Horror visual novels Short horror Horror Psychological horror

To Swat a Fly

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An exclusive interview with a serial killer. Ask the right questions.

Platforms: Browser, PC, Mac, Linux
Stores: itch.io
Price: Pay what you want
Rated: 4.5 out of 5 from 144 ratings on itch.io
Players: 1
Controls: Mouse: click to advance text and choose questions
Made by: Luna Raydue (with Honey Datura)
Released: 2023

What frightens You sit across from Mel Atkinson, the Red Valley Reaper, a serial killer with mysterious methods who has not spoken to the press in three years, and try to get the truth out of her; she smiles and talks about flies while the screen warps, and the wrong questions can cost you your life. The maker warns of manipulation, vague mentions of body mutilation, religious themes and player death.
Content: vague mentions of body mutilation, player character death, manipulation, religious themes, warping screen effect.

To Swat a Fly is a short, free horror visual novel by Luna Raydue, playable in the browser on itch.io. You land the first interview with the Red Valley Reaper, a serial killer who has been silent for three years, and have to ask the right questions to get the truth and make it out alive; it has three endings.

About To Swat a Fly

To Swat a Fly was written, drawn, voiced and programmed by Luna Raydue, with interface design and programming by Honey Datura, for O2A2 2023, a game jam with strict limits on assets: about 1,000 words, one illustration and three endings. Mel's lines are fully voice acted. It plays free in the browser on itch.io, with downloads for Windows, Mac and Linux at a price you name, and a French translation was added in January 2024.

For four years, Red Valley County in Arizona was haunted by a shadowy serial killer with mysterious methods of murder. Three years after her arrest, Mel Atkinson, the Red Valley Reaper, has refused to say a word to the press, until today. You have won an exclusive interview with her. The question is whether you can ask the right questions and make it out with the truth.

The whole game is that one meeting. Mel sits in an orange prison shirt behind the glass, smiling, and asks if you knew there are over 100,000 species of fly. The tension is in what you choose to ask and in how she answers; the maker warns of manipulation, vague mentions of body mutilation, religious themes, player character death and a warping effect. Players single out the voice acting and the dialogue.

It takes only a few minutes, and the three endings make it worth replaying. The maker notes that the voice acting and images can load badly in the browser, so the download is smoother. It suits players who like short, tense conversation horror such as Hikeback or Therapy with Dr. Albert Krueger.

How to play To Swat a Fly

Open the itch.io page and press Run game to play in the browser, or download it for Windows, Mac or Linux at a price you name.
Turn your sound on; Mel is fully voice acted.
Read Mel's answers and choose your next question from the options.
Think about what she wants from you; the wrong questions can end badly.
Replay to reach the other endings.

Screenshots

Mel Atkinson in an orange prison shirt smiles behind the glass, asking if you knew there are over 100,000 species of fly

Mel looks down with a shadowed face, saying 'So, I had to give it more.'

The title menu beside a newspaper front page: The Red Valley Reaper Arrested

Tips

Download it if the voice or images stutter in the browser, as the maker suggests.
There are three endings; try different lines of questioning to find them.
Listen to how Mel talks about flies; it is not small talk.