The Letter

**The Letter** is an interactive horror visual novel developed by Yangyang Mobile - a game developer from Philippines. It was successfully funded through Kickstarter and Indiegogo and was released July 25th 2017. In order to solve the mystery of an old mansion from 17th century, a group of 7 people must solve and survive within the mansion from never-ending nightmare.

The Letter was nominated during International Mobile Gaming Awards (IMGA) 2018 .

## Story

At the heart of Anslem village stands a 17th century English mansion that is rumored to be cursed by a vengeful spirit. Various disappearances had been linked to the mansion, while people living near the vicinity spoke of seeing and hearing unearthly things. Dismissed as a hoax, the mansion was listed for sale by Briar Realty Corporation.

Before its grand opening to the public, Isabella Santos, an agent under BRC, was double-checking the place when she accidentally uncovered a letter that said “HELP ME” over and over again. At the bottom of the letter was the phrase “Send this to 5 people or else...”

## Gameplay

The letter features visual novel horror with story unfolds in non-chronological storytelling across seven expansive chapters, encompassing a staggering 700,000 words across all routes. The story is uniquely presented through the perspectives of seven playable characters, each narrating their chapter in a non-linear sequence. Should you desire, you can opt for the full English Voice Acting to further enhance your immersion.

Choices in the game are paramount, allowing you to mend or break relationships as you see fit, shaping the course of the story. Your choices have a profound impact on the story, resulting in countless butterfly effects and offering over 170 achievements to unlock. A branching tree system keeps track of your progress and chosen route, and a journal meticulously narrates events in chronological order while cataloging clues about the enigmatic Ermengarde Mansion. This gaming experience promises an intricate and emotionally charged journey through a richly woven narrative.

## Characters

The letter follows 7 main characters that can be playable throughout the chapters. Each character has their own personality, and relationship that can be broken depending on player's choice.

* **Maria Isabella Grace Cruz Santos** is a cheery and clumsy girl that willing to sacrifice herself to save those who need.
* **Zachary Steele** is a gentle giant and real sweetheart that is a good friend to Isabella, Rebecca, and Ashton.
* **Lucille Mitchell Wright** is known for his reputation for being power hunger and able to trick the public with his own appearances.
* **Hannah Wright** is a local celebrity married to Luke Wright, even though they looked lovely it is best to not reveal secrets behind the rose.
* **Marianne McCollough** is a business woman known for aiding Isabella in selling the mansion.
* **Ashton Frey** is a detective inspector for Luxbourne Police Department, many underestimate him however that makes him to become more advantaged.
* **Rebecca Gales** is known for creating troubles with her bossy attitude.
* **Takako/The Ghost** is main antagonist lurking in the mansion and seeking for revenge.

## Development

Prior to its development, the team wanted to explore on a visual novel style game based on horror elements. According to founder of Yangyang Mobile John Pineda, The letter is a traditional take on Japanese visual novel similiar to Corpse Party . On August 2015 The letter was conceptualized and in order to receive funding they needed, Yangyang Mobile opens crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter. The game managed to received for over $30,000 funds. On 25th July 2017 the game soon released on PC and Mobile and garnering for very positive reviews on Steam.

## Trivia

* The name **Takako** means "esteem, honor, venerate" (崇) (**taka**) and "child" (子) (**ko**).
* There are many pop culture references scattered throughout the game
	+ A parody of **Facebook** can be found under "Facenook".
	+ Czarsbucks is a reference to popular coffee shop **Starbucks**.
* Majority of The Letter cast stated that the marriage between Hannah and Luke is a questionable one.
* The Letter takes an inspiration from popular Japanese Visual Novel Corpse Party and Mad Father.

## Official Links

* The Letter Steam Page
* The Letter Official Website
* Yangyang Mobile Twitter Page
* Yangyang Mobile YouTube Page

## Gallery

Isabella reading a curious letterMarianne having a time of her lifeA journal which players can inspect to check past history of the characters.
## References

1. ↑ [1] Kickstarter.com article "Update #47: The Letter is nominated at IMGA 2018! Please vote for us as People's Choice!" written by Yangyang Mobile
2. ↑ [2] VNGameden.com article "Behind the Scenes with Yangyang Mobile" written by Kristi Jimenez