WILLOW RIDGE

From the Devs

Ten years ago, Detective Richard Moore failed to solve a series of disappearances in his dying hometown, his wife, Sarah, being one of its victims. He turned in his badge and swore to never think of the incident again. Now, a single indescribable lead has brought him back. A photo of Sarah, dated the day of her disappearance.

He's never seen it before.

THE STORY

Willow Ridge follows Richard Moore, a disgraced detective returning to the town he swore he'd never step foot in again, armed with nothing but his rusty detective's instinct, and the aging computer he left behind.

When Richard reopens a case the whole town has spent a decade trying to leave in the past, many old wounds begin to tear open. As he digs deeper into the case that shattered Willow Ridge and its townsfolk, he's forced to confront not just the grief of the town as a whole, but his own unresolved feelings as well.

However, the more Richard explores the past, the harder it becomes to shake the feeling that someone, or something in Willow Ridge has been waiting for him to come back.

GAMEPLAY

Investigation. Explore the decaying husk of the once vibrant town of Willow Ridge: A failing diner, quiet church, the homes of the missing... Search for physical evidence, question the town's strange residents, and piece together the ten year mystery looming over the town once and for all. Willow Ridge seems to reward those who wander off the beaten path, who ask the questions not so comfortable to ask. The more scoured, the better.

Analysis. Return to Moore's office and boot up his decade-old PC, where you can reference case files, decrypt corrupted evidence, browse the early internet, take notes on your findings, and research new leads. As the picture comes together, new locations and faces open up to you.

ATMOSPHERE

Willow Ridge is a town in the process of disappearing, economically, physically, and emotionally. Every location tells you something about the people who left, the people who stayed, and the things nobody wants to talk about.

KEY FEATURES

• A mystery told through environmental storytelling and dialogue

• An in-game Operating System - decrypt files, browse archived websites, read testimonies and profiles

• A cast of strange characters

• An atmospheric soundtrack inspired by the works of Akira Yamaoka

• Slow-burn horror built on dread and implication

• Multiple real, dedicated investigations into the people Willow Ridge lost

• A dungeon crawler "game within a game" that gives insight into the town's tragic history