Dweller's Empty Path

Title screen

***Dweller's Empty Path*** is a 2020 American adventure game developed by Temmie Chang, using the RPG Maker MV program. An indirect sequel of *Escaped Chasm*, depicted in a Gameboy-esque graphics unlike the first installment.

## Gameplay

In *Dweller's Empty Path*, Yoki navigates during her walk with the arrow keys or mouse. She can go faster by pressing [Shift]. She is able to record in her journal, which is located both on her desk in her room or appearing mysteriously where there are sparkles on the ground.

## Premise

The story is about an anthropomorphic beast woman named Yoki, who had a nightmare. To help get herself in a better place before she goes back to sleep in order to clear her mind, she leaves home to talk to some of the people around her.

### Endings

It has several endings. Three of the endings are of larger importance than the others. Out of these three endings, there is an ending that is implied to be the canon ending, dubbed the True Ending. The game returns to the menu screen after each ending.

The endings are determined by two variables, one that counts the number of events triggered in the game, and another that counts the number of events triggered that are related to Zera, which are talking to him outside the house, drinking at the ship bar, and following the Heroes.

This page lists all the available endings and the circumstances needed to trigger them.

#### Go Back to Sleep Ending

This ending is achieved when the player chooses to put Yoki to sleep at the beginning of the game, there are two choices: without leaving her room or encountering less than 20 events. The former achieved regardless of whether Yoki interacts with the objects in her room or not. Yoki is shown to be sleeping with a frown and 垂れ線 (*taresen*, drooping lines) above her head, showing that she is not sleeping well.

#### Sleep Well Ending

That ending occurs when Yoki goes to sleep having encountered *20 or more events* but less than *31 events*. She will sleep with a smile on her face, showing that she is sleeping well. Like the first ending, there is no dialogue.

If she encounters all 31 events whether she read the journal at the Graveyard or not, she sleeps well and there are different dialogues appeared in the end of the game.

#### Zera's Manor Ending

In order to get this ending, Yoki must go to a certain spot in the forest in which the Zera's Manor can randomly appear. In one of the rooms there is a bed. If Yoki interacts with it enough times, she will go to sleep there.

The cutscene is shown after Yoki falls asleep. It shows the servant in that room approaching Yoki and talking about Yoki staying with them forever, becoming one of them. The light will gradually disappear, leaving only the eyes and their malicious smile.

#### Zero-Zera Ending

This ending is obtained when Yoki ignores all of Zera's events and gets all the other events available.

When the player reaches Yoki's house, the music will stop, the hint bird will disappear, Claire doesn't appear and all paths to get out that zone are filled with trees. When Yoki reaches to go inside her house, Zera appears and has a conversation with Yoki. After Zera disappears, Yoki is in her house. She can not leave her house, interact with anything in her house, or open any other door than her bedroom door. When Yoki sleeps in her bed, there are no cutscenes and she will appear sleeping as she does in the simple endings, but with a large eye floating above her head and Zera sitting beside her.

#### True Ending

To achieve the True Ending, the player must get all 31 illustrations and read the journal all three times.

Once Yoki reaches her house, Claire stops her, and they have a conversation. She asks if Yoki is alright, and after Yoki goes into her house, Claire is shown, and she says that she is worried about Yoki. Yoki then appears in her room, but the player has no control over where she moves. She wonders about her future and talks about the events depicted in the journal. After she goes to sleep, Zera will talk about preparing Yoki for an event in the future, caused by a mysterious unnamed entity's influence.

After the credits, there is another cutscene of an unknown character. She is shown to be in pain, and she tells someone that she doesn't want to hurt them but is unable to stop herself. A creature appears with many eyes and sharp teeth appears, surrounding her, then they both disappear leaving a black screen. The character then reveals that she is talking to Yoki, implying that she is Yoki's missing sister described in the journal.

## Development

Following her debut's success, development has started in November 2019. Unlike *Escaped Chasm*, she drawn more Gameboy-esque graphics.