Bright Oak (demo)
A downloadable game for Windows, macOS, and Linux
Right Place. Wrong Time.
Seeking aid after a wreck, you stumble upon the quaint, tightly knit community of Bright Oak-- some 45 years outside of your intended travel plans, and struggling with their own troubles in the wake of a mysterious catastrophe. Finding a path back to your own timeline won’t be easy. Abandoning the townspeople to their fate might be even harder.
FEATURES:
- Nameable protagonist with choice of pronouns (she/he/they) and a mind of their own;
- Multiple branching routes in response to significant player choices;
- An ensemble of five primary characters, providing a variety of perspectives and alternate story paths;
- Gorgeous sprite art by Remnantation;
- A phenomenal original score by John Åhlin;
- Visual sensitivity and dyslexia-friendly gameplay options;
- Failure in the game is nearly impossible-- but success is far from assured!
Bright Oak is a heavily character-driven visual novel with elements of science fiction. Discover the tragic secrets behind Bright Oak’s preternatural dilemma; find friendship, or possibly love (characters are not gender-locked to pronoun choice, romance and friendship paths given equal weight); save the town and make your way home-- and if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!
Anticipated Full Release in Early 2024
Demo out now!
CHARACTERS
Download
Click download now to get access to the following files:
Development log
- Demo Updated!Nov 13, 2023
- Thank you!Jul 10, 2023
- About the Forsters...Jun 29, 2023
- First Act Demo is Available Now!Jun 24, 2023
- Dr. Jasper LeeJan 24, 2023
- Patti GutiérrezDec 04, 2022
- SparrowNov 11, 2022
- Spooky Season Short Stories - Jasper LeeOct 30, 2022
Comments
Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.
Absolutely brilliant. The art is so awesome - not just one fixed sprite, but multiple sprites per character and blinking animation too - wow, just wow. Brilliant writing, story and choices. Rocking sound track. Well done team!
Ahh, thank you so much! ✨ I count myself incredibly lucky to be able to work with the artists I do--lovely people and remarkable talents, every one!
This game is amazing. At first I was hesitant as the art style isn't typically my taste (not bad at all, it's lovely and detailed artwork, just not usually my cup of tea) but the story and characters are so compelling that nothing else matters to me. I especially love Jasper and Marybeth, but all the cast are amazing and have their own endearing quirks. I did not expect the story to go way it did at all, it's so intriguing, and I can hardly wait to see more! I will be eagerly anticipating the full release <3
Thank you so much for the kind words, and for giving the game a chance! 💕 I'm so glad that you enjoyed the story and characters thus far, and I look forward to sharing more in the not-far-distant future!
Every detail in this game is so full of beauty and charm that pairs perfectly together to create an undeniably immersive, unforgettable, and enticing experience. It's so apparently how much thought and love has gone into Bright Oak -- it absolutely radiates with endless passion!
I love the little poppies in the UI, the soft clouds drifting steadily by in the animated BGs, how well the characters play off each other, the evocative and lyrical writing, the subtle SFX and larger-than-life, heart-pounding, and tension inducing wild-west inspired soundtrack that adds so much to the scenes...! Ahhh, the list goes on and on and on! This game was SUCH a fun experience.
Truly, Bright Oak absolutely feels alive, thanks to the charming cast of characters and the vibrancy in the choices! For once, I can finally brag about my excellent typing speed--and it's relevant! Ahaha!
I anticipated John or Sparrow to steal my heart, but Jasper's exasperated nose pinch sprite might just be my favorite thing. Ever. Of all time. I love this cranky, no-nonsense man, and I am SO excited to see more of his story. <3
!! Thank you so much for the incredibly sweet comment! Your own games have brought me so much joy in playing them, it's a wonderful feeling to know that your stay in Bright Oak was enjoyable in turn. ❤️ I am very much looking forward to sharing more (and also looking forward to the many, many, many times Jasper's annoyed I Cannot nose-pinch sprite will be deployed-- it'll certainly be as many as you could possibly hope for!)
Oh goodness, the backgrounds are so beautiful. I'm from California, and the moment the game started I knew it was set in California. You did such a good job of capturing the rural beauty.
Which characters are going to be romancable? It's not really clear from the demo.
Ahh, thank you! I never get tired of our blanket-fort hills and monumental oaks; it's a landscape that always feels full of stories to me, so I'm excited to be able to share one!
For your question: all five of the main characters (John, Marybeth, Patti, Sparrow, and Jasper) have their own story paths and are romanceable. ❤️ Friendship runs are also supported for each of them as well.
Jasper is the only character whose story is locked on initial playthrough; while I consider all of the character paths equally valid, understanding Jasper's version of events requires information revealed in the course of the other routes, so it becomes available upon completion of any one of the other four character paths.
Sweet, looking forward to it :)
This first act was amazingly compelling. I'll be here for the rest of it. With bells on. Thank you for a lovely experience. (Also, can I keep Sparrow? No, wait, I'm not asking.I'm keeping Sparrow.)
Thank you so much for taking the time to play it, and for the kind words! 💕 I'm very much looking forward to sharing the rest of the story soon!
Oh my goodness I absolutely adore Sparrow (´∀｀)♡ I also love the backgrounds, they're so vibrant and pretty!
❤️ Thank you-- and I'm so very glad you like him!
5 minutes in and already got a Dead End lolololol dont trust strangers my ass, c'mon man, I hate when games do this :'))
I'm sorry it frustrated you! 🫣 If it helps, there are very, very few. I hope you're able to enjoy the rest of the demo!
oh thats a relief! Thank you for letting me know
I'm not usually a fan of them myself, unless they still tell you more about the story as a whole! There are exactly two potential dead ends, both right at the start, so it shouldn't require much replay even if you didn't save.
Bright Oak is not intended to require a guide, even once it's fully finished: my hope is that I've successfully telegraphed when options will result in a "bad ending" (such as they exist; there are precious few)-- and the vast majority of those bad endings are one-shot choices that can be reloaded without replaying the whole thing from scratch. ✨
oh my gosh, that's amazing, I love every second of it :D all the characters are awesome and funny :) at the same time I feel with the characters, I feel bad and sad and laugh when they give out witty comments xD (especially with MaryBeth xD) I'm looking forward to more :D the music is wonderful, I love it so much :D
🥰 I'm so happy to you enjoy it! I'm looking forward to sharing more!
I believe that tag "relationship" imposes a special responsibility on developers. The time when experienced players were satisfied with the old-school system "I am nothing special, but I will say a couple of right words and anyone will fall in love with me" has passed.
The characters of this game seemed quite interesting to me, the plot is relatively fresh. But I want to believe that the main character will be a little more peculiar (including the efforts of the player). I understand that such things are not worth comparing, but over the past month several new relationship games have been published (for example, "mask of the rose"), which have satisfied even the most demanding of us.
Bright oak definitely has potential in this direction and I wish you good luck and inspiration in your future work.
It's my devout hope that Bright Oak will fulfill that for you, as well! 🌿
My reason in choosing the "relationship" tag is to better represent the scope of interactions the story represents-- not only between the player character and a chosen someone, but also among the rest of the cast; and not only restricted to romantic love, but further encompassing friendship and found family. After all: there is a lot of range and nuance that fall under the larger umbrella of "relationships". ✨
The demo is just the first act of three, and focuses primarily on introducing the characters and setting; with that now set, the rest of the game involves deepening the interactions between characters, as well as addressing the overarching narrative storyline. The MC/Kit is naturally a major hub in that, and while I did my best to leave enough breathing room to accommodate a variety of different players, I do consider Kit as coming with a pre-established personality, which becomes increasingly evident as the tension mounts.
Looking at the game you cite, it does look absolutely fantastic! --and it also looks like it has a very, very different shape and aim from Bright Oak (to say nothing of having been made by a group over four times the size of my tiny studio 🫣). Bright Oak does feature relationships as a major story element, but I would not say that Bright Oak is either a dating sim, nor would I describe it as a romance first and foremost. It is not focused on stat-building, nor customizing appearances, nor is the overall narrative predicated entirely on player choice: there is a specific vision and story I wanted to tell with Bright Oak, and while it is my dear hope that people will enjoy shaping and exploring the way that story unfolds, I totally understand if that isn't what you're looking for. 💕
Thank you so much for taking the time to play the demo, and for leaving a response so clearly close to your heart; I hope that the finished story will meet your standards, and if it doesn't, that you're able to find many others that do! 🌿
Thank you for the detailed answer! Having almost three decades of gaming experience, I rarely write comments at all and do it only in those rare cases when new projects are worth it. I guess this is just the case.
Games from small development teams often have the sincerity and spontaneity that the big gaming industry has long lost in trying to reach an ever-larger audience (and correspondingly more profit). Returning to the topic of relationships, another problem is the unsatisfactory state of many games for an adult audience with sufficient life experience. Watching the relationship of brother and sister Forster in your game is already an obvious pleasure. Therefore, I hope to see many more equally natural interactions of characters parallel to the main plot.
So you can take my comments as a compliment, mostly with a hint of some constructive criticism (which may not be useful because your plans are not yet obvious).
❤️ Thank you! I look forward to sharing more, and I hope that you enjoy the way the character dynamics play out going forward!
Bright Oak is absolutely lovely!!
The writing is phenomenal, and the characters are incredibly lovable. I laughed out loud multiple times playing through the demo. And I'm not a history buff, but I really enjoyed the historical aspects that came up during conversations.
The story draws you in right away, and the predicament of Bright Oak's residents had me on the edge of my seat. That said, story progression was very natural and never rushed.
Other little things I loved: the sound design is absolutely gorgeous. No opportunity was left untouched. And the moving elements like the clouds are beautiful and immersive.
and without spoiling anything, the little touch at the end where a particular choice leads you to specific turn of events was so incredibly clever.
all in all -- fantastic work!! I can't wait for more♡♡♡
Ahhh, thank you so much!! 🥰
question : is there a start to romance routes in the demo or have I missed something
Nope, no romance routes are established yet-- first act focus is mostly on getting to know the town, characters, and situation. 🌿
alrighty, looking forward to more 100% :D
I'm sad it's over! I really enjoyed that, very much looking forward to the full game.
I'm so very glad you enjoyed it! 🌿
This is great demo! I like the main character, they seem like their own person which I really enjoy. The music is wonderful, and the backgrounds are stunning! Also, can I point out how beautiful yet clean and easy to use the UI is? It's sooo good! I really like all the characters, and the story has me hooked! It's lovely and I'm looking forward to more! <3
Thank you so much for the kind words! ❤️ I'm looking forward to sharing more!
eeee I'm excited!! This looks so good, with sooo much potential!! I luv luv luv sci fi stories, and I love romantic visual novels, so both of my itches are being scratched at once. I love the art--especially the backgrounds. they're so picturesque to look at. I love the characters so far. each of them is interesting in their own right (although i must admit I am especially interested in dr lee lol). I am eagerly awaiting the final product >u<
...although I do have to wonder
SPOILERS
how many times the MC has been through this scenario. mayhaps it's not the first time, judging by dr jasper's exasperated reactions 👀
Thank you-- I'm so very happy you liked it! 💕 And as for that last bit of speculation... what an intriguing idea... that may or may not be addressed in the full game. 👀
jasper my beloved <3
omg i just finished playing... that ending was so intense—the music, the gorgeous visual effects, jasper's rambles and suddenly everything making sense. what a truly amazing game, i'm so so excited for more i can't wait!!
I'm so glad you enjoyed it-- and that you like Jasper, despite the occasional rambling and suspect choices! 🌿Thank you!
I just played the demo and truly enjoyed it! You have set up such an intriguing storyline and such a great cast of characters that I really enjoyed following so far. I loved the Doctor most of all but everyone was well-written and I can't wait to see more of them!
Thank you so much!! ✨ I'm really looking forward to sharing more!
Played the demo, was lovely, the characters are intriguing and often funny, and the plot is so interesting! The music is great, the animations added so much, the backgrounds and sprites were great! Excited for more, and great job!
💚Thank you so much!!💚
Is there romance in this game? Can you romance the characters shown?
EDIT: Okay, I noticed it mentions romance in the extremely fine print. The sheriff is a bit of a hottie, so yay!
Yep-- sorry for the confusion! (and John is very flattered, thank you!)
Looks gorgeous...I'm thrilled for it's release
Thank you so much! 🌿
🩵
ooo Sparrow, I see you
Sparrow: (blush intensifies)
I'm intrigued!
The demo is out now-- I hope you enjoy it! 🌿
AHH!! EXCITEMENT!!
SO EXCITED