The Bread Must Rise is a 450,000-word interactive novel that combines breadmaking competitions with mystery, adventure, humor, and eldritch horror. Set in Godstone, the story follows a world haunted by a necromancer queen and influenced by a secretive cult, while player choices shape the direction of the narrative.
A choice-led story in Godstone
The central experience is reading and making decisions rather than following a fixed sequence of events. As the story progresses, choices guide the protagonist through competitions, investigations, and encounters with diverse characters. The narrative also explores the secrets of the protagonist’s past, including the truth surrounding their parents’ lives and deaths.
Breadmaking, competitions, and hidden practices
Breadmaking is closely connected to the adventure. Players can pursue the art of breadmaking while taking part in competitions and looking more closely at the shady practices of the City Council. These activities support the broader mystery instead of appearing as a separate, unrelated cooking feature.
Character identity and personal choices
The protagonist can be male, female, or nonbinary, with choices that explore different identities and sexualities. The story also provides different dietary preferences for a more personalized baking experience. These options affect how players define the character they guide through the novel.
A text-focused atmosphere
The app does not rely on visuals or audio cues, leaving the setting and its horrors to the reader’s imagination. Alongside the unsettling mystery, the story includes humor and deliberately terrible jokes. This creates a tone that can move between comic moments, self-discovery, and spine-tingling horror as the investigation develops.