Dead End Junction
Adventure. Gunslingers. Outlaws. Shoot-outs. War. Set in the Wild West, Dead End Junction hits on themes relevant to the setting, such as treatment of the Native American population and the scars left by the Civil War (represented fictionally in-universe); many of which are applicable today.
Developer
Publisher
Release
September 23, 2016
9 years and 315 days ago
Steam Reviews
Mostly Positive48 reviews75.0%
Does this feel indie?
Vote based on whether this game feels indie to you. You can change your vote at any time. Results earn an IGF score after 10 accepted votes.No votes yet
Game contextLatest: IGF Team
| ContextThe evidence factors used to assess whether this game belongs on IndieGame.Fan. | Status | Notes Latest Contributor: IGF TeamEdit notes |
|---|---|---|
Updated: Jul 13, 2026Developer scaleThe operating scale of the game's developer. | ||
Updated: Jul 13, 2026Publisher scaleThe operating scale of the game's publisher. | A separate publisher is listed for this release. | |
Updated: Jul 13, 2026Release statusWhether and how the game has been released. | The game was released through a separate publisher. |
Media
10 itemsAbout the Game
Adventure. Gunslingers. Outlaws. Shoot-outs. War.
You’ll find none of those things in the one-horse town of Cow Stone Bell, as Jo will be the first to tell you. Raised by her slob of an uncle on the far edge of the Wild West, she suffers from endless boredom and longs for the action and excitement on display in the “dime novels” she spends so much time reading.
But after a letter arrives from the President addressed to her no-good and nowhere to be found father, fate conspires to give her exactly what she wished for—wrapped up in a journey that will take her further from home than she ever expected. Unfortunately, Jo is about to learn that a life of adventure may not be all it’s cracked up to be.
Being set primarily in an alternate universe version of the Wild West, Dead End Junction hits on themes relevant to the setting, such as treatment of the Native American population and the scars left by the Civil War (represented in-universe by the Fuuro and the Border War respectively); many of which are applicable to life in the world today.
The soundtrack is heavily influenced by music of the era as well, with a mix of original tunes and arrangements of classics like "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" and "Home on the Range."
Dead End Junction was written and directed by Hidume, the sole member of 773, creator of the acclaimed Cherry Tree High series and fan of old Westerns like The Magnificent Seven and The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Their sharp sense of humor is on full display here, though they do an excellent job proving they can write a serious story with this title as well.
Localized by the start-up publisher Culture Select, Dead End Junction is a kinetic novel that captures the aura of the Wild West while addressing social issues that are relevant to contemporary society.
You’ll find none of those things in the one-horse town of Cow Stone Bell, as Jo will be the first to tell you. Raised by her slob of an uncle on the far edge of the Wild West, she suffers from endless boredom and longs for the action and excitement on display in the “dime novels” she spends so much time reading.
But after a letter arrives from the President addressed to her no-good and nowhere to be found father, fate conspires to give her exactly what she wished for—wrapped up in a journey that will take her further from home than she ever expected. Unfortunately, Jo is about to learn that a life of adventure may not be all it’s cracked up to be.
Being set primarily in an alternate universe version of the Wild West, Dead End Junction hits on themes relevant to the setting, such as treatment of the Native American population and the scars left by the Civil War (represented in-universe by the Fuuro and the Border War respectively); many of which are applicable to life in the world today.
The soundtrack is heavily influenced by music of the era as well, with a mix of original tunes and arrangements of classics like "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" and "Home on the Range."
Dead End Junction was written and directed by Hidume, the sole member of 773, creator of the acclaimed Cherry Tree High series and fan of old Westerns like The Magnificent Seven and The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Their sharp sense of humor is on full display here, though they do an excellent job proving they can write a serious story with this title as well.
Localized by the start-up publisher Culture Select, Dead End Junction is a kinetic novel that captures the aura of the Wild West while addressing social issues that are relevant to contemporary society.
