The Novelist | A game about life, family, and the choices we make.

“A quite remarkable simulation of family life” – 8/10 – Edge Magazine
“Sincere, realistic writing and an inspired approach to player choice” – Polygon
“The Novelist affected me, deeply … I frequently cried” – Rock Paper Shotgun
“Stands head and shoulders above all others … well-written and genuinely moving”
Indie Game of the Year – Continue Play

“The most personal and beautiful game I have ever experienced” – 10/10 – GameGrin
“Any experience that forms this kind of connection with the player is worth your consideration” – Game Informer
“A game with refreshingly frank and honest writing” – The Verge

“One of the most remarkable experiences in gaming” – Huffington Post
“A gripping game that causes you to reflect” – GameSpot
“Turns conventional gaming on its head” – 9/10 – Pixelvolt
“The Novelist makes each choice matter” – 4.5/5 – Sidequesting

The Novelist asks one central question: can you achieve your dreams without pushing away the people you love? The game focuses on Dan Kaplan, a novelist struggling to write the most important book of his career while trying to be the best husband and father he can be. The Kaplans have come to a remote coastal home for the summer, unaware that they’re sharing the house with a mysterious ghostly presence: you.

Read the family’s thoughts. Explore their memories. Uncover their desires and intervene in their lives. But stay out of sight; you can’t help the Kaplans if they know there’s a ghost in the house. It’s up to you to decide how Dan’s career and family life will evolve, but choose carefully; there are no easy answers, and every choice has a cost.

Dan’s relationships – to his work, his wife, and his son – react and shift in response to your choices. With a different sequence of events in every playthrough, The Novelist gives life to a unique experience each time you play.

The decisions you make will define the Kaplans’ lives, but they may also tell you something about yourself.