Torn Apart: The Con of a Blade

COAB is a visual novel. As such, the plot is largely on-rails. This project aims to take a story-first approach to gameplay, and to put a fresh spin on the typical visual novel structure.

Here's what we added.



Most VNs reward building relationships with other characters. COAB includes the option to build a relationship with yourself. This relationship represents a growing sense of self-confidence and independence.



While this game will feature a 'true end', there will be multiple paths through the plot to get there. Dialog choices that influence relationships will never have a 'dud' option.



Character relationships will level up. This will occur at the ends of chapters 1-3, and again in a slightly different capacity at the end of the game.

Every time a relationship increases in level, the player will be shown a scene that helps to establish that character's backstory. These scenes will happen in order, so that there will be no chance of getting the first and last scenes for a character but missing the stuff in the middle.



Every path through the story will reach a proper ending. These paths may take different routes to get there, and the endings they reach may be different, but the player will never be spontaneously killed mid-story by a 'bad' dialog choice.