paulhocker 2020-04-21 02:54
nice use of the theme -- simple memory game that works well -- great game
Foon → Ludum Dare Explorer → LD46 → Bard: Keep the Story Alive
By polyducks, retroshark, Rhoq and DaRobyn
| Category | Rank | Score | Count | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 835 | 3.65 | 52 | |
| Fun | 1949 | 2.95 | 52 | |
| Innovation | 495 | 3.67 | 52 | |
| Theme | 945 | 3.78 | 52 | |
| Graphics | 809 | 3.91 | 52 | |
| Audio | 206 | 3.97 | 52 | |
| Humor | 804 | 3.20 | 46 | |
| Mood | 489 | 3.79 | 51 |
nice use of the theme -- simple memory game that works well -- great game
First, the good stuff. This game looks lovely. Very professional, focused presentation. The sound design was stellar, as well. Again, so good you barely noticed it. It was exactly what it needed to be.
My big issue was I found it too easy. I was bored. The screen that said "Verse X" seemed to stay on screen too long, and all I wanted to do was hit 20 stories for the secret scene. I didn't make it that far.
I think it would have been much better if you had to recall every previous verse as well as the current one. Perform a story that gets longer with each iteration. It would have been a tricky, but more manageable challenge, and every story would feel like it was building to one great conclusion.
Also, this would keep the "Verse X" screen from feeling too boring, as you would be spending that time trying to commit the previous verse to memory in preparation for your next performance.
However, the fact I'm thinking about how to improve it this much shows its a good game. You got me hooked, and I only wish I felt the drive to go a little further in the game.
Really good job!
There's something really satisfying about the sound in this game. Music is great, art is great. Excellent work!
Excellent entry. Graphic and sound are pleasing and the memory game idea is yet fantastic in a bard scenario. Its just a bit long for my taste. I didnt finished the 20 stories.
Loved this - it's super chill and easy to play. I played several rounds and it was fun to see what words would pop up next - definitely challenged my spelling abilities! The graphics are really cute and the music is great, fits the game so well!
I love the idea, everything with words is always great! :) The mood was also perfect.
The art is cute and polished looking. I liked how there were a bunch of different characters everywhere. The pixely sound is also very tasteful and fitting.
I really like your usage of the theme and mixing together typing and memory games is an iteresting idea but it isn't really that fun to play. I wanted to see what was at level 20 but really lost interest after level 5.
Very neat idea. When you nailed a verse, it would have been nice to get some audio feedback. I felt like the audience just wasn't appreciating my stories that much.
That's pretty nice guys! Again, you tried something unusual and achieved a lot with very little. I really enjoyed these 21 verses (had to stop eventually ). The gameplay is limited but refreshing (not sure of the word, i mean unusual / new in a good sense) and, more than once, i ended up burst out laughing because it was so nonsensical. Verses like "Stinky pirate saved skeletal bread" or "Sorry sorcerer accepted lonely pickle." (my favorite) are so absurd that it's hard NOT to remember them. The game is funny and cute (i have to ask, is the green sprite the alien doll of Toy Story?!) and also quite challenging for a non English speaker like me (i prefer it that way so it's a good point). Again, i had a blast. It would be really nice to have some specifics about the game like what engine did you use or how did you build the gameplay (did you create three arrays (nouns, verbs , adjectivs) and randomize its each verses),... That being said, congratulations to you all. You really inspired me (i'm gonna try to participate to the next Ludum in October) and i'm impatient to see your next game. Again, well done (and sorry for any grammatical mistakes, really)!
Fantastic and very effective job. Such a great interpretation of the theme. I was surprised how the stories came to life based on the (random) word combination in the verses. Once I realized that the audience grew, that really was a big motivation boost for my aspiring bard. :notes:
I like the semi-randomized but readable stories. My favorite phrase was "Crow stalked powerful sheep"
The game isn't too hard, though I only told 6 stories. The fact that I have to choose 'Play' again between each story kind of makes me feel like I've beaten the game after a single story, but I think I'm meant to tell up to 20 stories based on the description. I also wanted to type the next word a little bit before the previous word had moved off-screen. Would have been nice if things moved a bit faster.
For one phrase I was distracted and didn't see the first word, so I wrote the next three but it counted all 3 as wrong since they were the last 3 words not the first 3 words.
I liked the feeling, the art and the music! The stories are kind of funny and bizarre. I did it up to 10 and stopped there :(. Planning the take a break and finish it later, only complaint is the pacing a tad bit slow. Want to tell stories faster >_< Love the game overall, had fun!
I love the art and the music, and the talking sounds! I agree with the other people that I was kinda confused when it takes you back to the title screen after each story: I thought I got game over!! :O I agree it could also be faster, like maybe you can skip past a word being told to you, or the VERSE screen, if you saw it already. The mood and the atmosphere are great and the characters are fun too!
Very cute game. Loved the little noises they made instead of talking, I'm a big fan of game gibberish. Interesting concept too that I could see being fleshed out a bit more.
The concept is really cool and the art and lighting work well to sell the theme. I like the idea behind the game. The difficulty could definitely use a little tweaking, there was very little to do. The stories were funny, but after a while the gameplay got repetitive. That said, the idea of having to keep a story alive is really fun!
Concept is interesting albeit very little to do. Great take on the theme!
Great sound design and nice art, good job!
Very innovative! And with cool graphics
For me the elder talks for too long
A very moody game. The style and flair where very good.
Concept is nice renewed and well done executed.
Well Done
I'm totally in love with the mood, the concept, the visuals, the music, the rhythm, the idea. Sorry this is not a constructive comment :D
Now I want a full huge RPG game about the bard that tells stories... Am I wrong ?
At first i wasnt sure what to do and then the mechanics got me and it was really fun
Nice graphics, great concept, really innovative. I can see potential to expand and add mechanics, at the base its solid and difficulty progresses nicely. Good Game
This is nice, like a Simon Says with words. In the current state it feels more like a "toy" than a "game", since there isn't much of a challenge. I was also a bit confused when the game "ended" after 3 verses, I haven't realised that the story would continue if I play again. The growing audience is a nice touch, but I don't think it motivates me enough to keep playing. The wacky sounds when words were spoken were fun.
Nice sound design, and beautiful art! It was surprised it ended so fast. Its a good idea and fits well the theme, and interesting lore which i would have appreciated to see more developped. I was left hungry for more.
very interesting lil' game with gorgeous art
Well done on pulling off such a cohesive entry. The in game visuals, audio and itch page graphics really draw you in.
In enjoyed the gameplay, but found the pauses between rounds frustrating. I had a similar frustration with another 'Simon says' type entry called 'Save the Fish'. The story recollection and story telling scenes could be rolled together to create better flow.
The title screen already had me. The IG art is wonderful too. Simple, yet elegant. Created the mood perfectly along the music. I liked the concept, but it was a bit too slow to be enjoyable for more then couple stories, and I didn't have the patience to go up to 20. It would have been nice to understand directly from the UI that replaying would change something, and not get the info from the description. Little bug here : the music started late everytime I had to "sing" a verse to the audience - don't know if it's due to being a browser game.
Would love to see more to this game. Great job there.
I loved the soundtrack, and the sound design! The pixel art was great too. I was a bit confused on what to do, I was trying to use the arrow keys, I think a prompt explaining that you have to *type* the words would be helpful.