Horror Meets Romance: Bloody Painter Dating Sim
Remember back when creepypastas were all the rage and those iconic, eerie characters came to be? Ever wondered what it might be like to romance one of those infamous killers? Now’s your chance! I recently had the pleasure of interviewing DeluCat, the brilliant creator behind Bloody Painter, who’s just released an otome game featuring the character. Get ready for an exclusive insight into Bloody Painter Dating Sim with many spooky, thrilling twists along the way.
“Hello everyone, I’m DeluCat, a full-time YouTuber/Vtuber. Since early last year, I’ve started learning and dedicating myself to game development as a novice. Initially, I simply thought it would be fun to turn my original characters into a game everyone could enjoy, so I began researching how to make that happen.”
“One major challenge during development was bug fixing. Since I had no prior experience with programming languages, I used the iFVN-AVG engine for “Bloody Painter Dating Sim”. However, this led to numerous bugs. Eventually, I connected with programmer LoS-Light, who helped me resolve the remaining issues. This collaboration became the foundation for our continued work on future projects. Currently, we are developing a non-human otome visual novel game called “Monster Boyfriend”, with a demo planned for release next year.”
“The character Bloody Painter was created by me in 2013 on the DeviantART platform. At the time, I was just a teenager who loved Creepypasta culture, and that inspired me to create my own character. However, the story I wrote as a kid was still incomplete. As I grew older, I realized that the story I wrote in 2013 was quite “childish.””
“So, I began reading materials related to criminal psychology, including the life stories of real-life serial killers, books by psychologists and neuroscientists, literature about the operations of forensic psychiatric hospitals, and the processes of FBI investigations. I read everything about the people involved in a serial murder case. My bookshelf started filling up with thick reference books related to these topics.”
“These books became a source of inspiration for my future character development. I spent a lot of time researching and reading real-life materials to make the character more vivid. I wanted to create a serial killer character who was as realistic, intelligent, and charismatic as Hannibal, rather than a simple and crude murderer like those in B-grade horror movies.”
“Later, in 2017, I rewrote the entire story of Bloody Painter. Here is the 2017 version of the story: https://youtu.be/AaHgY62-ggI. The storyline in the game is a spin-off based on the 2017 version, serving as a continuation. However, the events in the game are unrelated to the main plot of Bloody Painter’s original story. You can consider the game a dream-like experience made by the author as a gift to the fans.”
“Romanticizing the character Bloody Painter has been quite a challenge for me because BP is extremely egocentric, selfish, and lacking in both emotions and empathy. He is constantly calculating and scheming ways to use those around him and remains highly distrustful of others. Developing a romantic relationship for such a character is difficult; to put it bluntly, the only person he truly loves is himself. I believe he would only be interested in someone who is similar to him—his “own kind.” Beyond that, it is hard for him to develop romantic feelings for others.”
“This made writing the script for this dating sim quite challenging, as I had to carefully balance the amount of romance to include. Even a slight increase in sweetness in the plot could risk making the character go out of character OOC. “How can I let players feel the romance in the game without making the character OOC?” was a question I constantly pondered while writing the script.”
“I worked hard to strike a balance between “maintaining the character’s unique traits” and “allowing players to experience a sense of romance.” Considering that the game’s timeline gives the player only seven days to interact with BP, it would be impossible for someone as guarded as him to develop a sweet, romantic relationship with the player in just a week.”
“This greatly limited how I could structure the narrative. Nevertheless, you can look forward to our Valentine’s Day DLC, which will be released in February 2025. The events in the DLC take place two years after BP and the player first meet, during which time a bond has already developed between you two. Under these conditions, we can freely incorporate more romantic elements into the story, letting you genuinely experience what it feels like to be in love with BP.”
“After the game was released, I noticed some players who had never been exposed to the character Bloody Painter complaining that the romance elements in the game were lacking. This might disappoint players who came into the game hoping for a sweet romantic experience.”
“However, I also saw many players who were already familiar with Bloody Painter praising the game for accurately portraying the character and noting that BP did not come off as OOC. In light of these two groups, I admit it’s challenging to please everyone.”
“That said, I believe that rather than focusing on the dissatisfaction of new players regarding the romance elements, it’s more encouraging that many people are developing an interest in the character because of this game. I see it as a positive outcome as long as more people get to know and become interested in BP.”
“His personality: calm, intelligent, rational, selfish, elegant and polite, egocentric. He possesses a unique set of values that he holds above legal standards. As long as he believes that an action will achieve his ultimate goal, he will not hesitate to exploit or frame others, regardless of whether it is illegal or if it will hurt others’ feelings. You could say he is a selfish jerk.”
“He does not exhibit strong emotional fluctuations; even if he does feel them, he hides them away. He always puts himself first. Even if he encounters someone he genuinely likes, this affection does not surpass his love for himself. Therefore, he will not engage in selfless acts of devotion or sacrifice for the sake of love.”
“I initially decided to position the game in a horror + romance style because I personally enjoy games that incorporate both elements. I believe this blend makes visual novels very appealing.”
“However, I didn’t initially decide how much proportion of horror and romance to include in the game. I feel that instead of calling it a dating game, it is more like a horror game with romantic elements, with approximately 70% horror and 30% romance.”
“In the past, while live-streaming the game’s development on my YouTube channel, I often complained to my audience that I was no longer sure if I was making a horror game or a dating game (lol). We are currently working on a male-targeted visual novel dating game titled “Sweet Life with Yanlu“, which is expected to be released in the second half of 2026, and it will continue to maintain this blend of horror and romance.”
“The determination of the endings completely depends on “I think it would be interesting for the story to develop this way.” I also tried to incorporate death endings into the game because they are quite fun (lol).”
“The player’s choices in the game will determine their final relationship with BP. As for Ending 4-1, it showcases BP’s most “selfish” traits. Ending 4-2 is the most “rational” ending, offering a bittersweet sense of romance. Personally, I find Ending 4-3 to be the most interesting, this is the ending where players can spend the longest time with BP and offers the most room for imagination. Ending 4-4 is the one most likely to develop into a romantic relationship with BP in the future.”
As we wrapped up the interview, DeluCat expressed heartfelt gratitude for the incredible support from fans of Bloody Painter Dating Sim! “Thank you all for your attention and support for our game,” they shared, adding how thrilling it’s been to see the community’s response to their very first game. With the success of Bloody Painter, DeluCat is already planning future projects.
If you’re eager to stay updated on their next releases, be sure to follow DeluCat’s social media channels on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. And if you’re a dedicated Bloody Painter fan, don’t miss the special 10th Anniversary merchandise, available for pre-order until late November 2024—find it on their official shop. All proceeds go directly to supporting future game development, so your support truly makes a difference!
You may also like this
Exclusive Access: Creative Vision Behind Keepers of Astaela
In this special episode of the Otome.com podcast, hosts Lover’s Lens and SweetPixel sit down with the dynamic duo behind Keepers of Astraela—Gwynne, the developer,...
AnnaRedux, A Horror Game for Otome Fans
I know that horror isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s certainly mine, so I’m always happy to find a game in the otome sphere...
Horror Meets Romance: Bloody Painter Dating Sim
Remember back when creepypastas were all the rage and those iconic, eerie characters came to be? Ever wondered what it might be like to romance...