Dead Man's Rest

A Wild West themed story of love, murder and revenge. You get to play as Lee "Blackjack" McCarthy, a bounty hunter, who has been after an outlaw called Wild Bill for 8 years of his life. He tracks him down to a small town in the heartland of the Arizona Territory, Golder's Rock, where he plans to put an end to the wild goose chase. Dead Man's Rest is a story about a special kind of love, homosexuality, a total taboo in a time where heterosexuality was the overwhelming factor and you could get jail time for being yourself openly. The game has 5 love interests, each being variably different from each other, but keep the characters consistency almost each time. It does an amazing job at being faithful to old western culture that involves your standard by the book sheriff, trifles with Native Americans, and some small scenes of gunfighting. It also does an excellent job at adding in the romance aspect as-well. It feels down to earth and realistic, with morals that reflected the time back then whether it be about sexuality or your culture, and how people would have reacted. The artstyle was pleasant, and nice to look at! The backgrounds were slightly on the simpler side most of the time, but there was also some painterly styled backgrounds as well. I preferred the painterly styled backgrounds, as it added a nice contrast to the sprite art and I would have preferred to have that as the main style for background art all of the time. In some cases I had some troubles with the art though, the choice of having Taza, a native american, looking like your generic long haired asian boy, was not a good call. He commented on the fact that the main character is "a white man", but it fell a bit short with the fact that Taza looks pretty white himself on the arts. All in all, I believe this game is very much worth the purchase, and I think the story, characters and art is all absolutely amazing.

The trigger warnings in [b][u][i]Dead Man's Rest[/i][/u][/b] should be taken very seriously, especially in the bad routes. They are still present in the good routes but far milder. The secret route has the worst the game has to offer. [u]Visuals:[/u] The background art in this vn is on the minimalistic side when it comes to shading. It's still appealing with its clean-cut style. Adding to that is the fact that some backgrounds are semi-animated to slowly drift from one side to the other. It adds a lovely touch of life to an otherwise usually very static piece. My only gripe is that items in the forefront of the picture are noticeably different to those in the far back: it becomes somewhat disconcerting after a while. Character sprites are more detailed, being the main focus, with a lot of attention to detail. They also spot a decent amount of facial expressions and a few different poses. CGs are also very pretty. What I can say is that, although the characters shared similarities with their sprite counterpart, they also looked noticeably different in certain aspects. The main thing I liked about the scenes with the CGs is that they don't give you the full picture straight away: instead, they elect to zoom in on certain parts and rotate to others slowly, only giving the grand reveal at the climax. [u]Plot:[/u] Blackjack has the unfortunate luck of being a homosexual man at a time when homosexuality is illegal. Anyone caught having same-sex relations is looking at a five-year jail sentence. Even more unfortunate is the fact that he finds himself in a little town, out in the middle of nowhere, that happens to be the home of several very attractive men. Blackjack has travelled here for work purposes: he's a bounty hunter who is hunting the man that killed his lover, several years ago. The small backwater town of Golder's Rock isn't exactly kind to him. Upon his arrival there is a murder of a very important man, leaving him as the main suspect. The sheriff confides him to town while the investigation is ongoing, but is Blackjack the type to listen when his revenge is so close at hand? https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3039948843 [u]Characters:[/u] [i]Lee "Blackjack" McCarthy[/i] is the MC of this tale. Homosexual and heartbroken years after the murder of his lover, he hunts the man who took him away. He's determined, smart and not afraid to get his hands dirty. McCarthy is still emotionally tormented but can't help the fact that he has started to develop feelings for another, despite knowing it’s a bad idea. At least he isn’t completely dense to that fact like most maidens in visual novels. [i]Hollis Dalton[/i] is the brother of the major. At first, he's gruff and standoffish, but prove to him you can be trusted and he'll open up to you pretty quickly. He's a chain smoker and drinks far too much, but these are things he uses to cope with life. I, unfortunately, related a little too strongly to Hollis in some ways. He's wistful to find a community that he can be a part of, he wants to fit in, and he cares a little too deeply about what others think of him. Sadly, believing he isn't liked, he isolates himself on the outskirts of the town away from everyone else. Lee quickly becomes a core part of his life, especially during his good route. Lee helps him when everyone else turns their back on him and believes in him, even when he doesn't believe in himself. For such a broken man, Hollis is very experienced when it comes to his forbidden desires. He has a keen interest in music and, when treated right, can be a giant teddy bear. [i]John Cartwright[/i] the sheriff of the town and a lone wolf. He plays by the book and is strict with himself about following the rules. He's very well respected but because of this, he isn't able to share strong connections with the others in town. When Lee arrives, John is clear that he doesn't like bounty hunters, and even forbids McCarthy from leaving town, stating that he's suspicious and a suspect in the recent murder. With a little persistence, Lee can worm his way into becoming the sheriff's deputy. He might not like Lee's methods but can't argue with his experience. Along the way, John will learn that Lee is gay and this is where his real inner turmoil can come to light, showing just how deeply his character is created. It is, after all, against the law for same-sex couples to be a thing, but after having known Lee and seeing that he isn't a bad guy, starts to struggle with his duty to the law and his morals. During this time, you'll begin to learn of John's troubles and his fight with his inner demons. [i]Jed Matlock[/i], the friendly bartender who's always seen with a bright, dashing smile. He's very helpful when Lee arrives in town, offering him a few tips and ideas for how the bounty hunter can proceed after the complications arise. Because of his job and personality, he's well-informed about the happenings in town as well as all of the latest idle gossip. I'm sure it helps that he's gorgeous too. Of course, life is never simple and behind that sparkling smile, Jed is hiding his own past tragedies that appear to be slowly catching up with him. [i]Taza[/i] is a Native American and the tribe's Chief's son. He and his people live not far from town, just past its borders. The tribe is very stereotypical in the old way of "all white men are evil" so when Blackjack goes with Taza to his home to help, tensions are high. Taza on the other hand is so willing to trust in Blackjack that he goes against his father's command and in return, exiles himself to work alongside the cowboy in an attempt to save his people. He also has an 'I can see into your soul' kind of stare! It's a little bit creepy. There is a secret character route that isn't so secret but I'll refrain from saying anything just in case. Just be aware it is there but only accessible once all the other routes have been completed. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2557300580 [u]Adult content:[/u] Considering how talented the author of [b][u][i]Dead Man's Rest[/i][/u][/b] is, I was very sad when I found out the sex scenes are face-to-black: I would have liked to see just how well it could have been written if it were more intimate. That being said, the lead-up to these scenes and the description before the fade are incredible and put you in the moment perfectly. This is likely why I found myself always wanting more. The attention to detail and interpretation, not only for these scenes but the whole game, is of top quality that even inspires a small-time writer such as myself. [u]Non-consensual adult content:[/u] Be aware that there is such content in the secret character route. [u]Additional notes:[/u] The delivery for each route is slightly different, even though it shouldn't be, as certain actions happen before Lee arrives in town and have no direct input in them. Although realistically, this makes no sense, it helps to keep each route's plot interesting and the mystery alive. There is a glossary for translations of most of the old-fashioned sayings. When these sayings first pop up in the game, you can click them to read what they mean and are then unlocked in the glossary in case they are needed again. The author has made a point to make the characters sound like they are from the old Wild West while speaking. Pressing the sheriff-looking badge during the game will show/hide the basic options on the side/bottom of the game. This appears to be hidden by default and when changing areas. [u]Overall:[/u] I can tell a lot of time and effort went into making [b][u][i]Dead Man's Rest[/i][/u][/b] which is reflected in how well it is written. Yes it has some flaws but overall far from a bad game. [h1][quote]𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/33853800/]𝐎𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐤𝐚𝐢'𝐬 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞[/url] 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐉𝐑𝐏𝐆 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐬

At first, I was hesitant to give this game a go as I am not fond of the Wild West whatsoever. It turned out to be an amazing experience I am never going to forget. I hope Argent Games (and Gallium Games) have many more games to come. Thank you.

This game was incredibly dull. As dry as the deserts in some of the background artwork. They also have a native american character who's possibly the whitest character of the whole cast. The repeated use of 'historically accurate' dialogue got incredibly grating after a while and made conversations between characters awkward and clunky.

[url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/34294631/] Follow Far2close - Visual Novel Playthroughs Curator Page [/url] Dead Man's Rest Developer: Gallium Games Publisher: Argent Games [b]Pros:[/b] [b]1.[/b] The Wild West, a place where a balance of lawlessness and peacekeeping is a mainstay. Gunslinging, alcoholism, and tensions between Americans and Natives run in the back. What happens if we add in a little love to that? A more taboo love such as homosexuality in a time where heterosexuality was the overwhelming factor? You get Dead Man's Rest, a finely packed visual novel with short routes varying from 5 love interests, each being variably different from each other but keep the characters consistency almost each time. It does a great deal in being faithful to old western culture that involves your standard by the book sheriff, trifles with Native Americans, and some small scenes of gunfighting, however it does an excellent job at adding in the romance aspect. It feels down to earth and realistic, with morals that reflected the time back then whether it be about sexuality or your culture, and how people react. [b]2.[/b] The characters are well written. Their routes may be a little different from one another, but it manages to stay on course to Lee McCarthy. Each route has a little theme going for it too, for examples Sheriff Cartwright is stoic on the exterior but the same as us behind closed doors. Hollis on no matter what you do, you're a villain anyways and how it takes a toll. Honestly, all the routes stand out, BUT the absolute best was Bill McCoy's route and it was a good idea to keep it for last. They are all written with care, but Bill McCoy was an outstanding one. I give praise to the love interests sure, but I also have to give credit to Lee McCarthy's character too. He never deviated, whether it be his mission or his morals. He was a good man at the start, and stayed as a good man. He isn't an untouchable bad ass, he takes his fair share of pain and actions based on emotions. It makes him a grounded protagonist. It's what makes him relatable. [b]3.[/b] I like the art. The background art shows simplicity, maybe a dullness you find in the typical western setting, it's rugged, sandy, and screams a tired town. For the characters, the sprites are great to look at, with their various facial expressions and sometimes outfit swaps (shirtless). I quite like the intensity of Bill McCoy and the softness of Lee or Cartwright. The CG are is great too, doing a fine job in enhancing the scenes where things get intimate or in need to express a strong emotion. For Bill McCoy's route, the use of CG and [spoiler]Bill speaking a religious verse was excellently timed.[/spoiler] [b]4.[/b] I enjoy the music, the fit in well with the overall theme. It may be royalty free, but they do a damn fine job when necessary. My absolute favorite is Dan Lebowits' "Last Train to Mars". [b]5.[/b] The glossary of old time lingo is pretty cool to see, along with the inclusion of having the specific word highlighted to encourage clicking on it to understand the lingo. [b]Cons:[/b] [b]1.[/b] Taza's route was handled in an interesting way unlike the other routes. It did feel like I didn't get to know him as much as the other love interests. This fits in with his other ending, [spoiler]where Taza sets off to find his path in the world.[/spoiler] The romance ending didn't feel quite as right as it did feel a bit quick on the draw (no pun intended), as Taza's feelings WERE a bit fast paced. I understand that this was intentional, but maybe a bit more time with Taza after the main events would have warranted a better romantic end. It was more like a mentor and underling relationship than an intimate one. [b]2.[/b] Although this is more a romance oriented story, I think some scenes could benefit with a CG, such as Sheriff Cartwright defending himself against Bill McCoy's gang members or Hollis Dalton's route where Lee and Hollis engage with Bill McCoy [spoiler]and Nancy.[/spoiler] It definitely would have fitted in with the western theme of the game. Without it, it does make the scenes feel slightly tame, compared to if it DID have them. [b]Conclusion:[/b] Dead Man's Rest brings in all what makes a western story feel familiar while also delivering romance in a finely tuned series of routes per character. Definitely a visual novel that was made with care and is one worth reading. [b]Score:[/b] 9/10 OUTSTANDING

实际游戏时长15h左右。 作为一款BL VN，DMR最特别之处在于对宗教性恐同深柜的大篇幅刻画。如另一位简中朋友所说，这使得文本具有了超出其本身的探究价值。难能可贵的尝试。 无论如何，You are your own judge.

OK, that's THE visual novel I awaited in the BL subgenre. Mature, deep and rich (what could you want more?). I love every character, very human, realist and weak too. This isn't a comedie, this isn't magical or whatever lazy and idiotic way to give us a fix in our BL games addiction. No judgment, no paternalizing morale about what's good or not to do. It's just natural and very human. Revenge, Fear, Virtue, Desire, Lust, Homophobia, Corruption, Treason, but all their nemesis too, Forgiveness, Strongness, Vice, Hate, Love, Acceptation, Integrity, Loyalty. That's the story you will read through, because that's what humanity is. The writter(s) are awesome, and I wish they woud make plenty other touching novel like that, because that's definitly what I want to read as an adult. No need about +18 or 21 "dirty" pictures to make a good mature game. Here it is in its essence. So if you do collect hot pics in your top priority, there is only kisses right there and no nudity. +1 for the arts. I'm in love with them. Anoter +1 for the music. It may be repetitive, but I can't get that bitwersneeness out of my mind after readind that novel. A good +1 on the Homophobic Character, really nicely written and turning your mind inside out because he is the defenition of that word in all the good and bad senses. [spoiler]Because one can be afraid of others, but by themself more. Our deepest enemy is always ourself.[/spoiler] -1 for nothing, cause I cannot find only one little thing I don't like or I wish there were? PERFECT!

As someone who is mlm who also happens to enjoy visual novels it can be difficult to find VNs that appeal to me that aren't directed at a certain audience. I find that many gay romance VNs are typically directed at straight women, often a fujoshi audience with an unfortunate habit of fetishising certain uncomfortable elements rather than focusing on the story and portraying gay men in a realistic or decent way. I have played two games by Argent, this and Red Embrace and I must say, despite having only played a tiny amount of Dead Man's Rest, I find their games refreshing. Though not perfect they feel like a much safer option for men attracted to men than many other gay romance games. These games are definitely enjoyable for myself, speaking as someone who is mlm, and I also believe Dead Man's Rest is a fantastic story for anyone who enjoys romance visual novels and/or Western stories. From what I have seen so far of Dead Man's Rest it is definitely a good experience, especially if you, like myself, prefer a darker story line. Like Red Embrace the game contains genuinely interesting characters and a wonderfully written story (Though at times it does feel a little rushed but that's likely due to the route I ended up taking). Though I personally prefer the artwork of Red Embrace the art here definitely has a charm of its own, especially the CGs which are beautiful. What really sets it apart for me, though, is the soundtrack. I have always enjoyed Westerns for the music over anything else and the fantastic score definitely sets the scenes wonderfully. Please practice caution with this particular game though, where Red Embrace is a modern day set vampire game where much of the danger is that of a supernatural source, Dead Man's Rest is somewhat set in a rather pleasant reality of history. The depictions of homophobia are upsetting but genuine, it is important to acknowledge that these depictions are realistic to the experiences of gay men at the time and are not in any way reflective of the creators' beliefs. I have fairly thick skin when it comes to these themes and the creators are careful to handle them as respectfully as the setting allows which I appreciate, however there are still moments that can be distressing, especially the references to religious bigotry common during the time. I have a habit of writing reviews the moment I decide I enjoy a game so forgive my short play time but I look forward to continuing my playthrough.

eh its alright

🤠 Story & Themes Dead Man’s Rest is a Wild West M/M visual novel that leans hard into moral ambiguity, consequence, and choice. You play Lee “Blackjack” McCarthy, a bounty hunter driven by vengeance, only to have his single-minded plan derailed by murder, secrets, and men who complicate everything. This is not a soft romance fantasy. It is a story about violence, guilt, survival, and what it means to choose love or revenge in a world that does not reward softness. There are five love interests and fifteen endings, and every single choice genuinely matters. Small decisions ripple outward in ways that meaningfully alter the narrative, which is still depressingly rare in the VN space. A specific warning is warranted for Bill’s route. His storyline includes nonconsensual moments and centers on a deeply damaged man who has committed serious crimes. Proceed carefully. I found his route the hardest to read, and while I am not fully sold on his “happy” ending, it is at least thematically plausible for the era if you stretch your incredulity a bit...or a lot. 🔥 M/M Content There are no explicit sex scenes, and the game does not need them. The intimacy is emotional, psychological, and earned through dialogue and choice rather than visuals. This is firmly M/M, with romance woven into character arcs instead of being the sole engine of the story. If you require erotic content to feel engaged, this may not land. If you care about men loving men in complicated, human ways, it absolutely will. 🎮 Gameplay & Structure This is a true branching narrative. Choices are constant, meaningful, and sometimes brutal. You cannot brute-force your way to a perfect ending without paying attention, and replaying routes feels justified rather than repetitive. Fifteen endings sounds like marketing fluff in most games. Here, it is not. 🎨 Visuals & Style Strong character art, moody Western backgrounds, and a cohesive visual tone that supports the story rather than distracting from it. Nothing flashy, nothing lazy. It knows what it is and commits. 🗣️ Tone & Writing This is where the game shines. The writing is confident, deliberate, and unafraid to sit in discomfort. Characters feel distinct, flawed, and believable. Dialogue carries weight. Silence is used effectively. Not every storyline is pleasant, but every one feels intentional. 👍 Best Thing Your choices actually matter. Every route feels authored rather than padded. 👎 Worst Thing Bill’s route will not be for everyone, and some players may reasonably bounce off it entirely. ⭐ Final Verdict A full recommend. Dead Man’s Rest proves that a gay visual novel does not need explicit sex to be compelling. This is thoughtful, difficult, and deeply replayable storytelling with real consequences. If you value narrative integrity and meaningful player agency, this is absolutely worth your time. I also curate a Steam page reviewing M/M games if you’re looking for more titles in this space: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/45790038/