Visual Novel Nook: Tusks

Tusks is an orc dating sim by Mitch Alexander, originally released March 19th, 2015.

You play as a male orc who is attending The Uá, the annual gathering of orcs to meet up, discuss the year’s adventures, find partners, and further enrich their sense of culture and community. This gathering is also where new groups form to travel once the event ends. You find such a group, led by three husbands, and convince them to let you join them in their journey north.

As you travel, you can have conversations with your eight companions, and develop your relationships with them. Each comes from a different sect of orcs, and therefore has their own aesthetic and cultural sensibility that you can learn from. This theme is also explored through one of your traveling companions, who is a human scholar traveling with you to try and learn more about orcish culture and what it means “to be an orc”. Through his interview sessions with you, and the other orcs, as well as his commentary during certain situations, the game does a great job of addressing issues in allyship to marginalized folks, and talking about the anxieties that come from being marginalized and moving through a prejudiced world.

Another really cool thing about Tusks is it’s openness about sexuality and different kinds of relationships. There are characters that are polyamorous and kinky, and that’s not really sensationalized, it’s just a part of who they are. During sexy scenes, there are always upfront conversations about consent, and if something makes you uncomfortable, you can back out. Tusks provides a space to explore different manifestations of relationships and sexualities that is sorely needed in video game spaces.

For a truly unique dating sim that really explores and discusses relationships, sexualities, and marginalization, grab Tusks over on itch,io for whatever price you want.

All images courtesy of the Tusks itch.io page.