- New York solo developer and film music composer Jared D.’s debut work
- Community Attention After itch.io Prototype Reveal, Steam Wishlist Released
New York-based one-person development studio Crunch Moonkiss Studios has opened the Steam page for ‘Remain at Your Desk,’ a cyberpunk incremental clicker game where the protagonist leads a double life as an office worker by day and a hacker by night, and has started accepting wishlist registrations.
The game is currently available for free play as a browser-based prototype on itch.io, and the official Steam release date will be announced later.
Employee by day, hacker by night… A dystopia depicting a double life
The game is set in the massive corporate nation of RAYND Corporation. Players start their day as ordinary employees referred to by numbers instead of names. During the day, they must write reports, manage databases, and avoid the organization’s suspicion. However, when the lights go out at night, a completely different game begins. They live another life, breaching firewalls, stealing confidential data, and building up credits.
The key to gameplay is managing ‘Suspicion.’ Pushing too aggressively leads to audits, interrogations, and dismissal, but crossing the line just barely results in a promotion and access to higher systems. As the game progresses, the voice of a mysterious terminal aware of the player’s presence also appears, adding to the tension.
The cyberpunk worldview within the terminal’s green text… sound that completes the atmosphere
The visuals are implemented in a text-based 2D style inspired by retro terminal interfaces. The screen, with blinking cursors, red warning windows, and streams of encrypted data pouring out against a black background, perfectly captures the aesthetics of classic cyberpunk novels and movies.
The transition between day and night modes is visually distinct. The moment you transition from the monochrome corporate environment of day to the tense hacking scenes of night, the atmosphere of the game itself changes dramatically.
Given that developer Jared D. is an award-winning film music composer, sound design is also a core element of the game. The soundtrack for the monotonous and oppressive office environment during the day stands in stark contrast to the urgent hacking sequences at night, providing auditory support for the tension and concentration the player must feel at every moment. A special strength of this title is that the developer personally composed and produced the entire music and sound design.
22 Upgrades · Prestige Systems … In-depth System Design
Despite its casual appearance, the game’s interior is quite deeply designed. 22 upgrade trees with synergy bonuses, 12 deployable scripts, and a 6-tier Prestige system provide different strategic choices each time. Furthermore, active hacking sequences involving path selection, firewall response, and vulnerability detection break away from the passivity of the simple clicker genre, demanding real-time judgment and reaction.
The six-persona system also stands out. Each allows you to evade pattern detection with a different identity, but using the same persona for too long causes it to be ‘burned’ and rendered unusable. The 18 night events consist of encrypted transmissions, security checks, and choices with substantially different outcomes, while the narrative unfolding through 10 confidential data fragments—leading to ‘Project LIGHTHOUSE,’ ‘Floor 13,’ and the existence of ‘CONDUIT’—adds mysterious depth to the game.
From film music composer to indie game developer
Developer Jared D. is a New York-based solo developer and multi-award-winning film music composer, and this work marks his first PC title. Incorporating the musical expertise he honed in the creative industry directly into game development, he founded Crunch Moonkiss Studios and ventured into indie game development.
In addition to ‘Remain at Your Desk,’ he is also developing ‘Groove Defense,’ which combines tower defense and music gameplay. Featuring a unique structure where the soundtrack becomes richer as towers are built, this title is another example where Jared D.’s musical background directly influences his game design philosophy. ‘Groove Defense’ is garnering attention from the international indie game community, including being selected for the Steam Tower Defense Fest.
Rapidly evolving based on community feedback after prototype release
A browser-playable prototype is currently available for free on itch.io, and the developer is rapidly continuing updates based on community feedback, including improvements to the tutorial, UI cleanup, popup speed adjustments, and the addition of a colorblind support mode.
In the itch.io community, active communication with developers is taking place, with positive reactions to the core loop of the game and specific suggestions for improvements regarding UI readability and event popup speeds being exchanged.
The game can be added to the wishlist on the Steam page, and development progress will be continuously shared through various social media channels such as YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
Information regarding Remain at Your Desk
| item | detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | Crunch Moonkiss Studios |
| Genre | Cyberpunk Incremental Clicker · Strategy · Simulation |
| Release platform | PC (Steam), Browser (itch.io, Prototype available for free play) |
| Release date | Undecided (Currently adding to Steam Wishlist) |
| Key Features | Day/Night Dual Mode / 22 Upgrades / 6 Prestige Levels / 6 Personas / 18 Night Events |
| Supported languages | English, Japanese, Simplified Chinese |
| Official Channel | YouTube·Instagram·TikTok |
| itch.io | https://crunchmoonkiss.itch.io/remain-at-your-desk |
| Steam Page | https://store.steampowered.com/app/4546470/Remain_At_Your_Desk/ |
