The Red Threads [v0.4] [Astelius]

05/23/2025

4 min read 4 min

After a freak accident leaves you half blind and homeless,
you are left with no choice but to return to the hometown you fled.
However, the small, isolated, town of your childhood, Darwood, is not as you remember.
Can you remain sane as you try desperately to rebuild what you’ve lost?
Or will you fall to madness under the machinations of creatures beyond your comprehension?

Thread Updated: 2025-05-23

Release Date: 2025-05-20

Developer: Astelius Itch.io – Patreon

Censored: No

Version: 0.4

OS: Windows, Linux, Mac

Language: English

Genre:

3DCG, Dark, Animated, Big Ass, Big Tits, Dating Sim, Graphic Violence, Horror, Monster Girl, Oral Sex, Romance, Sexual Harassment, Vaginal Sex

Installation:

1. Extract and run.

Changelog:

New location:

v0.4

– The Doll-house:

– A much improved environment that the doll resides in.

– A few different items to interact with. Most of which lead to new dialogue options with the doll.

– Foundations set for the gallery.

Scenes:

– Remake of meeting the doll for the first time during the prologue.

– New accompanying animation

– Remake of the first zero sanity dream during chapter 1.

– Allows you to decide the title the doll uses to refer to you.

– A new scene with Freya.

– Spend some time with her during the evening.

– A couple new locations to explore in the city on certain evenings

Bug fixes:

– Fixed a bug that caused the game to crash while in the library archives

– Fixed an image not appearing while spending time with Freya in the apartment during the evening.

v0.3

Mechanics:

– The library archives.

A warping maze of backrooms home to all manner of oddities. Do try not to get lost.

– A donation bowl with one item available to find and donate.

I’m sure they will reward you for your efforts.

Scenes:

– One scene with the librarian.

What is she up to in the archives?

– One scene with some of the archives inhabitants.

The loot hunger can not be sated.

– One odd little book.

You’d have to half mad to read such a book

– Two events when lost in library.

Some corridors are tighter than others.

p.s. The archives won’t always open their doors for you. If they refuse you, try another day.

v0.2

Mechanics:
- Added point and click navigation of the bedroom, apartment, shop, and library.
- Added basic sanity system, currently affects some scenes and access to visiting the doll.
- Added time of day and day of week structure with variable images and activities.
Main scenes:
- Added a new scene with the doll, occurs when players sanity hits zero for first time.
- Added an encounter when player explores city in evening.
- Added introduction to Miskatonic library, scene varies depending on sanity level when going to library for first time.
- Added simple hang out with Vivian in the coffee shop if player met her during prologue.
- Added simple hang out with Pippa in the coffee shop after player meets her.
- Pippa introduction if she wasn’t met in prologue.
Mini scenes:
- Repeatable hang out with Freya when she is relaxing in shop or apartment.
- Repeatable reading in apartment, shop, and library
- Small scene when knocking of Freya’s door if she is in her room.
- Repeatable watch movie with Pippa and Freya. (Minor change depending on player sanity level)
- Repeatable explore city (Very bare bones)

v0.1

Initial Release

Developer Notes:

Welcome, I’m Astelius and I’m making an adult visual novel dating sim with Lovecraftian horror aspects.

I hope you enjoy The Red Threads, and if you would like early access to future builds, access to the Koikatsu cards, or just to support the development, consider becoming a patreon.