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Emo Visual Novel and Rhythm Hybrid Launches Today
Studio Wife, Cornmandog, and Yotsuba Interactive have released I Write Games Not Tragedies, an emo visual novel and rhythm hybrid that delivers equal parts humour, melancholy, and unapologetic cringe. The game is available now with a 20% discount for the next two weeks.
The project pays homage to British emo and goth youth culture, expressed through its sketchy hand-drawn art, raw storytelling, and original soundtrack. At its heart sits a rhythm game that occasionally requires players to literally scream into their microphone to secure high scores.
A Story That Spans Three Decades of Emo Identity
The narrative of I Write Games Not Tragedies follows Ash, a misfit who stumbles through adolescence, young adulthood, and eventual elder emo life. The story begins in 2009 as Ash endures the typical pressures of secondary school, struggling with isolation, bullying, and the complicated feeling of falling for someone wildly outside his subcultural orbit.
The journey then moves into the 2010s as Ash wrestles with anxiety, romance, and harmful coping habits, before finally landing in the 2020s, where he searches for meaning and self-acceptance as an older emo who never quite left the scene behind.
His story blends sincerity, humour, and second-hand embarrassment in a way many players may find painfully relatable.
Rhythm Gameplay That Asks Players to Scream
I Write Games Not Tragedies pairs its visual novel storytelling with rhythm sequences that combine traditional timing inputs with vocal prompts. Players must hit lyrics on beat and release their frustrations through full voiced screams, creating a distinct rhythm experience that mirrors the emotional catharsis of the game’s music.
The art style reinforces this energy. It is sketched, messy, and intentionally imperfect, echoing the internal chaos of Ash’s journey and the wider emo aesthetic.
A Publisher Focused on Intimate Stories
The game is published by Yotsuba Interactive, a micropublisher that focuses on small-scale, heartfelt experiences. The label derives its name from the Japanese word for four-leaf clover, symbolising the sense of wonder in discovering something rare and meaningful. Yotsuba is a spin-off brand created by Neon Noroshi, a Japanese-Swedish marketing agency.
I Write Games Not Tragedies is available now on PC.
