Grimtaste Studios and DreadXP are stepping into the visual novel arena with RUNT. A rural gothic mystery set in an isolated mid-western town, RUNT is part of Steam Next Fest with a demo that includes Day 0 and Day 1 of the full five days found in the game, which arrives later this year.
In RUNT, players step into the shoes of Runt Strayer, the 19-year-old youngest of five brothers, the last surviving sons of a dead cult leader who once called himself the Mouth of God. On the fifth anniversary of their father’s death, the brothers discover a horrific message written in blood across their boarded-up church pulpit: 5 Days. With the town of Skipclaw sealed behind protective walls and humanity no longer the apex predator, Runt must investigate the omen before the fifth day arrives, and choose who to accuse.
Sporting a branching narrative experience, you’ll gather clues by speaking to townspeople, interrogating your brothers, and navigating the politics of survival. The order of conversations, the questions asked, and the conclusions drawn will all shape the outcome at the end. Over five days, you will investigate every brother and their secrets, build or fracture relationships with masked townsfolk, survive in a world haunted by otherworldly creatures, and decide who is responsible. On the final day, after choosing a culprit, you’ll see one of the game’s dozen endings.