A downloadable game for Windows, macOS, and Linux


Parasite in Love 

A biological romance horror visual novel 

Infected with the parasite commonly known as the “brain eating amoeba”, you have 10 days left before your death. One of the symptoms is hallucinations. And through that, “he” starts to talk and confesses his love to you. Will you be able to convince the parasite to leave your body before it’s too late? Or will his love consume you “until death do us part”?

This game was made for the Spooktober VN Jam 2022.



Body Horror and Tokophobia (Fear of Pregnancy). 

Player discretion is advised. 

This game also contains flashing lights, animated effects, and vivid colors which may not be suitable for some players.

There is a "Reduce Motion" option in the game settings should you wish to turn off the animation and transition effects.



  • 8.5k words
  • 4 endings 
  • 8 CGs
  • atmospheric music 
  • hauntingly beautiful art 
  • partial voice acting, fully voice acted endings 
  • plot-consistent UI changes



Direction, Art, Writing by NiAsobu

Marlowe voiced by Coda

Niall voiced by Trickle

Background Art by Baguetti

Programming by Ooyu

Editing by Allie Vera

Music, Sound Effects, and Voice Edits by Amidst

Voice Direction by MAHO! Cody

Casting Direction and Marketing by  Elm

Logo, UI, Itch page Design, and Trailer by ingthing


You can find a link to our presskit here

Our other games:


Updated 17 days ago
StatusReleased
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux
Rating
Rated 4.6 out of 5 stars
(354 total ratings)
AuthorNight Asobu
GenreVisual Novel, Interactive Fiction
Made withRen'Py
Tags2D, Creepy, Female Protagonist, Horror, parasite, Psychological Horror, Romance, Story Rich, yandere
Average sessionAbout an hour
LanguagesEnglish
InputsKeyboard, Mouse
LinksTwitter, VNDB

Download

Download
Guide for Parasite in Love.txt 799 bytes
Download
Parasite in Love 1.34 for Mac 273 MB
Download
Parasite in Love 1.34 for PC and Linux 300 MB

Install instructions

This game may cause a ‘do you trust this?’ window to pop up upon installing.

Mac/Macbook: 

(Option 1) Go to settings, and click ‘open anyway’ in the privacy setting for trusted apps.  (Option 2) Right-click/CTRL and click on the game icon, click ‘open’ once, then click ‘open’ again.

Windows: 

Click the ‘more information’ button, afterward click the ‘run anyway’ button. If no files can be found after download, check if your Windows Defender might be deleting files automatically. If the itch.io app doesn't work, try downloading the zip folder directly from the website. 

Development log

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Comments

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Viewing most recent comments 1 to 40 of 117 · Next page · Last page

Dude, this game made me feel so weird and creeped out and gross, which is exactly what I came for, so thank you lol

(1 edit) (+1)

oh Niall victimize me kidnap me torture me break me murder me kick me beat me kill me spit on me smack the sh1t out of me gaslight me manipulate me i want you🤤😫

(1 edit)

Hello, dear creator! I have some concerns regarding this game. I've been reading all the comments and I'm eager to try playing it. However, when I downloaded the Windows version, the file appeared to be empty. I attempted to download it again several times out of desperation to try it, but unfortunately, each attempt failed. I have already extracted the file, but it remains empty. :( 

Do you have any suggestions for alternative methods to play this game? I'm really desperate right now!

(1 edit)

hi! I'm the lead dev. Could it be you're using the itch io app? I never tested it on the itch io app. When you directly download the zip folder from the itch io webpage, it should work. We haven't had any problems for the 1+ year it's been on here, so I'm wondering why it's showing empty for you. A friend also just told me it can happen that Window Defender might delete some downloaded files automatically, so I would check that too, just in case

Oh yes, I do have a Window Defender and it deletes any file that is considered as a threat. I don't know what are the other choices to play this game without the files getting deleted 😭 Could you help me?

Looks like a cool game, but when i dowlaoded it the windows version and opened the maps i got nothing, i tryed 4 time and i got nothing very dissapointing. 

hi! I'm the dev and want to help. 
Could you clarify what you mean with "maps"? 

the files of the game

Okay, so you downloaded the zip folder for windows. Have you extracted the files and then clicked on the exe file to start the game? 

(+1)

this game creeped me out in such a good way, i love every bit of it 10/10 i love this game

(+1)

this game broke my heart in a good way wtff. awesome voice acting, and cool ending and CGs!! i love how you can hear niall more clearly as the infection worsens

(+1)

Can you add it on Android?

such a creepily good game!! loved the voice acting and art, they really brought the characters to life and made it so much scarier

(+2)

Interesting concept, and so uncomfortably well executed. Two places where this shines is def the voice acting and the UI changes. I cannot stress how much I adored the attention to detail with the progressively more distorted UI. BUT THE VOICE ACTING? OMG. Most people likely noticed Niall's especially at the ending where I assume MC chokes to death,which yes, was powerfully emotional, huge props to the VA. BUT, I feel that whoever voices MC, especially the non-verbal elements like the pained cries, screams and retching are just so violently accurate; it really adds to the horror realism

Sooo creepy, but such a cool game as well

Niall L husband

(NASTY AHH)

This is truly disturbing. I would recommend if you think you can handle it.

(+1)

Before downloading the game, I found the premise very interesting and I was even more surprised by the quality of the story and scenarios after downloading it.  The care that the author added to the small details of the game is clear.  I would say this is a wonderfully terrifying game!

(+1)

this is sooooo sick and twisted (5 stars)

Really good story

Hello, as of the 4th of December 2023 the file that is on here for the windows version is either corrupted or bad. That's why others haven't been able to extract or run the game properly. So far, the only way to run the program is to turn off all window protection and virus protection software.

Hi! I just checked the current windows file on the game page we have and it seems to be working fine for me. Have you followed the download instructions we have on the game page? They're right under the download button 

(+1)

I keep trying to extract the file and every time it says the compressed folder is empty.

(+2)

You may need to update your drivers. I had a similar issue with an itch io game and once I updated them, it downloaded and extracted just fine.

I saw a stream of this game, it gives me chills. Incredible writing... the sheer terror of this parasite killing the mc yet also providing them with the dream of togetherness is really scary. And the way their sunny world becomes a terrifying space really is amazing too

This game is so odd that it's good ( I'm just coming back to this, I really liked the style ^^^^^^^ )

The game is so good! Plus the voice acting as amazing as well, love the storyline too! <3

(+2)(-1)

How do i download this it is so confusing I really want to play this game

(+2)

I was quite thoughtful after I finished. I can only say that it is amazing

(+4)

the concept is so wild and i love it

(+2)

I really like this plus my favorite part is when the baby appears (he looks so silly and i love that)

(+3)

Saw this game on youtube maybe a year ago and then played it for myself i was so excited ngl cause today i was like"omg this game is on mac and its free" then played it. loved Niall

(2 edits) (+5)

Wow this is a very good game for the price of free- and even if it did cost money I would buy it if I had money available ofc. um to sum up more details and Spoilers go below this template. Would definitely play some of this team's other games :}

---{ Graphics }---

☐ You forget what reality is

☐ Beautiful

☑ Good

☐ Decent

☐ Bad

☐ Don‘t look too long at it

☐ MS-DOS

---{ Gameplay }---

☐ Very good

☑ Good

☐ It's just gameplay

☐ Mehh

☐ Watch paint dry instead

☐ Just don't

---{ Audio }---

☐ Eargasm

☐ Very good

☑ Good

☐ Not too bad

☐ Bad

☐ I'm now deaf

---{ Audience }---

☐ Kids

☑ Teens

☑ Adults

☐ Grandma

---{ PC Requirements }---

☑ Check if you can run paint

☐ Potato

☐ Decent

☐ Fast

☐ Rich boi

☐ Ask NASA if they have a spare computer

---{ Difficulty }---

☐ Just press 'W'

☑ Easy

☐ Easy to learn / Hard to master

☐ Significant brain usage

☐ Difficult

☐ Dark Souls

---{ Grind }---

☑ Nothing to grind

☐ Only if u care about leaderboards/ranks

☐ Isn't necessary to progress

☐ Average grind level

☐ Too much grind

☐ You'll need a second life for grinding

---{ Story }---

☐ No Story

☐ Some lore

☐ Average

☐ Good

☑ Lovely

☐ It'll replace your life

---{ Game Time }---

☐ Long enough for a cup of coffee

☑ Short

☐ Average

☐ Long

☐ To infinity and beyond

---{ Price }---

☑ It's free!

☐ Worth the price

☐ If it's on sale

☐ If u have some spare money left

☐ Not recommended

☐ You could also just burn your money

---{ Bugs }---

☑ Never heard of

☐ Minor bugs

☐ Can get annoying

☐ ARK: Survival Evolved

☐ The game itself is a big terrarium for bugs

---{ ? / 10 }---

☐ 1

☐ 2

☐ 3

☐ 4

☐ 5

☐ 6

☐ 7

☐ 8

☑ 9

☐ 10

SPOILERS


Honestly, I sort of feel sympathy for Niall.. I mean fr tho as a parasite he doesn't know any better, i doubt they teach this stuff in amoeba school- 

his 'intentions' are sweet but his way of doing it is well... horrible, i mean in practically all of the endings the mc dies except one..... and of course it's his fault besides like the A/D thing which is still really his fault for infecting her in the first place... anyway overall it was GREAT.

(2 edits)

damn.

I don't think I've ever played a visual novel that left me with such mixed and confused feelings like this one. The game was incredibly well done, the art was... very beautiful in a very scary way and I found the menu and so on to be very interesting.

I liked the story and thought it was so cool that I decided to do all the endings. I wish there was a sequel, maybe a spin off haha, but I understand the game started and ended very well. Congratulations to everyone involved in the game, I enjoyed it a lot and will certainly play another day again.

ps: i lowkey felt bad for him </3

(+12)

To be honest I don't know when was a last time where a visual novel made me so.. uncomfortable? But I mean it in a good way. This send chills down my spine. 10/10 is my rating for this. One of better horror visual novels.

(+2)

So I finished playing it and...wow I guess. It was wild how Marlowe was constantly not-good w him, which is definitely understandable given she wants the emotional attachment in a family but he wants a family as a survival thing AND has her body being used without her consent, alongside feeling as weak as she did that time. If you're too nice to him, you're going to die--and if you are not nice to him, you will die in that case too. I could sympathise with the Amoeba and hell, I understood that he loved her, but in his case...it's love when he sets her free, yes.


I guess Marlowe would have been acting better if that child was never in the picture, dunno. Either ways, it was a great game.

(+2)

very interesting to say the least... many mixed opinions but i dont necessarily mean that in a bad way. the dedication put into the surreal backgrounds - and of course, the writing - is absolutely stunning, cant deny that :3

(+3)

This is so good! Had me screaming a lot. I was torn between feeling sad for him and being scared of him getting me killed (and the spooky children....) but I love horror and otome!!! This is basically a love child of the genres I love, it's so toxic though that what makes it so good, everything just makes sense!


I also would like to ask for help on how to get the last CG. If this isn't a good place to talk about it, I don't mind talking on twitter! I really just want to see everything this game has to offer

Thank you so much! You can download the guide for the game, it should be able to help you out. It's at the same place on the game page you downloaded the game.

(+1)

i luv this ;-; welp, ngl i have no idea how but it kinda scared me- oh well- idk if i'm stupid but i just find him so adorable and wholesome, even if he killed the player, ik he's probably was manipulating us but STILL IDC HE'S CUTE lmao

(+2)

I should've listened when a friend told me this would be traumatizing. I have very mixed feelings but I cant deny that this is really well written

(+2)

i've never felt genuinely uncomfortable from a game and this definitely changed that...! i am at a loss for words...

(1 edit) (+2)

This was definitely an interesting game... which is exactly what a horror game should be! The way that certain emotions were conveyed made me also have an honest emotional reaction of disgust and oh dear god what is this, which is what I love in a horror game (this is not an insult I love this game)! The art is also, like they said, hauntingly beautiful. The music definitely adds to the atmosphere of the game. Loved this game, would totally play it again. 

good storyline, horrifying, would play again, 9.5/10

(+2)(-1)

This game is sickening just like a horror game should be good job!

(+6)

This was the most beautifully detailed game I have ever seen, I loved Niall's appearance and the dynamics with the virus, the way it messed with our vision and the scenery.

It reminded me a lot of an abusive and toxic relationship, it works that way, I think I will go to a psychologist after this game because the first choice I made was to die with him LOL

I can't click on the A and D buttons with joiplay. Can you please port this game to android?

(+7)

When the parasite guy started crying, for a moment I caught myself feeling really bad for him. Then I had to remind myself he's killing us.

I think I can consider this game a psychological horror because I have never felt so immersed in such a screwed up scenario like this one. If you're thinking of playing this game, do it.

Viewing most recent comments 1 to 40 of 117 · Next page · Last page