Glitter

About Glitter

Glitter is a gothic horror visual novel by MidNightEclipsy, who wrote, drew and coded it in one week for Scream Jam 2024, where it ranked 4th overall. Sophie Nyx voices Ember and AtypicalAlex voices Aurelia's brother in the voiced download. It runs in the browser on itch.io, with downloads for Windows, Mac and Linux, and the browser build includes a Japanese translation.

Ember Fletcher lives in a cabin with her brother Eddie, who is dying. A letter from her friend Aurelia invites her to Glitterwood Mansion, and Ember goes, not for the friendship but for a legend: the family's collection is said to hold a ring that can cure any illness. A silent black carriage takes her up the mountain, ravens watch from the roof, and Aurelia's brother Julian shows her the collection room.

The horror builds slowly through its painted, smeared art and the house itself: a mansion with no birdsong, hallways where portraits seem to sleep, old bloodstains, and a night in which something comes for Ember on countless hands. The ring answers wishes, but as Julian warns, each use comes with a greater sacrifice. The maker describes it as a story about loss, love and letting go, with blood, murder, character death and ritual sacrifice.

It is about 8,500 words with over 20 pieces of art and three endings, and takes around an hour. The few players who have rated it on itch.io give it 4.9 out of 5 and praise its dark, melancholy mood and textured artwork. It suits readers who like gothic tragedy where the cost of a wish is the horror.

How to play Glitter

1. Open Glitter's itch.io page and press Run game to play in the browser, or download it for Windows, Mac or Linux.
2. Click or press a key to read on.
3. Choose what Ember does when the game offers a choice.
4. Play again and choose differently to reach the other two endings.

Tips

• Read the content warning on the itch.io page first.
• Download the voiced version if you want to hear the characters' voices.
• The game tells you which ending you reached and that others remain.
• Use the history button to reread a line you clicked past.

Questions