"Nobody talks about the fire incident at Estmour mansion. As the new servant, you're bound to keep silence. Things take a strange turn when you find a message from your pyromaniac predecessor... deep inside, there's a truth to uncover."
-The game page.
Deep Inside
is an RPG Maker game developed by Banya. It tells the story of Aidan, a new servant in the Estmour mansion where a mysterious fire spiraled out of control and burned a lot of the place. There, he meets the residents: Nice Girl Hilda who is the maid, her overprotective brother Sasha who is the cook, the master's personal valet Zakhari and the master and owner himself Gareth.
Everyone is urging Aidan to focus on work and not dig deep into the backstory of the fire, but when his curiosity gets the better of him, he's bound to uncover some disturbing truths no one would believe.
Beware of spoilers while reading this page!
See also Emerald Wasp, another game by the same creator.
Tropes found in this game:
- Ain't Too Proud to Beg: Right before you pick whether to stab Gareth, leave him or bring him, he begs you to help him.
- Adopt-a-Servant: According to Zakhari, this is how he ended up at the mansion.
- Big Bad: Gareth is the closest the game has to one. His murder of Zakhari and attempts to hide the evidence causes the fire, which in turn kicks off the game.
- Big Brother Instinct: Do not hurt Hilda in any way, or Sasha will let you have it.
- Bury Your Gays: Zakhari turns out to be have been in a relationship with his master and he was dead from the start.
- Dead All Along: Zakhari was murdered by Gareth when the former suggested to come out about their romance. No one seems to be able to see him except Aidan, and maybe Gareth.
- Deadpan Snarker: Aidan and Sasha have their moments.
- Depraved Homosexual: Gareth is revealed to have been in a relationship with his servant Zakhari, and he's a very disturbing individual, to say the least.
- Driven to Suicide: Regardless of the ending, Sasha and Hilda will always take their own lives by hanging and drowing, respectively.
- Entitled Bastard: Gareth has the nerve to ask Aidan to help him despite all his actions.
- Faux Affably Evil: Gareth is normally polite in conversation, but when things are really bad... he's not...
- Foreshadowing: There are a few things scattered around that hint at The Reveal in the game:
- Some of the things Zakhari says to Aidan are very odd and peculiar. Turns out he was a ghost that's been long dead.
- During one of the possible teatimes with Sasha, he will remark that he's not worried Gareth will suddenly turn around and lust after Hilda after rejecting her since childhood since he has "peculiar taste". Indeed, he's gay and had a Secret Relationship with Zakhari that was basically the reason the house was set on fire.
- Hopeless Suitor: According to her brother Sasha, Hilda had a thing for Gareth for a long time, but he's not interested. It's because he's homosexual.
- I See Dead People: The reveal that Zakhari is actually dead makes this trope apply to Aidan, since he's the only one who interacts with him the entire game.
- Jerkass: Gareth. He has some Pet the Dog moments but otherwise, he's a colossal prick.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Sasha is pretty standoffish towards Aidan and is implied to be resentful of his master and Zakhari, but his love and care for his sister Hilda is clear as day. Additionally, if Aidan brings him his stuffed animal during teatime, Sasha will be genuinely grateful.
- Kill It with Fire: It is a game about an arson after all.
- Kindly Housekeeper: Hilda is the only one who's nice to Aidan throughout, and she's the maid of the house.
- Morality Pet: Hilda is the only person Sasha is nice to.
- My Sister Is Off-Limits: During one of the optional teatimes, Sasha will warn Aidan to back off his sister. Not that Aidan was trying to hit on her anyways.Aidan: I don't have a deathwish, I swear!
- Nice Guy / Nice Girl: Hilda, Zakhari and Aidan.
- Perpetual Frowner: Sasha is never shown smiling once in the whole game.
- Pet the Dog: Gareth has his moments. They don't make up for his usual Jerkass behavior, though.
- The Reveal: The arsonist turns out to be Gareth who had a relationship with his valet Zakhari and killed him to hide the truth, and burning the evidence led to the fire.
- Secret-Keeper: Both Hilda and Sasha were aware of Gareth and Zakhari's relationship but were forced by the former to keep their mouths shut.
- Secret Relationship: Gareth and Zakhari had one.
- Servile Snarker: Sasha is not above mocking his master Gareth behind his back.
- Ship Tease: A few moments here and there between Aidan and Hilda.
- Smug Snake: You wouldn't expect anything else from a rich mansion owner like Gareth.
- Straight Gay: Gareth and Zakhari.
- Supreme Chef: No comment in-game is made to indicate that Sasha is anything but this trope.
- Walking Spoiler: Zakhari because of the reveal that he was Dead All Along and his relationship with Gareth and subsequent murder is the Inciting Incident of the story.
