A downloadable game for Windows, macOS, and Linux

We will not be taking donations for this game,  but if you feel inclined to please donate to Doctors Without Borders.

➥Synopsis

Ignite the past, one match at a time, and discover if love can withstand time as fleeting as the matches you light. Can you rekindle a love lost in the shadows before the flame fades away forever?

This game was created for Winter VN Jam 2023 and Once Upon a Time VN Jam, Incorporating elements from the famous winter fairy tale The Little Match Girl. (Except both characters are adults in this game, of course)


➥Features

  • 20k words
  • 3 CGs
  • Two endings (With two variations of each ending, so technically 4 endings)
  • Original UI & Soundtrack
  • Re-namable MC
  • Gender-Neutral MC
  • One hot living dead guy 


➥Credits

Writer, Project Lead: Kaye Norra (Try_Froggery
Writer (THANK YOU, I WOULD'VE DIED): LemonInk
Programmers: f1reshark, Xenubin ,  Kristi "HusbandoGoddess" Jimenez
Sprite Artist: Minthe_Draws
CG Artist: awcidic
Background Artist, Editor: Rae (Rae_1347)
UI Artist: Anna (Elduator)
Composer: Mint (m1ntcho)
Beta Readers & Editors: SNOW, LemonInkJaqui (Littlemissleestories)



                                            

Download

Download
Moth to a Matchstick (Windows) 109 MB
Download
Moth to a Matchstick (Mac) 114 MB
Download
Moth to a Matchstick (Linux) 98 MB

Development log

Comments

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(+2)

This was such a lovely game! The artwork and music were beautiful, and the writing was superb. I’m strangely partial to the negative routes (where you choose the colder and more aloof dialogue options), something about the way those endings were written was so intriguing to me.

Me when characters get to act uncooperative >:)

Aloof MC: Nah, Imma do my own thing (experiences immense tragedy)

(+3)

Spoilers ahead, just in case!




That was incredible. I'll be thinking about this for a while, I think.

I loved how the entire vibe, especially how the mc felt towards their past self/their memories changes depending on how you treated claude at the beginning! The route where the mc is relatively cold to him was such an interesting juxtaposition, especially seeing them jump from feeling suffocated to obsessive protection to disgust at these feelings that explicitly aren't theirs... I don't often read romance involving reincarnation but this was such a good exploration of the darker aspects of it! Despite all that, my favorite route was the one where the mc is kind to Claude and chooses to let him go... I am a sucker for devotion, even when it's kind of misplaced, and it was bittersweet and beautiful :') Thanks for sharing!

(+1)

Ahhh, thank you! This project had such a fun premise to chew on, and although I did a bit of a cram job to fit in those dialogue variations, I hope that the conflicted and sort of dysphoric vibe came across well enough! I'm a sucker for that sort of stuff in reincarnation and body/soul/memory shenanigans LOL <3

(+1)

Such a lovely story! Also really fantastic artwork!

this was such a lovely game to play! i've only gotten one ending so far, but i found myself falling for claude so quickly that i honestly didn't care about any costs that came alongside getting to spend forever with him <3

(1 edit) (+1)

🤍BEAUTIFUL STORY🖤

Thank you for playing the game!! It means a lot to us <3

(+5)

This was an absolutely beautiful game which moved me a lot.

First, the art was absolutely gorgeous: sprites, backgrounds and cgs included. I'm not much of an artist myself, so it's always difficult to comment, but I enjoyed how soft Claude looked. I enjoyed how the backgrounds gave me the impression to be caught in the warm embrace of a tranquil flame.

The implementation was very fluid and solid, and the GUI absolutely magnificent, and magnificently implemented. I would also like to underline the quality of the music, it was beautiful and, once again, the tracks fit so well the atmosphere of each scene.

Finally, the story... It was just very soft, touching and tragic. I loved the MC, I loved the concept, and I loved how the romance was written. The two outcomes were extremely good and touching and, while the more tragic one moved me more - but that's because I'm a sucker for tragedy lol - I can't deny that they both were touching, extremely well-written and climatic in their own way.

I rarely met a game like this, and I'm happy I could experience it. Congrats to all the team on this masterpiece (I dare use the word), this poetic experience, and thank you for sharing it with the world.

(+2)

Wow, Chim, that is a LOT of words. Very kind ones! I'm glad you enjoyed the game. To be honest, you motivate me a lot-- You can do essentially everything a VN would need, and it all looks great alone and together when you solo a game, which is very rare. Getting such a kind comment from a dev like you means a lot to me!

(+1)

Aaaah, that's nice of you to say, thank you so much!

(+2)

*Deep inhale* CLLLLAAAAAAUUUUUDDDEEEEEE

(+1)

I wish I could pin this

(1 edit) (+2)

This was so cute! I love the writing and the way I could almost feel what they were. I'm glad I found and could experience this, and I def got nervous about how many matches i was using LOL! But i still love games like this, so thank you for making this game! <3

  

Aww, thank you for the sweet compliments!!

(+2)

Swooned and scorned by the existence of a hot living dead guy.

I wasn't expecting such variations in the endings based on the choices which elevated the playback experience twice over, yay! Still, the build-up of each interaction made me start to sweat about the number of matches being struck.  I really enjoyed the dialogue with each of the characters and how the choices were reflected in the writing throughout the storyline. This was so sweet to play into the new year.  

Good luck with your future projects. 

WOO!! Thank you for playing the game!! I'm glad you enjoyed it.