Mix drinks. Save souls. Live again.

HELLTENDER is a 3D bartending narrative game where you serve cocktails, blackmail patrons, and find meaning in a world purpose built for your torture. You're Dana, a washed-up twenty-something who's just died and fallen straight into Hell, and not even the good part.

Within Hell, on its first circle, is a city of broken dreams and hopeless nights. Trash and lost items from earth fall from the sky. Humans orchestrate the mass torture of the lower circles as the backbone of the economy. Demons rise from the lower circles and haphazardly lay waste to any unfortunate enough to cross their path. And annunal purges eradiacate millions of souls; left not for dead, but a fate worse than death...

But this isn't a story about Hell...

It's about the broken people trapped in it, and the ones who might still find hope.

Maybe one of them is you.

Your boss has employed you posthumously to work at her bar and assist her in collecting gossip and secrets from the hell dwellers to ultimately blackmail the demon elite and rule hell itself.

And the doors to her bar, the The Ninth Circle have swung wide, inviting all those who are willing to drink their problems away, at your service. There's no telling who will wander in seeking to drown their afterlife sorrows in booze.

Features

Unique cocktail mixing system where you physically grab and pour drinks, add extras, shake, and serve.

Choiced-based branching storyline based on whether you spike or spare and also what you say via dialogue options.

A host of 7 regular patrons with intriguing backstories, world views and deep emotional arcs.

A snowy brutal city to explore after hours. Buy food, clothing, comfort. Experience the story in a living breathing metropolis and try to carve out a life worth living.

Expression-rich characters, snow-drenched lighting, and hellish ambience come together with painterly-inspired visuals to create a world as beautiful as it is doomed.

Serious waifu potential ;)

Get close with your clients, their tastes, their dreams; and prepare for one hell of a good time!

Join the Discord to learn more!

The game is still very much in development. It hasn't even been announced yet. :P Cocktails haven't been finalised yet, don't have a composer and still working on the demo. But by joining the discord you'll be the first to learn about updates, and receive the demo when its done! You'll also be able to shape development and various decisions!

If that isn't enough for you, here's a free cat, maybe this will convince you to join!

Support Me! (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

There is no way to support us currently. We could throw up a donation button on here but we are hoping to run a kickstarter and some point in the future, so we wouldn't want to risk undermining momentum on that. The most you can do is join the discord and be active, or just lurk. Either way you'll keep up to date with the game when I ping everyone every so often. Cheaper than a mailing list!

Developer Message

Our team... is two.

RiskofRuin - I write all the code, draw all the art and do a lots of writing. I wear all the hats!

Ruckinator - He is my writing slave I keeped locked in my basement. He is fed well.

Contact

For any questions, comments, or concerns, please contact me at riskofruins@gmail.com

FAQ

Q: When will the game be released?

A: No clue. Maybe December of 2027, but it could be sooner or later depending on how the demo is received.

Q: Will there be a demo?

A: Yes! I'm planning on releasing a free demo, so you can get a feel for the game before you buy it. This will be sometime in 2026.

Q: Will there be a console release?

A: I'm planning on releasing the game on Steam, but I'm not sure about console releases. Lets finish the game first?

Q: Is the waifu potential real?

A: Yes. Husbandos too. Wait until the demo to find out ;).

Q: Can I date any of the characters?

A: Idk, ask them yourself (￣﹃￣)