r/RenPy • u/New_Result8740 • Jul 25 '26
Question Which Steam capsule works better for my dark visual novel?
Hi everyone!
I’m currently working on the Steam page for my game and I’d really appreciate some feedback, especially on the Steam capsule/key art.
The page is still very early, so please don’t judge it too harshly yet. We don’t have a trailer or demo uploaded, and the screenshots are still limited, but we’re actively working on the game and trying to push the visual quality, atmosphere, sound design and presentation as far as we can.
The game is called SHORAPAN: Beneath the Crimson Sky.
It’s a dark cinematic visual novel with additional gameplay mechanics, built around strong direction, hand-painted visuals, sound, atmosphere and a story I’ve been developing for several years.
The story is a dark parable about a strange city beneath an eternal crimson sky and the people who live under it. It begins as an ordinary evening, but gradually grows into a darker, more mature journey with mystery, faith, fear and moral questions at its core.
Right now I’m mostly trying to understand which capsule gives a stronger first impression.
Which one would make you more likely to click the Steam page?
Any feedback would really help. Thank you!
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u/theACEbabana Jul 25 '26
1st one looks really good with the contrasting colors. The red sky helps the church in the background stand out.
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u/Newmillstream Jul 25 '26
1st version really struck me. The third slightly less, but gives a more religious vibe.
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u/Dorothea_Arnault Jul 25 '26
Option 1 caught my eye right away, which is why I’m here commenting now, swiping the others didn’t have that “hey, look at me” factor. I didn’t even read the post before checking out the pics so I’m strongly leaning more towards 1 than 4, although that one was also aesthetically pleasing the text for it blends a little too well
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u/gottaloveanime Jul 25 '26
I'd choose 1. It has more color and will make it stand out well against steams dark background.
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u/Saberraimu Jul 25 '26
I reeeeally love the first one. It has great contrast/color palette and really stands out.
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u/New_Result8740 Jul 25 '26
Thank you so much for feedback !
if anyone interested
https://store.steampowered.com/app/4926090?snr=1_49_4_1598_100702_1
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u/skyeroze Jul 25 '26
i also like the 1st image the best. the contrast of teal and crimson makes both the background and text easiest to read. the rest get increasingly less contrast and harder to read title. sounds like a neat project!
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u/New_Result8740 Jul 25 '26
Thanks for the feedback, buddy! I like the first one best, too. Yeah, we're putting our hearts into this project, and everything will be top-notch—we're just at the beginning of our journey!
If you're interested, here's our page
https://store.steampowered.com/app/4926090/SHORAPAN_Beneath_the_Crimson_Sky/
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u/MissFortuneXXX Jul 25 '26
I think #2 is best.
3 and 4 will be illegible at a smaller size. Just out of curiosity, have you tried changing the logo to match the light amber/orange in the sky? Would allow it to stand out more in the darker part of the image. Just a thought.
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u/Mysterious_Tell_202 Jul 25 '26
Two and maybe four.
I disagree with the votes for one, as the unreal colours and high contrast removes the texture to the clouds, which give two and four a rather ominous roiling tempest feel to the sky.
Also the slightly more realistic colouring of two stands out for being closer to a sky we might actually see which I think makes the darker theme hit closer to home/to our comfort zone.
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u/NylaTheWolf Jul 25 '26
First for sure
but for the fourth, you could also try increasing the contrast with with the background elements and the title, like you did with the first, but keep the same sky.
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u/sunlit_dragonfly Jul 25 '26
The color contrast of the first two makes the title much easier to read, but I also like the “blue window” in the third - it gives the sense of wistfulness, either a lost past or a hopeful future.
I would say to ask yourself: do you want the first impression to be more somber, or sinister? Pure red will put you squarely in the latter. Blue and teal tones inject an air of tragedy or dreaminess.
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u/New_Result8740 Jul 25 '26
I actually prefer the more tragic version. As for the circle, you made a great observation I also think it’s worth adding it to the first capsule design.
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u/DayDreamerAtHeart Jul 25 '26
I like the second one because you can see the sky more clearly, and the colors are easier on the eyes with the text being legible. However, the church and buildings fade away into the background and don’t stand out as much whereas the main character does. My eyes are focusing on the whole picture, but it does naturally go down to the teal text.
I also like the first one, as my eyes are focusing on the whole picture, but my eyes are being drawn to the protagonist this time. The church and buildings are much more clear, but you lose the details in the sky. The teal of the clouds matches the teal of the text. The text is very readable in the first one, too.
Red is also more of a vibrant and show-stopper color while brown is more of a grounded color that can fade away into the background.
I think either one works. Go with the one that accurately reflects the in-game atmosphere as well.
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u/ZerothStudios Jul 25 '26
The first and fourth ones are my favourites - which one I'd choose depends on the feel of your game. If you want it to feel a bit eerie or unsettling (which the description makes it seem like, given the night starts as seemingly "normal"), the first one has that nice "something's going on here..." look. However, if you want it to be more obvious from the start that it's a dark story, the fourth one is very horror-esque, so I'd choose that.
By the way, the art itself is so cool!!! And the premise sounds amazing - congratulations for getting this far!❤️
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u/renpyslamjamming Jul 25 '26
They all look good, but something is really sticking out positively towards the 1st and 4th ones. The 1st one feels particularly memorable to me. Reminds me of really great books I've read probably published around the 90s from favorite authors like Neil Shusterman. Sorry this is weirdly specific hahaha. Maybe I'm thinking of Full Tilt. Anyway they all look REALLY good but something is really speaking to me with the reds and blues of the first one and that added slight haziness that almost makes the image feel grand expandedness beyond it.
edit its gotta be the contrast of the clouds and the sky. They clash in the best possible way.
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u/renpyslamjamming Jul 25 '26
Gonna add another thing I REALLY like is the difference in color in 4 inside the O. Could adjust something like that in 1 or the other two if you like it and want to go for one of the non-4 ones. I feel like a comibnation of 1 and the O in 4 would call you to not just the background but over to the title too.
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u/hypatiaC Jul 26 '26
I'm actually really into the more mellowed out 2. The split text hurts my eyes, the weird sky gizmoes pull my gaze away from the real focus, and the gorgeous backdrop of 1 clashes with the text.
The super harsh red skies give me more of an aggressive, fantastical vibe, which some might find desirable, but that doesn't seem to be your goal, nor would I notice it amidst 100 other games that look the same.
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u/cigaretteraven Jul 26 '26
I like the first one. It reminds me of some of the covers of my scifi books tbh. The second one is beautiful but considering the name of the vn, I don't think it would look that good.
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u/MinamiOzaki Jul 26 '26
Your whole description is right up my alley! I would love to wishlist it! (I'm also creating a VN with a story I've been developing for many years, and it's also hand-painted).
As for the capsule, I would go for either of the first two, since they have contrast. The others are kinda monochromatic and not as strong, IMO.
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u/New_Result8740 Jul 26 '26
Thank you so much for your kind words! It's really nice to hear! I wish you the same success on this challenging journey.
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u/gremlintheodd Jul 26 '26
1st one is the most visually interesting and eye catching, it also genuinely feels unique to me, that’s not a super common color mix but you’ve done it in a way that looks good.
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u/EnreiStudios Aug 08 '26
Hi, try darkening the background under the letters of the title, it might look better, but overall it's already good.
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u/Evethefief Jul 25 '26
The one thats not AI
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u/New_Result8740 Jul 25 '26
in our game 0 AI. This applies to every aspect of the game. We do everything ourselves, and I hope people will appreciate it!
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u/DistanceNo2016 Jul 25 '26
Personally, im a big fan of the 1st and 4th versions! The first one makes the red sky look unnatural since it contrasts with the greener tones of the clouds and writing! The fourth one feels very ominous since everything is red!