The Crane Rider's Tale is a visual novel/adventure game hybrid set in a fantasy town inspired by Chinese folktales. It features:
A bizarre serial killer murder mystery with 5 endings filled with wild plot twists, humor, and even a little romance.
An art style based on medieval Chinese paintings and woodblock prints
A stat-based dialogue system and skill check dice-rolls inspired by Disco Elysium
Story
Play as Mourn-No-More, a kind but sickly man whose giant pet crane Snowfall is the fastest form of transportation around. You make a living flying your fellow townsfolk from place to place.
When your friend Peach Blossom is killed under baffling circumstances shortly after being flown to her destination, it's up to you to solve the mystery by picking your passengers wisely and learning all their secrets.
Or is it? Actually, maybe you get murdered next?
A single decision or stroke of misfortune can send one down a radically different path in life. As such, this tale has five endings, each of which reveals a shocking twist that might alter your understanding of the mystery.
Gameplay
The Crane Rider's Tale is a cross between a visual novel and an adventure game (similar to Ace Attorney and Danganronpa).
There's a lot of story, but it's also a sidescroller where the player can explore and investigate. There's also Disco-Elysium-like RPG elements. Let us explain!
REFINE YOUR MANNER
Mourn-No-More has 12 unconventional Skills in his arsenal, like Whimsy and Mulberry Trees. These Skills speak to him and offer their insight on the situation at hand.
Some Skills have additional effects; for instance, Birdsong allows Mourn-No-More to fly greater distances to pick up passengers, and you won't be able to interact with some objects unless your Perception is high enough.
Throughout the story, you will encounter Skill Checks that you must roll two dice to resolve, boosted by your skill level and any bonuses gained from your past actions.
Failing sometimes yields interesting results, so don't despair if bad luck blows your way.
GET TO KNOW YOUR PASSENGERS
Everyone has a story to tell and a secret to hide. But you only have time to fly four passengers per day, so one must choose wisely...
Picking a passenger gives you the opportunity to converse with them via dialogue choices during their ride and see what they're up to.
Once you've delivered your passenger to their destination, you'll have the option to dismount and investigate the location, point-and-click style, before embarking on your next flight.
EXPLORE THE FLOWCHART
You can use the Flowchart to jump to an earlier point in the tale and make different choices. Your EXP and Skill Level will carry over, so replaying a scene once you're more experienced may yield different results!