Stillwater

A Brief Yet Unsettling New Liminal Interactive Work

Stillwater is an evocative visual novel developed by Studio Clump, a company based in the Philippines. As a player, you assume the role of a private investigator and delve into a narrative filled with diverse strands of secrets, lies, and a mysterious family curse. Although the game gives you agency, the story is told compellingly and as if you are solving a mystery in a detective novel.

Exploring Story:

Stillwater is mainly a narrative game and was created with the Ren'Py engine, which is renowned for crafting text-oriented games with a cinematic feel and smooth pacing. Unlike most games these days that focus on fast-paced, action-packed gameplay, this game draws in players through slower-paced storytelling and character-based interactions.

What is most remarkable is the ease of access to the browser version of the game. It can be played on your browser for free, making it convenient and effortless to access. This feature makes the game perfect for short breaks, school sessions, or simply for diving into a good mystery.

Overview of the game

The gameplay revolves around reading dialogue, figuring out branching plots, and making decisions that could alter the outcome. Every decision deepens the impression that there is control over the result, and the investigation is deeply personal.

Rather than overseeing inventory or combat systems, the focus is on the story, regarding its details and making decisions that affect the story and the relationships among its characters.

The experience will be available to beginners as well as to seasoned fans of visual novels because of its ease.

The Enigma's Background Story

A curious letter is handed to the protagonist's grandfather at the start of the game. The letter is written in dark red ink, bearing words of a curse that has festered for decades, alongside a broken promise.

The protagonist undertakes the role of Hugo Laurent, a private investigator, to uncover the mysteries concealed in the case. Along the way, Hugo is faced with strange occurrences, including a supernatural youthful transformation of an elderly gentleman, which, in turn, unlocks further mysteries related to the Mortimer family.

The readers are kept in suspense until the final pages of the book, where a surprising concoction of suspense, family, drama, and folklore is unraveled.

Main Characters

Hugo Laurent—The relentless private investigator working the case.
Noah De Leon—Hugo’s loyal assistant who excels in analysis and provides meaning and interpretation as regards the case.
Nina Mortimer—The granddaughter who has to decide whether to speak the truth or preserve lies for the family’s preservation.

Henry Mortimer, the publicly exposed reclusive patriarch who seems to have undergone some mysterious change and holds the potential answer to the curse.