Many people know developers Killmonday Games as the creators of the hit 2015 horror adventure Fran Bow. But it wasn’t until back in November that Killmonday Games announced their next project, Little Misfortune. The trailer had launched and it had the same unnerving feel that Fran Bow had had back in 2015. Odd, unsettling, something is definitely wrong, though you’re not sure how much of it is the child’s imagination, or reality:
In this game, players take on the role of Misfortune Ramirez Hernadez, who befriends a disembodied voice who she simply names Mr. Voice. There she embarks on a quest to find Eternal Happiness, so that she can give it to her mother. And as the trailer says, a lot of Misfortune’s adventure is about choices. And while there is no right are wrong choice, there are consequences of these choices.
And of course, there’s a whole lot of that same weary and uncomfortable feeling that this game isn’t just going to be about running in the hallway and breaking a vase. Especially when it shows the Grim Reaper on a boat with Misfortune, and a number of terrifying imagery of a set of horns approaching.
Little Misfortune did plan on having a demo drop before the game’s completion during 2019. And today, that demo dropped. As expected, it is the first section of the game with Misfortune and Mr. Voice meeting. Teaching players how to move through the game and make choices. It’s around 15 minutes, and if given the chance to play on the Steam or itch.io page, it’s well worth it. If not, check it out:
Though, there should be a warning as the game isn’t shy on delving into some deeper issues. Namely, the player is quick to realize that Misfortune lives in a very unhealthy home. Where her father is abusive towards both her and her mother, and her mother is neglectful and drinks too much wine. But it’s clear that Misfortune still fights through her trauma and her fears by throwing glitter on everything.
And while the demo only shows a small amount of consequences in the game, it does set up for a lot of possible consequences in the game. For instance, choosing between a unicorn toy or a rock toy. One could be used as a gift or something for comfort, the other could be used as a weapon for safety. But it never says what it will lead to, just that the choice needs to be made.
The game does come with a brand new set of features according to the developers. And the list of them is… both oddly charming and starts to build up what a nightmare this could turn into:
I’m definitely planning on petting the Kraken.
Little Misfortune’s demo is currently available on Steam or itch.io for free and takes about 12-15 minutes to play through. The game is set to come out some time in 2019 for PC.