Maude's old diner was struggling to stay open. But then one late night, three unexpected guests arrived.
The last hope of saving the diner lies with these guests, yet there's still one problem...
Something followed them.
The game is available for download on itch.io
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Contains examples of:
- Big Bad: In case the Antagonist Title wasn't clear enough, the Shadowcatcher is the main antagonist of the game.
- Big Beautiful Woman: Like with Mama Rabbit from the developer's previous title The Man from the Window, Maude and Samantha are both generously well-rounded huge ladies. Mrs. Shadow is as well, but it's harder to tell due to her character design.
- Camera Perspective Switch: The player can switch between the controllable characters Maude and Samantha respectively, whenever cooking or serving a meal. The game switches to First-Person Perspective when the dreaded Shadowcatcher arrives. If you can see either playable character in his field of view, then You Are Already Dead.
- Crapsack World: The world where the shadow family come from can only be described as a desolate wasteland, where night is eternal. The daughter of the family states its miserable over there and they like it much more visiting the real world.
- Crazy Cultural Comparison: Mr. and Mrs. Shadow have a strange family tradition where they never speak the name of the dish they want directly, feeling it is bad luck to do so. Their daughter doesn't understand their habits anymore than the player, but goes along with the odd custom. In Easy Mode, they lampshade that this tradition would certainly lead to confusion to those unfamiliar with it, and so decide to put it aside for Sam's sake.
- Dark Is Not Evil: The shadow family, despite not being of this world, are polite, courteous and have impeccable manners even if the player should fudge up their orders.
- Developer's Foresight: The Shadow Family has unique dialog if you dropped their plated order on the floor at any point before it gets to them.
- Family Business: Maude's old diner has been in her family for generations after her great grandfather Icarus built the establishment.
- Financial Test of Friendship: Samantha may complain often the business is struggling under the weight of debt, but heartwarmingly will stay by her friend's side through thick and thin to stop it going under.
- Genius Slob: As Samantha puts it bluntly, it's not the food that's driven their loyal patrons away, but Maude stubbornly insisting to do her own deep cleaning when she's unable to. Not to mention, dimming the lights to save on electricity bills (though this works in her favor for attracting shadow people), and doing her laundry in the kitchen sink.
- Greasy Spoon: The location of the game is set entirely in Maude's old diner.
- Heel–Face Turn: In the best ending the Shadowcatcher is unable to stop the mass influx of shadow folk visiting Maude's diner after word spreads her food is fantastic. He has a change of heart, and decides to give up his old job persecuting the shadows and now works for Maude as a waiter, taking and serving orders.
- Misplaced Retribution: The Shadowcatcher seeks to capture the shadow family for coming over to the real world, but has no qualms against claiming any soul he suspects is harboring them either.
- Multiple Endings
- Sam gets caught by the Shadowcatcher. Sam is never seen again. Maude is heartbroken at the disappearance of her dearest friend, and blames herself for allowing the Shadows to patronize her diner, which allowed this to happen. Without Samantha's help, the diner shuts down.
- Maude gets caught by the Shadowcatcher. Maude is never seen again, and Sam blames herself for not putting her foot down and preventing the Shadows from patronizing the diner, which allowed this to happen. After unsuccessfully trying to run the diner herself, it shuts down and she's forced to leave town to find other work. She never looked back.
- Nobody gets caught by the Shadowcatcher but at least one order is incorrectly delivered. The Shadows don't return after leaving, and while their generosity allows Maude to keep the diner open, eventually they begin accumulating debts again, leaving them at roughly the same place they were at the start of the game. Not that they mind though.
- Nobody gets caught by the Shadowcatcher and every order is delivered correctly. The Shadows do return, and they bring friends along too. Maude's diner becomes the most popular restaurant in town, they never have to struggle to pay a bill ever again, and the Shadowcatcher has a change of heart, quitting his old job to help wait tables.
- Nice to the Waiter: Getting the orders correct will earn Samantha a massive tip of $222.00 per person.
- Number of the Beast: The sum of each tip after a perfect night is $666.000
- Punch-Clock Villain: The Shadowcatcher, while will go to extreme lengths, is merely doing his job in stopping shadow people crossing over worlds illegally.
- Running Gag: Maude is always brewing Samantha up some coffee to give her energy, instead of listening to what her best friend just told her. Eventually her waitress relents and accepts a cup.
- Stealth-Based Game: You must keep both Maude and Samantha out of sight for three nights from the intruding Shadowcatcher, who becomes more aggressive in his search after each night.
- Supreme Chef: Maude's cooking has always been described as amazing. Even the major of the town once said hers was the best meal he ever had in his life.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: Though Samantha may chew out her friend's bad habits all the time, she cares very deeply for Maude and works hard to keep her out of trouble.
- What Measure Is a Non-Human?: Samantha is disturbed by the shadow family's missing features, but Maude hushes her that they don't discriminate against any kind folk looking for friendly service and good food.
