Shrinking Pains
Released Apr 2018
You spend a day seeing how many coins you can fit into the hollows above your collarbones. You're losing yourself first in inches, then moments... Will you survive yourself?
85% positive · 227 reviews
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence
Where to get it
Free on Steam
Evaluation
Shrinking Pains is a short narrative visual novel created by Bedtime Phobias during the Global Game Jam 2018 — a 48-hour game jam — and released on Steam on April 27, 2018. The store description makes clear this is a compact, self-contained experience: a single-sitting narrative game with multiple endings, a fixed cast of characters, and a defined story arc. There is no DLC, no post-launch update history, no developer roadmap, and no indication of any planned future content. The game launched as a finished product and has remained that way.
Evidence
Game is described as a short narrative experience made in 48 hours for the Global Game Jam 2018 — a self-contained visual novel with a fixed story, characters, and multiple endings.
Short description frames the game as a complete, finite narrative experience with no mention of ongoing updates or future content.
Media
Details
Developer
Publisher
Bedtime Phobias
Achievements
—
Platform
Windows
Controller
—
Steam Deck
Not rated
Players
Single-player
About this game
Did your ceiling always look like that?
Your vision peels at the edges, folding in. Everything is white, empty. You spend a day seeing how many coins you can fit into the hollows above your collarbones.
You wonder how long it will take until there is nothing left of you to touch.
Overview
Made in 48 hours for the Global Game Jam 2018, Shrinking Pains is a short narrative experience that explores a semi-autobiographical struggle with anorexia.
Story
Play as a sufferer of anorexia as they navigate their life and relationships.
Features
Characters
Isabella is a gentle girl with a wicked sense of humour. She is a professional violinist with a great love of sitcoms.
Taylor is prickly young man with a warm heart. He works as a software engineer by day and sells his knitting on Etsy in his spare time.
Yuuto has been your best friend for years and put up with your emotional baggage as long as he's known you. He's reliable, dependable and can't text to save his life.
Vivienne's claw-like nails chime against her wineglass when she's talking. They leave long red marks against your skin as she pulls you to the door...
Hunter looks good smoking in his leather jacket. When he puts his hand on your neck you don't know if you feel excited or scared...
Content Warning
Shrinking Pains deals with potentially distressing themes of mental illness and destructive behaviour. Be warned that some of the content is fairly graphic and may be upsetting to some players.
Cover art by Emily Chew
Your vision peels at the edges, folding in. Everything is white, empty. You spend a day seeing how many coins you can fit into the hollows above your collarbones.
You wonder how long it will take until there is nothing left of you to touch.
Overview
Made in 48 hours for the Global Game Jam 2018, Shrinking Pains is a short narrative experience that explores a semi-autobiographical struggle with anorexia.
Story
Play as a sufferer of anorexia as they navigate their life and relationships.
Features
- Choose your partner preference before you play.
- Strong black and white visuals.
- Immersive original soundtrack.
- Multiple endings.
- Explores mental health.
- Narrative driven visual novel.
Characters
Isabella is a gentle girl with a wicked sense of humour. She is a professional violinist with a great love of sitcoms.
Taylor is prickly young man with a warm heart. He works as a software engineer by day and sells his knitting on Etsy in his spare time.
Yuuto has been your best friend for years and put up with your emotional baggage as long as he's known you. He's reliable, dependable and can't text to save his life.
Vivienne's claw-like nails chime against her wineglass when she's talking. They leave long red marks against your skin as she pulls you to the door...
Hunter looks good smoking in his leather jacket. When he puts his hand on your neck you don't know if you feel excited or scared...
Content Warning
Shrinking Pains deals with potentially distressing themes of mental illness and destructive behaviour. Be warned that some of the content is fairly graphic and may be upsetting to some players.
Cover art by Emily Chew
Are these done yet?
Last evaluated Jun 27, 2026
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