The Cradle: Episode 01: a new opening and a new look
By Encrypted Cat / 0xKOT · Originally published on itch.io
Thanks to everyone who played and told me where they stopped. The biggest thing I heard: the start was too slow. You stood still in the lobby through a long radio briefing before anything happened. So the opening is rebuilt.
A new cold open. The episode now opens with a short flash-forward. Darkness, a heartbeat, then you’re already running down a red-lit tunnel deep under the sanatorium. You look back and see something standing in the lift doorway. It starts to come. You won’t see how that ends, not yet. Then: three hours earlier.
A faster start in the lobby. The front door slams shut behind you the moment you arrive. Major Gromov’s radio call is shorter, reacts to what just happened, and plays while you walk. You’re never held in place.
You can skip it next time. Starting a new game again? Hold any key to skip the flash-forward and the title.
A new look. The whole episode has a new colour grade: colder, muted, darker. The concrete and old paint read grey and grimy, while the reds stay in colour: the emergency lamps, the alarm, and the things you’d rather not look at. If it’s too dark on your screen, Brightness in Settings still works as before.
What’s next: the Halloween update for the sanatorium is nearly ready, and Trick-or-Treat keeps getting new levels. Come say hi on Discord or r/TheCradleHorror. Bug reports and “I got stuck here” messages are gold.
0xKOT, Encrypted Cat Games