I'm not afraid to admit that I cried like three times. It's stories like this that gives me faith in humanity, especially these days 🥹 This really should be a movieee!!
Thank you so much! I'm glad my story gave you faith in humanity. :) While it certainly has its tearful moments, Viatica is ultimately about hope. I think we all need a bit more of that!
Thank you! I always love hearing from fans of Fawn & Bison and Papa Bear! The ROs always get a lot of attention so it’s great to hear that you connected with the secondary characters, too. ❤️
Man, what can I say? I miss words to talk about this game, what a work of art! I've started playing thinking it was another game in progress that I would have to wait weeks and weeks... but no. In 2 days, it was over and now I'm orphan ._.
I enjoyed every part and Robin is my dearest and I love them s2
Aaa I want to say more but my english sucks, by the way, say hi to Brazil kk...
I loved the way you created an incredible story where we have bonds with all the characters and really care about them as true friends. The ideal of staying and fighting for the people or running away and protecting those we love is magical.
The way you put things is incredible and if you have/plan to write other stories, I'll be there!
ps: girl, you're a momma of 2 and with all the things in you life happening, how you had time for this treasure? Or better saying re-writing, how old were you 25y ago? What a magnificent person.
omg i love this sm, i had came across this book after finding out about IF's & this was definitely what i was looking for! it has so many options and i especially love Heron and Lion their such a sweetheart! my heart cant take it<3!!
Thank you! I’m very glad you enjoyed it. I’m relatively new to IFs myself, and after reading so many good IFs out there, I was inspired to try my hand at it, too. :) Thank you for taking the time to write to me!
Just came back to this IF bc i finally had time to finish it (I've been very busy with school and I also have an art contest coming up 🙏) and I was so genuinely shocked when I saw it was finished like what!!!! :0 The first time I played Ferret's route and now I did Heron's and omydgos.a.s..d.su,su.sj.s.u.ui..i...... Ohmygod... I got the music box ending and I think rn i'm js gonna do another Heron route and go for the other one ^_^ Scene with Fawn and Bison still breaks me you did NOT have to do them like that 😔 /j /lh
I love the way that you write romance and this story feels so real and amazing and I got very easily immersed with your descriptions! I haven't been with Viatica from the beginning or anything in fact I only found it shortly after chapter 10 got released but I'm still pretty attached to it. Can't wait to see what you do with Cantata!!!! :D
Aww, thank you so much! 🥹❤️ Heron really matured in writing him as an RO and giving he and the MC a past; he's probably the most changed from the original and I love him! Thank you for returning and trying other routes, I'm glad you enjoy my writing! Viatica is a lot younger than people think. I published the first 7 chapters as the demo in August of last year, so you found me within a few months. Thanks!
Also, my apologies for Chapter 10. I will never live that down. 😭
I decided to return to this for like the 4th or 5th time just to replay it. Imagine my shock when I found out it was complete! Author, creator of fics, striver of perfection, doer of greatness, I wish you all the very best for the rest of you life. I absolutely adore this IF and therefore adore you.
May your pillow always be cold and your plate and goblets forever filled!
I love this so much! My heart went out to each of the characters and the storyline: Mwah, perfection, an absolute chef's kiss. I adore everything about this and want to replay it with all the different characters I love them all so much and want their happily ever afters! I honestly cannot put into words the amount of space in my heart this game has occupied. It has excellent diversity, and as a nonbinary person, I just loved the way Robin was portrayed (even with the occasional typo ;) ). The overall representation, which made that trait important without making it all about them, was just amazing. It is so rare I find good LGBTQ+ or even nonbinary characters, and this is a perfect example of how it's done right. But going back to the game as a whole and not my obsession with Robin. The game was just the right pace I played through it all in one sitting, but there were many times when you could take a short break and get right back into it without missing a thing. Right when you think it is slowing down, *bam!* something happens and it speeds right back up again without feeling rushed. The dystopian feel is definitely there without being too cliche, and the world-building and history through the journal are genius. There are twists and turns with unexpected foreshadowings, and it doesn't feel like just an IF or Romance game, it feels like a whole world. On one hand, I want so much more and for it not to end, but on the other, it still feels complete like a finished story, and that's how you know it's good writing.
To the author, all of my love, please take it honestly. It is amazing work, and I cannot truly express the way even such a small thing has made me feel, thank you so much for this wonderful piece of art. I will be recommending this game to my sister and friends. I would go on and on about this, but you'll just have to find out for yourselves why I have so much love for it. Sorry for such a long rant. I didn't know I had so much to say until I started, and I would only keep going if I knew I wouldn't spoil anything!
And yeah It is harder to find a nicely written LGBTQ+ characters (and in my experience NB characters that aren't just "I use they/them I'm quirky!" And other stuff) but Viatica has a very well written one (IMO)
-Definitely recommend the newest IF by this author "Cantata" if you haven't seen it already too!
Oh my goodness, thank you both so much! 🥹 Your words made me absolutely giddy and I rushed to show my family, “look what they wrote!” 😂
I am so glad you enjoyed the story, and especially Robin. They are my first NB character, and I really took care and time in writing them, so it’s really gratifying to hear I portrayed them well. Thank you for your kind words and for recommending Viatica! ❤️
so i was looking for a IF that played demo before (havent found that one yet) but while looking i opened tabs of ones ive played parts of before just to check for updates and i see that this is a full game so guess its time to play this! haha
Just sat down and read the whole story in one night. I love all of the characters so much! Heron absolutely stole my heart but all of them are just so, so good. I laughed, I cried, and I found myself smiling the entire way through. Thank you so much for sharing such a beautiful story with us!
Oh my god, Viatica is phenomenal. I just have to say—thank you, for creating this absolute masterpiece. The way you write romance?? INSANE. I’m obsessed. Every single interaction has so much depth and emotion, and I genuinely feel the chemistry between characters. It doesn’t feel forced or rushed—just natural, real, and so heartbreakingly beautiful at times. And the characters??? They feel so alive. Like, they aren’t just NPCs standing around like lifeless ornaments in an IF. They have actual personalities, emotions, motivations—even the minor ones! I found myself getting attached to characters I didn’t even expect to care about. That’s how good your writing is. I can’t even describe how much I love this.
The plot itself is so unique too. It’s not just a romance game—it’s an experience. Every choice feels meaningful, every moment has weight, and I was completely hooked from start to finish. I don’t even know how to put into words how much I love this story.
THANK YOU for sharing this with the world. I am forever grateful. Please never stop writing.
You are so very welcome! Thank YOU for your thoughtful comment! I can’t express enough how encouraging it is to hear things like this. I put a lot of care into my words and characters and I’m relieved and grateful it resonated with you in such a way.
I just returned to fiction writing after decades away, and it’s comments like this that tell me I made the right decision, so thank you, too! ❤️
5 stars, this was absolutely beautiful. I can't say anything more than that, the words are escaping me, but this is definite need to read for everyone imo lol. Inspiring!!
This game has been more than I could ever imagine it to be. Every single character felt, well, real. I felt anger and loss for certain characters, and so much joy at seeing the ending. It was so sublime that they give you the option to adopt or have a baby with a RO! I'm a sucker for babies, so this instantly made all of the experience a 10/10. Thank you so much for writing such an amazing journey, I'll be thrilled to see more of your work, if you do more of course!
Thank you so much, I’m glad you enjoyed it! As a mama myself I had to include the bambinos, lol. I have a new IF I’ve just started actually, called Cantata. You can find it on my creator page if you’re curious. Thanks again! 😊
It is currently 3:30 am when I am writing this, and I have quite literally only finished one route so far- HOWEVER, this novel was an absolute treat to stumble upon after a dry spell of demos and/or nothing new from the IF/VN community.
The writing, worldbuilding, and characters are all so well-loved and crafted in a way that really transports you into the shoes of the MC. The journal entry before every chapter that ties in terms/concepts learned previously or a little later on in the story was one of the best aspects of this despite being one page of context.
In general, though, I do sincerely enjoy dystopian fiction especially ones that have a hopeful message that can be conveyed irl. I won't delve too deep into a potentially dark topic, but with the current state of the world this is refreshing and almost tragically resonates with me and a lot of other people as more and more lose their voices.
Literature is amazing and no matter where you read it- book, audio, on a screen- it is an art that truly inspires and is something I will deeply appreciate just like the characters in this novel.
Sorry for getting so philosophical but I love this and hope it gets more attention. Please keep making amazing stories! :)
No apologies necessary, you can wax philosophical anytime! This was truly a wonderful comment to read, thank you for sharing your thoughts! I’m glad the story resonated with you in such a way. It does, sadly, parallel real life right now. This IF is actually adapted from a novella I wrote 25 years ago, and it’s disappointing to think that now, after so many years, it rings truer than ever. But if it brings you hope or uplifts you in anyway, that is all I can ask for. ❤️
Thank you again for your kind words, and take care of yourself!
I just wanted to take a minute and leave my thoughts here because I am sooo in love with this game. I've already played it through twice, (the first pursuing Heron and the revolution ending, and the second with Robin and the running away ending), and about to go for round 3 but I just *love* pretty much everything about Viatica. The interesting setting and backstory you uncover through the diary entries, how the plot unfolds, and of course the characters.
But the thing I love the most is how no matter what options you choose, you still have a special bond with all of your friends, even if it's not romantic. (And on that note, I really appreciate how you let us know what the romantic options mean/will lead to rather than leaving us guessing and potentially picking something we aren't comfortable with.)
also, both endings feel so satisfying! When I went to re-play I knew I wanted to see how running away would end up but I was kind of worried the whole time that they wouldn't actually escape or being out in the wild would end up terrible, but it wound up feeling just as right as the other ending to me <3
Thanks for this experience and for pouring so much love into it. I'm off to re-play once more lol
Thank you so much! I love that you tried both endings and multiple routes! 🥹 It was very important to me that the platonic relationships received as much time and care as the romantic ones, so I’m very happy to hear that came through for you.
If you try Ferret’s route, I would suggest doing the rebellion ending on hers, that one’s my favorite. ❤️
This is such a great story! I love post-apocalyptic settings, but nowadays I feel like most of these stories are very...harsh? Overly pessimistic? Even in YA novels angst is often predominant. On the contrary, Viatica felt both realistic and soft, a story of hope and friendship in an unforgiving environment. Being able to create such a compelling, full-fledged story in 12 chapters is proof of how good the writing is, I aspire to write like that!
By the way, I started with Lion's route and unfortunately, it felt so perfect and natural to me that I had a hard time getting over it when I read the next routes, event though I still enjoyed all of them. Lion set a new standard in my taste in fictional men.
Dear author, I can't wait to read your next work!!
Hahaha, you’re not the first to tell me that Lion ruined it for all other routes! 🤭
Thank you so much for your kind words! That’s exactly the feeling I was trying to convey with Viatica so I’m glad it came across successfully.
My new IF, Cantata, is coming along well. Updates will be slower than they were for Viatica but I’m on track to have chapter 2 out in April. I hope you enjoy that one, too!
Hay, I have great news, I think this game might be accessible to screen reader users. I'm about to start chapter 1. I will keep you posted. The music is great, but is there a way to turn it down (not off)? edit: this game works, definitelyy, with screen readers. I'm at chapter 2 with no hitch, but the music gets overpowering at some point and I'm struggling to enjoy the game because I can't hear what my screen reader is saying.
I'm wondering if this might be able to get looked into, as it would definitely help screen reader users. For reference, I'm using NVDA on windows (which is free) with the eSpeak speech synthesizer at full volume. I'm going to give this another go though, for sure.
I’m afraid I just don’t have the skill or time to do that. I built this using Chapbook, which is a simplified format that doesn’t require Java script or html experience. To create and implement a non-standard feature like that requires special coding that’s beyond my skill set. I am not a game developer, I’m a mom with a very challenging career, and this was written in my limited free time.
I appreciate you giving the story a try. And while I understand your need, I’m sorry that I cannot accommodate it at this time.
That's OK, I'm sure there will be ways round it even if I just have to listen in even more closely. I love what I've played so far. Going to give it another go once I've submitted this comment.
edit: I have successfully finished this playthrough. If you were a part of that world I'd name you Dolphin, known for their intelligence. I feel like the world needs a story like this. The fact it's post apocalyptic and yet so filled with hope, well, I can safely say I've never experienced anything like it. I legit don't know of any other media that shows a positive side of a post apocalypse without being bittersweet. This shows an end, an absolute glimmer of hope.
I am now going to hope to be a bit like Lion in a way, and bring in a few more blind readers over these next few days. I still have to try some other playthroughs and routes and endings. But I can very safely say, a big thank you. The way I sorted out the music problem was to use NVDA's auto ducking feature, which faids out the sound.
My family often calls me a dolphin because when I get excited my pitch goes up and I speak faster and start to sound like one, so this is very appropriate! 😂
And I should be saying a big THANK YOU to you for sticking with my story even though it had limitations for you. I’m sorry it was so difficult and I’m glad you were able to find a work around. It would have been very easy to just not bother and I would have completely understood you doing so. Your kind words are very much appreciated!
If possible, might I suggest you muting the game tab (right click it and select "mute site") and then visiting the pixabay page where the music is and downloading some to listen to? They are free to download for listening use. Another option is a chrome extension called 'volume control' ( https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/volume-control/acglggcafiilnibeknihggle... ). This way, you can choose the volume settings for each tab INDIVIDUALLY! Really hope this helps you and others in need of visual aid!
omg, i read it all in just a few hours and i can't express how much i loved it the characters, the plot, the writing, everything is just so beautifuly done sz kisses and hugs from brasil!!
There is not, but I’m not sure why you’re having trouble. I just tested on 2 devices on both safari and chrome and it works fine. What browser or device are you using?
Yes... I have been haunted by foxes since one broke into my landlady's house in London. *nods sagely, then breaks down in laughter* (That actually did happen tho. They howl like crazy all over town at night. But I like my Firefox browser cuz it has themes on it and looks good. But it sadly seem to be uncooperative with games. Maybe I missed an update or something. I suck at tech stuff.)
That's sad.
Are they really that hard to make? I noticed that most games on itch seem to have a download.
I haven’t looked into it too far but I imagine it would take some extra coding to package it all for pc and Mac and other formats. Chapbook was designed to be browser friendly, when the Fox is cooperating, of course. ;) I didn’t have to do any extra coding or html, it was an out of the box solution, which is why I chose it.
i have never, ONCE, been so thrilled, surprised, excited, saddened, and left utterly completed after reading an IF, this broke the streak. 100000000000/10
Wow, the thing that been extremely lacking in my life for a couple of years - some hope in humanity! (Fictional fine too.)
I loved this feeling from your story, where you can trust someone, and this trust actually pays off. Cathartic stuff, thank you, I legitimately cried couple of times.
Wow, I've read alot of IFs and I have to say this one is one of my favorites. From the music to the sorrowful world building laced with hidden hope I can not recommend Viatica enough.
I'm not finding a way to lower the volume or turn the music off. Is there just no setting for that or am I missing it? I have my system volume up because I am hearing impaired but the game sound is way too loud and drowns out the rest of my stuff.
Hello. I’m sorry you’re having trouble with the music. As far as I know, there’s no way to code volume controls in Chapbook. You’ll have to adjust your device.
Idk if it's just me but I can't get this to work on Chrome, Firefox, or Brave. I've played it before and was so excited to see the update, but every time I try to run it I get a screen that suggests a hard reset or to go to the previous page. I've tried both options, and it just refreshes and goes back to the same message or gives me a blank page. I don't know if this is the right way to notify anyone about this, but I also wanted to post it in case anyone else is having this issue, too.
Hello. Sorry to hear you’re having trouble. You'll have to restart the game, that seemed to be the case after every update. If you refresh the page or hit restart at the bottom it should work. Failing that, you can also try clearing your cache. Hope that helps!
Finally got to read the finished masterpiece! A true work of art, thank you for creating and sharing with us! Looking forward to reading your next work!
I started this book back when it was only in 10 chapters. I finally got back to it only to find it completed. I started it all over and the ending. OH MY GOODNESS. I loved it. Ferret, my love, and lil Keiko. Ugh, my heart is complete <3. I will miss Fawn and Bison, I remember sobbing from that. This story inspired me to create my own IF that one day I hope is just as good as yours. Thank you for these characters and the story.
10/10 HEARTBREAKING WTFF so good it’s actually illegal. I wasn't expecting it to be this good but it BROKE ME i ugly cried. literally the antifa found family dystopian revolutionary masterpiece I didn’t even know I needed. fawn and bison i will cry forever, robin my pookie it is 2am i love you. two days later i’m still thinking about it
Do you think it would be possible to make the orientation vertical and not horizontal on handheld devices? So it can be read as an interactive handheld book on mobile or in my case tablet. I know that many IF have the same horizontal orientation, so it might be just the engine's quirk.
Once again amazing story and congratulations on finishing the project!
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it! When you say horizontal, do you mean a side by side view? Like a kindle format? I haven’t seen anything like that for Twine. If there is a code for that it’s probably beyond my skill level, unfortunately. 🥴
This was amazing!! The story had me gripped by my throat and I ended up finishing the whole thing in one sitting. I can't express how grateful I am that you put this up on here for free!
I love love love the importance of community and knowledge in the story. The importance of books and preserving and learning from history was highlighted so well, I couldn't help but feel emotional considering there's been a recent "ban" on some books (notably books that portray queer relationships) where I live. I can't stress enough the importance of being able to freely read what you want, and live how you want without fear of punishment.
This is the longest comment I've ever written on this site and it's def more "formal sounding" than what I usually write lol
Once again thank you for this wonderful story!! :D
Edit: I also wanna add how much I love the cast. They were all distinct but equally likeable, and I love them to absolute bits!!
You are most welcome, thank you for such a wonderful comment! It makes me sad to hear about the book bans in your area, and I agree with you wholeheartedly. I’m immensely grateful that you appreciated my story and that it resonated with you in such a way! Thank you again!
i know this is gonna be my kind of story, hell yeah. the about the author told me all i need to know, i love when people actually fully have the plot and story written out lol, even better when they're adapting an older work. plus you and your sis like wine, and thats a universal girl language lol even though i'm way too young to have kids (and have written something 25 years ago, i wasn't born 25 years ago lmao)
i'll update my thoughts as i play
ooh i wish there was a save feature, i'm so paranoid about how i play in these games lmaoo (turns out this is like the one game my paranoia isn't so bad cuz its not super stats heavy lol)
I built this in Twine Chapbook, which doesn’t offer a save feature beyond the built-in browser save. A commenter below offered a work around code but quite frankly, I’m not inclined to go fiddle with coding, lol. Part of the reason I chose Chapbook was because it was a complete, out of the box solution for those of us who are inexperienced with html or JS script. If Viatica were longer or still in development, I may have explored that. But it’s finished and not very long, so I feel it has good replay ability even without the option to have multiple saves.
But regardless, thank you for reading and for your comment! You had me giggling. 😁
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I'm not afraid to admit that I cried like three times. It's stories like this that gives me faith in humanity, especially these days 🥹 This really should be a movieee!!
Thank you so much! I'm glad my story gave you faith in humanity. :) While it certainly has its tearful moments, Viatica is ultimately about hope. I think we all need a bit more of that!
AAAA BEAUTIFUL ITS SO BEAUITUFL AWAOGHSGORH
Thank you! 😁
AHHHH THIS GAME IS SO AMAZING I DONT EVEN KNOW HOW TO DESCRIBE IT!!!!!!
also I actually started crying when the two lovebirds died TvT THEY WERE MY FAVORITESSSSS ToT VERY HEART WRENCHING 10/10 I LOVE THEM ALL
ALSO YESSSS I LOVE PAPA BEAR [never thought I would like a guard/police officer lol, but he is certainly a special case and I love him]
Thank you! I always love hearing from fans of Fawn & Bison and Papa Bear! The ROs always get a lot of attention so it’s great to hear that you connected with the secondary characters, too. ❤️
STOPP I LOVE THIS IM GUNNA CRY
❤️
Man, what can I say?
I miss words to talk about this game, what a work of art!
I've started playing thinking it was another game in progress that I would have to wait weeks and weeks... but no.
In 2 days, it was over and now I'm orphan ._.
I enjoyed every part and Robin is my dearest and I love them s2
Aaa I want to say more but my english sucks, by the way, say hi to Brazil kk...
I loved the way you created an incredible story where we have bonds with all the characters and really care about them as true friends.
The ideal of staying and fighting for the people or running away and protecting those we love is magical.
The way you put things is incredible and if you have/plan to write other stories, I'll be there!
ps: girl, you're a momma of 2 and with all the things in you life happening, how you had time for this treasure? Or better saying re-writing, how old were you 25y ago? What a magnificent person.
Thank you so much! I had such a big grin reading this. 😁 I also saw your comment on Cantata, I really appreciate you reading both of my stories!
I love this game! The worldbuilding is AMAZING. I really felt very immersed in the story, and genuinely worried about characters.
I rarely comment but in this one I felt like I must. ♥️🩷♥️🩷♥️ Great work!
Thank you! I really love hearing when people tell me they don’t usually comment, but my game compelled them. 🥹❤️
I stayed up until 3am last night to finish this and I don't regret even a second of my decision. It was one of the best IFs I've played recently.
Thank you! That’s wonderful to hear, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
omg i love this sm, i had came across this book after finding out about IF's & this was definitely what i was looking for! it has so many options and i especially love Heron and Lion their such a sweetheart! my heart cant take it<3!!
Thank you! I’m very glad you enjoyed it. I’m relatively new to IFs myself, and after reading so many good IFs out there, I was inspired to try my hand at it, too. :) Thank you for taking the time to write to me!
Just came back to this IF bc i finally had time to finish it (I've been very busy with school and I also have an art contest coming up 🙏) and I was so genuinely shocked when I saw it was finished like what!!!! :0 The first time I played Ferret's route and now I did Heron's and omydgos.a.s..d.su,su.sj.s.u.ui..i...... Ohmygod... I got the music box ending and I think rn i'm js gonna do another Heron route and go for the other one ^_^ Scene with Fawn and Bison still breaks me you did NOT have to do them like that 😔 /j /lh
I love the way that you write romance and this story feels so real and amazing and I got very easily immersed with your descriptions! I haven't been with Viatica from the beginning or anything in fact I only found it shortly after chapter 10 got released but I'm still pretty attached to it. Can't wait to see what you do with Cantata!!!! :D
Aww, thank you so much! 🥹❤️ Heron really matured in writing him as an RO and giving he and the MC a past; he's probably the most changed from the original and I love him! Thank you for returning and trying other routes, I'm glad you enjoy my writing! Viatica is a lot younger than people think. I published the first 7 chapters as the demo in August of last year, so you found me within a few months. Thanks!
Also, my apologies for Chapter 10. I will never live that down. 😭
I decided to return to this for like the 4th or 5th time just to replay it. Imagine my shock when I found out it was complete! Author, creator of fics, striver of perfection, doer of greatness, I wish you all the very best for the rest of you life. I absolutely adore this IF and therefore adore you.
May your pillow always be cold and your plate and goblets forever filled!
Thank you!!
Cheers to that! 🍻😂
This is a fabulous comment, thank you!
I love this so much! My heart went out to each of the characters and the storyline: Mwah, perfection, an absolute chef's kiss. I adore everything about this and want to replay it with all the different characters I love them all so much and want their happily ever afters! I honestly cannot put into words the amount of space in my heart this game has occupied. It has excellent diversity, and as a nonbinary person, I just loved the way Robin was portrayed (even with the occasional typo ;) ). The overall representation, which made that trait important without making it all about them, was just amazing. It is so rare I find good LGBTQ+ or even nonbinary characters, and this is a perfect example of how it's done right. But going back to the game as a whole and not my obsession with Robin. The game was just the right pace I played through it all in one sitting, but there were many times when you could take a short break and get right back into it without missing a thing. Right when you think it is slowing down, *bam!* something happens and it speeds right back up again without feeling rushed. The dystopian feel is definitely there without being too cliche, and the world-building and history through the journal are genius. There are twists and turns with unexpected foreshadowings, and it doesn't feel like just an IF or Romance game, it feels like a whole world. On one hand, I want so much more and for it not to end, but on the other, it still feels complete like a finished story, and that's how you know it's good writing.
To the author, all of my love, please take it honestly. It is amazing work, and I cannot truly express the way even such a small thing has made me feel, thank you so much for this wonderful piece of art. I will be recommending this game to my sister and friends. I would go on and on about this, but you'll just have to find out for yourselves why I have so much love for it. Sorry for such a long rant. I didn't know I had so much to say until I started, and I would only keep going if I knew I wouldn't spoil anything!
TLDR: Play this game, I love it so much <3
I agree with this so much!
And yeah It is harder to find a nicely written LGBTQ+ characters (and in my experience NB characters that aren't just "I use they/them I'm quirky!" And other stuff) but Viatica has a very well written one (IMO)
-Definitely recommend the newest IF by this author "Cantata" if you haven't seen it already too!
Oh my goodness, thank you both so much! 🥹 Your words made me absolutely giddy and I rushed to show my family, “look what they wrote!” 😂
I am so glad you enjoyed the story, and especially Robin. They are my first NB character, and I really took care and time in writing them, so it’s really gratifying to hear I portrayed them well. Thank you for your kind words and for recommending Viatica! ❤️
so i was looking for a IF that played demo before (havent found that one yet) but while looking i opened tabs of ones ive played parts of before just to check for updates and i see that this is a full game so guess its time to play this! haha
Thanks for returning! 😊
Just sat down and read the whole story in one night. I love all of the characters so much! Heron absolutely stole my heart but all of them are just so, so good. I laughed, I cried, and I found myself smiling the entire way through. Thank you so much for sharing such a beautiful story with us!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, and my boy Heron! 😁
Oh my god, Viatica is phenomenal. I just have to say—thank you, for creating this absolute masterpiece. The way you write romance?? INSANE. I’m obsessed. Every single interaction has so much depth and emotion, and I genuinely feel the chemistry between characters. It doesn’t feel forced or rushed—just natural, real, and so heartbreakingly beautiful at times. And the characters??? They feel so alive. Like, they aren’t just NPCs standing around like lifeless ornaments in an IF. They have actual personalities, emotions, motivations—even the minor ones! I found myself getting attached to characters I didn’t even expect to care about. That’s how good your writing is. I can’t even describe how much I love this.
The plot itself is so unique too. It’s not just a romance game—it’s an experience. Every choice feels meaningful, every moment has weight, and I was completely hooked from start to finish. I don’t even know how to put into words how much I love this story.
THANK YOU for sharing this with the world. I am forever grateful. Please never stop writing.
You are so very welcome! Thank YOU for your thoughtful comment! I can’t express enough how encouraging it is to hear things like this. I put a lot of care into my words and characters and I’m relieved and grateful it resonated with you in such a way.
I just returned to fiction writing after decades away, and it’s comments like this that tell me I made the right decision, so thank you, too! ❤️
5 stars, this was absolutely beautiful. I can't say anything more than that, the words are escaping me, but this is definite need to read for everyone imo lol. Inspiring!!
Thank you so much!
This game has been more than I could ever imagine it to be. Every single character felt, well, real. I felt anger and loss for certain characters, and so much joy at seeing the ending. It was so sublime that they give you the option to adopt or have a baby with a RO! I'm a sucker for babies, so this instantly made all of the experience a 10/10. Thank you so much for writing such an amazing journey, I'll be thrilled to see more of your work, if you do more of course!
Thank you so much, I’m glad you enjoyed it! As a mama myself I had to include the bambinos, lol. I have a new IF I’ve just started actually, called Cantata. You can find it on my creator page if you’re curious. Thanks again! 😊
It is currently 3:30 am when I am writing this, and I have quite literally only finished one route so far- HOWEVER, this novel was an absolute treat to stumble upon after a dry spell of demos and/or nothing new from the IF/VN community.
The writing, worldbuilding, and characters are all so well-loved and crafted in a way that really transports you into the shoes of the MC. The journal entry before every chapter that ties in terms/concepts learned previously or a little later on in the story was one of the best aspects of this despite being one page of context.
In general, though, I do sincerely enjoy dystopian fiction especially ones that have a hopeful message that can be conveyed irl. I won't delve too deep into a potentially dark topic, but with the current state of the world this is refreshing and almost tragically resonates with me and a lot of other people as more and more lose their voices.
Literature is amazing and no matter where you read it- book, audio, on a screen- it is an art that truly inspires and is something I will deeply appreciate just like the characters in this novel.
Sorry for getting so philosophical but I love this and hope it gets more attention. Please keep making amazing stories! :)
No apologies necessary, you can wax philosophical anytime! This was truly a wonderful comment to read, thank you for sharing your thoughts! I’m glad the story resonated with you in such a way. It does, sadly, parallel real life right now. This IF is actually adapted from a novella I wrote 25 years ago, and it’s disappointing to think that now, after so many years, it rings truer than ever. But if it brings you hope or uplifts you in anyway, that is all I can ask for. ❤️
Thank you again for your kind words, and take care of yourself!
I just wanted to take a minute and leave my thoughts here because I am sooo in love with this game. I've already played it through twice, (the first pursuing Heron and the revolution ending, and the second with Robin and the running away ending), and about to go for round 3 but I just *love* pretty much everything about Viatica. The interesting setting and backstory you uncover through the diary entries, how the plot unfolds, and of course the characters.
But the thing I love the most is how no matter what options you choose, you still have a special bond with all of your friends, even if it's not romantic. (And on that note, I really appreciate how you let us know what the romantic options mean/will lead to rather than leaving us guessing and potentially picking something we aren't comfortable with.)
also, both endings feel so satisfying! When I went to re-play I knew I wanted to see how running away would end up but I was kind of worried the whole time that they wouldn't actually escape or being out in the wild would end up terrible, but it wound up feeling just as right as the other ending to me <3
Thanks for this experience and for pouring so much love into it. I'm off to re-play once more lol
<3
Thank you so much! I love that you tried both endings and multiple routes! 🥹 It was very important to me that the platonic relationships received as much time and care as the romantic ones, so I’m very happy to hear that came through for you.
If you try Ferret’s route, I would suggest doing the rebellion ending on hers, that one’s my favorite. ❤️
This is such a great story! I love post-apocalyptic settings, but nowadays I feel like most of these stories are very...harsh? Overly pessimistic? Even in YA novels angst is often predominant. On the contrary, Viatica felt both realistic and soft, a story of hope and friendship in an unforgiving environment. Being able to create such a compelling, full-fledged story in 12 chapters is proof of how good the writing is, I aspire to write like that!
By the way, I started with Lion's route and unfortunately, it felt so perfect and natural to me that I had a hard time getting over it when I read the next routes, event though I still enjoyed all of them. Lion set a new standard in my taste in fictional men.
Dear author, I can't wait to read your next work!!
Hahaha, you’re not the first to tell me that Lion ruined it for all other routes! 🤭
Thank you so much for your kind words! That’s exactly the feeling I was trying to convey with Viatica so I’m glad it came across successfully.
My new IF, Cantata, is coming along well. Updates will be slower than they were for Viatica but I’m on track to have chapter 2 out in April. I hope you enjoy that one, too!
This made me so emotional... 10/10, would play it again. I stayed up until 6 am for this aaah
Oh wow, I’m happy you enjoyed it so much but I hope you get some sleep!
haven't even started yet ik this is about to be peak will update
Hay, I have great news, I think this game might be accessible to screen reader users. I'm about to start chapter 1. I will keep you posted. The music is great, but is there a way to turn it down (not off)?
edit: this game works, definitelyy, with screen readers. I'm at chapter 2 with no hitch, but the music gets overpowering at some point and I'm struggling to enjoy the game because I can't hear what my screen reader is saying.
I’m sorry, no, there are no in game controls for the music.
I'm wondering if this might be able to get looked into, as it would definitely help screen reader users. For reference, I'm using NVDA on windows (which is free) with the eSpeak speech synthesizer at full volume. I'm going to give this another go though, for sure.
I’m afraid I just don’t have the skill or time to do that. I built this using Chapbook, which is a simplified format that doesn’t require Java script or html experience. To create and implement a non-standard feature like that requires special coding that’s beyond my skill set. I am not a game developer, I’m a mom with a very challenging career, and this was written in my limited free time.
I appreciate you giving the story a try. And while I understand your need, I’m sorry that I cannot accommodate it at this time.
That's OK, I'm sure there will be ways round it even if I just have to listen in even more closely. I love what I've played so far. Going to give it another go once I've submitted this comment.
edit: I have successfully finished this playthrough. If you were a part of that world I'd name you Dolphin, known for their intelligence. I feel like the world needs a story like this. The fact it's post apocalyptic and yet so filled with hope, well, I can safely say I've never experienced anything like it. I legit don't know of any other media that shows a positive side of a post apocalypse without being bittersweet. This shows an end, an absolute glimmer of hope.
I am now going to hope to be a bit like Lion in a way, and bring in a few more blind readers over these next few days. I still have to try some other playthroughs and routes and endings. But I can very safely say, a big thank you. The way I sorted out the music problem was to use NVDA's auto ducking feature, which faids out the sound.
My family often calls me a dolphin because when I get excited my pitch goes up and I speak faster and start to sound like one, so this is very appropriate! 😂
And I should be saying a big THANK YOU to you for sticking with my story even though it had limitations for you. I’m sorry it was so difficult and I’m glad you were able to find a work around. It would have been very easy to just not bother and I would have completely understood you doing so. Your kind words are very much appreciated!
If possible, might I suggest you muting the game tab (right click it and select "mute site") and then visiting the pixabay page where the music is and downloading some to listen to? They are free to download for listening use. Another option is a chrome extension called 'volume control' ( https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/volume-control/acglggcafiilnibeknihggle... ). This way, you can choose the volume settings for each tab INDIVIDUALLY! Really hope this helps you and others in need of visual aid!
Ooh, thank you for those suggestions! I wasn’t aware of the settings for individual tabs.
omg, i read it all in just a few hours and i can't express how much i loved it
the characters, the plot, the writing, everything is just so beautifuly done sz kisses and hugs from brasil!!
Thank you! And that’s so cool that you’re from Brasil! I love hearing how far reaching my story gets. 🥹 Greetings from the Pacific Northwest!
For some reason the browser version of this game does not work
Is there a downloadable version of this game?
There is not, but I’m not sure why you’re having trouble. I just tested on 2 devices on both safari and chrome and it works fine. What browser or device are you using?
My laptop browser is possessed by the evil spirit of a fire fox. *nods seriously*
Sometimes it allows me to play browser based games. Sometimes it don't.
That's why I prefer the downloadable version.
Lol, the fire fox reference made me chuckle. I understand, I’m sorry there’s no download version in this case.
Yes... I have been haunted by foxes since one broke into my landlady's house in London. *nods sagely, then breaks down in laughter*
(That actually did happen tho. They howl like crazy all over town at night. But I like my Firefox browser cuz it has themes on it and looks good.
But it sadly seem to be uncooperative with games. Maybe I missed an update or something. I suck at tech stuff.)
That's sad.
Are they really that hard to make? I noticed that most games on itch seem to have a download.
I haven’t looked into it too far but I imagine it would take some extra coding to package it all for pc and Mac and other formats. Chapbook was designed to be browser friendly, when the Fox is cooperating, of course. ;) I didn’t have to do any extra coding or html, it was an out of the box solution, which is why I chose it.
i have never, ONCE, been so thrilled, surprised, excited, saddened, and left utterly completed after reading an IF, this broke the streak. 100000000000/10
I love hearing that! Thank you so much!
i read your Tumblr description. the she/her/bruh to my kids is funny :3
Wow I just finished reading and it was so amazing!! I cried and laughed, there was so much feeling in this story, I loved it!!! <333
Thank you!!
Wow, the thing that been extremely lacking in my life for a couple of years - some hope in humanity! (Fictional fine too.)
I loved this feeling from your story, where you can trust someone, and this trust actually pays off. Cathartic stuff, thank you, I legitimately cried couple of times.
Aww, thank you! I’m glad my story touched you so strongly, that’s a great compliment!
Wow, I've read alot of IFs and I have to say this one is one of my favorites. From the music to the sorrowful world building laced with hidden hope I can not recommend Viatica enough.
Thank you so much, that’s quite the compliment! I’m glad the hope came across for you, that’s ultimately what Viatica is all about. ☺️
Very great story, loved the world building. I also read the demo on your second IF I look forward too more to come, thank you for wonderful stories!
Thank you!
I'm not finding a way to lower the volume or turn the music off. Is there just no setting for that or am I missing it? I have my system volume up because I am hearing impaired but the game sound is way too loud and drowns out the rest of my stuff.
Hello. I’m sorry you’re having trouble with the music. As far as I know, there’s no way to code volume controls in Chapbook. You’ll have to adjust your device.
There is a wonderful chrome extension called 'volume control' that lets you change each individual tab's volume. I definitely suggest that if you are a chrome user. https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/volume-control/acglggcafiilnibeknihggle... Hope this could help you!!!
Idk if it's just me but I can't get this to work on Chrome, Firefox, or Brave. I've played it before and was so excited to see the update, but every time I try to run it I get a screen that suggests a hard reset or to go to the previous page. I've tried both options, and it just refreshes and goes back to the same message or gives me a blank page. I don't know if this is the right way to notify anyone about this, but I also wanted to post it in case anyone else is having this issue, too.
Hello. Sorry to hear you’re having trouble. You'll have to restart the game, that seemed to be the case after every update. If you refresh the page or hit restart at the bottom it should work. Failing that, you can also try clearing your cache. Hope that helps!
sorry if this has been asked already, but what song(s) are in the background?? so pretty 😫
Hello! I found the songs on Pixabay. They’re by 2 different artists: Sergii Pavkin and Aleksey Chistilin.
Finally got to read the finished masterpiece! A true work of art, thank you for creating and sharing with us! Looking forward to reading your next work!
Thank you for your kind words, that means so much! I am actively writing a new IF now and can’t wait to show you more!
Finally got to read the whole thing and I really enjoyed it! This was wonderful and I am so happy to have been able to experience this story!
Thank you for giving my story a try, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I started this book back when it was only in 10 chapters. I finally got back to it only to find it completed. I started it all over and the ending. OH MY GOODNESS. I loved it. Ferret, my love, and lil Keiko. Ugh, my heart is complete <3. I will miss Fawn and Bison, I remember sobbing from that. This story inspired me to create my own IF that one day I hope is just as good as yours. Thank you for these characters and the story.
You are so welcome, thank you for returning! Good luck with your IF, that truly is the best compliment to hear that my work inspired others! ❤️
10/10 HEARTBREAKING WTFF so good it’s actually illegal. I wasn't expecting it to be this good but it BROKE ME i ugly cried. literally the antifa found family dystopian revolutionary masterpiece I didn’t even know I needed. fawn and bison i will cry forever, robin my pookie it is 2am i love you. two days later i’m still thinking about it
Lol, I love this comment so much, thank you! 😆 Sorry to make you ugly cry but I love that you were thinking about my story 2 days later!
Amaizing story, I love it so much!
Do you think it would be possible to make the orientation vertical and not horizontal on handheld devices? So it can be read as an interactive handheld book on mobile or in my case tablet. I know that many IF have the same horizontal orientation, so it might be just the engine's quirk.
Once again amazing story and congratulations on finishing the project!
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it! When you say horizontal, do you mean a side by side view? Like a kindle format? I haven’t seen anything like that for Twine. If there is a code for that it’s probably beyond my skill level, unfortunately. 🥴
This was amazing!! The story had me gripped by my throat and I ended up finishing the whole thing in one sitting. I can't express how grateful I am that you put this up on here for free!
I love love love the importance of community and knowledge in the story. The importance of books and preserving and learning from history was highlighted so well, I couldn't help but feel emotional considering there's been a recent "ban" on some books (notably books that portray queer relationships) where I live. I can't stress enough the importance of being able to freely read what you want, and live how you want without fear of punishment.
This is the longest comment I've ever written on this site and it's def more "formal sounding" than what I usually write lol
Once again thank you for this wonderful story!! :D
Edit: I also wanna add how much I love the cast. They were all distinct but equally likeable, and I love them to absolute bits!!
You are most welcome, thank you for such a wonderful comment! It makes me sad to hear about the book bans in your area, and I agree with you wholeheartedly. I’m immensely grateful that you appreciated my story and that it resonated with you in such a way! Thank you again!
MY BABY ROBIN MUST PROTECTED AT ALL COSTS
Lol, agreed! 😆❤️
i know this is gonna be my kind of story, hell yeah. the about the author told me all i need to know, i love when people actually fully have the plot and story written out lol, even better when they're adapting an older work. plus you and your sis like wine, and thats a universal girl language lol even though i'm way too young to have kids (and have written something 25 years ago, i wasn't born 25 years ago lmao)
i'll update my thoughts as i play
ooh i wish there was a save feature, i'm so paranoid about how i play in these games lmaoo (turns out this is like the one game my paranoia isn't so bad cuz its not super stats heavy lol)
damn this was so good
Hello! Glad my bio got you hooked! 😆
I built this in Twine Chapbook, which doesn’t offer a save feature beyond the built-in browser save. A commenter below offered a work around code but quite frankly, I’m not inclined to go fiddle with coding, lol. Part of the reason I chose Chapbook was because it was a complete, out of the box solution for those of us who are inexperienced with html or JS script. If Viatica were longer or still in development, I may have explored that. But it’s finished and not very long, so I feel it has good replay ability even without the option to have multiple saves.
But regardless, thank you for reading and for your comment! You had me giggling. 😁