Hearts Before The Arrow (DEMO)
What is Hearts Before The Arrow (DEMO)?
Hearts Before The Arrow is an episodic visual novel demo set in Odysseus's occupied palace, where a servant navigates dangerous nobles and doomed fates. The current build follows Telemachus in Episode 1.
Hearts Before The Arrow is an episodic visual novel demo set during the Odyssey's palace occupation. The player is a servant in Ithaca, pouring wine and surviving the whims of nobles while catching the attention of doomed men. The current demo v0.1 includes Telemachus Episode 1; Antinous Episode 1 is in development. The full release plans 11 romance routes, affection-driven choices, chore minigames, Kottabos drinking games, and palace exploration. The story asks whether the player will help the Prince or save a villain when the King returns. This demo is text-based, runs in a web browser via Ren'Py, and is free to play or pay what you want.
How to play Hearts Before The Arrow (DEMO)
- Open the web build of the demo.
- Start with Telemachus Episode 1, the route available in demo v0.1.
- Read the story and make choices that can change who lives and who dies.
- Expect the current build to take roughly 30-45 minutes.
Hearts Before The Arrow (DEMO) controls
The developer does not list specific controls on the game page. Click the play frame above and try the keyboard, mouse, or touch; most jam games show their controls on the first screen.
Tips for Hearts Before The Arrow (DEMO)
- The current demo is short: roughly 30-45 minutes for Telemachus Episode 1.
- Antinous Episode 1 is in development for the next update, so it is not part of demo v0.1.
- Review the content warnings before playing; the story includes violence, classism, toxic relationships, and major character death.
- The full release is planned to have 11 routes and 3-5 hours per route.
- Choices are central to the story and can determine who lives and who dies.
Hearts Before The Arrow (DEMO) FAQ
Can the game be played for free?
The game is free to play or pay what you want.
What is available in the current demo?
Demo v0.1 includes Telemachus Episode 1. Antinous Episode 1 is in development for the next update.
How long is the current build?
The current build length is about 30-45 minutes for Telemachus Episode 1.
What platform does it run on?
The game is available as a web build and uses Ren'Py.
About this game
Read the full developer description
last update: 28th sept 2025
🚧 EARLY ACCESS / IN ACTIVE DEVELOPMENT 🚧
Follow the journey! The current demo features Telemachus - Episode 1.
Antinous - Episode 1 is actively in development and dropping in the next update!
They are destined to die by the King’s arrow. Will you rewrite their fate, or watch them fall?
📜 The Synopsis
For twenty years, the wine-dark sea has swallowed the King of Ithaca. Now, the great halls of Odysseus echo with the laughter of 108 arrogant suitors. They drink his wine, slaughter his livestock, and plot to steal his Queen.
You are merely a servant in this occupied palace—expected to pour the wine, clear the plates, and survive the whims of the nobility. But it is dangerously easy to catch the eye of the men who would burn Ithaca to the ground for a crown.
As you navigate the treacherous politics of the palace, you find yourself drawn to the doomed. Perhaps it is the rightful Prince trying to reclaim his home, the cruel goatherd who rules the courtyards, or the arrogant lords plotting to usurp the throne.
But the Fates are spinning a bloody thread. Whispers on the wind say the King is returning. The massacre of the suitors is inevitable. When the bronze-tipped arrows begin to fly, whose side will you choose? Will you help the Prince slaughter the men who defiled his home, or will you risk your own life to save the villain you love?
Defy the bards. Rewrite the myth. Choose who lives, and who dies.
🗺️ Development Roadmap & Current Build
This game is being released episodically! Here is what is available to play right now, and what is coming next:
🟢 Available Now (Demo v0.1):- Telemachus: Episode 1
- Antinous: Episode 1
- The remaining 9 Love Interests (Eurymachus, Amphinomos, Melanthius, etc.).
- Episodes 2 through 4 for all routes.
- The Endgame: The Massacre & The Bow.
- Wishlist and follow to get notified the second a new suitor unlocks!
🏛️ Key Features (Planned for Full Release)
- 11 Doomed Men to Romance: Court the men of Ithaca. From the desperate Prince to the arrogant lords, and even the cruel servants.
- Defy Your Fate: The Odyssey ends in a slaughter, but your story doesn't have to. Accumulate affection to redeem your villainous lover, or stand by Telemachus and watch him face the King's wrath.
- A Life of Servitude (Minigames): Survive the grueling demands of the palace. Master chore-based minigames and test your luck in the high-stakes Kottabos drinking games.
- Explore the Palace: Wander the sunlit courtyards and shadowed servant quarters. Eavesdrop on plots, uncover secrets, and find quiet moments with your chosen suitor.
- Epic & Intimate Storytelling: Experience a beautifully written narrative that blends accessible character drama with the sweeping, poetic grandeur of Homeric epic during cinematic climaxes
🏺 The Cast — The Beasts of Ithaca
🟢 PLAYABLE NOW
- 🐺 Telemachus — The Little Wolf: The Boy Becoming a Man. The lone defender of his household, a pup baring his teeth at the den's edge while lions and serpents close in. Desperate to prove he is his father's son.
🟡 IN DEVELOPMENT (Next Update!) inchallah
- 🦁 Antinous — The Lion: The Self-Crowned King. He wears the lion's mane and expects the world to bow. Cruel, arrogant, unapologetic—but beware: a true lion is coming home to reclaim the savannah.
⚪ COMING SOON (The Full Roster) inchallah
- 🐻 Amphinomos — The Bear: The One You'd Actually Choose. Soft as a teddy bear, gentle as a sleeping giant—the only beast in this palace who would never hurt you.
- and more to come
⚠️ Content Warnings
- This game deals with mature themes inherent to the myth of the Odyssey. Please review before playing.
- Violence & Gore: Canon-typical violence, including the graphic slaughter of the suitors and servants in the endgame.
- Classism & Degradation: The MC is a servant and will frequently face verbal abuse and threats from the nobility.
- Toxic Relationships: Several routes feature manipulative, possessive, or morally grey Love Interests.
- Major Character Death: Depending on your choices, your Love Interest may die a gruesome death.
⚙️ Game Details
- Engine: Ren'Py
- Platforms: Web.
- Current Build Length: ~30-45 minutes (Telemachus Ep 1)
- Projected Full Length: 3-5 hours per route (11 Routes Total)
- Voice Acting: None (Text-based)
- Pricing: Free to Play / Pay what you want!
Description from Hearts Before The Arrow (DEMO) on itch.io, by messymoonmess.
Screenshots
Not listed by the developer: controls, release date, system requirements, save support. We left these out rather than guess.