Old Nikki

Hey, thanks for stopping by. Quick context before we get into anything else, since this comes with a few asterisks attached.

What this is (and isn't)

This game was not created in 2009. It's only inspired by something from that era. The look, the feel, the rough edges — all intentional, but it's a new build I made recently, not some lost artifact I dug up. Just want that clear up front.

And no, there's no Crestfallen. That's me. I'm Crestfallen. Or at least the guy in the video is. Same person. The whole "found footage by some other guy" framing was part of the ARG — I built this game from scratch specifically to make that video, and now I'm putting the actual game itself out so people can play it.

What kind of game is it

Honestly? I don't fully know. I made it for a video. It started as a prop and ended up being a game I figured I might as well share. So if you're going in expecting something polished and intentional and meaningful, lower your expectations a little. It's probably kind of crap. You can decide for yourself — judge it if you want, that's fair.

What I can tell you about it: it leans into that old, weird, unfinished-game-on-a-burned-CD aesthetic. Yume Nikki vibes filtered through ARG / analog horror sensibilities. Short, strange, with sounds and visuals that aren't trying to be friendly. There's something there if you want to look for it. Or you can just walk around and let it be weird at you.

Heads up before you play

This game has loud sounds. Seriously. Turn your headphones down before you start. I'm not joking — there are moments where the volume jumps, and if you've got the headset cranked because the early audio is quiet, you're going to hate me. Lower it. Trust me on this one.

About the antivirus thing

Some antivirus programs may flag this game as a virus. It's a false positive. The game doesn't contain anything malicious — what's happening is that the file types I used to build it (and the way it's packaged) sometimes trip up automatic scanners that don't know what to do with small indie games made on weird engines. This is a common thing for games like this on itch and similar platforms.

That said: the best antivirus is your own judgment. If you don't trust me or this download, don't run it. Run it through VirusTotal. Read the comments. Check what other people are saying. Use your brain. I'd rather you skip the game than feel uneasy about running it.

What's actually in it

A short experience. Wandering, atmosphere, some moments designed to mess with you, and the general feel of finding a game that wasn't really meant to be found. It's not a long game. You can probably finish a run in one sitting. Some of it will make sense, some of it won't, and that's kind of the point.

If you're into Yume Nikki fangames, ARGs, analog horror adjacent stuff, or just weird short experimental games — this is in that pocket. If you want something polished and conventional, this isn't it.

Heads up on bugs

This was made fast and on the side. There are bugs I haven't caught. There's stuff that doesn't work as well as I'd like. I might patch it, I might not — it's a one-off project tied to a specific thing I was making. If you find something genuinely broken, leave a comment, I'll look at it.

Thanks for checking it out. Have fun. Or don't. Either's fine.