Red Spring Studio’s highly anticipated Gothic-Horror Romance Visual Novel, TOUCHSTARVED, is set to launch its Kickstarter campaign on March 21, 2023. Fans and enthusiasts of the genre can finally support this much-awaited project, which promises a captivating and immersive gaming experience. Stay tuned for the campaign launch and be sure to back this exciting new release from Red Spring Studio.
In TOUCHSTARVED, you explore the dangerous, enigmatic city of Eridia in search of a cure for your cursed touch. But to survive in this cruel world where treachery lies around every corner, you must entrust your fate to one of 5 love interests, each uniquely monstrous in their own way.
Choose your main character’s pronouns and origin story, and guide them through a thrilling journey with branching storylines, character based routes, and multiple endings. Your choices determine whether the story ends with gothic romance or blood-curdling horror. Will you lose your humanity in search for a cure, or will you find a way to save yourself and those you love?
SYNOPSYS
You were born cursed, with hands that twist the mind of any human you touch.
Desperation leads you to the shadowy city of Eridia, where your fate intertwines with 5 monstrous strangers. Each can
offer you salvation…or damnation.
How far will you go to cure yourself?
CHARACTERS
Keep in mind, TOUCHSTARVED is intended for an older audience. It contains mature content that includes but is not limited to: Horror, Graphic Violence, Strong Language, Alcohol and Drug References, Injury and Dismemberment. Player discretion is advised.
CHARACTER FIRST IMPRESSIONS (WITHOUT SPOILERS)
I’m not usually one to do demo reviews (laughs), but this game has caught my attention that I simply can’t resist giving it a try. So, bear with me if I’m not doing ‘first impressions’ the “right” way. (cackles) The following commentaries below were written in draft form while I was playing through the game’s demo. Think of them as my unfiltered first-hand reactions while meeting the love interests of TOUCHSTARVED for the very first time.
KURAS – ‘‘Oh mee oh my…” -was literally the first thing I’ve bellowed when I first met Kuras. His first CG in the common route was truly eye-catching! (*wink wink) He exudes a very mysterious vibe (well, tbh, all of the LIs do, except for maybe Leander lol). But, what sets Kura’s mysterious vibe apart from the others is his mystical essence, which automatically creates the impression that he possesses a level of wisdom and intuition beyond what can be explained by reason or logic? Is he trying to atone for something by helping the sick and troubled for free? Or am I reading too much into this? 😂(cackles) Lastly, I’d like to add that when I first met him, I had a similar first impression as I did with Vyn in Tears of Themis. Their initial energy is somewhat alike.
LEANDER – Leander is THAT guy. You know! the genki dude with them genki pecs mmhmm!😏 Leander’s dynamic presence made me think that he has a buoyant kind of attitude? He is well-respected by his retinue and colleagues, who call themselves the ‘Bloodhounds’. Leander also gives off a bit of a ‘what-you-see-is-what-you-get’ himbo energy….And I like that! Whether my first impression of him is accurate or not, I have no way of knowing for sure. But regardless, yeah! he’s great! Those scars doe! 👀
VERE – Hooo boy! Here he is! My kryptonite! (cackles) Idk what it is about kitsune characters (or similar) that make them so irresistible in my eyes! An instant-fav! I went into the game with a lust for Vere’s design, and came out very delighted knowing he has this menacing persona. We all know about kitsune characters and how powerful they can be. The fact that Vere radiates a malevolent aura, hidden behind his cheekiness, makes me even more curious and captivated by this LI. Like, Sir…pls.. !🥵 Let me untame your beastly urges! (cackles) Vere is the ONE ya’ll! 🤪 I’m calling it now! (kekeke) Also, Vere’s ears move and its so adorable! I can’t!
AIS– First of, I love love love his design. The oni horns, the masterful cleavage, and those captivating amber eyes… Let’s be real, a sprite design like that deserves all the heart eyes and fire emojis 🔥😍 LOLOL. It’s honestly thirst bait! (laughs) My first impression, though? I’m not exactly sure how I feel about him yet. Despite his sexiness, I can’t help but detect some hidden angst in his presence. He looks kind of dejected for some reason. Hmmm 🤔
MHIN – Mhin is the nonbinary love interest whom you’ll meet last during the game’s prologue/common route. I felt that Mhin emanated the textbook-grumpy-tsundere character right off the bat. You know the type – brooding, moody, and just a little bit prickly. But even though I’m a total sucker for tsundere characters, I have to admit …Mhin was the least interesting person our protagonist encountered on her first day in Eridia. Maybe they just didn’t have as much chemistry or banter with MC as the other four LIs. Regardless, I found myself wanting more of Mhin’s icy-hot personality during the common route, but their scene got cut short due to the plot having to move forward. In any case, I’m hopeful that this character will surprise me once I get to play their full route!
MC – (Self-insert protag) I just named my MC after me 😂(how original!), since I wanna go full yume with this game! So far, I’m loving that the dialogue for MC is a bit catty without sounding too rude. I’m not a big fan of overly sassy MCs, (this is usually a deal-breaker for me). Luckily, I can get behind Touchstarved MC’s inner monologues and their sarcastic remarks fit right in with the overall tone of the game.
INITIAL THOUGHTS SO FAR?
In Touchstarved, right from the jump, you are immediately plunged into the protagonist’s lens and her journey to Eridia. I was immediately immersed with the amount of suspense the prologue throws at you! And as a fan of all things horror and macabre, this game was totally right up my alley!
The structure of the common route in Touchstarved is fairly straightforward. You navigate your way around Eridia, aiming to reach your main destination: ‘Senobium’. Along the way, you meet and get to know the LIs, engage in conversations with them and discover their unique personalities and early quirks, that may (or may not) leave a lasting impression. It’s also worth noting that this demo includes some dead ends, creating a sense of unpredictability and encouraging you to try different paths. I really like it so far!
When it comes to the Love Interests, two characters have my attention: Vere and Ais.
Ais exudes an enigmatic and unpredictable aura that makes their presence all the more intriguing. And Vere’s wickedly charming personality was just an absolute hit for me! Additionally, their designs were also my top picks, and I give it a massive plus as both characters radiate a palpable sense of danger. Ho ho ho!
As of now, I find myself thoroughly enjoying the demo of Touchstarved, and I eagerly anticipate to support it once its Kickstarter campaign launches on March 21, 2023. It’s worth mentioning that the game will be available on the PC platform for both Windows and Mac. Though I am lowkey hoping that the devs will consider a stretch goal to port the game to the Nintendo Switch as well. (Crossing fingers!) If you are curious about Touchstarved, I highly recommend checking out the developer’s website and Twitter page for the latest news and updates on the game’s development. I am excited to share that the same demo I played will also be available during the start of the Kickstarter campaign, so be sure not to miss out on that!
Otome Kitten 
Really nice to see you’re reviewing again! Your reviews never fail to make laugh! Im not into indies that much but I have been watching this game since it was announced! I’m so happy that u like it! Will you be reviewing the full game when it releases too? I would love to hear your overall thoughts about it!
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Game must be very interesting for you to release demo review when you do not do this often or ever. I am hyped now to try this one! Thank you for making me aware of this game! I hope there is a switch version
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