if you like horror games, play Little Goody Two Shoes

hey you!

do you like mystery, horror, romancing cute anime girls, fun minigames, mixed media, multiple endings, and good story?

if so, allow me to introduce Little Goody Two Shoes! a dark fairytale...

to date, Little Goody Two Shoes is my favourite horror game. it's a wonderful game that features multiple routes and endings, fun and engaging minigames, and a fantastic story and dialogue. the game is partially voiced, has some of the most wonderous art i've ever seen, and is a beautiful experience. 

i'll break this up in to a few parts to talk about the story (with no spoilers), the gameplay, the art and visuals, and then include some more media at the end. i'll also be sure to add lots of pictures, links, and a video about the game!

The Story:

the story of Little Goody Two Shoes revolves around the main protagonist, Elise. Elise is a young woman living alone in a mountain side cottage outside her small town who dreams of have a lavished, comfortable life. unfortunately, her life isn't so simple and her days are spent working like a dog for the people of her town to earn enough to scrape by. whether is collecting eggs, playing with the local kids, or chopping wood, there is no small number of little tasks that need completing. trapped in poverty, she has no time for luxury, fancy dresses, or castles filled with jewels.

when a stranger breaks in to her house one day and bad things begin to happen around the town, Elise finds herself with even more on her plate. the townsfolk are growing suspicious of everyone as rumors of a witch in the forest threaten to tear apart Elise's hardworking life. not to mention the stranger begins to stir up trouble left and right. a witch hunt is beginning, and unknown forces are drawing Elise further and further in to the darkness lurking deep in the woods, and within herself.

poverty and hardship are central parts of Elise's character, making for an engaging protagonist. she is bitter, entitled, and self-important. however, even with her negative traits, she proves over and over that despite her disgust for her circumstances she is a kind person who cares about those around her. Elise can barely make enough to afford food to feed herself, even receiving hand outs from some of her friends and townsfolk. still, she is generous where is counts, works hard doing odd jobs, and takes care of the people of her town by sharing what little she has.

her hardworking nature makes her endearing, and she has so much depth. her humorous comments about her distaste for her work and her lifestyle come around to being something others can empathize with. upon progressing through the game and seeing how the terrifying and fantastical story plays out, Elise never fails to showcase deeper and more meaningful sides of herself.

Elise has three potential romance partners, all of whom are other young woman she meets/knows. through these relationships, softer sides of Elise shine through. she has tender moments with each of the girls, reminiscing about her lost loved ones, and sharing her dreams and ambitions for the future. these interactions open up avenues that show a deeply introspective, forlorn young woman that struggles with the cards she's dealt and wishes for something more. her character arc is emotional, and lovely, and watching her find people who care for her is a heartwarming experience.

the horror of Little Goody Two Shoes is also excellent. paranoia and mystery are at the center of this game, and navigating it with Elise creates tension. whether is challenging puzzles with dire consequences, anxiety inducing sequences, or horrifying cut scene, exploring the world this game creates is all together a fantastic way to put yourself on edge.

the looming presence of the witch hiding in the woods and Elise's roll in it slowly creeps in to every layer of the story until you find yourself anxious over every new interaction or scared to walk to the next map area. all the endings i've discovered have been great too, each with its own satisfying resolution, good or bad.

if story and good characters are what you're looking for, trust me this game had it in spades. 

The Gameplay:

Little Goody Two Shoes has an interesting development history. it was made by a Portuguese dev team, modeled after JRPGs and anime, taking place somewhere Austria. one would think it might end up a little lost through all that, but it comes together seamlessly.

MINIGAMES AND HUNGER

the minigames are set up as arcade style games, typically focused on reaction time. each one is fun and challenging, providing various monetary rewards based on performance. during the day, this is what you focus a lot of your time on.

the game has a hunger meter that must stay fulfilled. the lower your hunger, the harder other parts of the game become, and Elise can starve to death. just like the character, you'll be forced to work hard for every coin in order to afford feeding yourself. the game puts you in a position everyday where you may be forced to miss dates, events, or leisure activities in order to prioritize earning money (though if you manage things well this isn't as big a deal as it seems). in this game you are Elise, and things like hunger and poverty are not just a character traits but have real impact on the game.

there is also a health bar and a sanity meter. these can be managed with food items or potions that can be purchased in town or found. some things are also gifted by townfolk. it's important to note that if you have a full hunger bar and try to eat something to regain health, you will not be able to. because of this, it can be strategic to go in to certain areas with low hunger.

PROGRESSION AND SAVES

each day in the game is broken up in to various time slots which you move through as you complete tasks/events. there is dawn, morning, afternoon, dusk, evening, and the witching hour. dawn is main reserved for story, with morning, afternoon, and dusk being work periods intermixed with a few events. evening is another period for story, exploration, and events, while the witching hour is where most of the horror and mystery occurs.

the shifts through time are not on a timer of any kind and are progression based. this gives lots of time to consider strategy, organize and prioritize events, and plan out your days to follow the path you'd like to take. the art and environments also change based on time of day. you also lose hunger every time the time progresses, forcing you to stay on top of managing that.

if something should happen and you make a mistake or die, this game have save slots so save often! when i play, it usually save at the start of every time change so that if i want to redo that part of the day i can go back to the beginning. there are autosaves as well, but manually saving saves a lot of headache. its especially useful when trying to conquer some of the difficult puzzles.

EVENTS AND DIALOGUE

because this game has multiple endings and routes, it is a multiple response game. events and dialogue will usually give two options to respond with. this affects who you romance, how the story progresses, and if you raise suspicion! what? you thought there would be a witch hunt and you wouldn't be a suspect?

the suspicion mechanic in this game appears in dialogue with townsfolk. certain responses or actions may raise or lower suspicion depending on your choices. Elise can also lower suspicion by giving certain responses or engaging in certain events or actions. managing the suspicion meter is very important, as if you become too shady you'll find yourself with a game over.

a lot of the events in this game are voluntary and tied to a time period during the day. multiple happen at once, so you can elect which ones to attend to. frequently checking the menu and map aid in ensuring you are aware of all the things happening. you have limited time during the day, so it will be impossible to explore every single event in the game. however, i suppose that just means you'll have to play it again if you'd like to see other things.

PUZZLES AND THE WITCHING HOUR

the witching hour is where most of the challenging aspects of the game lay. the puzzles are challenging, reminiscent of some early zelda games. there isn't really any combat, but you'll face monsters of all kinds, using strategy and environmental elements to help escape or defeat them. there are mazes, logic games, and a few parts that feel like playing fireboy and watergirl! it's engaging and fun, though can be difficult. frequent saving is a must to get through some of the tougher areas, though there are a few no damage runs online, so it is possible to slip through efficiently.

the witching hour is also when things like the sanity meter start to take effect, and it functions a bit like a dungeon. using spare change to stock up on items before progressing in to it can help things go a little more smoothly. the change in atmosphere also means that the darker map needs to be more carefully navigated.

The Art:

the art and visuals of Little Goody Two Shoes is one of my favourite aspects of this game. it features mixed media, with beautiful illustrations, gorgeous sprite art, fully animated sections, and water colour. to my memory, i also think there is a brief cut scene featuring a live puppet performance!

navigating the world is a visual pleasure. there environment are beautiful, and the inclusion of many foreground items makes it feel rich and adds depth. the way the light is cast over various parts of the game, whether is a lantern, the sun, or strange glows creates a gorgeous atmosphere.

EVEN THE UI IS GORGEOUS!

i cannot describe how beautiful everything is. below the post i'll include some of the gorgeous images of the game so that i don't break up the text too much, but please! if you play this game pay attention to all the gorgeous little details! (every image used is in the actual game as well!)

More Media and Links:

below i've put a video that i think does a good job of covering the game, along with the nintendo version of the game trailer, steam link, and some more pictures of the game! keep in mind though that the trailer, and video have some spoilers.

if you've played Little Goody Two Shoes, or this has encouraged you to give it a try, please let me know! leave a comment here. i'm so curious what your thoughts were!

a video covering the game^^^

the nintendo game trailer^^^