Don’t Give Up: A Cynical Tale has players following an anti-social developer trying to improve their personal life, all while constant madcap mayhem (and their emotional troubles) continue to trip them up.
Tris suffered from a mental breakdown four years previously, and had moved to a new city to get a fresh start. However, now frustrated by his progress as a developer, his old feelings have begun to take hold again. These ‘inner demons’ aren’t satisfied staying ‘inner’ this time, though, and unless you can help him overcome his dangerous emotions and help him with his awkward social life, the entire town will be put under a plague of apathy and despair.
You can help Tris out in a number of ways throughout Don’t Give Up. You’ll help guide Tris through difficult social interactions, assisting in his talks with the odd people he meets, as well as flirting and dealing with rough mental patches. Should more physical woes come of his interactions with the public, you’ll need to attack thugs, jerks, and other baddies in live-action combat, moving to avoid enemy attacks on your turns and then thumping your foes back when you break down your foe’s defenses.
Aiming to be funny, but still touch on some serious topics surrounding burnout, anti-social tendencies, and self-doubt, Don’t Give Up, offers a darkly-funny look into some of the emotional costs of game development.
A demo for Don’t Give Up: A Cynical Tale is currently available from Itch.io and GameJolt. Developer Taco Pizza Cats is also raising money for its development on Kickstarter.
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