From Myth to Madness: Snow White Ashes
Snow White Ashes is a gothic otome visual novel that blends twisted fairy tales, romance, and immortality into a chilling tale of love and loss. In this exclusive interview, solo dev Endysis reveals the inspirations behind the story, the myth of Endymion, and what it’s like to create heartbreak with your own hands.
In this interview:
Background and Origins
Eli :My first attempt at making visual novels was back in October 2022 with a Gothic horror story called Kit. I initially wanted to make a short twine game for Halloween, but quickly ended up with a much lengthier and more complex project because I had so many things I wanted to add!
I’m a bit of a jack-of-all-trades and I love art, music, and coming up with stories, so making narrative games seemed like a great way to combine it all. Programming was not one of my skills, however. I’ve definitely learned a lot about Ren’py over my past few projects, but you can still find me yelling at my screen when my code doesn’t work. Other than that, the biggest challenge is simply doing all of this on my own. Handling every part of production myself, staying motivated, and then trying to figure out how to let people know my games even exist can be pretty exhausting sometimes, but I do find it worthwhile in the end.
Game Inspiration and Development
Eli: In my head, I call Snow White Ashes ‘the myth of Endymion wrapped in a fairy tale skin’. A lot of my work is inspired by mythology, especially Greek, as well as Western folklore and fairytales but in a slightly twisted vein–not that the original stories weren’t dark to begin with!
Endymion is the tale of a goddess falling in love with a mortal and forcing him to sleep forever so she can always gaze upon his face. That basic premise–an immortal being ridding her lover of what makes him human for her own selfish reasons–can fit into so many different contexts (like one where the ‘goddess’ is a vampiric, flesh-hungry creature…) I tend to be a discovery writer (or pantser) and I usually only have a general idea of the plot trajectory along with a list of key events in my mind. I find that this is a good balance for me between letting the characters drive the story where they want to go while still foreshadowing the destination to come.
It’s very, very fun for me to get into the main character’s head. She has a unique view of the world (to say the least) and I love trying to incorporate a lyrical flow to her narration to hone in on that fairy tale feeling.
Eli: I like vampire stories a lot, and I love seeing how different authors from Angela Carter to Sheridan Le Fanu craft these creatures of the night.
“Undead” is an apt description; I find myself drawn more to stories that paint them this way over stories where they’re similar to humans but with supernatural abilities.
The most important thing about the undead in Snow White Ashes is that they’re dead. They don’t grow or change. They don’t eat or dream or feel pain–the only exception is when they feed on human blood, and briefly, for a small blip in their existence, become human-like again.
For a creature like this, one might start to consider one’s own flesh superficial–not truly part of their core being.
Eli :I don’t think she’s changed quite as much as she thinks she has. She’s still jealous and self-centred (and potentially destructive, depending on the player’s choices) just like she used to be.
She’s not the most honest person, even to herself; you have to wonder if she’s really able to do the things she says for the reasons she gives. That said, the experience has certainly wounded her and affected her ability to open her heart and trust in others–what little of it there was, to begin with.
Eli : That’s a very good question, and one I’m sure Gabriel himself has mulled over for centuries. I don’t think he has a definitive answer as to what he would’ve done.
I believe that while love can change people, it doesn’t fundamentally change who you are. The same empathetic and gentle nature that can cause someone to forgive another can also scar them deeply when betrayed. I’m sorry if this feels like a cop-out, but I do prefer to leave it up to the reader’s interpretation of him!
Eli : While that’s a safe horse to bet on, I can’t reveal exactly who or what they are or how they’re involved–only that they do have a connection to the main character.
Community and Feedback for Snow White Ashes
Eli : Both the initial teaser and the extended demo wildly exceeded my expectations, beyond a doubt. I’ve had many comments from players saying they loved the story, which is extremely flattering since I feel like I still have a lot of room to grow as a writer!
As a solo dev who can never really reach the level of polish of a larger team, it’s been heartwarming to read comments from players who’ve enjoyed the art and music as well.
I’m truly grateful and hope I can keep improving and make even better experiences in the future!
Future Plans and Development
Eli : You can definitely expect more suffering, as well as more of Gabriel’s perspective and a
look into his own past and journey so far.
The story still has twists and turns in store, so I hope you look forward to it!
Eli : Absolutely! Here’s a look at the full design sheet for Gabriel as well as early concept art
for Selene.
Eli : I’d like to give a big thank you for reaching out to me and giving me the opportunity to ramble!
Also, I want to say a huge thank you to the players; I’m so, so honored to be able to share this story with you and am eternally grateful for your support and patience.
In the meantime, I have other games!
My first major project, The Last Winter Knight, should have a new demo out soon and a full release by the end of the year. Its focus is on familial bonds, but the romance you do get to see is messy (though not as messy as Snow White Ashes!) Trail of Stars is a short, bittersweet fairy tale about friendship and first love, and finally, It Paints Me is a short, tragic Gothic romance about art, pain, and obsession.
With more heartache, haunting lore, and unexpected twists on the horizon, Snow White Ashes promises a dark fairytale experience you won’t forget. Keep your eyes on Endysis—this is only the beginning.
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