Previously, NPCs were simplistic vendors or quest-givers. Now, every non-player character belongs to one of six underground factions (The Boiler Rats, The Viaduct Union, The Pharmacy, The Spire Gossips, The Tunnel Kin, and the Outsiders).
Your actions now trigger a cascading reputation web. Helping The Pharmacy source antibiotics will drop your standing with The Viaduct Union (who run the black-market stills). Fall too low with a faction, and they will actively sabotage your shelter—stealing duct tape, poisoning your water cache, or spreading rumors that drive up barter prices city-wide. Straitened Times -v0.57.0- By HRelease
The update is available via the official HRelease archive (torrent and direct download) as well as the developer’s Itch.io page. Warning: Avoid third-party repack sites claiming to offer v0.57.1 or v0.58.0—those are fake. The only verified, stable version is the -v0.57.0- By HRelease build, identifiable by its 1.8GB compressed size and included .SFV file. Previously, NPCs were simplistic vendors or quest-givers
The story follows a protagonist who once lived a life of luxury and ease. However, due to a sudden and mysterious financial catastrophe, his family loses everything. Stripped of their wealth and status, the protagonist and his family are forced to move into a dilapidated boarding house. Helping The Pharmacy source antibiotics will drop your
The setting is a strict, somewhat archaic institution connected to a religious order. The protagonist must adapt to his new "straitened" (restricted or difficult) circumstances while uncovering the secrets behind his family's downfall. The narrative explores the tension between the strict, pious exterior of the boarding house and the hidden desires and corruption lurking beneath the surface.
Key Themes:
Friends