Polar Night
A downloadable game for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android
Two years ago, the IRV Arran - a huge Arctic research ship - vanished without a trace, leaving behind distraught and confused families without answers. With the official search called off, a man called Sharif offers some of the family members a choice: They can contribute funds to a private search expedition and, if they do so, they can join the search in person.
The story focuses on Garret Reid, a wolf who lost his brother on the Arran as he travels to the frozen archipelago of Svalbard where the expedition is due to depart. He meets an eclectic and colourful cast of fellow family members of the lost Arran crew, each with their own reasons for participating.
What will they find out in the dark, frozen Arctic Ocean? Answers? Or perhaps, more than they ever wanted to know...
If you would like to support us, please head over to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/karras
Updates do not currently have a set schedule, but as support increases we can afford to produce the needed assets for more stable updates!
Art done by the wonderful https://twitter.com/NertonW
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Download
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Development log
- Build 0.2.1: Day 2 is released!Mar 04, 2023
- Update: End of 2022Dec 18, 2022
- Android version now live!Jul 15, 2022
- Version 0.1.0 released!Jul 14, 2022
Comments
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Hoping for day three soon 🙏
I like this story, especially how it swiftly throws characters into an almost unknown urgent situation, forcing them to muster all their attention to observe the potential dangers lurking in the darkness. That's what a horror story should be! It's not that I dislike gradually building up a scary atmosphere; it's just that I don't like some visual novels—where you spend hours reading but don't even know what you're supposed to fear or anticipate, with no suspicion, no scenes that feel out of place, not even a wobbling cup on the edge of a table. It's truly quite exhausting and frustrating.
Thank you very much for your dedication to this story, looking forward to the next update.
Happy anniversary
Hope you doing alright man
got me locked into it, hope to see more!! this is getting really good!
Very much looking forward to the next update!
It's a slog to get through the absolute abundance of details this VN throws at you. It's walls and walls of text of irrelevant things, like what coffee each person in the room ordered, their clothes, every single change of expression, every single thought the MC has on EVERYTHING... It's just too detailed. The author obviously wanted to write a book, not a VN.
Also all characters are incredibly flat. If someone has a habit of saying "dude" - he will say it every single time he is talking to someone. If someone is secretive - he will be secretive about absolutely anything and everything, in the most blatant way possible.
Fake choices aren't helping keep my interest either. What's the point of even giving choices when the player MUST go through all of them? Just play out the scenes one by one and don't waste my time!
And the few real choices don't feel like choices - the MC doesn't stand up to the challenge he just chose, he is just being a dead weight in every situation. It's not rewarding or interesting to be this person and his overwritten backstory is not making things better, it makes them worse.
The MC is NOT player incarnate, you are just with him for the ride and it's annoying as hell.
Relax, the story is still early in development!
I don't agree with this, but I think it may be partly a matter of taste. The main character is more of an introvert and we see everything through his... eyes. He can pay attention to many details because it is his character. I also think that more detailed descriptions help you better imagine things in this world. Even if these are simple things that most of us do not pay much attention to on a daily basis. Of course, stories with too detailed descriptions can be boring, but in my opinion the descriptions here are okay.
Maybe it's a matter of taste, I don't know. I've seen a few visual novels that were poorly written and for me the level here is decent. The action itself is a bit limited because everything is happening on a ship in a closed space and everything is only gradually starting to reveal itself. That's why the atmosphere here and the tension must be built slowly.
You know, maybe there is something to your point. I have read a bit too many books lately and played a bit too many VNs.
Maybe I'm just getting spoiled by the good ones and too tired of the same mistakes the bad ones make to appreciate an average work that's just fine.
Check out https://aucyonproject.itch.io/echoes-from-valeth! Amazing story and no choices because the author focused on the story and the characters are complex and the art is great <3 I can't recommend it enough. It's also done!
I appreciate what you're trying to do, but I think I'll refrain myself from playing that VN. It doesn't seem like my kind of VN and I would neither enjoy it nor be able to say anything good about it afterward. So I better not.
Funny that I just finally got around to finishing the last update to EfV. Shi got my crying but in a happy good way.
You have a very good point!
The main character has his own name, backstory, and distinct motivations. Whatever gave you the impression that he was ever meant to be the player incarnate? And why is it as a failing on the game's part that that's not the case?
I love it when people who missed the point of my comment get angry at me for supposedly missing the point. You're thinking about blank slate characters and that's not what I was talking about here at all.
Also, I think you are mistaking player incarnate and viewer incarnate, which are two completely different things from different types of media that serve different purposes.
In any interactive media, the protagonist is, by definition, player incarnate, literally - you are in control of the character.
And it's great that the protagonist of this VN has a backstory and his own character.
BUT
He is not accepting player's inputs. They are not his. He does not believe in the choices the player makes. He is half-assing the actions that are supposed to be made by his own choice. It undercuts the player agenda and the whole point of interactivity.
Because when you decide to do something - you don't maybe kinda try to do it, you just do it. But the protagonist of this VN doesn't freaking care about completing anything he supposedly decided to complete, unless he is actively being electrocuted. So your choices barely matter. And it sucks! And I'm annoyed that more people aren't annoyed at this.
I'm so tired of people praising mediocre VNs just because they have good furry art.
Your second-to-last paragraph sums up your problem with PN. You can't stand Garret's character because he's a reluctant protag. That's fair enough, but it doesn't make PN a mediocre VN.
The MC makes it clear from the beginning that he doesn't want to be there, but feels he has to for his mom. He really, really hates confrontations but also wants to do the right thing. He's constantly conflicted and isn't enthusiastic about any of the choices he makes up to this point.
As you noted, the one exception is when he can fall back into his professional identity during the electrical crisis. Then he's calmly assertive and decisive.
Garret is a really well-written reluctant protag, and I enjoy tagging along with him and trying to figure him out, at most nudging the reluctant wolf one way or another. I understand not being able to stand this sort of character, but that doesn't make the VN mediocre.
Oh my, you're right! I thought about this for a couple of minutes and realized I do hate reluctant protagonists. Not just in VNs, but generally, in media - they turn any plot into a slog because they just won't do what needs to be done.
And it's especially hard on me with interactive media, as the reluctant protagonist makes it less interactive by their hesitation to do anything.
Nicely spotted, I should have realized this myself!
Though I still think it holds the VN back quite a bit and I'm confident it would have been better with a protagonist who isn't hoping to coast through the plot. Maybe he'll grow as a character later on, I guess we'll see :p
I thought about this some more, since I think I normally wouldn't like reluctant protagonists either. I relate easily to Garret because I can see why he's so conflicted. He's torn between family duty to give his sick and not-entirely rational mother some peace, his own opinion that the expedition is pointless, and his justified hatred for his brother. He feels stuck in a job he doesn't want.
He's also a walking, furry, deadly weapon, and everyone knows it. Despite his timid nature, even much larger animals regard him as a physical equal and see him as the obvious go-to for the very confrontations he hates so much.
I think the author did an especially good job of using hints and cryptic flashbacks to show why Garret is the way he is. He's seething with repressed rage. He's visibly and lastingly maimed by the same person he's risking his life to follow, for the sake of what sounds like a dysfunctional family relationship. He's more scared of himself than anything.
This is a setup for a really intense character arc, so I think you still might want to keep an eye on the updates.
I've read through all your comments, and boy that's a lot of expectations you have, friend. Since you seem to be an expert on storytelling, perhaps you could proffer the struggling author some advice on writing believable flawed MCs?
Hey! Sorry for how long it's taken for me to reply!
I'm sorry you didn't enjoy the story, In some cases I think it's a matter of personal taste but in the case of choices, I have been working on making meaningful choices a core facet of the story, but I haven't yet had a chance to fill them out.
You are welcome to try future builds where I hope to flesh out these choices, but it might be some time before that happens, as I am focusing on writing a single storyline first!
Regardless, thanks for your feedback!
I started playing it last night. I must say that I love what I see and I hope to see more ^^
Gonna be honest I hope Garret and Tabby become besties by the end of this!
Quite enjoyed what I've read, I think it has a lot of potential. Hopefully will be able to read more soon, keep it up, you've got fans ^^
Honestly, crazy good so far
This promises to be a really, really good game. You managed to make me interested in this story and its secrets. I am waiting for more.
I love this game, absolutely 10/10, cant wait for the new updates
I love Tabby, I hate Stefan so much
I can't stand him, sorry
I'm not surprised. With his conspiracy theories and that constant insistence of the crew of the Arran being alive, I can't help but feel mildly annoyed at him. Tabby clings less to the hope, which I can definitely understand better.
Will there be updates soon? >.>
Hey! I promise I'm working as hard as I can! Getting BGs and scenes are expensive and time consuming and I can't use royalty-free stuff for what's upcoming because there simply isn't stuff I that fits. I will post an announcement when a release is close!
All good. Glad you're doing alright, first of all. Second, glad the game will continue. It's pretty great!
Spoilers below! Nothing too crazy.
im really enjoying this !!! keeping track of all my theories so that i can think back to them in future updates haha- joseph is my favourite. really intrigued by the details about that guy. also am a sharif stan as opposed to stefan ngl. i feel like sharif actually has good intentions for protecting everyone despite him hiding details but stefan is just, very self-orientated in his motives and actions, a dishonest little critter dare i say
i can just tell there are going to be so many twists and turns to come !!! very exciting and thrilling. seems like a story with so much to unpack even just from the writing and persistent use of certain symbolisms like garrets fangs and lighter to detail his on edge self control and that lighter as a symbol almost as a piece of his mind,,, and now hes just lost it- so.... just little things that allow us to see how fkn downhill and disordly things are going to get...
also lmao i thought it would be funny to say i found this game thru instagram acc @nyaurms garett edit lol.
Just downloaded it! By the way, was this inspired by John Carpenter's The Thing?
I may not be a big fan of horrors but this has been for me a good vn. My favorite character is stefan can't wait for the next update(Also I saw in other old comments there were talks about forming a discord server will that be a thing or not just checking). I really like the mysterious IRV Arran.
pineapple on pizza is not weird
Of course not. It's a sin
Just played through it! Really good, great writing and characters! Stefan is adorable!
I want to recommend this VN to a friend, but I have to know first, is there currently, or is there any plans for explicit of NSFW material included? I don't mind either way, but I don't want to make a recommendation without knowing what's in store. Would appreciate any info creator or fanbase.
sorry for the delay! There will be no full nudity or sexual content, but there will be graphic violence in future updates, just to give you fair warning!
Thanks for the clarification, I look forward to seeing where this VN goes!
Just played the latest update and I'M SO ON EDGE!!! There is a lot going on and I'm craving for the next update (but take your time, of course). As a nautical-themed story this is the kind of story that I never asked for but I'm glad it did!
PS. Now, the only thing I have in mind is... How the hell do you lose a 20,000-ton icebreaker!?⛴
i casually discovered this vn tonigh and my god its so good!!!! not only the cast is p interesting but the MC is just... ugh can i just give him a hug already!? :(((( cant wait to see more!
I loved it!
The narrative really absorbs and grabs you, making you feel like you're really taking that dangerous journey together with them, I love the art too, every character feels real and their relationship dynamics are well done, between being educated about meeting for the first time Once but clashing over their different experiences and ideals, and Garrett feels real, you can immediately empathize with his traumatic experience and obligation to make this journey despite his feud with his brother out of love for his mother.
The only thing I didn't like is that you don't use more CGs or at least that Garrett has a sprite, it's a shame because I really like Garrett and his design, so it seems a waste that we can only see him in a CG and that's it .
This has a lot of potential, and I'm already making theory in my head, so congratulations because you have won me as a fan<3.
P.S: Will the game have romance?
nope. I think you can see karra's replies if you scroll down, but the game won't be featuring any romance at all. you could also look at their twitter since i think they may have mentioned a bit on how they planned for the game to be like overall? but i'm not too sure/can't rly rmb. js search @/polarnightvn on twitter ^w^
Something I especially love about *Polar Night* is that your characters have real species characteristics, and you integrate them naturally throughout the story. Garret's teeth are real weapons and recognized as such. He struggles to control his instinctual body language, and is acutely aware of the other characters' scents. The reader gets a real sense of how icky he feels after sweating in his fur under heavy winter clothes, or the stiffness in his tail. Not to mention your vivid, visceral portrayal of his eye condition.
Garret's deep discomfort with aggression and fear of escalation are among his most interesting character traits, and they wouldn't be nearly as effective if he were just a 'furry human,' rather than a bipedal wolf who despite his low-key demeanor, has a body and instincts specifically designed to kill.
So stoked to see an update! The writing is just as phenomenal as the first day, super tense and suspenseful (I’m gonna have a legitimate fear of being stranded in Arctic open water by the time the story finishes) but with nice moments of levity here and there. The cast is starting to feel more and more fleshed out, I’m really enjoying Tabby, Dana and Stefan in particular.
The update is worth the wait. Polar Nights continues to provide well written interactions and adds the suspense and mystery that draws you in and make you beg to see more.
Garret is one of the best MCs. He's not being useless, act his age, his own character and backstory and very natural with the various characters and the situations. I'm excited to see more!
It's amazing how refreshing and unusual it is to play as an MC with an actual personality and realistic competence in some plot-relevant area.
A great update. I'm not sure I wanna get into specifics as to avoid spoilers, but it was really interesting seeing how Garret acted under those different circumstances, not to mention the flashback, and the bits and pieces of characterization that keep adding to the mystery, with Sharif, June, Joseph, and even the captain by extension, coming off as important pieces of a puzzle... If I were to use a word for it, it would be "intriguing", and definitely "suspenseful". I'm aware the answers may not come anytime soon, but I'm sure they'll be satisfying in one way or another, so I'm eager to read more.
Other than that, I'm impressed by how the whole cast gets enough attention and time to come off as real people, or at the very least characters with plenty of depth. While I personally wasn't looking forward to the scene with Rufus and Aaron, I came out pleasantly surprised to see a side of them that was more nuanced than what had been shown thus far, specially with the himbo, of course. Other than that, I'm also surprised by how well the characers complement each other, whether through conflict or friendship, it feels like you could separate any small group of characters and make them have an interesting interaction, despite the group being relatively big and pretty varied, when compared to most other VN main casts at least.
So, yeah, all in all I enjoyed many things about the update that I feel elevated the feel of the story to the point where I'm sure I won't be putting it down until its conclusion, and I hope more people get to experience it as well!
Awesome job! looking forward to reading more!
Ah good spot! Thanks!
Hi when i try to launch on mac via itchio app i get the following:
I'm sorry, but an uncaught exception occurred.
While running game code:
Exception: Line with id day_1_start_fafcaa21 appeared twice, at script/day1/day1.rpyc:2 and game/script/day1/day1_1_start.rpy:2.
-- Full Traceback ------------------------------------------------------------
Full traceback:
File "/Users/luke/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/polar-night 2/PolarNight.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/bootstrap.py", line 274, in bootstrap
renpy.main.main()
File "/Users/luke/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/polar-night 2/PolarNight.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/main.py", line 490, in main
renpy.game.script.load_script() # sets renpy.game.script.
File "/Users/luke/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/polar-night 2/PolarNight.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/script.py", line 297, in load_script
self.load_appropriate_file(".rpyc", ".rpy", dir, fn, initcode)
File "/Users/luke/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/polar-night 2/PolarNight.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/script.py", line 809, in load_appropriate_file
self.finish_load(stmts, initcode, filename=lastfn) # type: ignore
File "/Users/luke/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/polar-night 2/PolarNight.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/script.py", line 427, in finish_load
self.translator.take_translates(all_stmts)
File "/Users/luke/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/polar-night 2/PolarNight.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/translation/__init__.py", line 166, in take_translates
raise Exception("Line with id %s appeared twice, at %s:%d and %s:%d." %
Exception: Line with id day_1_start_fafcaa21 appeared twice, at script/day1/day1.rpyc:2 and game/script/day1/day1_1_start.rpy:2.
macOS-10.16-x86_64-i386-64bit x86_64
Ren'Py 8.0.1.22070801
Polar Night 0.2.1
Sun Mar 5 11:49:13 2023
Strange, I will take a look...
Okay, could you give it another try? Youy might need to reinstall
Man, reading characters interactions is like walking in mine field, they're ready to snap all the time.
The mystery and character's backstory is super intriguing and I'm dying to lern more.
I am lowkey interested in this game. At the moment, Garret's my favorite character, along with Rufus. Sharif is a bit... for lack of a better word, pretentious. I have a couple of theories on what happened, but I won't be saying anymore because I want to be wrong.
......
I talk too much. Anyway, this is a good game, and I highly recommend this to anyone and everyone.
Will there be an update soon? >.>
I’m taking a break until January, by the. I hope I will have the assets I need finished, apologies for the long wait!
Never been so interested and scared at once, definitely a favorite
Will this have romance in it? And is it still in development? I will try it now.
There won't be dating sim elements, and it is indeed still in development!
Great demo so far, wish it didn't end so soon! I love the artwork and the arctic/nautical setting is pretty unique for a horror VN!
looking forward to reading more!
I'm not sure how I found this game, but I'm sure glad I did.
The writing is sharp and focused, and Garret is both likable and mysterious.
I especially appreciate that Garret doesn't have VN MC disease (rambling endlessly about every possible thought, feeling or observation without conveying any sense of a personality.)
I was worried when so many new characters appeared so fast, but they all are so well developed it was easy to get to know them and tell them apart. Stefan is great.
The art and layered sprites are a lot better looking and more dynamic than what I'm used to. I'm sure looking forward to future updates.