
TOUCHSTARVED: A Dark Romance Visual Novel
A downloadable visual novel for Windows and macOS
You were born cursed, with hands that twist the mind of any human you touch.
Desperation leads you to the shadowy city of Eridia, where your fate intertwines with 5 monstrous strangers. Each can offer you salvation…or damnation.
How far will you go to cure yourself?
Red Spring Studio is a small, POC and queer-owned indie studio made up of veteran game developers from Riot Games, Nix Hydra, Bungie, and more. The demo for TOUCHSTARVED contains the entire Prologue.
Choose your main character’s pronouns and origin story, and guide them through a thrilling journey with branching storylines, character based routes, and multiple endings. Your choices determine whether the story ends with gothic romance or blood-curdling horror. Will you lose your humanity in search for a cure, or will you find a way to save yourself and those you love?
Play our DEMO to meet your fate...
Characters
Kuras ✦ The Repentant Angel
“I rarely come across so fascinating a patient.”
An otherworldly angel condemned to eons spent among humanity, Kuras masquerades as a mortal doctor to hide his true intentions.
Ais ✦ The Demon Renegade
“You look lost, little sparrow.”
An intimidating outsider with violent ambitions, Ais offers miracles for the forsaken, but at a terrible cost.
Mhin ✦ The Cursed Outsider
"If you come any closer, you'll get hurt."
A moody hunter more skilled at killing than conversation, Mhin pushes people away to hide their deadly secret.
Vere ✦ The Chained Charlatan
"All that suffering has made your soul irresistible…"
Beautiful and dangerous, Vere is a cunning fox spirit born of the depths of the Shroud and bound by a magic collar.
Leander ✦ The Heroic Mage
"I can keep you safe as long as you trust me."
A dashing and rebellious mage, Leander seems like a perfect hero, but a darkness haunts his chivalry.
Features
✦ Customizable characters
Choose your Main Character’s name and pronouns (She, He, or They), and select from one of three unique backstories.
✦ Choose from 3 unique origins: The Unnamed, The Hound, or The Alchemist
Your origin affects your abilities and interactions with other characters. Each origin reveals hidden secrets and choices.
✦ TOUCHSTARVED is designed to be played multiple times
Replay the game to experience as much of the story and learn as much about the characters as possible. Your choices determine whether the story ends with gothic romance or blood-curdling horror.
✦ TOUCHSTARVED features 5 interconnected routes with 16+ hours of gameplay
Each route features a rich branching storyline rife with unique threats and horrors reflective of the character’s themes.
✦ With multiple endings for each route, TOUCHSTARVED contains 15+ possible endings
In a world steeped in horror, your decisions determine whether you can save yourself and the one you love. Not every ending has a happily-ever-after. You’ll have to choose carefully or you and your Love Interest may meet a gruesome end.
Social Media

Content Warning
TOUCHSTARVED contains mature themes and is intended for an older audience. Player discretion is advised. Specific warnings for this demo include but are not limited to: horror, unwanted advances, violence, alcohol and drug references, strong language, and serious injury.
Status | In development |
Platforms | Windows, macOS |
Release date | Mar 21, 2023 |
Rating | Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars (2,459 total ratings) |
Author | Red Spring Studio |
Genre | Visual Novel, Survival |
Made with | Unity |
Tags | Dating Sim, Fantasy, Horror, Indie, Monsters, Narrative, Romance, Singleplayer |
Average session | A few hours |
Languages | English |
Inputs | Mouse |
Links | Steam |
Download
Click download now to get access to the following files:
Development log
- Demo Version 2.0 Update60 days ago
- Updated Mac Installation InstructionsApr 26, 2024
- Demo PatchApr 12, 2023
- Enter Key BugApr 09, 2023
Comments
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CANT WAIT FOR THE FULL GAME.
this was so fun to play!!! im in love with all of them JWHJEWHEJ one of the best vns ive played thus far :)
OMG when is the full game out?!?!?! This has so much potential. I can't wait for the full game release.
Will the finished game have CGs with the MC?? I played the demo and loved it but i would also loooove it if the MC was drawn so beautifully like all the LIs
on their website they say that the MC will not be drawn except their hands
Still in the first few scenes. There are few minor grammar mistakes but hopefully it will be fixed in the full game!
It's very sad that there is no Android version. This is a bit inconvenient
Is this game really coming out this year or am I getting my hopes up for an absolutely amazing game for nothing? I've been waiting for over a year now and honestly was my 2nd favorite on my wishlist I've been watching and waiting and hoping. Please tell me its still being developed for release at the end of the year. This game is one of the best I've seen so far
devs said it should be out by the end of this year! but pls b patient life happens ^^
AHHHH Can't wait for full game and updates!! <3
BEST VN, FULL GAME WHEN???
this game has me blushing and kicking my legs, i can't wait for the full thing!!!
JUST FINISHED THE DEMO!!! super good Kuras my GOAT i cant wait to know more abt him
AHHH I CANT WAIT FOR THE FULL GAMEEE!!!
I LOVE The characters SO much!!
AUGHHH i cannot WAIT for the full game!! I'll def go down either Vere or Ais's route
i like leander BUT he looks like my enemy from school. such a pity :c
i CANT WAAIIT FOR THE FULL GAME </3
Played this demo on steam and its perfect!
i love every character, i love the theme and the designs and vibes overall..it reminds me a little bit of the arcana (if you know..you know)
Many seem very annoyed the game is taking long but i understand me too im getting impatient but i hope the devs arent over stressing/working themselves!!
who are you guys pinning on? im defo inlove between kuras and leander !!
whoever reads this, wishing yall a good day!
I cant get enough of Ais honestly, though i absolutely adore Leander too!
im defo interested in all of em!! ais is a grest choice, cant wait till this comes out!!
Same! Im so excited!
honestly, they're all great, and I can forsee myself spending hours on this game to see all the endings
so real! That’s going to be me too haha
its been two years and im still waiting....
i think i first tried this demo a year after they came out, i come back everytime they pop up on my insta to check for updates *siGHHH*
im dieing slowly waiting for this absolute masterpiece to be released
IS TOUCHSTARVED STILL BEING CONTINUED?? CUZ I LOVE IT AND IF IT WAS DROPPED I WILL CRY
It is! They're still actively working on it:) Highly recommend following them on their Social Media Accounts (I follow them on Tumblr and they're pretty active there)!
Seems like a nice game incoming! I'm definitely intrigued by the prologue.
I think it's very nice to have a "they/them" character like Mhin, who seems really interesting. I may be the only one rooting for that, but I think a woman in the cast would have been interesting. I guess that won't be the case for the release, but just in case you add new characters afterwards ;)
there is actually one her name is Sen and she is a DLC character
Oh really? Neat! Thanks for the info
Well, now I only have to wait for the game to be fully released :P
okay i need to know who made these characters because wdym theyre all handsome like that???
I'm so hyped for the final gameeeee. I'm intrigued to see the depths of all their true darkness lol. Especially Leander, because they haven't been hiding the fact that he is sinister in some way, too. (and I won't lie, i'm excited to see some of the true romance because just the small bits in the prologue made me want more.)
is there an ace route 🥹
I mean, it's a romance visual novel... I would assume not? (I don't mean this in a harsh way, I'm ace myself)
True but there HAVE been romance visual novels with a route that lets you not pursue anyone like Errant Kingdom and Our Life: Beginning and Always. People are asking for potential poly routes but they scoff at ace...?
Man... the people here. Like it's odd of people to downvote me when I'm just asking. It's just one option out of many. It's not like it'll remove the romance aspect of the visual novel if one route doesn't have any romance.
You asked and I replied? If this visual novel is romance only, then it's romance only... not much that can happen there.
That's because those examples are not dating sims. Visual novel =/= dating sim, it's just the format. TouchStarved is explicitly labelled and marketed as a gothic romance with sexual content, that's the genre, ergo there is no ace route. Speaking as someone who is ace as well, not everything is for everyone and that's okay. You can choose not to play the game.
If there is no 18+ content in the final game, then there would only be ace routes.
THE WINOWS VERSION AINT WORKING
I need the full version this is so good!!! (why did someone down vote? all i said was that the game was good huh???)
I loved this game! looking forward to seeing it continue further :)
Ughhh I wanna play this so bad but there's no android version 😩
Just use Joiplay dude! 😛
I would but I have no idea how to do that😔
I need a portuguese version omg
I can't find the red option for mhin help
You can get the red option for mhin by selecting the alchemist background
Can you guys port it to linux please?
ı don't know if you know that but if you don't , when you go to The seaspring and chose to stay silent you can look at those paper covered pillars and then if you chose the bottommost you'll see unintelligible texts. You can decode those texts in shift chiper. bye
What languages are available for the game?
english
question, whats the difference between the intel & silicon downloads for mac ??
Those refer to the processor your Mac uses. It's best to download the corresponding file for better compatibility.
You can make your selection based on which processor your Mac uses: Intel (e.g. labeled as Processor: M1) or Apple silicon (e.g. labeled as Chip: macOS). Check "About this Mac" if you don't know.
Are there any NSFW on the game ? 😤🤤 I’m ready to put alot of money for NSFW 😏😏😏😏
nope, nothing
Did they change one of the background arcs? I could have sworn that instead of the exiled it was something about being a criminal and the underground organization and friend that MC trusted betrayed them. It gave them street smarts, helped them be sneaky, and other stuff. I really enjoyed that one.
They did. They replaced the Hound backstory with the Exiled one.
Anyone know how to get Kuras red choice ending? I've been dying to get it qwq
for Kuras, I believe you need to select the Unnamed backstory for the red option to appear. It goes along the lines of "Reach for his hands", while you two are being chased by the Senobium cleric.
Why Vere and Ais so gay (((((((((((((=
THIS IS WHAT IM SAYINGGG during the end at the bar you cannot convince me that they don't have a serious bromance together offscreen
Hope they will put polyamory choice of them <3
There won't be any poly routes lol the developers confirmed it on a live stream
thanks for the information ;((
Please make one for Macbook Air! I can't access it on mine
Strade de sal de ahi esa no es tu familia (〃>目<)/
Oh, I really hope there's a poly option for Vere and Ais. I fell in love with both of them and then find out that they also have a thing for each other, so I hope there would be a poly option for them or any other characters that may be relevant. I'd be sad having to choose one over the other and also breaking them up. 🙏🙏🙏 One can dream.
I don't think their a couple, most likely friends with benefits or an entanglement.
They are fwb, never meant "breaking them up" as in them being a couple, but just their already existing relationship being altered. Once you go a route, they'll fall in love with your oc and likely end their fwb relationship. Also, according to his relationship chart, Ais has feelings for Vere, so I think it would be nice to have an option where your oc, Ais, and Vere can all be together.
thyr just pals
i hope not
whoever actually downvotes are actually gooners cuz i know damn well yall don't 'feel bad' for breaking their relationship off when you just wana see two characters making out while ur in the sidelines. obsessed with poly that much is crazyyy or even boys love too. also isn't that giving off 'allergic to loyal relationships' with just one person?? LMAOO. yall need to be actually fr.
you are an evil and deeply unpleasant person. all they did was ask about a poly route & you started projecting your internalised bs on them.
guys , lmao , is there no date or news about the game release ?!
Y'all, do Kuras and Mhin have red options? And how do I ge them?
for Kuras, I believe you need to select the Unnamed backstory for the red option to appear. It goes along the lines of "Reach for his hands", while you two are being chased by the Senobium cleric.
Idk if this count as Mhin'red option like others but when I choose The Alchemist, it appear when Y/N first met they.
ah ok, but quick reminder mhin is they/them!! :3
how do you read through this whole page which lists their character bio + (presumably) play the whole game, and still manage to get their pronouns wrong