Substitute Sacrifice Girl (身代わり 少女 Migawari Shoujo) is a RPG Maker mystery game created by Sakana ga Saka Sakana. The game was released in 2012.
Synopsis[]
Hitomi is a little girl who discovers that one of her relatives choose to make her a sacrifice to die in her place. A shinigami decides give Hitomi a chance at life. To save herself, she must discover who is the person who wanted to sacrifice her and the one who was really destined to die.
Characters[]
Hitomi[]
A 5-year-old girl who finds herself in a life-threatening situation after one of her relatives used a substitute sacrifice ritual on her, so she would die. The shinigami takes pity on her and decides to give her a second chance at life, as long as she manages to find the one who tried to kill her. Hitomi is innocent and constantly curious and loves her family dearly.
Shinigami[]
A grim reaper that was sent to take Hitomi's soul away. However, she feels bad for the young girl and decides to give her a second chance at life, as long as she manages to find the one who tried to kill her. She also gives her a shadow copy of her uncle Yoshihiro so he could assist Hitomi in her journey.
In the Ending 1 it's revealed that the reason she gave Hitomi a second chance at life was because she resembled her deceased daughter.
Gyoiko[]
A zashiki-warashi youkai who looks after the house. She's been weakened due to the substitute sacrifice ritual and can only wish for Hitomi's good luck in finding who tried to kill her. In the Ending 1 it's revealed she's Hitomi's deceased mother, becoming a youkai after dying.
Ayako[]
Hitomi's eldest sister. She's cheerful and scatterbrained, but is consumed with the same deadly illness that took her mother's life years ago. Desperate and not wanting to die, Ayako did the substitute sacrifice ritual and attempted to kill Hitomi.
Depending on the ending, she will either suceed with her ritual or realize she's done a terrible thing and be taken away by the shinigami.
Keiko[]
Hitomi's older sister. According to Hitomi, she's busy with work and is frustrated that she doesn't have a boyfriend yet.
Yoshihiro[]
Hitomi's unemployed uncle. He's caring and is always playing and helping Hitomi with everything. The shinigami creates a shadow copy of him so he would be able to assist Hitomi in her journey, as she's young and can't read too well or reach high places.
Endings[]
Ending 1: "Always at Your Side"[]
This is obtained if you obtained the black doll and then went to Ayako's room. Hitomi remembers the one who wanted to sacrifice her on time, she realizes that it was her eldest sister Ayako. She proceeds to kill Hitomi so she could be allowed to live, but is surprised to see Hitomi not defending herself. Breaking down in tears, she allows herself to be taken away by the shinigami.
In the present time, Ayako dies due to her illness. Hitomi blames herself for her death, but is consoled by the shinigami. The shinigami tells her that even if Ayako was succesful in her ritual, she would be plagued with bad luck for the rest of her life and would have ended up regretting her decision. Noticing that Hitomi is still sad, the shinigami transforms into Ayako and makes Hitomi come to terms with her sister's death.
Sometime later, Gyoiko (in human form) thanks the shinigami for saving Hitomi. The shinigami reveals she only did it because Hitomi resembled her deceased daughter (having been once a human before transforming into a shinigami). Still Gyoiko is grateful that the shinigami saved her children. It's revealed that Hitomi and Ayako's mother transformed into a zashiki-warashi after her death and will continue to look after her family, now with Ayako at her side.
Ending 2: "Within Memories"[]
This is obtained if you go to Ayako's room after the cutscene in the kitchen and don't go to small room behind the stairs. Hitomi remembers the one who wanted to sacrifice her on time, she realizes that it was her eldest sister Ayako. She proceeds to kill Hitomi so she could be allowed to live, but is stopped by Gyoiko. Ayako realizes what she's doing and decides not to kill her sister. She accepts her death with dignity, hoping to be reunited with her mother in the afterlife.
In the present time, Ayako dies due to her illness. Hitomi blames herself for her death and is consoled by her uncle.
Ending 3: "Substitute Sacrifice Girl"[]
This is obtained if you go to Ayako's room straight after getting the key in Keiko's room. Hitomi doesn't manage to remember the one who wanted to sacrifice her on time, she's taken away by the shinigami while she tearfully begs to be given more time and unable to remember the one who wanted to sacrifice her.
In the present time, Hitomi dies after being hit by a passing truck. As her family mourns her, Ayako wakes up and realizes that she's cured of her deadly illness. She realizes that the ritual was succesful and that she exchanged Hitomi's life so she could be able to live.