Chronotopia: Second Skin

Chronotopia: Second Skin is a narrative game about Princess Kionna, whose attempt to escape a forced marriage turns into an endless nightmare. After her grief-stricken father decides to marry her, Kionna and her childhood friend Nahima contact her long-lost fairy godmother, Médeia, hoping her magic will help Kionna leave the castle and find a happy ending. Instead, events spiral out of control, and Kionna repeatedly rewinds time in a race against death.

Kionna and her companions

Sheltered and naive, Kionna wants to do good but can seem haughty because of her upbringing. To escape her fate, she must learn to fight for herself rather than rely on others.

Nahima has been Kionna’s confidant since childhood and is determined to remain by her side, though she knows Kionna may eventually leave her. Médeia, an unconventional fairy godmother, initially wants to help Kionna only so she can return to the magical realm, but her apparent indifference may hide a deeper concern.

Choices and endings

The story contains over 200,000 words and takes 20–30 hours to play. It has multiple endings, and at the end of Kionna’s journey you can choose between two GxG romances, with Nahima or Médeia, and one GxB romance with the “Prince.” Handsome lords around Kionna may make suitable suitors, but whether one of them becomes her Prince Charming remains in question.

Story and presentation

The game’s semi-realistic medieval world is presented through several gameplay phases. Unlockable archives connect its story to real-life European folklore, while cinematic shots, animated backgrounds and stained-glass illustrations accompany the reading. The soundtrack is original and has Celtic influences.