We Love It's Guide to…
As a small-town police officer, Noele investigates a toy-factory mystery while choices complicate her past and relationships.
Released 02 Apr 2026
Investigate the Toy Factory
Unravel the Doll Mystery
Choose Three Romance Routes
A story about the self—and about others. A toy factory, several cursed dolls, and a horror novel… This quiet seaside town throws Noele's love life into chaos and dredges up the old wounds she has tried for years to forget.
Developed by 伤官制作组 Team Uranian · Published by Tailtone Games
Noele is a small-town police officer whose chronic neck pain and complicated personal life collide with a toy-factory strike, cursed dolls, and a mystery surrounding a possible serial killer. A reunion with her ex-girlfriend adds another strain as Noele confronts people and memories from her past.
This first-person narrative game centers on reading conversations, making choices, and exploring the town map to trigger story events. The investigation and Noele’s relationships unfold together, with the mystery serving as part of a broader story about her connections with the people around her.
Choices affect Noele’s attitude and steer the story into four branching routes, including relationships with three characters, and seven endings. After a first playthrough, additional story content appears at the beginning of the game.
Players who connect with the game often praise its distinctive visuals and soundtrack, its unusual characters, and its introspective treatment of relationships and social expectations. Some find the branching routes and recurring details rewarding, while others describe the story as difficult to follow, overstuffed, or underdeveloped. Reactions to its abstract writing and bleak tone vary considerably.
This is a first-person psychological narrative game. Your choices shape the story, reveal the heroine's past, and open a path toward the people around her.
Noele is a police officer whose biggest monthly expense is treating her chronic neck pain at a massage parlor.
Late in the fall, a strike erupts at a toy factory. Cursed dolls begin appearing in an abandoned tower…
And a reunion with her ex-girlfriend completely upends her life.
A lecturer from a no-name college.
A blind massage therapist.
A glamorous entrepreneur.
Which one of them is The Flayer?
Noele *First-Person POV*
The heroine. A small-town police officer—practical, analytical, and not great at reading people.
Her day-to-day work ranges from mediating neighbor disputes to dealing with murders, arson, and even AI dogs getting stuck in trees.
Nil
Lecturer in experimental art, Noele's current boyfriend. Gentle and easygoing.
His biggest worries are publishing, getting promoted... and navigating his relationship with Noele.
Will
Massage therapist at AAA Massage Parlor. Visually impaired.
Thinks in odd, unpredictable ways.
Seems to have nothing more than a straightforward client-therapist relationship with Noele.
Grace
Works in new media. Noele's ex—and a mother.
Confident, smart, ambitious.
Claims she calculated Noele's misfortune this year using her birth chart, and she seems interested in getting back together.
Flint *Unavailable Route
Freelance writer. Noele's college friend—though that changed later.
Dog *Loyal Companion
Noele's partner at the station. A personalized AI canine who has a knack for picking up on the strangest things people say.
Over 100,000+ words of story and 2–5 hours of gameplay.
Three romanceable characters, four branching routes, and seven endings.
A unique, colorful paper-craft visual style blending nostalgic retro textures with modern tech aesthetics.
100+ expressive CG illustrations and 30+ original character portraits.
A modern soundtrack created by two artists, each bringing a distinct musical style to deepen the emotional experience.
Interact with the map to trigger special story events.
Make choices that influence Noele’s attitude, shape the narrative, and lead to different endings.
After completing your first playthrough, additional story content will appear at the beginning of the game.
Neck Stiffness is not a lighthearted AVG. It includes the following content, which may be uncomfortable for some players. Please review before playing:
The story is set in an oppressive survival environment. These depictions are intended to trigger psychological conflicts within the characters through extreme scenarios; they serve a specific narrative purpose and do not represent normative social values.
This work has no intention of exploring grand narratives, nor does it purport to represent any specific group or collective.
Flawed Characters: Every major character carries emotional burdens and personal biases. Their choices may be irrational or deviate from typical expectations.
LGBTQ+ Themes: The story includes diverse expressions of gender identity, sexuality, and relationships.
Character Views ≠ Developer Views: All dialogue, behavior, and worldviews depicted in the game represent the characters—not the development team.
Mental Health Depictions: Includes portrayals of anxiety, depression, trauma, and emotional distress, which may trigger PTSD.
No Traditional “Happy Ending”: Relationships tend to be complex, ambiguous, and difficult to define.
Religious Elements: Contains references to religious beliefs and practices.
Fictional Setting: This work is purely fictional and bears no connection to any real person, group, or organization.
If any of the above may cause discomfort, please consider carefully before continuing the game.
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux |
|---|---|
| Achievements | 10 |
| Age ratings |
|
| Controller support | Xbox |
| Controller required | No |
| Demo | View demo on Steam |
| DLC / extras | 2 listed on Steam |
