History VisualNovel / Cinders

''Cinders'' is a VisualNovel / RomanceGame for PC, and later UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, made by Moacube, artist Gracjana Zielinska and composer Rob Westwood. It is a reimagining of ''Literature/{{Cinderella}}'', in which you have to play as Cinders - an orphan girl humiliated and enslaved by her stepmother, explore the world around you, interact with people ([[FairFolk and not all of them human]]) and find your own place in life.

%%zce* TheHighQueen: The Fair Queen is this. [[spoiler:The Good Queen subverts this.]]

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: The subplot about Cinders' father's [[LostWillAndTestament will]] initially leads the player to assume that Carmosa hid it and finding it will reveal that Cinders is the true heir to the house, a la ''Film/ACinderellaStory''. However, if Cinders chooses to find the will, she finds it rather easily and it reveals that [[spoiler:the will actually left everything to Carmosa; hiding and lying about a will is ''incredibly'' shortsighted and idiotic, which Carmosa is ''not''. She hid it because it's a sensitive legal document. Furthermore, Carmosa and Cinders' father were noted to have a good relationship, [[spoiler: so it makes sense that he'd leave everything to his new wife]] and not [[spoiler: his daughter, who is all but stated to have been a minor when he died]].

%% * [[WellDoneSonGuy]]: Poor, poor Gloria...

** ParentsAsPeople: However, the game makes it clear that Carmosa's life has been [[FreudianExcuse far from easy]], and the reason she works everyone so hard is because she wants her daughters to be well off. She's just going about it ''very'' badly.

* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: [[spoiler: Carmosa and her daughters]].

* CosmeticAward: The trophies, though they ''are'' very pretty.
** Some of their descriptions are also a bit tongue-in-cheek -- for instance, "For [[BadEnding dying a miserable death]], you are rewarded with the Grim Skull!"
* DaddysGirl: Cinders can be [[spoiler:if the she chooses to tell Sophia about her childhood and says that it was great.]]
* DanceOfRomance: Played straight or subverted, depending on who Cinder's romantic interest is in the end. If she's in love with the Prince, it's played straight. If she's in love with Perrault/Tobias or in not in love with anybody, it's subverted.
* DealWithTheDevil: [[spoiler: Never featured as such, but the vague remarks from the Fairy Queen about "The Concord" and "The Price" certainly remind one of this. Also, if you go through your path with the Fairy as your helper, the Shady character will imply that she has had a part in Cinders's mother dying]].

* DialogueTree: As per usual for the genre.

* EarnYourBadEnding: Getting the worst ending takes a lot of effort. See the entry for MultipleEndings below.
* EstablishingCharacterMoment: The line uttered by each of the main characters before their individual cutscene.

* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: The ''Shady'' character.
* ExcessiveEvilEyeshadow: [[spoiler:The "Queen" portraits, in order of good to evil -- Good, Fair, Machiavellic, Evil -- increase Cinders's eyeshadow accordingly. The Good portrait has none at all]].

* FairyGodmother: [[PlayingWithATrope Played With.]] Both the Fairy and Madame Ghede are substitutes of the Fairy Godmother from the original fairy tale and can help Cinders get to ball, but neither are traditional fairy godmothers. Their help comes with a ominous price, or they may have their own hidden agendas. They have motivations beyond just granting Cinders's wish.
** If you take the Fairy as your helper, it's implied that she had a part in [[spoiler:Cinders' mother dying]].
* FashionHurts: Sophia is more than relieved to take off her ball gown after a day spent at the tailor's getting it fixed.
** Cinders immediately takes off her shoes and throws them over a wall after dancing with Prince Basile, because the shoes, though beautiful, are small and pinch her feet.

* GameplayAndStorySegregation: The script clearly advocates independence and a realistic outlook, yet makes the Evil Queen ending more likely if a player expresses this. The script overall suffers from a lack of tangible morality choices, so 'good' is equivalent to 'passive' and 'cynical' to 'murderous tyrant.' Making the decision that Cinders' abusive stepfamily "should get what they deserve" results in the [=PC=] being labelled 'evil', regardless of how realistic such resentment would be in a similar real-life situation.

%% * Getting Crap Past The Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* GodsNeedPrayerBadly: The Fairy's conversation with the Shady implies that Fairies are as much dependent on humans who believe in them as the other way around.

* GoodIsOldFashioned: Perrault.

* GorgeousPeriodDress: Courtesy of Cinders's stepmother and stepsisters.

* IAmNotPretty: Sophia's perception of herself, especially when compared to Gloria.
* IDontWantToRuinOurFriendship: Cinders's reasoning if rejects Tobias when he asks her on a date.

* LostWillAndTestament: A possible subplot focuses on Cinders' father's missing will, which Cinders believes will reveal her as the true heir to the house. However, it's subverted because [[spoiler:it shows that the house was indeed left to Carmosa]]. It was only hidden because [[spoiler:it's a sensitive legal document]].
* MagicalNegro: Madame Ghede. She is the only black character in the game and may have "magical" voodoo-ish powers.
** [[JustifiedTrope Justified.]] The reason why she aids Cinders is because she is indebted to Cinder's mother.
** Also, possibly [[SubvertedTrope subverted.]] In Madam Ghede's conversation with the Shady character, he states that Madame Ghede manipulated Cinders for her own selfish agenda.

* MeaningfulName: Gloria means glory in Latin, while Sophia means wisdom. This refers to their role as Beautiful Sister and Smart Sister, respectively (see TheGloriousWarOfSisterlyRivalry).
* MeanwhileScene: Frequently, usually focusing on Basile and Perrault.

** BadEnding / ItsAWonderfulFailure: The Grim Fate. It actually has a very specific set of requirements; [[EarnYourBadEnding you pretty much have to be trying in order to get it]].
*** To be precise, here's how to get The Grim Fate: [[spoiler:be defiant to Carmosa, don't pursue romance with Perrault (though you can befriend him for an ending variant), don't follow the Shady character (or if you do, don't succeed in interrogating certain information out of him) so you'll miss out on some crucial information, and don't search for a will when Cinders's narration ''point-blank tells you'' that a will might be useful. Then, when Cinders is trying to decide between re-taking Carmosa's home or escaping town, choose to try to re-take Carmosa's home by poisoning her...but because you were defiant to her earlier, she won't trust the breakfast you serve and she'll discover the poison in it, which causes her to ''have you arrested'' and you eventually rot to death in the Royal Dungeon, consumed by guilt and failure.]]

* MysteriousStranger: No matter what path the player takes, the Shady Character's backstory and motivations are never disclosed. [[spoiler:The closest to a clue is a short scene in the epilogue, where he is shown to be on familiar terms with either the Fairy or Madame Ghede, depending on Cinders' choice of godmother, and it is only implied that he knew Cinders' mother.]]
* NatureVersusNurture: Depending on how Cinders interacts with her step-family, she will see them either as [[NurtureOverNature victims of circumstance]] or inherently awful human beings.
** The first choice available in game hints at this trope, [[spoiler: do people deserve a second chance, or do they get what they deserve?]]
* NoNameGiven: Shady character.

* ObfuscatingStupidity: The Shady Character ''clearly'' knows more than he's letting on, even when it comes to [[spoiler:The Fairy.]]

* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: "Cinders" isn't the protagonist's real name, but we never learn what she is really called.
** The Shady character.
* OptionalSexualEncounter: With Tobias.
* OurFairiesAreDifferent: Your Fairy Godmother is [[spoiler:either an ethereal spirit of the lake, or an ambiguously voodoo-ish black lady in a carnival dress.]]

* ProtagonistTitle: OneWordTitle style.

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure / RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: The Prince wants to abolish the monarchy and create a representative government for the future happiness of his people, even if this means angering the old-fashioned nobility.

** One of your possible love interests is named [[Creator/CharlesPerrault Perrault]]. No, really.

** Carmosa's name is derived from Carmosina, the WickedStepmother in Basile's aforementioned La Gatta Cenerentola.
* SignificantGreenEyedRedhead: Cinders, of course.

* SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids: Sophia's attitude.
* SillyRabbitRomanceIsForKids: Sophia, Gloria, and Carmosa all share this attitude. Cinders can too, if the player is so inclined.
* SlidingScaleOfFreeWillVersusFate

* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism
* StepfordSmiler: Gloria.
* StepfordSnarker: Sophia.
* StupidEvil / StupidGood: Cinders can be this, depending on your choices.
** Being ''particularly'' StupidEvil in a certain select circumstance can also get you the BadEnding.
** The game is partly designed to send a message about the importance of not being these things, and the trouble that comes from going too far to either end. The best endings tend to be those where the player prioritizes intelligence instead, or balances all the values. Specifically, [[spoiler: even the tyrannical-but-clever ''Machiavellic Queen'' still ushers in a "Golden Age" and the Prince can fall in love with her, which is better than the "Good Queen," who is too weak to support his reforms and so cannot gain the Prince's love--just like the Evil Queen, who rejects his reforms out of her own cruelty. Both of the last two are suggested to contribute to a bad future for the kingdom, just more explicitly and dramatically with the Evil Queen]]. This can come as a shock to players who come in planning to play the protagonist like in the original story (or the Disney version).
* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: The subplot about Cinders' father's [[LostWillAndTestament will]] initially leads the player to assume that Carmosa hid it and for it to reveal that Cinders is the true heir to the house, a la ''Film/ACinderellaStory''. However, if Cinders chooses to find the will, she finds it rather easily and it reveals that [[spoiler:the will left everything to ''Carmosa'']]. As the game itself points out, [[spoiler: hiding and lying about a will is ''incredibly'' shortsighted and idiotic, which Carmosa is ''not'']]. Carmosa hid it [[spoiler:because it's a sensitive legal document]]. And secondly, Carmosa and Cinders' father were noted to have a good relationship, [[spoiler: so it makes sense that he'd leave everything to his new wife]] and not [[spoiler: his daughter, who is all but stated to have been a minor when he died]].

* TwiceToldTale: Before you play this game, you might want to read the fairy tale of Cinderella.
* TheUnfavorite: Cinders is this to Carmosa. Sophia was this until Cinders came into the picture.

* VictoriousChildhoodFriend: Tobias, if you choose to pursue a romance with him.

* VideoGameCrueltyPotential: ...or you can decide to PayEvilUntoEvil and be completely horrible to them. You can even gain Carmosa's trust and then have her imprisoned or poisoned to clear the way for you as the new head of the house.
* VillainyFreeVillain: Carmosa, Gloria, and Sophia. They haven't done anything truly evil or unlawful, they're just rude and spiteful.
** Well, actually...[[spoiler: Carmosa does forge their invitation for the ball, but it is more of a FelonyMisdemeanor. One possible way to retake the residence is to use this to get Carmosa arrested.]]
* [[WellDoneSonGuy "Well Done Daughter" Girl]]: Poor, poor Gloria...
* WhatTheHellHero: If you take the more ruthless choices in the game [[spoiler:like poisoning Carmosa or having her arrested]], the other characters ''will'' call you out on it. Unless you covered your tracks, that is.
** The Shady Character gives this to [[spoiler:Madame Ghede, who manipulates Cinders into letting her repay her debt to the latter's mother cheaply - or to the Fairy of the Lake, who is ''heavily'' implied to have caused Cinders mother to suffer DeathByChildbirth as part of the Concord she had with her]] in the endings.
* WickedStepmother: Carmosa, though she's portrayed a little more sympathetically than some.
** Can be [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] at the end, depending on game play.
* WoundedGazelleWarcry: Cinders can threaten to frame the Shady Character with assault and send the guards after him if he refuses to share some information she wants.

* AlphaBitch: Lady Carmosa.

* AmicableExes: Perrault and Madame Ghede.

* ButThouMust: [[AvertedTrope Averted.]] '''Every''' choice affects the dialogue and outcome of the game.

* ComingOfAgeStory

* DeadpanSnarker: Cinders has her moments.
** Sophia outdoes her (and everyone) by miles, though [[StepfordSnarker there is more to it]] in her case.

* DeathByDespair: The Grim Fate ending.
* DefrostingIceQueen: Gloria and/or Sophia, if you're on their friendship paths.
** [[spoiler:You can also potentially earn Carmosa's respect and support in the ending.]]

* DontYouDarePityMe: Sophia.
* DotingParent: Cinders's father was this when he was alive.

* FairFolk: [[spoiler:The spirit of the lake.]]

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* GlassSlipper: Openly mocked.

* TheHighQueen: The Fair Queen is this. [[spoiler:The Good Queen subverts this.]]

* {{Leitmotif}}: Almost everyone.

''Cinders'' is a VisualNovel / RomanceGame for PC and MAC, and later UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, made by Moa Cube, artist Gracjana Zielinska and composer Rob Westwood. It is a reimagining of ''Literature/{{Cinderella}}'', in which you have to play as Cinders - an orphan girl humiliated and enslaved by her stepmother, explore the world around you, interact with people ([[FairFolk and not all of them human]]) and find your own place in life.

You can download the free demo and/or buy this game [[http://moacube.com/games/cinders/ here]]. [[TheWikiRule Has its own]] [[http://cinders.wikia.com/wiki/Cinders_Wiki wiki]] - complete with walkthrough, so look out for spoilers.

* KickTheSonOfABitch: Cinders has the option of doing this by [[spoiler:killing Carmosa via poison.]] Sure, it's a terrible thing to do, but given that the victim is a horrible person who [[spoiler:verbally and emotionally abuses her daughters (blood or otherwise) and treats Cinders like a slave, making it abundantly clear that under the ''best'' of circumstances that she intends to have her as a servant forever]], it really comes off as more of a case of TheDogBitesBack, rather than any crossing of the MoralEventHorizon.

Not to be confused with ''Literature/{{Cinder}}'', the first novel of ''Literature/LunarChronicles'' series.

* NotSoDifferent: Cinders and Carmosa, particularly if Cinders has a cunning and/or selfish personality.

* CinderellaCircumstances

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Nothing explicit happens on-screen (except possibly [[spoiler:Cinders murdering Carmosa in one ending]]), but the game is clearly set in early modern Europe, and the characters' attitudes are influenced by this. For example, Ghede -- the only black character in the game -- is frequently accused of crime by the townspeople, and talks scornfully about how they perceive her as a [[BurnTheWitch witch]].

* YourCheatingHeart: If Cinders decides to woo the Prince after having already romanced Tobias or Perrault, the ending will feature her carrying on an affair with Tobias/Perrault as the Queen and the Prince being none too pleased but having to put up with it.

* DaddysGirl: Cinders can be [[spoiler: if the she chooses to tell Sophia about her childhood and says that it was great.]]

* TheHighQueen: The Fair Queen is this. [[spoiler: The Good Queen subverts this.]]

* [[PosthumousCharacter Posthumous Characters]]: Cinders's parents. They're both dead before the story begins, but they are frequently mentioned.

** When Cinders gets too sentimental, she kicks herself back to common sense, saying that soon [[Disney/{{Cinderella}} she'll begin considering mice and sparrows her only friends, and they'll "all go frolicking and singing together"]].

* WomanInWhite:
** The Fairy is pale and translucent, surrounded by mystical lights, and has a history with Cinders' mother. However, players have the option to ignore her in favor of Madame Ghede, thus subverting the trope.
** Cinders herself can play with this trope. If she goes to the Fairy for help, her ball gown will be entirely in white and she'll catch the prince's attention, but she can decline a marriage proposal from him.

** * In one "Independent Woman" ending [[spoiler: the player can have Carmosa arrested for forging an invitation to the Royal Ball, and Perrault will attempt to arrest Gloria and Sophia along with her - only for Carmosa to ''beg'' him to spare them and take all the blame for herself.]]

''Cinders'' is a VisualNovel / RomanceGame for PC and MAC, and later UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, made by Moa Cube, artist Gracjana Zielinska and composer Rob Westwood. It is a reimagining of ''Literature/{{Cinderella}}'', in which you have to play as Cinders - an orphan girl humiliated and enslaved by her stepmother, explore the world around you, interact with people ([[FairFolk and not not all of them human]]) and find your own place in life.