Hello! Welcome to the official Double Dead Studio Tumblr, the solodev behind Reanimated Heart, Another Rose in His Garden, Pygmalion's Folly, and Lost Connections.
Reanimated Heart is a character-driven horror romance visual novel about finding love in a mysterious small town. There are three monstrous love interests with their own unique personalities and storylines.
Another Rose in His Garden is an 18+ erotic Omegaverse BL visual novel. Abel Valencia is an Omega who's hidden his secondary sex his entire life. Life's alright, until he meets the wealthy tycoon, Mars Rosales, and the two get embroiled in a sexual affair that changes his life forever.
Pygmalion's Folly is a survival murdersim where you play as Roxham Police Department's star detective, hellbent on finding your sister's killer... until he finds you.
Lost Connections is a short VN where you go to a laundromat and meet a man who feels like a ghost.
Content Warning: Most of my games are 18+! They contains dark subject matter such as violence and sexual content. Player discretion is advised.
This blog is ran by Jack, the creator.
Itch | Link Tree | Patreon | Ko-Fi
Guidelines
My policy for fanwork is that anything goes in fiction, but respect my authority and copyright outside it. This means normal fan activity like taking screencaps, posting playthroughs, and making fanart/fanfiction is completely allowed, but selling this game or its assets isn't allowed (selling fanwork of it is fine, though). You are also not allowed to feed any of my assets to AI bots, period, even if it's free.
Do not use my stuff for illegal or hateful content.
Also, I expect everyone to respect the Content Warnings on the page. I'm old and do not tolerate fandom wank.
For more details about how I view Fanwork, refer to this post.
F.A.Q.
Who are the main Love Interests in Reanimated Heart?
Read their character profiles here!!
Where can we learn more about Pavel and the hitmen? Or What is 'Hitmen Stories?'
I made a Portal here with their tags and official posts!
Who's the team?
Jack (creator, writer, artist), mostly. I closely work with Exodus (main programmer) and Claira (music composer). My husband edits the drafts.
For Reanimated Heart, my friend Bonny makes art assets. I've also gotten help from outsiders like Sleepy (prologue music + vfx) and my friend Gumjamin (main menu heart animation).
For Reanimated Heart's VOs, Alex Ross voices Crux, Devin McLaughlin voices Vincenzo, Christian Cruz voices Black, Maganda Marie voices Grete, and Zoe D. Lee voices Missy.
Basically, it's mostly just me & outsourcing stuff to my friends and professionals.
How can I support Double Dead Studio productions?
You can pay for the game, or join our monthly Patreon! If you don't have any money, just giving it a nice rating and recommending it to a friend is already good enough. :)
Where do the funds go to?
Almost 100% gets poured back into the game. More voice acting, more music, more trailers, more art, etc. I also like to give my programmer a monthly tip for helping me.
This game is really my insane passion project, and I want to make it better with community support.
I live in the Philippines and the purchasing power of php is not high, especially since many of the people I outsource to prefer USD. (One time I spent P10k of my own money in one month just to get things.) I'll probably still do that, even if no money comes in, until I'm in danger of getting kicked out the street… but maybe even then? (jk)
What platforms will Reanimated Heart be released in?
Itch and then Steam when it's fully finished. Still looking into other options, as I hear both are getting bad.
Will Reanimated Heart be free?
Chapter 1 will be free. The rest will be updated on Patreon exclusively until full release.
Are you doing a mobile version?
Yeah. Just Android for now, but it's in the works.
Where can I listen to Reanimated Heart's OST?
It is currently up on YouTube, Spotify, and Bandcamp!
Why didn't you answer my ask?
A number of things! Two big ones that keep coming up are Spoilers (as in, you asked something that will be put in an update) or it's already been asked. If you're really dying to know, check the character tags or the meta commentary. You might find what you're looking for there. :)
Will there be a sequel to Pygmalion's Folly?
It's not my first concern right now, but I am planning on it.
it's totally okay if you ignore this if you have answered something like this before, or just dont want to answer it at all since this is kinda about the past. i was wondering if we were going to see anything about crux and vin's past relationship in any of the oncoming updates? maybe like more mentions of it than what vin had told us in ch 1?
I can't remember if I've answered this in public, but... Yes!
(Mild spoilers for Chapter 2 that's out in Patreon...)
Their past relationship is actually very, very important. Vin was just kind of flippant in the Chapter 1 mention about it because it annoys him to think about Crux, but he has to acknowledge Crux in Chapter 2 now, so that'll dredge up a lot of their old history. (It's really ugly.)
Dude I just wanna appreciate how active you guys are with the fandom. A lot of VN authors kinda make a game and then leave never to be heard from again. I guess it might be because of stress or maybe people being angry at the specific way a character is made or something or just a lot of pressure. I personally don't get how that would make them wanna quit doing art or something like that if that's what they really wanna do but I can't draw I can only write so I don't think I'll ever understand that issue. But you guys are so active and answer questions about the characters and y'all seem to have a genuine passion for what you're doing and that seems to make the game like idk 800 times better! I hope everything continues to go well for you guys and I'm just so happy to have a vn artist who actually wants to continue their amazing ass game!!
Aw! This so sweet, anon. Thank you.
Tbh, I think a lot of people just do stuff like this as a side hobby to try it, and then leave when the demands of the fandom become too much. I think there's definitely a difference between wanting to make art/games and wanting to put it up in public to be scrutinized... They might still be making stuff, but privately, which I think is completely valid.
But, personally, when I started making VNs, I kinda realized... this is everything I wanted to do in life? I love art, writing, and coding, and I'm thinking about stories 24/7, and I really love talking about my hyperfixations with people, so even getting to engage with the Tumblr is a treat for me. The fact that people support me over Ko-Fi and Patreon makes this arrangement even sweeter, because I get to do what I want to do without other obligations irl, and I think this is a mutual relationship where all of you get to benefit too because the more free time I have = the more I can make stuff for you. :)
As far as I'm concerned, this current arrangement is ideal for me, and it far outweighs any other possible cons. So... thank you to everyone here too!
Clovis: I just wanna add on some thoughts to this: It's so important to be excited and collaborative but NOT a people pleaser when doing this stuff! I seriously think trying to be a people pleaser and anticipate every audience demand is what crushes the spirit of a lot of creatives. They attract the wrong type of fans and lose their own passion by doing this. And it's hard for the right type of fans to really respect the artistic vision and integrity when they see things being made more palatable at the expense of the creator's intention and passion, so literally nobody wins.
There's a difference between being thoughtful about audience experience and wanting them to have fun with you VS just letting them bulldoze you on every whim or assuming it's better to water down your ideas to the point that it appeals to everyone (and therefore no one).
Anyway, yeah, the fundraising response has been so wonderful for this project that I want to be equally generous and open with what I give back while talking about the project, especially since this'll be my first time as a full time co-writer. I want the integrity and investment to come through in the way I talk about my characters so you feel good about supporting this and see where the money is going.
Dude I just wanna appreciate how active you guys are with the fandom. A lot of VN authors kinda make a game and then leave never to be heard from again. I guess it might be because of stress or maybe people being angry at the specific way a character is made or something or just a lot of pressure. I personally don't get how that would make them wanna quit doing art or something like that if that's what they really wanna do but I can't draw I can only write so I don't think I'll ever understand that issue. But you guys are so active and answer questions about the characters and y'all seem to have a genuine passion for what you're doing and that seems to make the game like idk 800 times better! I hope everything continues to go well for you guys and I'm just so happy to have a vn artist who actually wants to continue their amazing ass game!!
Aw! This so sweet, anon. Thank you.
Tbh, I think a lot of people just do stuff like this as a side hobby to try it, and then leave when the demands of the fandom become too much. I think there's definitely a difference between wanting to make art/games and wanting to put it up in public to be scrutinized... They might still be making stuff, but privately, which I think is completely valid.
But, personally, when I started making VNs, I kinda realized... this is everything I wanted to do in life? I love art, writing, and coding, and I'm thinking about stories 24/7, and I really love talking about my hyperfixations with people, so even getting to engage with the Tumblr is a treat for me. The fact that people support me over Ko-Fi and Patreon makes this arrangement even sweeter, because I get to do what I want to do without other obligations irl, and I think this is a mutual relationship where all of you get to benefit too because the more free time I have = the more I can make stuff for you. :)
As far as I'm concerned, this current arrangement is ideal for me, and it far outweighs any other possible cons. So... thank you to everyone here too!
Clovis: Rhys is a trans man but he's had bottom surgery. Ulysses is amab nonbinary but doesn't know it yet. I do have a character that will feature in the game in a cameo that is boypussy transmasc but I dunno if you'll be able to sleep with him LOL.
Okay I'm really wondering if we can romance Pasha and Gwyn at the same time because I'm utterly OBBSESSED with the two blondes? Also are we gonna be able to stay as Sparrow from the first LC game and if we can still be poly if we do go that route? I'm not sure if you have answered this before sorry!
Yes! It will be up to Sparrow if they want to be exclusive with Pasha or open up to the group polycule. He doesn't mind either way because he gets to have them. :>
I'm not doing dedicated poly routes anymore, just because it'll be way more work, but we are planning on implementing a system where you can organically choose which other hitmen you're hanging out the most and the game will "remember" and open up more options with them -- I'm sure Gwyn will happily inform you later on that he'd like to start dating you if you keep hanging out with him, haha. (I'm also planning on having the options for threesomes if the characters are close enough for it...)
I think a Pasha-centric romance with Gwyn as your mentor and best friend would be the best way to go about this...!
Clovis: Rhys is a trans man but he's had bottom surgery. Ulysses is amab nonbinary but doesn't know it yet. I do have a character that will feature in the game in a cameo that is boypussy transmasc but I dunno if you'll be able to sleep with him LOL.
Hi, I'm in love with Wendy already!!!!!! Question! Would you say she has DID? 🤔 cuz it kinda sounds like it and it wouldn't be all that weird for her to have developed it considering her history (according to the sfw alphabet)
Clovis: Hi, I totally missed this question in the ask box!
I would like to formally and fully welcome all Wendy fans to headcanon and theorize about her in ANY way you'd like. I'm extremely open to that and would be fascinated to hear interpretations.
I am intentionally not writing her super specifically to be any one thing because I 1. don't want her to read like some stiff psychology book description of symptoms and 2. don't want to limit and alienate who identifies with her. This is not me saying "she can't/shouldn't be this, you're wrong", it's me trying to write her without bias and fans getting to speculate on the finished result, hopefully with more than one theory being welcomed— no matter what, this is a very traumatized mentally ill woman, that will always be Real.
Sometimes I will really formally be like "this character is autistic, this character has [insert thing here]", especially if the character THEMSELVES has been in-universe assessed by a mental health professional or soul searching about it has been a huge part of their life, but Wendy has never set foot in anyone's medical office. Her mom did threaten to have her institutionalized a lot as a kid but never went through with it. She is extremely undiagnosed and not self aware enough to seriously reflect on it. If I ever see some 50k word fanfiction about her coming to terms with her mental illnesses/neurodivergencies, that'll be awesome.
Okay, I finished all the hitmen's sprites! I still have a few non-hitmen I wanna do and some character profiles, but all the main guys are done, yayyy.
What do other members of the gang think of Ezra? Who like him the most? Also will we have a chance to get intimate with him ? :D
Clovis: Ezra is the newest addition so he's still developing relationships, but he's a very competent medic and they're generally highly respected in all situations, including this one, since they can be the difference between life and death. But he gets along very well with Bishop (they're both ex-military and Ezra brings out a much friendlier side of him) and Sebastian (they're both secular Jews, smart, and can talk and talk and talk).
Yes, as mentioned before, you'll be able to get close to and sleep with every hitman!
Ezra seems quite normal? (and handsome) What are the negative/bad things about him? :D
Clovis: Comparatively speaking, Ezra is a really good, smart, upstanding guy and has no history of crime. Objectively speaking... Ezra is a hypocrite. He seeks out situations he can excel in at the cost of his own ideals. Ezra is a socialist that joined the military, then later was in private security contracting (one step up in legal legitimacy from being a mercenary) because he wanted to perform beyond expectations in high-adrenaline, high-risk situations. Ezra thought the military industrial complex was repulsive and monstrous BEFORE he joined it, as a teenager, and even as a child.
He joined specifically to outdo his shithead right-wing older brother who was awful to him, whose LIFE DREAM had been to be an American soldier. And Ezra did. His brother is the kind of cowardly macho man that idealizes masculine pursuits like the military but never realistically pictures the day-to-day reality of it, and assumed Ezra was softer due to his politics, being book smart, and his queerness. Other soldiers saw Ezra's brother as a spineless worm but loved Ezra. He was motivated not primarily by compassion, but by revenge, spite, success, and boredom. In current day, Ezra's brother is a right wing commentator wielding his status as a veteran as a hammer to spread all sorts of propaganda for the conservative party, but Ezra's their actual family's golden child.
So, first a soldier, even if being a combat medic is a step up from just shooting people all the time, in the middle east at a time when America was doing all sorts of horrible things (when isn't it, I know). He directly witnessed plenty of horrors carried out by his fellow soldiers, men and women he helped stay in the fight. And now he's joining a group of hitmen working under an extremely rich crime lord because private security contracting has gotten dull and stopped testing his skills. Morally, this is against all of his principles, and does he care? Nope.
He is a batshit crazy thrillseeker like the rest of them, but instead of being made manic by danger, these challenging survival situations put him in a serene flow state where he can take action and think clearly while other people are falling apart. He loves it.
just an fyi im sure you know because you are not an idiot lol (￣3￣) but your twitter is private so not everyone that wants to get info on the hitman series with your pinned post cant （´-`）.｡oO
Yes, it's private, but I am not posting on my Twitter at all.
All of the Hitmen Stories stuff is on this Tumblr, Google Docs stretch goals, and Lost Connections dev logs pages. There is nothing new on Twitter since, idk, last year, and I intend to deactivate it.
