Draft:Luce Spenta

Luce Spenta is presented as a narrative-driven visual novel primarily focused on reading dialogue and making choices that influence the progression of the story and the endings. The player explores a cemetery setting and encounters the graves of several deceased characters, each associated with a narrative that reveals aspects of their lives and moral dilemmas.

During these encounters, the player is asked to judge the characters based on the events presented in their stories. The choices made during these segments affect the overall judgment system of the game and contribute to different narrative outcomes.

Throughout the experience, the player interacts with Morta, a central character who guides the process of judgment and addresses the player directly. Certain sequences incorporate meta-narrative elements and moments that break the fourth wall, reinforcing the game's theme of moral evaluation and the relationship between the player and Morta.

The game takes place in a mysterious cemetery where the player is guided by Morta, a gothic girl associated with judgment and the afterlife. Throughout the experience, the player encounters the graves of several deceased individuals whose lives are revealed through narrative sequences.

Each story presents moral dilemmas and events that led to the characters' deaths. The player is asked to judge these individuals based on the information provided, which gradually builds toward the player's own judgment at the end of the game.

Luce Spenta was developed by Italian–Argentine indie developer Fabrizio Franco, who worked on the project primarily as a solo developer. According to Franco, development took approximately a year and a half to complete.

The game was created using the Ren'Py visual novel engine. Franco handled the writing, design, and programming of the project independently, while also producing much of the visual and audio content used in the game.

The visual assets were created through a combination of manually edited artwork and generative image tools, which were integrated into the game's gothic aesthetic. The soundtrack was composed with a focus on atmospheric and introspective music, using digital audio production tools including Reaper and generative music platforms such as Suno.

Franco has described the project as a low-budget independent production developed outside a traditional studio environment, while he continued to work full time in his primary occupation during the game's development.

Prior to the game's release, Fabrizio Franco promoted Luce Spenta through an online campaign centered around the character Morta. Social media posts and cryptic messages were used to introduce elements of the game's themes and narrative tone.

The campaign gradually revealed Morta as an active character communicating with the audience through official channels, including social media accounts and the game's website. This approach reflected the game's focus on meta-narrative interaction and fourth-wall elements, extending aspects of the fictional world into real-world communication with players.

Prior to and shortly after the game's release, Luce Spenta generated discussion within indie gaming communities regarding its use of generative tools in the creation of some visual assets. The developer publicly acknowledged the use of such tools from the start as part of a hybrid workflow that also involved manual editing and artistic direction.

Coverage from several gaming outlets highlighted the game's psychological themes and its emphasis on moral judgment as a central mechanic. Korean gaming websites including Game Chosun and Gamezilla reported on the title following its release, noting its narrative structure and the role of player choice within the story.

Among players, the game has been described as a highly personal narrative experience, with decisions that are intentionally difficult to reverse in subsequent playthroughs. Discussions within the game's community frequently focus on the moral dilemmas presented in the story and the player's relationship with the character Morta.

Although it remains a relatively niche title within the visual novel scene, Luce Spenta has developed a small but dedicated community of players interested in its themes of judgment, introspection, and meta-narrative interaction.

"Luce Spenta: juzgando a los muertos". Game Effect (in Spanish).

"Reseña de Luce Spenta: terror gótico y juicio moral". 20XX Noticias (in Spanish).

"Luce Spenta". Pixelspieler (in German).

"Luce Spenta – A Gothic Tale of Guilt and Death". Fix Gaming Channel.

"Luce Spenta Is a Bizarre Trek Through Death, Faith and Rebirth". NeverMoreNiche.

"Luce Spenta". Neko Antre (in French).

"Luce Spenta". Final Boss Project (in Spanish).

"Luce Spenta". IndieGames.

"Luce Spenta". IndieGames.

"Luce Spenta". Game Chosun (in Korean).

"Luce Spenta – La visual novel gotica e psicologica debutta su PC". Gamezilla (in Italian).

"Luce Spenta". MMO13 (in Russian).

• Luce Spenta on Steam
• Official website