MAXIMILIEN
A Psychological Horror Interactive Novel

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QUICK FACTS
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Title            Maximilien
Developer        Yohan Dupuy (solo)
Publisher        Yohan Dupuy — self-published
Release date     October 26, 2026
Platforms        Windows, Linux (Android planned after release)
Languages        English, French (Spanish planned after release)
Genre            Interactive fiction, narrative horror
Playtime         3–5 hours per route, 15–20 hours to complete
Age rating       16+
Input            Keyboard and mouse
Engine           Twine / SugarCube, packaged with Electron
Development      Seven years
Location         Dordogne, France

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DESCRIPTION — ONE LINE
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Boston, September 1926: a psychology student investigates a series of
murders while his own grip on reality comes apart.

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DESCRIPTION — SHORT (50 words)
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Maximilien is a psychological horror interactive novel set in Boston,
September 1926. You are Maximilien Cornwell, a psychology student drawn
into a series of murders the police have stopped explaining. Four days,
a clock that will not wait, and a mind that changes what you are able
to read.

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DESCRIPTION — LONG (120 words)
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"Born April 22, 1905, extinguished September 7, 1926. You should be in
your grave, Mr. Cornwell."

Boston, September 1926. A darkened past, an unnameable presence, and a
mounting unease take shape as the authorities close in on the man they
are already calling the Ogre of South Boston.

Maximilien is a horror novel you play. The prose is dense and deliberate,
written in the first person and the present tense. The investigation is
systemic, an interactive map of the city, an inventory, a casebook,
hunches that may not be worth following. A police investigation runs in
parallel to yours. And a sanity system that does not sit in a corner of
the screen: it alters your options, your reading, and which truths remain
reachable.

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THE GAME FEATURES
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STRUCTURE
▸ A non-linear narrative, branch-and-bottleneck
▸ Four independent story paths leading to 12 possible conclusions
▸ 16 achievements to unlock

A RACE AGAINST TIME
▸ A running clock, a day-night cycle, a limited number of actions each day
▸ A mind that comes apart
▸ A police manhunt tightening around you

INVESTIGATION
▸ An interactive map of Boston, inventory, casebook, hunches
▸ Clues, puzzles, and mysteries to uncover
▸ Characters whose fate depends on how closely you pay attention

OPTIONS
▸ Extensive settings
   Visual effects, audio, display, difficulty, tutorials…

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THE NUMBERS
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110,000 words
480 passages
1,750 conditions tracking choices and consequences
4 independent story paths, branch-and-bottleneck structure
12 possible endings
16 achievements
54 illustrations
2+ hours of original score
36 sound designs
17 animated sequences + 10 interactive ones

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CREDITS
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Written, designed and developed by   Yohan Dupuy
Original score                       Gaëtan Larant + Nicolas Thonney (SalOcin)
Graphics and interface               Nicolas Thonney (SalOcin) + Yohan Dupuy
Iluustrations and animations		 Yohan Dupuy / SDXL / Flux / Qwen
English translation                  Lucia Desogus

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CONTENT
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Rated 16+. Themes include dissociation, mental illness, criminal
violence, violence against children, suicide imagery, body horror and
occultism. Full content warnings:
https://maximilien-game.com/pages/content-warnings.html

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COVERAGE POLICY
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Video and streaming coverage is permitted, including monetised
coverage. Please credit the game and link to the Steam page.
Assets in this kit are cleared for editorial use.

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LINKS
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Website     https://maximilien-game.com
Steam       https://store.steampowered.com/app/4755440/Maximilien__A_Psychological_Horror_Interactive_Novel/
itch.io     https://maximilien-archive.itch.io/maximilien-game
Press kit   https://maximilien-game.com/pages/maximilien-press-kit.zip

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CONTACT
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Yohan Dupuy
yohan@maximilien-game.com