SINISTERSHRIKE

I only post on here and itch.io. I do not have any other platforms right now. Beware of any fake accounts posing as me or my team.

Welcome to Hell, enjoy the buffet.

Howdy. You can call me Darin. I'm a creator that enjoys horror-themed works. I express my art through illustrations, comics, writing, and games.

My current project is a horror game visual novel called Lurking For Love

The demo is very outdated, and I'm currently working on a new version and finishing the full game with a group of talented people.

Last update: December 29, 2025

Remember to scroll down to see the updates we have so far! The game is not abandoned, far from it ;)

There's been a few changes going forward with LFL: I've got a team of awesome people who will help me with my game!

WOW, a very long overdue avatar update! Roth and Kris have been with the project for a while, and now they finally get their own spot here! I drew all of us as funny little jelly beans (we look a bit like Glep from Smiling Friends LOL)

MORE UPDATES:

Happy New Year everyone! Just a mini update to show the poll results:

Looks like Austin is going to be dateable! And wow, over 400+ votes is CRAZY! Thank you everyone for voting!

That's it for now, the paragraph below was an update from a couple of days ago (same stuff).

I don't have much of an update here, other than I've been fixing up the main plot once more. After rereading the first pass, there were a lot of plotholes and sections I didn't like, but everything is still going swimmingly, it just needs more fine tuning. I've been writing out a second pass of the plot draft, I wanted to add more horror into it (hehehe) and extend the amount of 'dating days' the player gets to have with the characters. After the second pass is completed and to my liking, I should be moving on to the final script and the coding very soon!

I hope you all have a Happy New Year!

General Info from previous updates:

-Christmas Jacob art

-New dateable!? His name is Noah!

-Autumn/Jacob's Birthday (2025)

-Summer art below (2025)

The story we have written so far is such a step up from the extremely outdated demo, which served more as a very early beta concept of the game. When I first created the demo, I didn’t expect it to get as much attention as it did. Looking back, I can’t help but feel proud of how much Jacob’s story has shifted and developed into something so much better than what the game and story was originally going to be. Even Jacob as a character has improved so much since his first debut. I feel like he’s a lot more human now. I’ve also felt like I’ve really improved on my writing, and I’m certain the full game will reflect our efforts.

Overall, steady progress has been coming along! Thank you all for being patient with us. We don’t want to give too much away, but here are some little snippets from our diagram notes that are out of context (Keep in mind this is not actual dialogue from the game, just personal work-in-progress notes the team writes down in our diagram as we plan):

"I ask Jacob if he knows who David is. He tenses up."

“I could use some more money after having to move here. How hard could it be?”

“I reach the pizzeria. I see Eddie leaning against the counter. He gives me a big smile as I enter.”

“He looks around my room, almost frantically.”

"His body radiates a strong stench that hits my nose: Cheap cologne and body sweat."

"Wait, you used to date Jacob? Since when?"

"She's not someone who lives in reality."

"I'm pretty sure HE was the one that killed that poor thing."

(July 2025)

A Valentine's Day artwork made by Azure! (2024)

FAQ

When will the game get finished?

I don't have a definite time right now, but hopefully soon.

What kind of game is Lurking For Love? What content is in it?

Lurking For Love is a horror game in the style of a visual novel (similar to those "Choose Your Own Adventure" books). It's got stalking, murder, mystery, humor and some romance if you choose those paths. The game is solely focused on storytelling and horror, and although there is some suggestive themes between characters and dialogue, this is NOT an NSFW/porn game, and we'd prefer if people viewed it more akin to a horror film. If you enjoy pieces of media such as Dexter, Halloween, Scream, etc. then you might enjoy Lurking For Love.

How can I contact you?

As of right now, all forms of contacting me are disabled. The only username I'm using now is SinisterShrike. My previous old usernames are no longer in use. I ONLY have an itch.io and my own personal website (AKA here). I DO NOT have a Twitter, tumblr, Instagram, etc. If you see any of my usernames active on other social media platforms, that's not me. If any fake accounts try interacting with you, I would advise you on blocking them. If I do create another platform or return to one, I will announce it here on my site first.

WhAt aRe yOuR ViEwS oN-

Look, I'm an artist, not a politician. My views aren't important. My creations are meant to be enjoyed by anyone who are just here for a good time and entertaining stories. I'm a random stranger on the internet with his own personal opinions, which are no more or less important than yours. Insulting, witch-hunting and threatening people you disagree with is the least tolerant thing you could do and only encourages others to close themselves off from listening to what you have to say.

I don't like your sense of humor :(

It's not for everyone.