Dysfunctional Systems: Learning to Manage Chaos
Released Sep 2013
From Dischan Media, creators of the highly acclaimed Juniper's Knot, comes Dysfunctional Systems: Learning to Manage Chaos.Dysfunctional Systems is a visual novel series featuring Winter Harrison, a student mediator from a utopian world. Learning to Manage Chaos is the first entry in the series.What is a mediator?
75% positive · 786 reviews
Not yet
Released, content planned but development status unclear
High confidence
Content Planned
Development Uncertain
Not yet
Released, content planned but development status unclear
High confidence
Content Planned
Development Uncertain
Where to buy
Steam $4.99
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Evaluation
Dysfunctional Systems: Learning to Manage Chaos launched on September 26, 2013 as the first entry in a planned visual novel series. The store description explicitly describes it as "the first entry in the series," and the developer always intended it to be followed by additional episodes.
In February 2014, Dischan Media announced a development hiatus and launched a Kickstarter to fund two more episodes — enough to wrap up the series. The campaign succeeded in March 2014, with backers providing the funding to continue. In July 2017, the developer released a prequel title called Dysfunctional Systems: Orientation, and in the same announcement confirmed that "development on episode 2 has restarted, with the art director from episode 1 (Doomfest) returning."
That July 24, 2017 post is the last official communication from Dischan Media. Episode 2 has never been released. There has been no update, no explanation, and no statement about the status of development in the nearly 9 years since. The series remains unfinished, with the Kickstarter-funded continuation still outstanding and undelivered.
Evidence
Developer announces Episode 2 development has restarted with the returning art director. This is the last known communication from the developer.
Same post tagged as a development status update — confirms active work on Episode 2 as of July 2017, but no follow-up has ever appeared.
Media
Details
Developer
Publisher
Dischan Media
Achievements
11
Platform
Windows, macOS, Linux
Controller
partial support
Steam Deck
Unsupported
Players
Single-player
About this game
From Dischan Media, creators of the highly acclaimed Juniper's Knot, comes Dysfunctional Systems: Learning to Manage Chaos.
Dysfunctional Systems is a visual novel series featuring Winter Harrison, a student mediator from a utopian world. Learning to Manage Chaos is the first entry in the series.
What is a mediator? A mediator is someone who travels to chaotic worlds, attempting to resolve the issues plaguing them. The first entry in the series follows Winter's second mediation, where she shadows the experienced and aloof mediator: Cyrus Addington.
Dysfunctional Systems: Learning to Manage Chaos features two distinct endings, unlockable bonus art, an animated opening video, and a jukebox of in-game music.
A visual novel is a mix of choose your own adventure books, comics and manga, music, and animation. Play through the story and make choices for the main character to change the outcome of the episode and the events of future episodes!
All Steam purchases of Dysfunctional Systems: Learning to Manage Chaos include the official soundtrack absolutely free! Enjoy a total of 18 tracks, including a full rendition of the Dysfunctional Systems opening theme, in both MP3 and FLAC. The album is included with the game files. To access, right click the "Dysfunctional Systems" entry in your library, click "properties", then go to the "local files" tab, and click the "browse local files" button.
Dysfunctional Systems is a visual novel series featuring Winter Harrison, a student mediator from a utopian world. Learning to Manage Chaos is the first entry in the series.
What is a mediator? A mediator is someone who travels to chaotic worlds, attempting to resolve the issues plaguing them. The first entry in the series follows Winter's second mediation, where she shadows the experienced and aloof mediator: Cyrus Addington.
Dysfunctional Systems: Learning to Manage Chaos features two distinct endings, unlockable bonus art, an animated opening video, and a jukebox of in-game music.
What is a visual novel?
A visual novel is a mix of choose your own adventure books, comics and manga, music, and animation. Play through the story and make choices for the main character to change the outcome of the episode and the events of future episodes!
Soundtrack Included
All Steam purchases of Dysfunctional Systems: Learning to Manage Chaos include the official soundtrack absolutely free! Enjoy a total of 18 tracks, including a full rendition of the Dysfunctional Systems opening theme, in both MP3 and FLAC. The album is included with the game files. To access, right click the "Dysfunctional Systems" entry in your library, click "properties", then go to the "local files" tab, and click the "browse local files" button.
Are these done yet?
Last evaluated Jun 28, 2026
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