The Sunshine Policy
The Sunshine Policy is a short point-and-click story about a kingdom where the rain has stopped. You play Nell, a junior weather keeper whose usual job is clearing gutters, until a royal order arrives asking her to fetch a unicorn's horn to bring back the rainbow. Something about that request does not add up.
Markus Fisch wrote it for the js13k contest. The flat, colorful scenes are vector drawings, so the game stays sharp on any screen size, and it works by mouse, touch or keyboard.
How to play The Sunshine Policy
You begin on the palace terrace beside Minister Dullworth, a man who is very fond of all this sunshine. Arrows at the sides of each scene take you to other places, such as an old rain mill, a meadow, a workshop and the gears under the mill.
Click a character to start talking. Many chats give you a menu of questions, and the answers hold clues as well as jokes. Anything you can carry goes into a small inventory in the upper right corner once you click it. To use something, go to the place where it belongs and select its icon there. If it is the wrong spot, Nell tells you why.
The puzzles link into one chain, from a swap with a bird to a stuck sluice and a lantern on the mill roof. Solving them reveals the real story of the missing rainbow.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard | Mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Look at or use something | Tab to highlight, Enter to use | Click it | Slide to explore, lift to use |
| Next dialogue line | Space | Click | Tap |
| Use an inventory item | — | Click its icon at the top right | Tap its icon |
| Get a hint | — | Help button or click Nell | Tap Help or Nell |
Tips
- Click on scenery as well as people. Small details give Nell comments that often point to what comes next.
- Talk to Iris, the older keeper, more than once. Her question list changes as you learn more.
- Do not ignore things that seem silly, like snacks on a table. The cast includes someone with an appetite.
- The magpie in the meadow loves shiny objects. Look at what Nell is already carrying when the game begins.
- When you reach the lantern, recall the drawing in the workshop. It shows how the shutters should be set.
If you like The Sunshine Policy, try these
Princess of CoriniumMedieval town wandering with kind deeds at its core, healing villagers and collecting treasure as a princess.
Humwin & DarboldCharming, low-pressure storytelling continues as a robot crosses alien islands hunting for a friend.
Questions
How do I get a hint in The Sunshine Policy?
Click Nell or open the Help panel and pick the gentle nudge. She names only your next step, based on what you have done so far, so it never spoils the rest.
Does The Sunshine Policy save progress?
No. The game keeps track of your progress only while the page stays open. Most players can reach the ending in a single session, and a replay button waits there.
Can I play without a mouse?
Yes. Tab moves between objects and Enter uses them, while Space moves dialogue along. On a phone or tablet, tapping works for everything.
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