Something by the River
There is something wrong here.
And it may not be what you think.
A short science-fiction horror point-and-click visual novel set in the Z-Verse.
Illusionist Xa-Kol has been charged with an urgent mission. A missing scientist named Doctor So-Ren has suddenly reappeared, after his expedition to the ice went mysteriously awry. Xa-Kol’s task is simple. Find the scientist, discover what happened, and bring him back into the fold. However, a simple mission becomes complicated, as inconsistencies surface and the truth becomes harder to grasp.
A short cosmic-horror story
Learn about the secrets under the ice and delve into the mysterious motivations of the missing doctor.
Point-and-click exploration
Read about the expedition at your terminal, then venture into the forest to discover traces and complete your mission.
A story from the Z-Verse
Play as Illusionist Xa-Kol in a standalone xenofiction tale that details the darker aspects of Zurxok society.
Behind the Scenes
Explore the artwork, characters and creative decisions behind Something by the River: Director’s Cut.
Revisiting Something by the River
Learn more about the development and thinking behind expanding a Game Jam into something richer and more detailed.
Designing Archimage Te-Vis
Explore some of the design thinking that went into the design of the mysterious Archimage Te-Vis.
Creating a visual novel in Godot
Part one of a beginner guide which describes how I use Ink and Godot to manage dialogue and choices in my visual novels.
Art Process
Go behind the scenes of Something by the River: Director’s Cut and watch the creation of one of its atmospheric forest backgrounds using matte painting, photo manipulation and digital compositing.
Something by the River is available to play now!
Or explore more stories, artwork and games from the Z-Verse at Zircona Works.