Dropsy
A text-free point-and-click adventure about a clown seeking redemption.
Dropsy is a point-and-click adventure released in 2015. It was created by the American indie developer Tendershoot—the pseudonym of Jay Tholen—alongside the studio A Jolly Corpse, and published by Devolver Digital. The game puts players in control of a clown named Dropsy, who becomes an outcast after a fire destroys his family’s circus. To clear his name, he must explore an open world, solve puzzles, and interact with characters. The game uses no written text; instead, dialogue appears as visual icons. Its soundtrack features over 50 minutes of live music composed and performed by Chris Schlarb.
The project began in 2008 on the Something Awful forums as a choose-your-own-adventure story illustrated by Tholen, with forum members suggesting actions that were then drawn and added. The character itself originated from a platform game Tholen made in 2004. Growing demand for a playable version led Tholen to design a full game with help from forum members. He cited EarthBound, Grim Fandango, and The Neverhood as influences. A 2011 Kickstarter raised $225 for software, a July 2013 campaign failed to reach its $25,000 goal, and a third campaign in October 2013 raised nearly $25,000 from a $14,000 target. On October 31, 2013, Tholen released a short horror side game, *Dropsy and the Black Lodge*. In November 2013, Devolver Digital signed on as publisher, handling quality assurance and marketing without directing Kickstarter funds. A Jolly Corpse joined development in September 2014. The game launched for Windows, OS X, and Linux on September 10, 2015. An iOS port followed on December 17, 2015, and a Nintendo Switch version arrived on September 29, 2022.
Reception, per Metacritic, was “favorable” for the PC version and “average” for the Switch version. Adam Smith of Rock Paper Shotgun described the game as a “touching allegory for all manner of otherness and confusion,” though he criticized its surrealist presentation and puzzle mechanics.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Dropsy
- Developer
- Tendershoot · A Jolly Corpse
- Publisher
- Devolver Digital
- Engine
- Unity
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows · OS X · Linux · iOS · Android · Nintendo Switch
- Released
- Windows, OS X, Linux · September 10, 2015 · iOS · December 17, 2015 · Android · December 20, 2017 · Switch · September 29, 2022
- Genre
- Point-and-click adventure
- Modes
- Single-player
- Director
- Jay Tholen · Jesse Bull
- Programmer
- David Walton
- Composer
- Jay Tholen · Chris Schlarb
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Dropsy began on the Something Awful forums in 2008 as a choose-your-own adventure game illustrated by Jay Tholen, where forum commentators would suggest actions for the clown Dropsy. The character originated from a platform game created by Tholen in 2004. Demand for a playable version grew, leading Tholen to design a game with help from forum members. Tholen cited EarthBound, Grim Fandango, and The Neverhood as inspirations. A 2011 Kickstarter raised $225 USD for development software, followed by a July 2013 campaign that did not reach its $25,000 goal. A third campaign in October 2013 asked for $14,000 and finished with nearly $25,000 raised. On October 31, 2013, Tholen released a short horror-themed side game titled Dropsy and the Black Lodge. In November 2013, Devolver Digital announced it would publish the game, providing quality assurance and marketing but not directing Kickstarter funds. On September 17, 2014, indie studio A Jolly Corpse joined the team. The game was released on September 10, 2015 for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux.
Reader's Guide
Dropsy received 'favorable' reviews on PC and 'average' reviews on Nintendo Switch according to Metacritic. Adam Smith of Rock Paper Shotgun called the game a 'touching allegory for all manner of otherness and confusion' but criticized its surrealist presentation and puzzle mechanics. The game's lack of text, using visual icons for dialogue, was a distinctive design choice that set it apart from most adventure games. Its development journey—from a forum-based choose-your-own-adventure through multiple Kickstarter campaigns to a full release with a publisher—illustrates the grassroots, community-driven nature of its creation. The game's open world, puzzle-solving, and character interactions, combined with its live music score, contributed to its unique identity within the indie adventure game landscape of the 2010s.
Did You Know?
- Dropsy contains no text; all dialogue is represented by visual icons.
- The character Dropsy originated from a platform game created by Jay Tholen in 2004.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Dropsy?
Dropsy is a 2015 point-and-click adventure in which you play as a clown who is cast out after a fire destroys his family's circus. To restore his reputation, he explores an open world, solves puzzles, and interacts with a cast of characters.
What are Dropsy's powers or role in the game?
Dropsy has no supernatural abilities; his 'powers' are his clown's agility and charisma, which he uses to navigate environments, crack puzzles, and persuade or trick other characters. Notably, the game conveys all dialogue through visual icons rather than any written text.
Who made Dropsy and where can I play it?
The game was developed by Tendershoot (Jay Tholen) alongside A Jolly Corpse and published by Devolver Digital. It shipped for Windows, macOS, and Linux in September 2015, arrived on iOS in December 2015, and was ported to Nintendo Switch in September 2022.
What makes Dropsy different from other adventure games?
Dropsy is entirely text-free, communicating every line of dialogue through a system of visual icons rather than words. It also features a substantial live-music soundtrack of over 50 minutes composed and performed by Chris Schlarb, giving the game a theatrical, circus-like atmosphere.
More in Adventure Games of the 2010s, Part 2 1-24
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