"This was a Salvation Project program, until the next time! Seth out!
The Salvation Project is a horror game developed by itch.io users Tihan
and Lenat_1. It was created in 48 days for the HPS1 Summer of Shivers game jam.
You play as a mother named Karen, alone in the house except for the constant Public Service Announcement from The Salvation Project keeping you company. The host of the PSAs, a green frog that looks suspiciously like a certain muppet, speaks directly to you about the various fears that plague you, especially the satanic influences in the house. Gameplay consists of searching through the house for 'satanic' objects like trading cards or roleplaying games and removing them. However, Seth isn't all that he seems and the more you listen to him, the weirder things get...
You can support the game through its itch.io page here.
- The '80s / The '90s: Takes place somewhere in these time periods. There are cassette tapes and VHS players, huge blocky computers, as well as references to things like Dungeons & Dragons and Metallica (or their Bland-Name Product equivalents, anyways).
- Bait-and-Switch: The second PSA is introduced as one about energy consumption, implying a departure from the initial Satanic Panic. Only for Seth to speak about how increased energy consumption is necessary for keeping demonic forces away. Also applies for the first PSA, as Seth will fixate on Karen's fear of satanism regardless of player input.
- Berserk Button: Seth flips out when Karen calls him inconsiderate. He also becomes more aggressive when she questions him or doesn't immediately do as he says.
- Blatant Lies: Seth tells Karen that creating a "sacred pentagram" with summon a "guardian angel" to protect her.
- Catchphrase: Seth always ends his broadcasts with the phrase: "Be careful, because if you don't care, THEY WILL."
- Captain Ersatz: Seth is clearly supposed to be Kermit the Frog.
- Dissonant Serenity: At first, Seth's blank stare and cheerful tone never changes, not even when he preaches about the dangers of Satan and his followers. This might have something to do with the fact that he's a puppet.
- The Fourth Wall Will Not Protect You: In-universe. Seth abruptly shows up in Karen's house (as in, outside the TV) with no warning and no explanation to 'help' her.
- Hollywood Satanism: The satanism that Karen and Seth are so concerned about is associated with demons, indoctrinating children, upside-down crosses, and rituals.
- Light Is Good / Dark Is Evil: Seth urges Karen to turn on all the lights in the house until 8 PM in order to prevent the Devil from getting in.
- Mood-Swinger: Seth shouts angrily at Karen when she dares to address him with anything other than blind obedience, then regains his normal cheery tone immediately afterwards.
- Moral Guardians: You play as one. Karen is very against anything that could even vaguely be associated with demons and satanism.
- Multiple Endings: Karen suddenly wakes up in her living room again as if nothing had happened. The phone rings, Karen picks it up, and...
- Bad Ending: Karen only hears wailing and screaming. She turns around to discover that Satan is standing right behind her.
- Good Ending: If the player found every piece of a torn up picture that has been scattered around the house, Karen speaks to a man, who inquires about her well-being and medication. She asks for help, saying that she wants to see her family again.
- Murder, Arson, and Jaywalking: When Seth asks what Karen (and the player) is most afraid of, the three options are nuclear war, Satanism, and spiders.
- No Indoor Voice: All of Seth's PSA's are delivered at full volume after he manifests in Karen's house.
- Perverse Puppet: Seth. He may look like a certain other green felt puppet, but he definitely isn't benevolent, no matter what he says. He gets Karen to summon the dark lord Satan with a demonic ritual.
- Public Service Announcement: Brought to you by The Salvation Project!
- Satanic Panic: Clearly takes inspiration from the real-world moral panic around satanism and satanic influences in the form of whatever it is that kids are into these days. Gameplay revolves around hunting down anything that might be considered a bad influence, like Dungeons and Demons rulebooks and Mentallica cassette tapes.
- The Television Talks Back: Karen speaks to Seth in the TV, who responds directly to her dialogue choices.
- Through the Eyes of Madness: Both Seth's interactions with Karen and Satan are all hallucinations, as revealed in the good ending.
