a pet shop after dark is a game by npckc that seems to start off cute, but quickly takes on a more terrifying tone. Originally released for free in August of 2020 as part of a Game Jam, an enhanced edition was commercially released on August 30, 2022.
You play as a nameless part-timer who just took a job at a strange pet shop, which requires her to stay in the store all night and care for the plants and animals. As long as she feeds the pets, water the plants, and keep the lights on, she'll be set, but all the rules are very important...especially keeping the lights on.
The first night is pretty simple, as there's no work to be done. However, the Part-Timer then gets an odd dream of a voice begging for help, and there's no pets visible in the cages the next morning. The voice asks for one thing... to turn off the lights.
The gameplay involves exploring the pet shop and interacting with the environment, figuring out the hints and clues you get in order to progress and figure out what's really going on. Much of it involves deleting or changing the actual game files to impact the world of the game itself.
The Game Jam version has been delisted from npckc's itch.io account, replaced with the commercial release, which is available to purchase here
. The Steam version, which includes a Demo that acts as a prequel to the main game, is here.
Tropes featured in this game include:
- Addressing the Player: The Dream spirit will regularly speak to the player as well as the Part-Timer, especially after beating the game.
- Big Bad: The Owner of the pet shop is revealed to have killed the Dream spirit and is imprisoning the spirit whom the player and Part-Timer must free.
- Dark Is Not Evil: The spirit is only able to escape or contact the player when the lights are off. However, they're not evil, and are being kept in the shop against their will.
- Deliberately Monochrome: Save for the pink hearts and blue water symbols, the game's style is entirely in a black and while palette, with dark gray backgrounds.
- From Beyond the Fourth Wall: The central gameplay mechanic revolves around playing with game files in the directory in order to solve puzzles requiring the player to alter the environment in some way. The Part-Timer will express confusion at this and have no idea what is going on.
- Generic Cuteness: The Minimalist Cast is rendered in simplistic style which eases the horror elements and makes it easier to connect to them.
- "Groundhog Day" Loop: Failure to solve any puzzle on the first night will result in the Part-Timer being paid and sent home, while the shop owner taunts the spirit that the player was unable to mount an effective rescue. Restarting the game will make the Part-Timer mysteriously return back to the shop, not understanding how she got there or where she came from, but vaguely remembering what she is meant to do.
- Idiot Hair: The Part-Timer, who is mostly oblivious to what is happening in the game, has a single curly strand of hair sticking out.
- Invisible to Normals: At least at the start, the player can't see any of the "pets", and nor can they see or hear the spirit trying to contact them. The shop owner even mockingly points out that to the player, they don't even exist and can't be noticed or helped.
- Minimalist Cast: The game's cast consist of three characters.
- Nameless Narrative: None of the characters are given proper names, and the Steam trading cards refer to them by their roles (the Player Character is Part-Timer, the owner is Owner, etc).
- Phoning the Phantom: Once the player discovers a phone, they can call and get in contact with the spirit that's been trying to get their attention. Until finding the body, this is the only way the player can even talk to them, as they otherwise don't exist on the same plane.
- Reality Warper: The player themselves in a way. By messing with the files, the reality of the game's world is altered. For example, when the "LIGHTS" file is deleted, the shop is suddenly pitch black, despite the lights still being on outside.
- What the Hell, Player?: The secret ending is basically this. If you decide to delete the "END" file and reset the game, condemning Dream to be trapped by the Owner once again, she'll remember, and in the ending sequence she'll call you out for it and cease her friendly relationship with you.Dream: Was it worth it? Did you have fun playing through this again? Taking my freedom away from me once more? Did you enjoy the power you have over me? Or was it just banal curiosity? ...It doesn't matter. You can do this as many times as you like... But I will always remember. I will make sure that you do not forget. You can try to hide... BUT I WILL FIND YOU.
