Palette
Palette is a freeware adventure game by Yoshitaka Nishida (Finger Puppet) made in RPG Maker 95.
Palette was created in 2000 and won the grand prize in a competition held by the creators of RPG Maker. It later had a Japanese re-release on the Playstation by Enterbrain called "Forget Me Not -Palette-". (This translation is for the freeware original; I have no plans for the latter.)
One night, the psychiatrist Sianos B. Sian is requested to counsel a girl called B.D.,
who has lost her eyesight and memory in an accident.
Through conversations with her over the phone,
the past that hides in her memories comes to light...
(Content Severity: Mild)
Click here for content warnings.
Minor blood.
Death.
Download Palette 6.01 | (Mirror)
(Chrome may falsely flag the download as malicious, but it's safe to ignore.)
Supported Platforms
Though the game is old, modern Windows systems generally seem able to run it. However, it uses color-changing effects that modern systems may not support. (The screenshots show how it should look.) A fix has been included that should address this as long as you play in full screen, but see Troubleshooting if something's not working.
Troubleshooting
Make sure to extract the game to its own folder instead of running directly from the ZIP file. If you don't do so, any saves made will be lost the next time you run the game.
DDrawCompat (the included ddraw.dll) has been included to aid with compatibility for color-changing effects on modern systrems. However, if the game gets stuck on a black screen when launching, it might be failing to initialize (possibly due to a system that's too old for it). You can try deleting or renaming ddraw.dll in the Data folder to "remove" it, but this will likely result in incorrect colors.
If you must disable DDrawCompat, there's little else I can suggest for getting the color effects to work. However, in my experience, emulating Windows 98 (such as with Microsoft Virtual PC) and running in full screen will give proper results.
Screenshots
Walkthrough
This describes the steps necessary to gain access to each Shred of Memory.
You can do the requirements to reach them in slightly different orders, but the Shreds are always obtained in the same - or at least a very similar - order. Thus, if you're stuck, check which Shreds of Memory you already have and do the steps for the next one on the list.
Walkthrough
Intro
As Sian, close the window and turn off the lights. Try to leave, then answer the phone.
Knife Shred
Inspect the mirror in B.D.'s room to begin Scene 47: Red of Beginning. Identify all the outlines; the weapon can't yet be identified. Return to monochrome by checking the mirror again.
Take the bottom-left exit from B.D.'s room. Go down in the passage, take a break with the oval, and break through the glass to get the Knife Shred.
Inherited Sin Shred
Back in B.D.'s room, identify the knife. Take the bottom-left exit, then the left to reach Scene 47: Corridor.
Check the stain on the wall, then again to start Scene 48: Voices Past the Door. Identify everything.
Go left from Corridor, heal, and continue on to Scene 49: Silence. Check the person to begin Scene 50: Red of Closing, and identify all except the book and the lower person.
From B.D.'s room, go right. Hit both glass walls to make the rest area appear and use it. Take the up path to the Inherited Sin Shred.
* From here on, the walkthrough will give more general directions.
Hover your mouse over a scene name to see how get to that area from B.D.'s room.
(Note: The direction "Down" in B.D.'s room always means the bottom-left exit, since the only place the other one leads to is the ending.)
Video Shred (1)
Go to Scene 49: Silence and identify the book. Read the book that appears back in Sian's clinic.
From B.D.'s room, go to the Video Shred (1): Down, Left, Left, Down.
Red Silhouette Shred
Head all the way right to Scene 34: Room With A Lamp.
Check the desk with the lamp. Read the diary. Identify the tape.
From B.D.'s room, go to the Red Silhouette Shred: Down, Down, Down.
Newspaper Shred
Return to Scene 34: Room With A Lamp and identify the woman.
Return to Scene 49: Silence and identify the woman.
Go to Scene 04: Library and inspect all.
From B.D.'s room, go to the Newspaper Shred: Left, Up.
Black Hat Shred
Return to Scene 04: Library and remember the newspaper on the bulletin board, then read everything.
Go to Scene 09: At the Dining Table and inspect all.
From B.D.'s room, go to the Black Hat Shred: Right, Down, Right, Left, Down. (Requires some trickery.)
Cat Shred
Return to Scene 09: At the Dining Table and identify the man.
Go left to Scene 36: Candle Light and inspect all.
Go to Scene 20: Words on the Wall and inspect all.
From B.D.'s room, go to the Cat Shred: Down, Left, Down, Left, Left, Left. (Or Left, Left from Words on the Wall.)
Wall Bruise Shred
Return to Scene 20: Words on the Wall and identify the animal.
Go to Scene 02: Red Postbox and inspect all.
Go left to Scene 14: Night, Lonely Night (requires trickery) and inspect all.
From B.D.'s room, go to the Wall Bruise Shred: Right, Right, Right, Up, Left, Up, Left, Up. (Or Left, Up from Night, Lonely Night.)
Straw Hat Shred
Return to Scene 36: Candle Light and identify what's on the wall.
Go to Scene 07: Market and inspect all.
Go to Scene 12: Left Behind and inspect all.
Go to Scene 29: Tower of Bricks and inspect all.
From B.D.'s room, go to the Straw Hat Shred: Right, Down, Right, Right, Left.
Grave Shred
Return to Scene 12: Left Behind and identify the present.
Return to Scene 20: Words on the Wall and identify the child.
From B.D.'s room, go to the Grave Shred: Right, Down, Right, Left, Up.
Moon Shred
Go to Scene 25: One Summer Afternoon and inspect all.
From B.D.'s room, go to the Moon Shred: Right, Right, Right, Up, Right, Up.
Log Pile Shred
Go to Scene 32: Night Wind and fill in the moon.
From B.D.'s room, go to the Log Pile Shred: Right, Right, Right, Right.
Dress Shred
Return to Scene 34: Room With A Lamp and identify the logs.
Return to Scene 07: Market and identify the logs.
From B.D.'s room, go to the Dress Shred: Up, Up, Left.
Notice Shred
Go to Scene 38: Little Longing and inspect all.
From B.D.'s room, go to the Notice Shred: Left, Up, Up.
Video Shred (2)
Return to Scene 04: Library. Fill in the rest of the board and read it.
Return to Scene 14: Night, Lonely Night and watch TV.
Go left to Scene 44: The Essentials and inspect all.
Go to Scene 16: Early Morning Gate and inspect all.
From B.D.'s room, go to the Video Shred (2): Down, Left, Down, Up, Up.
Document Shred
From B.D.'s room, go to the Document Shred: Down, Left, Left, Up, Right, Up, Up, Up, Left, Up.
Forbidden Shred
Go to Scene 23: To the Promised Land and inspect all.
Return to Scene 02: Red Postbox and identify the package.
From B.D.'s room, go to the Forbidden Shred: Down, Left, Down, Left, Left, Down, Right.
End
Go to Scene 42: Archives and read all the books.
From B.D.'s room, go straight down, all the way down through the glass, and...
Ordered Scenes
The scenes are encountered in a fairly random order, which can make the plot harder to follow than it would be normally. As such, I've summarized the scenes in numerical order to clear up as much confusion as possible.
THIS SPOILS EVERYTHING! DO NOT READ UNTIL AFTER BEATING THE GAME!!
SPOILERS
Scene 01: Original Sin
Macilt Krim, who robbed and set fire to the Vector household (killing four of five), is released from prison by Aging Man after 20 years. He expresses a desire to atone for his crime with the remainder of his life.
[Implied: Some combination of Vector, the Aging Man, Red Silhouette, and Macilt come up with the idea of Zebub. They invite people who are likely to become criminals to live there and use Lassa tobacco to make them lose their memories, theoretically avoiding the "inherited sin."]
Scene 02: Red Postbox
[Area: Red postbox in front of the house.]
Scene 03: Twilight Gate
An envelope arrives at B.D.'s house containing reports of some kind. Also, the cat is there.
Scene 04: Library
[Area: Library with bulletin board.]
Scene 05: Central News
At the library, the librarian tells B.D. not to trust everything she reads. Someone else asks her if The Inherited Sin's statements are true.
When Macilt Krim is 56, someone (Vector) comes to his house and stabs the family in the night, with only Canary (age 6) surviving.
Zebub is under construction and looking for residents. The Inherited Sin by Retro Vector has been released.
Central Group goes bankrupt and the paper becomes Sunlight News.
Scene 06: Creaking in the Wind
B.D. plays alone (pretending to be Sian, the star of a TV show) in an abandoned house.
Scene 07: Market
[Area: Market.]
Scene 08: The Red Fruit
B.D. goes to the market alone to get food. The old man says to give his regards to "the doctor." The man can supposedly get anything you want, and has a Lassa log pile.
Scene 09: At the Dining Table
[Area: Dining table.]
Scene 10: Two of Us - A
B.D. and her father have dinner, and he apologizes for not being around due to work, but hopes B.D. will someday know the importance of his job.
Scene 11: A Distant Day's Dream
B.D. has a nightmare where she seems to go blind, there's blood on the ground, and she thinks there's a criminal in the house. Her father reassures her it's fine.
Scene 12: Left Behind
[Area: Present on table.]
Scene 13: Straw Hat
B.D. comes home to a note and a (final) present from her father: a straw hat. He says he might not be home for a while, so he got her birthday present early.
Scene 14: Night, Lonely Night
[Area: TV.]
Scene 15: News
B.D. watches the news on TV. It reports that Canary Krim has woken up and is repeating that the killer has a big burn on their forehead, though they could be covering it with a hat or the like.
Scene 16: Early Morning Gate
[Area: Outside a house, presumably B.D.'s.]
Scene 17: Light and Crowds
B.D. is pestered by reporters; they ask what her father was like, and how they expect to apologize to the bereaved family. (Her father is presumably arrested.)
Scene 18: The Park
[Area: Sandbox. Not actually accessible.]
Scene 19: Eyes Averted
[B.D. often plays in the sandbox at the park, but the kids all go away when she arrives.]
Scene 20: Words on the Wall
[Area: Uh... kinda non-descript other than red graffiti.]
Scene 21: Atonement
B.D. finds "murderer" graffiti'd on a wall, and the cat from her garden has died from a terrible wound.
Scene 22: World of White
B.D. walks through freezing snow and sees an apple on a tree.
Scene 23: To the Promised Land
[Area: Table with contract.]
Scene 24: Seal
Red Silhouette has B.D. sign a contract to live in Zebub in exchange for abating Vector's death sentence, and she begins living there with her.
Scene 25: One Summer Afternoon
[Area: Graveyard.]
Scene 26: Macilt Krim's Grave
B.D. goes to the graveyard to pay respect to the Krims. Red Silhouette tells her she did nothing wrong.
Scene 27: Setting Sun
[Area: Sunset.]
Scene 28: Red Silhouette
B.D. and Red Silhouette look out over Zebub at sunset, and the latter says it'll be all right now, since no one knows them there.
Scene 29: Tower of Bricks
[Area: Zebub exit.]
Scene 30: Invisible Wall
B.D. tries to leave Zebub, but someone says she'll be killed if she tries to leave, which scares her.
Scene 31: Gate of Zebub
Red Silhouette tells B.D. that she has to stay in Zebub as part of the deal. She pities the people for fearing the world beyond the gates. She says that even if B.D. loses her memory, she must at least remember that she is...
Scene 32: Night Wind
[Area: Moonlit night.]
Scene 33: The Unchanging
Red Silhouette tells B.D. a story from her home village about how the moon wants to be the sun or the stars rather than itself. She used to think that the moon could never change as the story said, but she now believes that maybe the moon could "be the sun, or be a star."
Scene 34: Room With A Lamp
[Area: Room with a lamp.]
Scene 35: Lies and Deceit
B.D. reads Red Silhouette's diary (which seems to discuss plans related to Zebub), and she comes in and scolds her. Lassa tobacco logs are also present.
Scene 36: Candle Light
[Area: Dining table with candles.]
Scene 37: Two of Us - B
B.D. eats dinner with Red Silhouette. The food is always very sweet, and Red Silhouette says she used too much sugar, intending for B.D. to think that's the reason.
Scene 38: Little Longing
[Area: Closet.]
Scene 39: Into the Closet
Red Silhouette shows B.D. some dresses and enjoys seeing her wear them, but B.D. recognizes she's like a puppet, doing everything she says.
Scene 40: N/A
[Area: Desert with a spring. Not actually accessible.]
Scene 41: Flower in the Desert
[B.D. finds an old man in the desert, watering strange trees as part of the job he got at Zebub.]
Scene 42: Archives
[Area: Library shelves.]
Scene 43: Sealed Room
B.D. goes to a room in the library to read about things without someone (Red Silhouette) finding out. There's a report on the Krim family's criminal history, presumably part of the studies done for The Inherited Sin. (B.D. had seemingly forgotten where she heard the name Krim.)
Another report realizes, after the publication of The Inherited Sin, that Vector himself was subject to a heinous crime, and that his own book doomed him in a way.
Lastly, B.D. reads something concerning the hypothesis of The Inherited Sin. It calls children exposed to crime B.D.s ("born of disorder"), and says they must be focused on rather than the criminals themselves.
Scene 44: The Essentials
[Area: Fireplace and radio.]
Scene 45: Those Freed
B.D. hears about a murderer who escaped from prison on the radio, and Red Silhouette tells her not to worry about it and go to bed.
Scene 46: Red of Beginning
B.D. wakes up to find a knife on the floor and blood stains.
Scene 47: Corridor
[Area: Hallway.]
Scene 48: Voices Past the Door
B.D. goes into the hallway with a knife. She opens the door, finds her father dead, and drops the spotless knife. Red Silhouette - her mother - comes in and tells her to leave.
Scene 49: Silence
[Area: Room with a dead body.]
Scene 50: Red of Closing
B.D. hears sirens from outside. Someone behind the door (her father, Vector) says he came to kill B.D. to sever the crime "link," but couldn't. B.D. comes back in to face the truth, and her mother tells her to leave again. But she refuses, as what she really wants is...
Gunshots; B.D.'s father is most likely killed. The Aging Man, perhaps a police officer, comes in and says that the plan they (Vector and Red Silhouette) came up with was almost a success, but could use improvement. Red Silhouette won't let it end like this, however, and pulls out a gun to shoot the man. She becomes a fugitive with a huge bounty on her.
A year and three months later, Red Silhouette comes to B.D. in the abandoned house (which is notably outside of Zebub). However, B.D. has retreated into her "Sian persona," likely due to her trauma.
Once the Sian part of her has helped her regain her memories, and she remembers that night "on her own," the police arrive, having tracked down Red Silhouette. Red Silhouette asks if B.D. will turn her in to the police or keep running with her, and the choice, for her, is obvious.