Downwind

I’ve always wanted to play a stealth game where you aren't just memorizing enemy patrol routes or ducking behind waist-high crates. I wanted something raw, fast, and driven by pure animal instinct.

In Downwind, you play a little hare trying to survive the night and pack your burrow with clover before the sun comes up. The core twist was an absolute blast to code and playtest: the fox has no idea where you are right now it's tracking the glowing scent trail you left behind in the grass a few seconds ago.

Every time you sprint, panic, or double back, you're literally painting a glowing target path straight to your tail. You’re constantly looking over your shoulder, second-guessing your path, and trying to outsmart your own past movements.

The Survival Loop

• Forage & Stash: Snag wild clover and haul it back to your burrow. You can stuff up to 4 clover in your cheeks at a time, but heads up: the more you carry, the stronger you smell.
• Running Reeks: Hitting sprint gets you moving fast, but it leaves a thick, pungent line the fox can follow in a heartbeat. Panic is how you get cornered.
• Freeze to Disappear: Standing totally still drops zero scent. Even better: motionless hares are completely invisible to the owl circling overhead.
• Cut the Line (Leap): Tap space or quick-tap on mobile to bound sideways. Leaping lays zero scent in the air, leaving a dead gap in your trail that leaves the fox sniffing around in confusion.
• Wash in the Brook: Wading through shallow water instantly scrubs away the scent behind you.

The Asymmetric Hunters

You have to deal with two predators that want opposite things:

• The Fox (Ground Tracker): Patrols the map sniffing for fresh scent. Once it hits your trail, it locks on and follows the line until it corners you. Beat it by cutting your line with leaps, washing in streams, or staying light on your feet.
• The Owl (Sky Hunter): Scans the open grass from above. It doesn't care about scent; it only sees movement in the open. Beat it by diving into tall bracken cover or freezing stone-dead the second its shadow looms over you.

Controls

• WASD / Arrow Keys / Drag: Move around
• Shift / Hard Drag: Sprint (lays heavy scent!)
• Space / Quick Tap: Leap (cuts your trail gap)
• N: Roll a new night
• Sound Button: Toggle audio on/off

Made with love by Sprout Kite.