arc being genuinely beautiful down the line. For now though, he makes my blood pressure spike and I really hope MC gets their lick back one day lol.
Now Francesco… my sweetie pie. He is such a cutie, and even though I know he is hiding something, I cannot help but adore him. His bad ending route wrecked me so badly I had to take a break, but he is still my favorite. There is something so mysterious yet endearing about him, and I need to see where his story goes.
What really blows me away is how this game makes me feel. Keir had me boiling, Francesco had me soft, but both got such strong emotions out of me that I was hooked the whole time. That is such an amazing thing for a VN to pull off, and I loved every second. I finished Cirrus's route and I am going to read oleander's soon.
Huge thanks to the dev team and creator for crafting such a beautiful, emotional, and fun experience. I cannot wait to see what comes next!
Hello! I am a professional translator looking to grow my portfolio and I was wondering if you'd be interested in translating the game into Spanish (LatAm). Feel free to contact me any time!
Hi! Thank you for the offer, but we're not looking for translation or localisation at this time. We're waiting until our script is completely locked before we even think about that.
I totally get it! Thank you for your reply and I hope you'll consider my offer when the time is right :)
The storyline for this game is EXTREMELY well written. It simultaneously makes you fall in love with the characters while displaying the intense and cruel nature of the marketplace. It's a addicting story and I cant wait to play the game in its entirety when it releases!
FRANCESCO has completely captivated me—what an incredibly adorable and charming character!! Even long after finishing Chapter 1, I'm still reminiscing about the romantic storyline between them, which inspired me to start creating OBSCURA-themed works lately. However, I occasionally run into difficulties, particularly when it comes to fully rendering the characters' clothing. I wanted to ask if the development team has considered releasing an official art book or design collection, whether in physical or digital format. I would absolutely love to purchase it!!