Let's Get Bitter Together
A downloadable game for Windows and macOS
What waits for you back home?
After years of living abroad, Eva Hoffendorf comes back to her hometown of Ivehorn. She reunites with her childhood friend, Lirion, in a café, and from this point on, they live happily ever after.
At least that was the plan.
People of Ivehorn become victims to a mysterious wave of sleepiness and only a select few seems to not be affected – Eva and Lirion included. As their first meeting in years progresses, they realize they're being observed by someone who just might hold the key to understanding all of this... and much, much more.
Meet the cast
Lirion – A certified friend.
Lirion is Eva's childhood friend, a soft creature always ready to help or talk things out. Nothing in Ivehorn ever changes and it applies to them as well; they continue to be as friendly as they always were.
Meredith – Sorrowful keeper of secrets.
Meredith can no longer dream, but she can tell when the Realm of Dreams is in danger. As she assesses the situation, she comes across a familiar face, which forces her to confront secrets of her dark past.
Cassidy – Dashing investigator.
Cassidy: a paranormal investigator who makes conmen flee and girls swoon. She travels the world debunking "unexplained" phenomena with ease. Yet, a certain small town's case might prove to be a challenge.
["Let's Get Bitter Together" is the fourth game in Oneiron series. All Oneiron games can be played as standalone titles, however, if you want more from the same universe, you might enjoy the spin-off entry, "Shibboleth", or the next entry in the series, "Convergence".]
This project wouldn't be possible without the help of following people:
Sprites by Valeria Mogilevskaya
Backgrounds by Katelynn Parsec
Proofreading by Ra-Chan [Amare Jam Version]
Music by Scott Buckley ("Affirmations", "Decoherence", "Electric Dreams", "Falling Together", "Petrichor", "Reawakening", "Solace", "Supernova", "The Long Way Home", "This Too Shall Pass", "What We Don't Say") - released under CC-BY 4.0
Special thanks to Wikotria, Domi, Ali, Jersey, Otome Little Corner, hardest of hearts, my cats and everyone who supported and believed in me.
Download
Comments
Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.
the file name is lgbt.
thats it. thats the comment
Hi, I played it and wanted to say a few things ^^
I'm super impressed with the worldbuilding! You've done such colossal work creating this world and its mythology that it's making my head spin. 😫 (and it still feels like this game only scratches the surface of things) And the characters had a lot of charm, too! My fave was probably Eva because she had too many relatable moments. 🫠
Very intriguing overall! I'm curious to see what becomes of Cass's investigation. ^^
(also please tell me what kind of coffee Lirion ordered? was it just a cappuccino and you couldn't call it that because of the setting?)
Hi henlo! As always, thank you for playing and I'm glad you enjoyed the experience!
I take some pride in my little worldbuilding so reading that you liked it really makes me happy. It really is, as you noticed, just scratching the surface of it all, and I hope to expand everything with every upcoming entry in the series (and, of course, The Big Game, one day; this is where Cass' investigation takes place, so, you'll have to wait for a while for that, sorry). It's also nice to see that you liked the characters. I think Eva just speaks to writers on many levels, it seems to be a theme that my writer friends feel her in one way or another...
Thank you for playing, and I hope to see you in Ivehorn when it opens its gates again!
(Also, the coffee thing: I decided to keep the names as they are to avoid confusion. The coffee they ordered was flat white, which is my personal preference that I gave them, because why wouldn't I, I guess.)
Hey!!!! I played part 2!!
Now, I loved the reference (and the clever use actually) of Utena, I really enjoyed Meredith as a character! Her melancholy really moved me.
The mystery broadens around Eva, and I'll admit I'm quite curious with all that is hidden behind what happened in the realm of dreams (whoich I won't detail for spoiler reasons)!
On a more personal level, I really LOVED the way you portrayed derealisation. Without venting too much here, it felt true, authentic... The blur, the deconnection, the "being lost in another world while still looking at reality from a distant eye"... it really was on point, and I loved it. And even the secondary voice talking, which is Eva but not exactly... Even the way you made the dream sequence, the fact it is so... distant, strange, unsettling yet familiar... Phew, I'll admit I got quite emotional when I read it, haha, so thank you for portraying it so beautifully!
Now, I wondered if there was a connection between the "MINT" thing and the fact Lirion has been described twice, I think, as smelling like mint chocolate? Maybe I'm just overthinking it, but haha, it caught my attention!
And now aaaah, you really ended the game on a cliffhanger!!!! There are so many questions left!!!!!!!!! I want to know!!!!! Is Lirion in danger????? Will Cassidy realise there is more going on than what she expects????
Really, I cannot emphasise enough how grateful I am... what you did just felt... right, I felt seen, I felt engaged and... wow. Thank you.
Hi henlo, glad to see you here again!
First of all, I was pretty obsessed with Utena while I was working on LGBT and I couldn't stop thinking that this would be something Mer would enjoy somehow, so, it just had to go in in one way or another. Some things just resonate. Glad you enjoyed both that and Mer as a character!
Moving on to Lirion and MINT, this was on accident actually, the idea of them smelling like mint (and chocolate) came before I estabilished the MINT acronym. But you've got a good eye, I can tell you that, I love it when people catch things like these 💖
It is a cliffhanger because LGBT theoretically happens right before The Big Game I Want To Do One Day. So, I'm sorry, but you'll most likely stay without answers for some time (though I'll try to answer some of those questions in smaller releases before that).
Now, for the last point, to the derealization part, since I think this one is pretty important. I base some experiences and feelings of my characters on what I went through and I did struggle with derealization quite often in the past (not so much now, fortunately). It can be a really lonely struggle, I'm aware, so I'm glad you felt seen and understood! Stay strong and remember you're not alone in it 💖
Thank you for playing the full version and I hope to see you in Ivehorn again when the time comes!
I HAVE FINALLY GOTTEN THE CHANCE TO FINISH PLAYING THROUGH ALL OF THIS!!!
Gosh. Playing this is....... hmmmm... it is rather like playing a dream??? There's something about it. Something about... the music (which is gorgeous) combined with the expressive and almost poetic quality to the writing, and the vibe and palette of the background and sprites, the mentions of all these places and people and events (and slightly altered RL references LAKDSJF) -- AND OF COURSE WE MUST MENTION THE ACTUAL DREAM SEQUENCES, SO??? But yeah. It was incredibly fascinating reading through it and feeling like I was going down these different dream paths where everything is just a slight bit different from the RL and also there's this hazy sleepy quality over everything and like, getting more and more bits and pieces about what's going on and really really things through Eva's perspective so much. It was incredibly well done and let me kinda just sitting there at the end listening to the gorgeous menu music while I attempted to process everything. (just to check this is now the final ending of the game? since i know it includes parts 1 and 2 now, but wasn't sure if part 2 was the final part -- it did feel like the ending especially with Cassidy saying the title of the game LKADJFALKSD but wasn't sure if you planned to add more later)
The dream sequences honestly stick out in my head the most and are what keep kinda bumping and jumbling about in my brain right now. There's something so utterly surreal yet peaceful at the same time about them, and I really love the way you did those transitions and the almost glitch-like effect. Also that whole part with the choices where one had words you couldn't press and the other you pressed was so cool adkjfa I've never seen anything like that before?? It gave that whole scene such an intensity and weight and was just very unique and fitting for the already surreal tension that was surging through everything at that point.
I loved Eva as a char! LOL THE META-NESS?? OF HER WRITING IF AND HAVING A WHOLE COMMUNITY FOR HER WORK?? I found this incredibly humorous. Particularly with her trying to hide it from Lirion even after Lirion says that they're part of the fandom. It hit home for me in a lot of ways -- not so much that I actively like, try to keep my dev stuff a secret in RL (well maybe from some people...), but in that I don't really have much crossover between my dev and RL selves and it would be really weird for me to mix the two together. So I really felt Eva's pain in that moment lakdfja
Love love LOVE Lirion! They are as much a true friend as I could ever have pictured. Everything about them is just so cozy and warm??? I love them to bits. And really love how supportive and just, like, THERE for Eva like they are throughout everything. They're like coming home to a good book or a soft blanket or a cup of tea after a cold day lkdjfads Cassidy was hilarious. Loved how positively brash she is and just how much energy and power she exudes in everything that she does. I can absolutely understand how Eva is so taken with her from the moment she first sees her in the vid!! LOL She made me laugh a lot. And Meredith gosh. Intense but in a completely different way. I think I like, instinctively shrunk back in my chair at one point -- just like, overcome with this feeling of not wanting to say the wrong thing because of the type of reaction I'd get LKDASD But then as the story continued this kind of weighty sadness taking over. This feeling of melancholy, loneliness... and those dang cornflower fields!! I'm not going to be able to get that image of the field out of my head now.
Overall this was just quite a trip and I really enjoyed it and feeling like I was going deeper and deeper into something I couldn't quite understand but that was filled with so much intensity that I could feel it in my chest. Also I still get a kick out of the acronym the game title creates I can't lie LOLOL Just a really wonderful job and looking forward to whatever comes next!!
Hi henlo! So, traditionally, thanks for playing, I'm really glad you liked it 💖
I'm really happy that the experience feels somewhat dream-like, after all, this is a core part of the whole universe concept lol. When it comes to music, when nobody's got me, I know Scott Buckley's music library's got me (there are so many amazing pieces there that you can use for free, beautiful thing!). When it comes to sprites and backgrounds, I can't stress enough how talented Val and Katelynn are (not to mention how many design decisions and ideas came from Val, they really understood the characters! And Katelynn is capable of nailing the exact shade and vibe of things I envision, it's honestly amazing). I even made two backgrounds myself for fun (the Field/Glitched Field one and the blood glass; the "blood" is actually ink from Vatican, I'll never stop talking about it because it's pretty dope imho) and I'm pretty satisfied with how everything turned out.
Yep, it is the ending – I wanted it to end like part 1 did, with an invitation and the same set of words. I'm debating about maybe writing a little "post-credits" scene or two, but certainly not now.
I'm happy that you liked the False Choice sequence because it's probably one of my favorite things in LGBT (I'm still crying over the short version as well, it's both hillarious and a curse). The main idea was that things that were a choice remain clickable, while things that couldn't be fixed or undone remained unclickable (I actually got a little inspired by the unclickable "IGGY THIS ISN'T A CHOICE" section from OW's Act 5.1; the first plan for this sequence was more or less similar, but the current version had more appeal from narrative standpoint I guess?). Funfact about it: the options are unclickable because you need a variable called "agency" to be at least 1; there's no way to rise it above 0, so, here we are.
Eva being a writer dives back into my dreams – she appeared there to pitch an idea for Sugar and Spice to a certain VN company and since then, I couldn't really get her out of my head and just had to make her into a character. She remained a writer, but for IFs, since at the time of her being made I only had experience with IF making, and it just stayed like this. Lirion being a part of the fandom is an idea that came to me way later (at first, they were supposed to have no idea about it, but it's just funnier this way!). The Eva/Maria duality is there specifically for all those people who separate their real selves and the "dev personas" (myself included, really.)
Lirion being recognized universally as THE friend makes me so happy, yes, they are THE friend, THE warm, huggable being. Put them in your pocket and give them headpats. Feed them crumbs, perhaps. When it comes to Cass, I just really wanted someone who gives A Vibe and has a strong presence.
After all, she's making up for the years of not being able to show it...She's definitely the boldest out of the four and writing her made me smile to myself too. As for Meredith... oh gods. I'm glad the harsh vibe getting more sad came across. I didn't know it'd be that intense, but hey, I'll take it. And yeah, the cornflower fields... I pass by countless cornflowers on my daily walks (this is where the background came from!) and that was pretty inspiring. Ivehorn was vaguely inspired by the vibes of my surroundings, so, it was only natural that the almost liminal vast fields will eventually make it in.To finish it, thanks for going on this trip! Hopefully I'll see you in Ivehorn soon (if the world's kind, most likely at the end of August with Convergence, heh...)
PS: the melody from the main menu is "Reawakening" (it used to be "This Too Shall Pass in the Amare Fest version)
Hey! I played the first part of LGBT (what a tailored name)!
So, these are my first steps in the Oneironverse, and they were pleasant ones!
Eva was an interesting protagonist! I have to appreciate the intersex representation. But even without that, she is an interesting together: as someone who experiences dissociation a lot, she really speaks to me. I also enjoyed the set-up of her two facets.
Lirion must be protected at all costs because they're adorable. I really enjoyed their intervention during the Eva's anxiety crisis. They were present, considerate and leaving her the space and time she needed.
I loved Cassidy's introduction! Her self-confidence was very enjoyable! I actually wish more influencers would dare speak back to their audience (I see some trying their hardest to please their everlastingly complaining audience, and it's always so sad yet frustrating to watch fvgtrrzfs).
I can't say much yet about Meredith, but one thing is sure: I am curious about her now! The overall plot has a nice vibe of mystery, and I'm excited to see it unfold: why do people fall asleep (and does it have a link with the Realm of Dreams mentioned on the game page)?
Looking forward to the rest of the game!
Hi henlo! Glad that you enjoyed your first steps into Oneironverse, I hope the rest can also be enjoyable if you end up getting deeper. Yes, the title was tailored, good job on catching that.
The last time I've ever seen any (legitimate and not fetishizing) intersex representation was... nine years ago or so and I rarely see it being discussed outside of the context of trans discussions (mostly as a "gotcha" point), and that makes me a little sad. I'm not going to say that I'm a champion of representation, but if I can't find rep, I'm going to make it myself lol. Either way, I'm glad you could relate, as someone who used to struggle with dissociating a lot, I know how sometimes you just need to know you're not alone in it. As for the double nature, part two expands on that.
Lirion is meant to be a Certified Friend™ so I'm happy that people love them so much 💖 We all need a bit of softness and understanding in our lives and I hope Lirion's a representation of that.
When it comes to Cass, I think that her attitude is a part of her charm and a contributing factor to her success, in the end – she's loved because she's assertive enough to know when to say "no" to her audience. She had to go through some rough things to get there, but she's very much aware that you can't please everyone, so it's just best to be yourself.
And when it comes to Mer... gods, the things she hides...
Well, I'm glad you enjoyed the first part. See you in Ivehorn soon.
Oh, I immediately want to know what happens next. It's always nice when it's hard to choose a favourite cast member! I think..... Cassidy...... but maybe that's just the ghost hunter allure......
The alternate Sappho is a really fun worldbuilding detail. And how come Lirion seems to have the same mysterious problem you do ??
Excited to play more of this sometime! Thanks for sharing!
Hi henlo! I plan to upload part 2 in May, so hopefully the wait won't be too long for you. I can already tell you that there'll be more Cass coming with that, so, hope it'll feed all you Cass enjoyers (there's quite a lot of you and I can't blame you, really).
Also, really glad you liked that worldbuilding detail; I'll add that the equivalent of "sapphic" here would probably be "akkathean"; just a little fun fact, I guess. Just to have the wording and names for things stuff clear, I decided to leave "lesbian" as it is to avoid confusion and not have to explain, even though Lesbos certainly doesn't exist here, so, there's probably some story behind that too.
Again, happy to see people enjoying my work. See you in Ivehorn soon