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"Rose Cottage" is a point-and-click ghost story set in a Victorian mortuary. Developed by Hollow Lane Games and published by Go Left First, the project has no release date yet. We consulted the team to learn more about the current development process of the game.

When asked about the inspiration for creating "Rose Cottage" and the decision to set it in a Victorian mortuary with a ghostly narrative, the team responded: "Rose Cottage was initially made as a mod for the game Thief 2, so the original was in low poly 3D. I always wanted to expand it and add more to the story and characters, so many years later I decided to remake it as a point-and-click game in 2D. Going into it, I already had the story and setting, but needed a protagonist. I saw a movie called 'House of Ghosts' and one of the two main characters was a perfect fit for my game. I based my protagonist on the actor Paul Flannery's character in that movie. So, as I was working, every line of dialogue was written with him in mind. Then I reached out to him to ask if he would be interested in doing voice work for a game, and he said yes! Very happy to have him on board, he has such a great voice and he really brought the character to life."

Regarding the gameplay mechanics, the team explained: "The gameplay of 'Rose Cottage' is in a classic point-and-click style but has a few modern touches such as a button to highlight interactive objects, double-clicking exits to transition scenes immediately, a journal of clues that updates as you play, and a map that shows where you currently are in the game. The interface is streamlined with contextual cursors rather than selecting a verb and then an object. The protagonist, Edward, is investigating the mortuary alone, but there are other characters in the story. These are shown in two ways: flashbacks/memories of the past that show the characters and the mortuary in more peaceful times, and Edward has supernatural visions of something happening in the present. These scenes serve to tell the story and give the player clues, then the game returns to Edward who is once again alone in a big creepy house."

Despite there being no official release date, we asked about the primary goals and milestones for the game as it approaches its launch. The team revealed: "I'm unsure of the release date as I am working as a solo developer, but I know it will take quite some time. Hopefully, I don't become the Duke Nukem Forever of point-and-clicks."

Lastly, on the expectations for the reception of "Rose Cottage" post-launch and plans for additional content or updates, the team commented: "The demo seems to have been received well and people have said some very nice things about it, which helps me continue when I feel overwhelmed or burnt out. There have only been a couple of comments like 'Ugh, I hate point-and-click games, they are pointless,' but otherwise, very positive."