Embark by Pseudohausen 2021-04-26T22:30:02Z
I like this a lot! It also crashed for me (HTML5 version), though I didn't catch at what depth it was.
Foon → Ludum Dare Explorer → Users → audioBusting
| Year | LD | Theme | Game | Division | Rank | Ov | Fu | In | Th | Gr | Au | Hu | Mo | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 48 | Deeper and deeper | Hammer It In! | compo | 412 | 3.50 | 3.39 | 3.47 | 4.18 | 3.75 | 3.18 | 3.72 | 3.54 |
I like this a lot! It also crashed for me (HTML5 version), though I didn't catch at what depth it was.
Just played through it. I like the way it looks a lot. I do like the concept and what it's trying to get at, but I'm not sure if boredom and loneliness is what I felt, unfortunately. More like annoyance, to be quite honest. I hope I don't sound too critical! Boredom is a hard theme to convey meaningfully within the context of playing a game, so I do very much admire the ambition.
I think potential improvements would be in showing a clearer overall sense for what I was doing (like additional visual feedback as previously suggested, or something like a map?), and in having more interesting/expressive points of interaction (maybe like using levers instead of buttons).
I love the concept of intentionally boring games, so if you'd like, I can also point out other similar games you might be interested to look at and discuss :slight_smile:
@blockerz I just remembered now actually, I once also wrote a short story about a space probe on a millennia-long trip into space. I'm not a good writer though, so it felt really embarassing and I buried and never looked at it again lol. I do admire you for so readily taking feedback for your game. Not that you should be embarassed of it like I was, because I do think the game is pretty cool.
One similar game I had in mind that's a recent favourite of mine is The Longing, which is an adventure game about waiting alone in a cave for something to happen in 400 real-time days. It has a lot of really neat little ideas for slow, boring, yet weirdly meaningful things you can do in the 400 days. It's a different sort of game (it's like a fantasy point-and-click adventure), but I think it's worth checking out as a point of reference. I also was thinking of Desert Bus, which I think is less ambitious than your game (lol) but I like how it has fairly simple things, like how it swerves a bit and a bug splats on the windshield, that add a bit of character and engagement to it. I hope these recommendations help!
Wow this is painful to play. I love it!
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So cute and fun, really well done in every aspect! I personally love that the controls are a little bit complicated, like I guess controlling a submarine would be difficult. I feel like that gives it some character. Maybe I'm going against the grain here, but I might like for it to even be more complicated :P
If I may give a suggestion: I like the little communication window, but it probably could use something like a little animation (e.g. a walkie talkie wiggling or a face talking) to draw attention when there is a new message.
I like how well thought out this is. It's neat how the down and up trips loop into each other, and as a whole it doesn't feel as repetitive as I was expecting. Cool level design too :slight_smile: I find it quite difficult, so it will take some time for me to finish the game!
I love this, really enjoyed what I played of it. I love the art and the swimming submarine. I didn't expect there to be multiple levels!
The only problem I have with it is that I keep getting the submarine stuck in corners or having to Austin Powers cart around when I swim into a dead end. Maybe a reverse throttle would have helped, even if it's a slow one.
I like the controls, but I think I would also have preferred it if they were a bit easier to reach. Maybe it's just me but it's a bit difficult to whip my mouse back and forth.
I don't really follow the "plotline" so to speak, with the photographs, but I think it still really works as a short, poetry-like experience. I loved the cute little interactions! Great work!
I like the old school style of this. I'm a fan of the big-jawed character design.
My browser crashed too :laughing: I love the 3D models and the way they stack together. Really impressive game!
I really like the mysterious feeling this gives off. Really well done!
This is neat, I enjoyed playing through it. The music is cool, but it felt a little intense at times 😅
I quite like the vibes of the game, and I like the charging weapon mechanic :slight_smile: The platforming is quite difficult!
I like how simple this is, didn't even realise there was a jump button at first. To be honest, I like that it's predictable and not procedurally generated, because every retry means I can try to find better and faster routes. I was kinda hooked before I even knew it. The soft pillows were especially interesting to find shortcuts to.
Nice use of sound effect when losing health, but I think it could use more ambient feedback. Like I get why there's a "falling speed" meter, but something like wind visual/sound effects when you're falling too fast would help to communicate the speed more legibly.
Thanks @neonjeff :slight_smile: Speeding up the music is a great idea, I wish I had thought of it then!
Great music! Was it all recorded live at home?
Surprisingly demanding with the platforming! It's pretty fun to figure out better and faster routes every time I start over.
Looks and plays amazing! Some of the jumps are sooo tight, but I like the ramp up and pacing of the platforming in general :slight_smile: I'm also glad to see that there's a pay-off at the end...!
I enjoy the simplicity holding down the down arrow key and seeing the screen shake go wild :smile:
I like the restriction on movement, it makes going forward an interesting commitment and it fits the theme well. Neat to see multiple types of enemies with different attack patterns to dodge with it too.
I liked the puzzles 🙂 The art and music are nice too, really sets the mood. I also would have liked it if I could hold the movement button, but since it's turn-based it wasn't so bad.