Beautiful game and story telling like always~ I have a fascination with dolls, and this combined with an isolated, snowy town made for such a haunting setting. It seems like there was more symbolism here compared to your other games, so I was really interested in trying to understand the underlying plot elements related to the murder.
Also, I was wondering if the mention about the school girl will be in a spin off game, or if you'll be selling a game in the future as I'd really love to buy them to support you guys. Anyway, I love your work! I always look forward to playing your games.
Thank you so much for the feedback! There won't probably be a spin off game about the missing girl but we will make more games in that style. And yes, we're working on a commercial game to be released in the near future: http://thecoralcave.com/
This game is fantastic, the art direction coupled with the branching story. It's defiantly unique and not something to avoid. My only complaint is how hard the punch to the gut is towards a few of the endings. You play the game you'll understand. It really knocks the air out.
But this really is a fantastic surreal game thats both relaxing and well paced.
Oh, that's very kind! Thank you! Unfortunately, there's no way to donate to us but, if you're interested in more stories from us, our first graphic novel was recently translated in English. It's called "ONIBI" and it's published by Tuttle.
This was SO amazing. I usually don't have the patience for graphic novels but this was like a good book that I didn't want to put down. It caught me off guard in the best ways. I forgot that this was a horror game before I played it so when it started getting creppy I was really freaked out but I loved it. I am also super impressed with the HAND PAINTED art and the fact that it was made in only three days by a group of students. Amazing job. I was able to get all the endings and posters but I wasnt able to figure out what that meant so maybe you could possibly clear that up? If not that's fine I'm still happy with the entire game.
Thanks you so much for your kind words! If you're interested in the meanings and themes of the game, someone wrote a very interesting page that should answer most of your questions. Here it is : https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Videogame/TheDollShop
We used Unity and the awesome plugin Adventure Creator which is designed to create point-and-click games. It has a good dialogue system so it was easy to create the visual novel parts as well.
I really enjoyed this game!! I was expecting it to be way scarier than it turned out to be but the suspense was perfect. So was the artwork! A fave. Here’s my review. Part one at least👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽
Really gorgeous game, with beautiful handpainted visuals and moody music. It really sets the atmosphere to a very satisfying ending. Great job Atelier Sentô!! <3
Waah, thank you! We're fan of your work: we played your 3 games on itch.io and we loved them!!! The art, the story and the atmosphere are so great! We can't wait for a new one!!!
Really nice game. The art is great and the music goes perfectly with it. I had a good guess for the story going in, but the way it progressed took me off guard.
It's impressive how detailed the art is, especially considering the short time frame for development.
It didn't hit me until long after I played that the first shard of the new doll appeared before we even knew Ms. Sato was back in town. Does that mean the dollmaker knew who she was when Mrs. Sato mentioned her granddaughter, and he planned to "collect" her from the start? Was he just pretending he forgot her to lure her in, or are the doll shards just a sign that his compulsion is surfacing again?
The first shard appears mixed with Ms Sato's broken doll... a few seconds before we meet her granddaughter. It can have many meanings but we cannot give you one clear explanation. What's happening in the twisted mind of our protagonist remains a complete mystery...
amazing job for a game that was completed (correct me if im wrong) a time span of 3 days?. it looks really good!. the story was also very creepy and interesting. as soon as the main character showed the doll, i was like "ooh its ones of those games" lol, the main character reminded me of a cartoon version of keanu reeves lol, if you guys were going for that, you guys nailed it. i know you guys get this a lot but the art style looks amazing as heck, the water paintings look whoa :O . you dont get a lot of games with this kind of style and you guys did an amazing job. i hope you guys have future projects. keep up the good work, i made a small walkthrough of it if!
A the graphics from the game were made during a 3 days workshop. But the programming, story and music took longer. Actually the main character was inspired by a Japanese actor (Joe Odagiri) but, now that you mention it, there's something of Keanu Reeves indeed! And thank you for all your kind words about the game!
I remember a long time ago playing Yurei Station. The art style blew me away as, does this game. I do have to say the story of this game is way deeper and, I was hooked about the mystery of it all.
Absolutely loving this so far! The art in the game is gorgeous, the music is really well done and relaxing, and I'm in love with the story so far! It's obvious a lot of love and hard work went into this! Keep up the great work!
Loved this game, the story, the art, EVERYTHING! I wouldn't want to make another video on me getting all the other endings and secrets, but I would definitely play this game on my own time. Great game! Keep up the work!
I enjoyed the game, and the art is gorgeous! I just wanted to share what happened with me so it can be fixed or so others can be aware of it.
I got the complete ending where you become a family, and I didn't know you had to put the butterfly inside her head before patching up with the found doll shards. So, I exited out of the repair screen and returned to the butterfly room a bit confused. When I exited the room, it locked me out of completing my ending. Every time I tried to go back inside the butterfly room, it said "not now," so I wandered around town aimlessly for a while.
I know it was just me being stupid, but I want to make sure everyone gets the proper ending especially if they got this far. It was also my fault that I forgot to save first. I'd suggest making it impossible to exit the butterfly room or to make it so you can return there but can't go outside.
I'm so sorry this bug prevented you from finishing the game. I've fixed it (it should be impossible to leave the butterfly room now). Thank you so much for reporting it and saving more players from being trapped like that. Once again: sorry and thank you for the help!
I completed the other two endings and I really enjoyed the content that was unlocked! I thought it was a great way to end the game! This entire game is so beautiful and at the same time unsettling in atmosphere. I think you nailed the balance between the two! Great job!
Another absolutely stunningly made game! Turning hand-created drawing by students into a playable experience is honestly still one of the greatest things I've encountered, and I certainly hope you keep at it!
This one is certainly dark and creepy and foreboding, and that's exactly what makes it so addictive and endearing. Being given little pieces of information at a time really helped to ramp up the tension too, and having multiple endings to get people playing again is also genius.
The style, the tone, the atmosphere, the subtle use of music and sound and scene-switching, everything about this is top notch. I cannot recommend this, and all of the other Atelier Sentô games enough! Keep up the amazing work everyone =)
I absolutely fell in love with this! From the beautiful artwork to the in depth sensation of something being just barely not right, plus the lovely character development, I was hooked the moment I started! Thank you so much for the wonderful story!
I fell in love with this game thanks to its gorgeous handmade graphics but I also got hooked to its creepy horror story from the very beginning, what a fantastic work of art, bravo.
I absolutely loved this game. The artwork and music/soundtrack is phenomenal, and the plot is super intriguing and creepy. 100% would recommend for anyone (that can work well with eerie content). The atmosphere was amazing, and I can't even begin to describe the art for this game. It was super unique, and I can't say I've ever seen a game put together with hand-drawn art (apart from OFF, but it was still somewhat digitalized), and I loved the interactive aspect of it, such as painting the doll and such. I was only a tiny bit disappointed that (mild spoiler warning) there wasn't an exact happy or romantic ending, but that is okay, haha. Overall, I was very satisfied. Lovely work, and I'd be ecstatic to see more work from you guys in the future! :)
PS. I downloaded the soundtrack because I adore it so much. It's hauntingly beautiful, with just the right amount of airiness to it.
Thanks a lot for your feedback! We're glad you liked the game and its soundtrack so much! We like to work with watercolor because it has a warmth that's difficult to duplicate with other techniques. Sorry for the lack of romantic ending :) and see you soon (more games are coming!)
It should be in bandcamp or soundcloud (I don't remember which one specifically). If you search for the creator's name and then either bandcamp or soundcloud, it should come up! (Sorry for the late reply lolol)
This is such a WONDERFUL game! The story, the art, the music, the whole atmosphere, it feels amazing! It was a rollercoaster of emotion since the beginning. I loved it! :D
J'ai adoré ce jeu. Le premier jeu que j'ai joué venu de votre atelier c'était la gare des fantômes- et j'ai kiffé même si c'était court. Du coup, j'ai cherché d'autres jeux venus de votre studio, et celui-là c'était le premier que j'ai trouvé. Ça ne m'a pas décue. L'art et les visuels, l'animation, l'histoire, le suspens, tout était parfait. J'ai hâte de jouer les autres jeux que vous avez déjà crées, et de voir les autres jeux que vous allez faire dans le futur. Je suis votre fan #1, et je vous envoie des bises de la Suisse!
Merci beaucoup, Pomme Capucine, pour ce très gentil message ! Ca nous fait super plaisir que tu suives notre travail comme ça. On te donne rendez-vous pour le prochain jeu, alors ! A bientôt !
I got one of the endings and I have to say that this entire game has been so good! I really enjoyed the story and characters, as well as that horror influence. I look forward to completing the other endings. Great job!
boii this is a long review but this game's amazing so so
First off, the game's art and visuals are STUNNINGLY PHENOMENAL!! The immense amount of effort put into this game is definitely clear. Visual novels normally get me bored rather quickly but this game is a WHOOOLE different story. Even it's short, it keeps you on edge with it's captivating yet eerie storyline, not to mention the art that also keep you interested. I'm hyped to play more of your games in the future, because this game is Q-U-A-L-I-T-Y! So, download The Doll Shop. I promise it won't disappoint you at all! You won't know it's secret if you don't. ;)
Hello! I just tried out your game! It's really amazing looking. I love this art sytle! I've only played about 30 mins so far, but I'm already hooked! I'll def be playing it some more. Thanks for making it free!
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ฅ/ᐠ｡ᆽ｡ᐟ \ Hello~
Beautiful game and story telling like always~ I have a fascination with dolls, and this combined with an isolated, snowy town made for such a haunting setting. It seems like there was more symbolism here compared to your other games, so I was really interested in trying to understand the underlying plot elements related to the murder.
Also, I was wondering if the mention about the school girl will be in a spin off game, or if you'll be selling a game in the future as I'd really love to buy them to support you guys. Anyway, I love your work! I always look forward to playing your games.
Thank you so much for the feedback!
There won't probably be a spin off game about the missing girl but we will make more games in that style.
And yes, we're working on a commercial game to be released in the near future: http://thecoralcave.com/
This game is fantastic, the art direction coupled with the branching story. It's defiantly unique and not something to avoid. My only complaint is how hard the punch to the gut is towards a few of the endings. You play the game you'll understand. It really knocks the air out.
But this really is a fantastic surreal game thats both relaxing and well paced.
Sorry for the punch to the gut and thank you so much for your kind words!!!
Maybe use some kind of padding before you throw a hook like that.
Hi I was wondering if there is a way to donate to you. I've seen a few things you make and I really love your work!
Oh, that's very kind! Thank you!
Unfortunately, there's no way to donate to us but, if you're interested in more stories from us, our first graphic novel was recently translated in English. It's called "ONIBI" and it's published by Tuttle.
This was SO amazing. I usually don't have the patience for graphic novels but this was like a good book that I didn't want to put down. It caught me off guard in the best ways. I forgot that this was a horror game before I played it so when it started getting creppy I was really freaked out but I loved it. I am also super impressed with the HAND PAINTED art and the fact that it was made in only three days by a group of students. Amazing job. I was able to get all the endings and posters but I wasnt able to figure out what that meant so maybe you could possibly clear that up? If not that's fine I'm still happy with the entire game.
Thanks you so much for your kind words!
If you're interested in the meanings and themes of the game, someone wrote a very interesting page that should answer most of your questions. Here it is : https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Videogame/TheDollShop
so what game engine did you guys use for this game .
because it locks a lot like a mix between point end click end a visual novel
We used Unity and the awesome plugin Adventure Creator which is designed to create point-and-click games.
It has a good dialogue system so it was easy to create the visual novel parts as well.
I really enjoyed this game!! I was expecting it to be way scarier than it turned out to be but the suspense was perfect. So was the artwork! A fave. Here’s my review. Part one at least👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽
Thanks for playing! We're glad you liked it!
Really gorgeous game, with beautiful handpainted visuals and moody music. It really sets the atmosphere to a very satisfying ending. Great job Atelier Sentô!! <3
Waah, thank you! We're fan of your work: we played your 3 games on itch.io and we loved them!!!
The art, the story and the atmosphere are so great! We can't wait for a new one!!!
Really nice game. The art is great and the music goes perfectly with it. I had a good guess for the story going in, but the way it progressed took me off guard.
Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate!
It didn't hit me until long after I played that the first shard of the new doll appeared before we even knew Ms. Sato was back in town. Does that mean the dollmaker knew who she was when Mrs. Sato mentioned her granddaughter, and he planned to "collect" her from the start? Was he just pretending he forgot her to lure her in, or are the doll shards just a sign that his compulsion is surfacing again?
The first shard appears mixed with Ms Sato's broken doll... a few seconds before we meet her granddaughter.
It can have many meanings but we cannot give you one clear explanation.
What's happening in the twisted mind of our protagonist remains a complete mystery...
amazing job for a game that was completed (correct me if im wrong) a time span of 3 days?. it looks really good!. the story was also very creepy and interesting. as soon as the main character showed the doll, i was like "ooh its ones of those games" lol, the main character reminded me of a cartoon version of keanu reeves lol, if you guys were going for that, you guys nailed it. i know you guys get this a lot but the art style looks amazing as heck, the water paintings look whoa :O . you dont get a lot of games with this kind of style and you guys did an amazing job. i hope you guys have future projects. keep up the good work, i made a small walkthrough of it if!
A the graphics from the game were made during a 3 days workshop. But the programming, story and music took longer.
Actually the main character was inspired by a Japanese actor (Joe Odagiri) but, now that you mention it, there's something of Keanu Reeves indeed!
And thank you for all your kind words about the game!
i was was way off on the keanu reeves hah a whole different continent off lol. you guys have any more projects in the makings?
We put a lot of work in the story this time so we really appreciate. Thank you!
Thanks for the video!
awesome game!!! i want next season or another game from your studio.
Thank you! A next season is an interesting idea!
But for now we're working on another game. Stay tuned!
Got it.
Absolutely loving this so far! The art in the game is gorgeous, the music is really well done and relaxing, and I'm in love with the story so far! It's obvious a lot of love and hard work went into this! Keep up the great work!
Thank you very much for all your kind words! We're glad you liked the game!
I have played one day so far and i LOVE the game.
the art style and the storytelling is also so beautiful!
Thanks for playing (and for your kind words)!
Loved this game, the story, the art, EVERYTHING! I wouldn't want to make another video on me getting all the other endings and secrets, but I would definitely play this game on my own time. Great game! Keep up the work!
Thank you! We're so glad you liked the game!
Gave it a go...
Thanks for the video!
ABSOLUTELY loved this!
Thanks a lot for playing! We enjoyed your video on Yûrei Station and this new one is really great too!
[NO ENDING BUG; REALLY ENJOYED GAME]
I enjoyed the game, and the art is gorgeous! I just wanted to share what happened with me so it can be fixed or so others can be aware of it.
I got the complete ending where you become a family, and I didn't know you had to put the butterfly inside her head before patching up with the found doll shards. So, I exited out of the repair screen and returned to the butterfly room a bit confused. When I exited the room, it locked me out of completing my ending. Every time I tried to go back inside the butterfly room, it said "not now," so I wandered around town aimlessly for a while.
I know it was just me being stupid, but I want to make sure everyone gets the proper ending especially if they got this far. It was also my fault that I forgot to save first. I'd suggest making it impossible to exit the butterfly room or to make it so you can return there but can't go outside.
Either way, I had fun. Thanks for the game!
I'm so sorry this bug prevented you from finishing the game.
I've fixed it (it should be impossible to leave the butterfly room now). Thank you so much for reporting it and saving more players from being trapped like that. Once again: sorry and thank you for the help!
I completed the other two endings and I really enjoyed the content that was unlocked! I thought it was a great way to end the game! This entire game is so beautiful and at the same time unsettling in atmosphere. I think you nailed the balance between the two! Great job!
this game is very good, i absolutely recommend it.
music, gameplay, plot and animations are great ! it's well made, well programmed and well drawn, congrats to all the students, you guys are wonderful.
also many thanks to the atelier sento for your incredible works !
Thank you for all your kind words! It's so motivating!!!
nice work keep it up
Thank you!
Beautiful game. Kept me on edge even as I was walking through serene winter snow storms.
Thanks a lot for the video!
Another absolutely stunningly made game! Turning hand-created drawing by students into a playable experience is honestly still one of the greatest things I've encountered, and I certainly hope you keep at it!
This one is certainly dark and creepy and foreboding, and that's exactly what makes it so addictive and endearing. Being given little pieces of information at a time really helped to ramp up the tension too, and having multiple endings to get people playing again is also genius.
The style, the tone, the atmosphere, the subtle use of music and sound and scene-switching, everything about this is top notch. I cannot recommend this, and all of the other Atelier Sentô games enough! Keep up the amazing work everyone =)
Thanks a lot for the feedback! It will motivate us to create more games like this one!
Thanks for playing! Can't wait for the next videos!
I absolutely fell in love with this! From the beautiful artwork to the in depth sensation of something being just barely not right, plus the lovely character development, I was hooked the moment I started! Thank you so much for the wonderful story!
Also, I made a let's play!
Thank you for the kind words and the video!
(and sorry for all the butterflies)
I fell in love with this game thanks to its gorgeous handmade graphics but I also got hooked to its creepy horror story from the very beginning, what a fantastic work of art, bravo.
Thank you very much for your kind words!
We're glad you liked both the art and the creepy story!
I absolutely loved this game. The artwork and music/soundtrack is phenomenal, and the plot is super intriguing and creepy. 100% would recommend for anyone (that can work well with eerie content). The atmosphere was amazing, and I can't even begin to describe the art for this game. It was super unique, and I can't say I've ever seen a game put together with hand-drawn art (apart from OFF, but it was still somewhat digitalized), and I loved the interactive aspect of it, such as painting the doll and such. I was only a tiny bit disappointed that (mild spoiler warning) there wasn't an exact happy or romantic ending, but that is okay, haha. Overall, I was very satisfied. Lovely work, and I'd be ecstatic to see more work from you guys in the future! :)
PS. I downloaded the soundtrack because I adore it so much. It's hauntingly beautiful, with just the right amount of airiness to it.
Thanks a lot for your feedback!
We're glad you liked the game and its soundtrack so much!
We like to work with watercolor because it has a warmth that's difficult to duplicate with other techniques.
Sorry for the lack of romantic ending :) and see you soon (more games are coming!)
Where did you download the soundtrack? I'm dying for it
It should be in bandcamp or soundcloud (I don't remember which one specifically). If you search for the creator's name and then either bandcamp or soundcloud, it should come up! (Sorry for the late reply lolol)
Hmmmmmm
werid werid
This is such a WONDERFUL game! The story, the art, the music, the whole atmosphere, it feels amazing! It was a rollercoaster of emotion since the beginning. I loved it! :D
Good Job! <3
Thank you so much for the feedback! It will motivates us to create more games like this one!
J'ai adoré ce jeu. Le premier jeu que j'ai joué venu de votre atelier c'était la gare des fantômes- et j'ai kiffé même si c'était court. Du coup, j'ai cherché d'autres jeux venus de votre studio, et celui-là c'était le premier que j'ai trouvé. Ça ne m'a pas décue. L'art et les visuels, l'animation, l'histoire, le suspens, tout était parfait. J'ai hâte de jouer les autres jeux que vous avez déjà crées, et de voir les autres jeux que vous allez faire dans le futur. Je suis votre fan #1, et je vous envoie des bises de la Suisse!
Merci beaucoup, Pomme Capucine, pour ce très gentil message !
Ca nous fait super plaisir que tu suives notre travail comme ça.
On te donne rendez-vous pour le prochain jeu, alors ! A bientôt !
I got one of the endings and I have to say that this entire game has been so good! I really enjoyed the story and characters, as well as that horror influence. I look forward to completing the other endings. Great job!
Thanks a lot for playing the game! We're glad you liked it!
And thank you for the video!
boii this is a long review but this game's amazing so so
First off, the game's art and visuals are STUNNINGLY PHENOMENAL!! The immense amount of effort put into this game is definitely clear. Visual novels normally get me bored rather quickly but this game is a WHOOOLE different story. Even it's short, it keeps you on edge with it's captivating yet eerie storyline, not to mention the art that also keep you interested. I'm hyped to play more of your games in the future, because this game is Q-U-A-L-I-T-Y! So, download The Doll Shop. I promise it won't disappoint you at all! You won't know it's secret if you don't. ;)
Thank you SO MUCH for this long review!
It will motivate us to create more game like this one!
great..game..lowed...and..played...all.of..them..:)
Thank you for playing!
We're relieved the Linux version worked for you. We couldn't test it and were a little bit anxious it may be unplayable...
Hello! I just tried out your game! It's really amazing looking. I love this art sytle! I've only played about 30 mins so far, but I'm already hooked! I'll def be playing it some more. Thanks for making it free!
Oh, we're glad you like it! Thanks a lot for the video!
This game is a very beautiful game.
But it is sad because it does not support Korean.
It's a shame but since there's lots of text in this game, we cannot offer more translations.
We're sorry!
Hey there! Amazing game, the atmosphere is really well done.
Truly amazing artwork!
Here's my gameplay. (I'm an italian guy :D)
Thanks a lot for the video! It's so great to have one in Italian!!!