Keep Breathing

Keep Breathing is a short, atmospheric visual novel that follows Violet, a film student newly arrived in a southern French town, and the unnerving relationship that unfolds when she meets the protagonist. The game delivers roughly 10,000 words of linear narrative (about one hour of gameplay) with occasional choices that do not branch the main route, and a strong focus on character development and narration. Players drawn to mature, character-driven stories will appreciate the game’s honest treatment of trauma, domestic and sexual violence themes, and its careful balance of dark subject matter with subtle surreal and anthropomorphic touches.

Key Features

⭐ Keep Breathing offers an intimate, ~10k-word linear story designed for a single focused playthrough.

⭐ Strong emphasis on character development and narration, with a down-to-earth, credible tone.

⭐ Simple controls: click or press Space to advance text, scroll back to revisit previous lines.

⭐ Mature themes are handled directly and include in-game warnings; a French translation is planned.

Advantages

✅ Compact length makes it easy to finish in one sitting while preserving a concentrated narrative impact.

✅ Thoughtful writing and atmospheric art combine with an original soundtrack to create a strong mood.

✅ Development prioritized accessibility and careful presentation of difficult subject matter with content warnings.

✅ Straightforward UI and control scheme keep the focus on the story rather than complex mechanics.

Disadvantages

❎ The experience is short and largely linear, so players seeking branching routes or multiple endings may be disappointed.

❎ Themes of domestic and sexual violence are explicit and may be upsetting; the game is intended for a mature audience.

Development Team

Keep Breathing was created by a small indie collective of four women and non-binary developers working together for a visual novel jam. Credits include M0rt-gane (writing, main theme music), Incendie sur Mer (art and character design), Shafoo (lead programmer, tech artist, narrative designer, UI and lead sound design) and Jiji (programmer, narrative designer, accessibility and sound design). The team also thanks contributors and playtesters who helped polish the release.