Gemina Umbra
THE SPIRITS ARE WATCHING
Zoe Thicket is a spiritualist medium that communes with the dead. While searching for her missing twin sister Avery with the aid of a taciturn spirit guide, Zoe discovers The Ashen Tome. This collection of half told tales reveals one story after another, stories which Zoe uses as a source of divination.
By completing each tale, Zoe discovers a new piece of the spirit world and inches closer to finding her sister. Meanwhile, Zoe’s relationship with her spirit guide becomes strained. Destruction and misfortune follow Zoe wherever she goes... and as Zoe’s world crumbles, the nature of her spirit guide is revealed.
Gemina Umbra is a point and click interactive haunting about internal conflict and becoming your own worst enemy. Through the eyes of Zoe’s spirit guide, you, the player, influence Zoe in her endeavors to contact beings from the afterlife and determine her fate through the choices you make.
ABOUT THE CREATOR
A.M.Sartor grew up in the Pacific Northwest United States and never left. Although she grumbles about the gray weather, she finds that the gloom has become an integral part of her storytelling. Her favorite topics include the supernatural, myths and lore, the darker side of fairy tales, armchair neuroscience, and nature. She enjoys working on interactive media because it allows her to explore the hidden meaning of her own symbology and the relationship between the user and the narrative.
Amanda has worked in video game development, children's/YA books and a myriad of other commercial illustration projects. Her work is a mix between traditional and digital media and has been featured at Light Grey Art Lab, Ghost Gallery, Gallery 1988, Gallery Nucleus, Every Day Original, Spectrum and SI-LA Illustration West.
Development log
- Update #1Aug 06, 2020
- Milestone infinity! No, it's 12, I think.May 14, 2020
- Milestone 11? What?Mar 18, 2020
- Milestone #9Feb 13, 2020
- Milestone 8Jan 24, 2020
- Milestone #6.5Jan 07, 2020
- Milestone #6Dec 06, 2019
- Milestone #5Nov 19, 2019
Comments
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scaryy but good
nice game. very artistic.
Again, absolutely beautiful art. The music and sound effects worked together to create a very ethereal atmosphere. The subtle animation was engaging and haunting. Loved the concept of playing as the spirit guide. I enjoyed being "disobedient." The mirror scene with the mother's portrait was quite spooky. I need to know what happens next!
I love point and click games! Excited to see where this leads.
I think I found a bug though- in act 1, after interacting with the jar of teeth on the desk, I can't seem to be able to click out of it. I rattled the jar, and Zoe reacted, but there's no option to leave. I can still click on the jar, but nothing else happens.
oh, thanks! This game is far from tested, but I am keeping a bug list. I will add that one.
Hey there, excellent game! played the first act and had a blast, but it's saying that alpha access is required to play the other two acts? what does that mean? I got the feather in the first act beat the act... why can't I play the other acts?
Thank you for playing! I'm glad you enjoyed it so far. The rest of the game is still rough. Developing this game is a learning experience, so I'm still figuring things out.
it's not a problem, I played it for my YouTube channel so that you could get more traction to it. The channel is called The Nautilus Game Show! check out my gameplay when you get a chance. Excellent start to a game, I want like 50 more levels :)
Thank you! A video playthrough is incredibly useful! It hasn't been through much QA :
The experience of playing through Gemina Umbra is therapeutic, calming, and meditative. All it takes is hitting play to understand the passion that went into this project; given life by the expert artistic and narrative direction of Amanda Sartor.
For anyone that has a soft spot for courage the cowardly dog, the grim adventures of billy and mandy, or grew up keeping yourself up at night with reruns of paranormal state, this is for you my fellow children of the night.
This game is morbid-lite and is almost cheerful as you follow a procession of melodic and delicate ambient sounds that follow you, haunt you, implore you to proceed from space to space. Even now I find myself wanting, tempted, enticed to submerge back into this world, even though I've played through the prologue and starting 1st Chapter several times!
Using and playing upon the history of physic readings as well as some of the playfully debunked tactics used by false physics, you are brought into the world of a female presenting character that is haunted and is listening to a presence to guide her. Is it her own intuition or is it her passed away twin? Or a bit of both? Progressing from room to room to you will explore the gorgeous macabre details in every nook and cranny of the environments, collect evidence, and experience two possible overall tones and environmental treatments that the game has built in. It is enjoyable and repeatable with a good cup of tea and a cookie.
Where will this story take us? We do not quite know yet but we travel foreword with ease, guided perhaps by an invisible spirit that manifests by you as you look over your shoulder.
Thank you for your beautiful review! I'm so happy that you enjoyed the experience!