Game Info

Her Deliverance is another entry to the Horror RPG Maker gamejam, this time for the 6th one's theme: Fear The Devil!: Outgoing LINK

Truth be told, I was a bit nervous about making a game with a theological type of theme; I haven't been a part of any kind of religious practice since I was forced into it from birth to around age 11-12.

I'm always nervous about potentionally offending people of a specific faith, but I feel like I went about it in a neutral-enough way. The game, at it's core, is about a woman who's suffering from what appears to be posession of some sort of demonic force.



Going into this gamejam like always, I only had a very rough idea to go off of before diving head-first into the engine to whip up something as a base. I'm a bit proud of myself with this entry, being that I added a couple of puzzles that can end in game over's quite easily, including a bit of a red-herring at one point (:

The game focuses, as stated, around a woman who is in need of assistance with her..."problem". When working on the story, I knew from the beginning that I wanted the main character to look like an average person- someone who you could run into at the store or see walking their dog down the street- someone who doesn't stand out much (beyond her fading, formerly dyed hair).

Because I was working on this entry on and off during some busy time irl, I think the overall "story" fell quite short, but I feel that's acceptable in terms of a gamejam entry. I was particularly excited to add my own flair or assets, as it were- in the form of gorey blobs of "flesh" and things like that.

Part of me felt discouraged a bit with this entry at some moments; I feel like a lot of my games tend to be..."difficult to follow" for some, even when I make it a point to "help guide" the player despite. I honestly really dislike it when games hold your hand when it comes to exploration or letting you figure things out on your own.

But for this game, I felt like it was maybe made somewhat difficult gameplay wise? At least in a very specific segment (sliding spike obstacles that the player must navigate around or be met with an instant Game Over). I apologize for the inconvenience!

Again, I'm constantly learning how to make games. I love to learn about RPG Maker; it's a major special interest of mine, even if I'm not the best at it! I like sharing my little stories with the world, and I hope you'll try it out, maybe just for a bit.

Thank you for your patience, and I hope this somewhat spooky game won't be too much- all submitted before Halloween!! ^w^/

⚠SPOILERS!!⚠

I had discussed this in a server with some fellow devs, and felt it was enough to share here on the game page. Some of these topics can be difficult to read and/or heavy to talk about, so viewer discretion is advised: TW: Depression and Suicide.

A lot if not all my games have a piece of myself in them. Things I've been through or taking from real experiences by those around me and more. For "Her Deliverance" , I knew from the beginning that there'd be no "good" ending for the girl.

From birth, she was "cursed"- made to always feel isolated and weird- strange and ostracized by her peers. I often felt this way growing up, especially as an undiagnosed autistic afab child of the 90s.

I was made to feel like I didn't "belong" and how I made others around me feel strange, akward and uncomfortable, because I couldn't "read the room" or feel what others might've been feeling.

I wanted to covey that with the protagonist, because she was always made to feel like her heart was far, far apart from those around her, no matter how much she tried (as evident by the intro showing a former partner lamenting how she, the protagonist, seems to "be happy being alone").

I sometimes would think "I wish i could be normal; i wish I wasn't so "broken" and odd that it made people avoid even seeing me. I think I channeled that into a demon or something usurping this person's very ...being? Like she knew she was "not normal" or "not right" from the beginning.

She had gone through her whole life up till then, struggling and dealing with increasing visions of a red demon (suddenly being transported like in the beginning) to an inescapable room and scared beyond belief.

She was losing herself, and becoming consumed by "IT" or "the demon" who was festering, and feeding off of her misery and pain.

And so, in a last attempt of "purging" it, she went to a church way on the outskirts of town- someplace she hadn't been to, yet.

People who didn't know her and couldn't judge her based on her past "issues". It's her mind finally falling apart- whether she'd be able to hold it in or let it take over is the ultimatum in the end. There's only one true "TRUE" ending I feel, in my heart with this game.

She tried seeking help, as evident in the hospital beds and the demon mentioning her being institutionalized, and the trauma from her mother wishing she hadn't given birth to her or kept her- she was surrounded by things and people who knew she was "flawed" and "wrong".

This is her final attempt at getting something to help her with it, before despair just consumes the last remnants of her psyche- all of it was a culmination up to this point- and maybe it'd be a longer game if I could fit it all in what I could write out vs. in a game narrative, but still

However, in that- the "demon", in a bittersweet moment of what someone human might call "acceptance", said they'd take care of her for her. give up her soul so that the demon can use her as a vessel.

As her soul is consumed by the demon, the demon in a really kind of heartbreaking manner, holds the girl and says "welcome home".

The girl had never known something as "kind" as what the demon had seemed to show- even if it was just because of an exchange. It meant something, like she could finally rest her broken heart and mind, and let herself slip away.

Like, "ah..i don't have to keep being in pain. I can relax, now. I can breathe. I can die."

There have been many times in my life where I think "man, i wouldn't have to deal with so much shit if I'd just end it all. Wow, a huge weight off my shoulders...I can almost hold it to my heart like a teddybear- like someone else could take care of all of the pain and suffering FOR me." and just feel myself floating away-

Maybe a disassociative feeling. I'm seeing someone about my readily acceptance of using death as an ultimatum myself, so I'm not in any immediate danger, but at one point, I really really was, so I feel I can speak on this matter with a bit of nuance.

And so, channeling that in the ending you saw, I feel it was the girl finally being freed of this...cage around her heart. her mind and body- like some other creature or being that was always growing inside her, finally freed and able to take control. "its someone else's problem now".

And yet, they seem so thankful- so loving by caressing her mind in the darkness- saying "I love you" in the end, and finally accepting it all by saying "I'm home". She's never felt that before. Never felt like she belonged anywhere until then.

Thank you for reading this far. I hope you're well, and stay safe out there. ❤