Game Overview

This is a first-person psychological narrative game. Your choices shape the story, reveal the heroine's past, and open a path toward the people around her.

Story

Noele is a police officer whose biggest monthly expense is treating her chronic neck pain at a massage parlor.

Late in the fall, a strike erupts at a toy factory. Cursed dolls begin appearing in an abandoned tower…

And a reunion with her ex-girlfriend completely upends her life.

A lecturer from a no-name college.

A blind massage therapist.

A glamorous entrepreneur.

Which one of them is The Flayer?

Main Characters

Noele *First-Person POV*

The heroine. A small-town police officer—practical, analytical, and not great at reading people.

Her day-to-day work ranges from mediating neighbor disputes to dealing with murders, arson, and even AI dogs getting stuck in trees.

Nil

Lecturer in experimental art, Noele's current boyfriend. Gentle and easygoing.

His biggest worries are publishing, getting promoted... and navigating his relationship with Noele.

Will

Massage therapist at AAA Massage Parlor. Visually impaired.

Thinks in odd, unpredictable ways.

Seems to have nothing more than a straightforward client-therapist relationship with Noele.

Grace

Works in new media. Noele's ex—and a mother.

Confident, smart, ambitious.

Claims she calculated Noele's misfortune this year using her birth chart, and she seems interested in getting back together.

Flint *Unavailable Route

Freelance writer. Noele's college friend—though that changed later.

Dog *Loyal Companion

Noele's partner at the station. A personalized AI canine who has a knack for picking up on the strangest things people say.

Key Features

Over 100,000 words of story and 2–5 hours of gameplay.

Three romanceable characters, four branching routes, and six endings.

A unique, colorful paper-craft visual style blending nostalgic retro textures with modern tech aesthetics.

100+ expressive CG illustrations and 20+ original character portraits.

A modern soundtrack created by two artists, each bringing a distinct musical style to deepen the emotional experience.

Interact with the map to trigger special story events.

Make choices that shape Noele’s attitude, steer the narrative, pursue different characters, and unlock different endings.

After completing your first playthrough, additional story content will appear at the beginning of the game.

Player Advisory

Neck Stiffness is not a lighthearted AVG. It includes the following content, which may be uncomfortable for some players. Please review before playing:

Flawed Characters: Every major character carries emotional burdens and personal biases. Their choices may be irrational or deviate from typical expectations.

LGBTQ+ Themes: The story includes diverse expressions of gender identity, sexuality, and relationships.

Character Views ≠ Developer Views: All dialogue, behavior, and worldviews depicted in the game represent the characters—not the development team.

Mental Health Depictions: Includes portrayals of anxiety, depression, trauma, and emotional distress, which may trigger PTSD.

No Traditional “Happy Ending”: Relationships tend to be complex, ambiguous, and difficult to define.

Religious Elements: Contains references to religious beliefs and practices.

Fictional Setting: This work is purely fictional and bears no connection to any real person, group, or organization.

If any of the above may cause discomfort, please consider carefully before continuing the game.

Credits

Producer: Guai An
Writing: Guai An, Ze, Zhan Qintai
Art: Guai An, it-holic
Music: Canniles, Darwin Egret
UI Design: Guai An, Zhuo Xi
PV Editing: Guai An, Zhuo Xi
Programming: Zheng Xiaoshuang, Guai An
English Localization: Ze, Ade
Engine: Godot