Help! We Joined a Cult by Accident [v1.0.0-rc.1] [Anya Merchant]

October 7, 2026F95

Sean Baskin is aimlessly drifting through life with no girlfriend and no real purpose. When Solena, his late father’s longtime partner and the woman who helped raise him, needs a “bonded partner” to claim her invitation to Tidewell, an exclusive island wellness retreat, Sean agrees to pose as her boyfriend.
The cover story is a couple in love. The reality is a remote island, surrendered passports, ridiculous couple’s rites, and a severe lack of privacy. Escaping Tidewell means climbing its ranks, one increasingly sexual relationship building exercise at a time until Sean and Solena can no longer tell where the performance ends.
Help! We Joined a Cult by Accident is an adult dark-comedy hybrid visual novel and match-3 game based on the novel of the same name by author/developer Anya Merchant. AI based tools were used for asset generation, coding, and converting the original book/script to Ren’Py.

Thread Updated: 2026-10-06

Release Date: 2026-10-06

Developer: Anya Merchant – SubscribeStar

Censored: No

Version: 1.0.0-rc.1

OS: Windows, Linux, Mac, Android

Language: English

Genre:

2DCG, AI CG, Animated, Male Protagonist, Romance, Humor, Mini Games, Puzzle, Incest, Mature Woman, Handjob, Oral Sex, Vaginal Sex, Exhibitionism, Voyeurism

Installation:

Windows:

1. Extract the PC ZIP to a fresh folder.

2. Run help_we_joined_a_cult.exe. Do not run the game from inside the ZIP.

Linux:

1. Extract the PC ZIP while preserving executable permissions.

2. Run help_we_joined_a_cult.sh.

macOS:

1. Extract the Mac ZIP on a Mac.

2. Launch the application. The current build is not signed or notarized, so macOS may require the usual manual approval for an application downloaded outside the App Store.

Android:

1. Download or copy the APK to the device.

2. Allow installation from that source if Android asks, then install the APK.

Optional biological-mother relationship patch (Windows only):

1. Install and extract the Windows/PC build first, then close the game.

2. Extract the patch ZIP separately.

3. Copy relationship_variant.rpyc into the game’s game folder beside archive.rpa.

4. Start the game. The opening 18+ notice will display PATCH ACTIVE when the patch is installed correctly.

5. Delete relationship_variant.rpyc to restore the standard canon.

Changelog:

v1.0.0-rc.1 — Complete Story Release Candidate

– Complete 26-chapter campaign and epilogue.

– Updated scene backgrounds, character continuity, portraits, wedding staging, music, and ambience from the full playtest.

– Optional Story Mode, save/load, reduced flashes, and separate audio controls.

Developer Notes:

This is the complete-story release candidate and is still in final platform testing. Windows is the primary tested build. The Android touch layout has passed simulated phone/tablet checks but has not had a physical-device comfort test. Linux and macOS have not received native launch testing; the Mac application is not signed or notarized.

The standard build depicts Sean and Solena as unrelated consenting adults (she helped raise him and is his late father’s former partner). The optional Windows-only patch changes the relationship canon to biological mother and adult son. The patch has no in-game toggle but is clearly identified in the opening content notice.

Story Mode can bypass the scored Reel, Rhythm, and Climax sequences. Private Takes are optional unlockable scenes and are not available in every chapter.