Shrinking Pains

Shrinking Pains is a short, narrative-driven visual novel about a person living with anorexia. You follow them through their life and relationships, with multiple endings and a choice of partner preference before play begins.

Characters

The story features five characters: Isabella, a gentle girl with a wicked sense of humour, is a professional violinist who loves sitcoms. Taylor is a prickly young man with a warm heart who works as a software engineer and sells his knitting on Etsy in his spare time. Yuuto has been your best friend for years and has put up with your emotional baggage; he is reliable and dependable, though poor at texting.

Vivienne speaks over the chime of her claw-like nails against a wineglass, and leaves long red marks on your skin as she pulls you to the door. Hunter looks good in a leather jacket while smoking; when he puts a hand on your neck, you are unsure whether you feel excited or scared.

Style and themes

The game uses strong black-and-white visuals and an original soundtrack. It explores mental health through a semi-autobiographical account of a struggle with anorexia, including potentially distressing themes of mental illness and destructive behaviour. Some content is graphic and may be upsetting.