This looks and feels great, but also feels a little pointless. As far as I could tell you just endlessly kill enemies till they kill you. A score counter or timer would have been a quick addition that would have given the game a bit more purpose.
This game gives me existential problems. The boy eternally consumes sunstones to prolong his painful, on-fiery existence, and for what? To collect more sunstones, to suffer more. There only happy ending for him is if the player stops playing.
Really stylish. The way enemies explode is deeply, deeply satisfying. My only complaint is how enemies damage you - in most games of this sort, you'll go flying back and/or get some temporary invincibility - it's more visceral, makes you feel like you've really been hurt, and gives you a chance to get away from danger. Here the enemies just sort of hover on top of you and drain your life. It's somewhat frustrating.
(and it really could have used some sound effects. The exploding enemies effect would have had even more punch if accompanied by the right noise)
Reminds me a lot of N, except even *more* unfair ;-)
The basic design - switch back and forth between planes to collect stuff and get out of a cave - is sound, but the level design doesn't exploit it properly. The first few areas are usually mindless collection and don't do anything clever with the plane-switching mechanic. Once the missles start flying, collecting stuff takes a back side to getting killed a lot. If, as ChevyRay suggested, there were some visual indication about the other layer and whether you can switch to it, you might be able to do neat stuff - switching layers to hide away from missles or send them careening into a wall. As it is, the whole thing is too frustrating - it becomes a game about fighting two separate mechanics, rather than enjoynig any sort of synthesis of them. Also, point of comparison: the missiles in N move slower, were generally less numerous, and the game gave you way more tools and flexibility for dodging them - and N was infamous for being crazy difficult.
I hope this doesn't sound too negative! I actually had a lot of fun with this and really appreciated the polish. Given more time to tighten up the level design and experiment with the mechanics, it could be really great.
Good god the balance in this is perfect - I got through 20 some-odd waves before my computer asploded (probably not your fault) and the entire time I felt like teeth were going to fall out at any second. I had a blast. Adding some progression, power ups, and a combo system all might make this better, but it's pretty killer fun as is.
(but seriously...aside from the technical problems everyone else is mentioning, just referencing 4chan memes isn't really funny or interesting in and of itself)
LD15 — Caverns (20)
Byte Vs. GNOME by Henry McLaughlin
This looks and feels great, but also feels a little pointless. As far as I could tell you just endlessly kill enemies till they kill you. A score counter or timer would have been a quick addition that would have given the game a bit more purpose.
Ninja Spelunker by ExciteMike
Definitely my favourite entry (that I've played so far). Addictive, stylish, and - in a low-key way - very funny. YMM's suggestions are great, too.
Candle by Problem Machine
This game gives me existential problems. The boy eternally consumes sunstones to prolong his painful, on-fiery existence, and for what? To collect more sunstones, to suffer more. There only happy ending for him is if the player stops playing.
Beautiful.
Cave Mushrooms by sf17k
Much like Christine Love's game, not as good as the real thing.
F = ma by Draknek
A viscious, player-hating variation on Asteroids.
I like!
Shelter From the Rain by Doches
I love so much about this, even if I'm not sure that I'm playing it right.
A Matter Of Life Or Death At The Caverns Of Deep And Dark by ragnor
Runs waaay too fast to be playable (on Linux).
I do like the title, though.
NICE CAVE! by dock
Looks great, and I loved the penguins and polar bears. The gameplay is pretty bland, though.
Bat Cave Adventures! by Jach
oh my god that music. it sounded like at any second it'd break out into some sort of awesome tribal cave jam, but it NEVER DID.
this game would have been so much better if you had given the bat more fluttery controls to add some challenge/weight.
Brinie by sfernald
"Do you have what it takes to save Brinie from extinction?"
No, I don't think so. I don't even have the slightest idea of how I'd go about doing it.
Which is a shame, because it does seem like a really interesting game.
Akin Revenge by Ariel Yust
Really stylish. The way enemies explode is deeply, deeply satisfying. My only complaint is how enemies damage you - in most games of this sort, you'll go flying back and/or get some temporary invincibility - it's more visceral, makes you feel like you've really been hurt, and gives you a chance to get away from danger. Here the enemies just sort of hover on top of you and drain your life. It's somewhat frustrating.
(and it really could have used some sound effects. The exploding enemies effect would have had even more punch if accompanied by the right noise)
Sally Spelunker in CAVE EXPLORER by Christine Love
5 stars for Audio.
Token Cavern by CodeJustin
The music in this is really lovely.
Broken Cave Robot by YMM
Beautiful little game.
I'm not sure about the manual mapping, though - it's great in games with less complex map structures, but here it's a bit overwhelming.
Cave Bounce by Almost
Reminds me a lot of N, except even *more* unfair ;-)
The basic design - switch back and forth between planes to collect stuff and get out of a cave - is sound, but the level design doesn't exploit it properly. The first few areas are usually mindless collection and don't do anything clever with the plane-switching mechanic. Once the missles start flying, collecting stuff takes a back side to getting killed a lot. If, as ChevyRay suggested, there were some visual indication about the other layer and whether you can switch to it, you might be able to do neat stuff - switching layers to hide away from missles or send them careening into a wall. As it is, the whole thing is too frustrating - it becomes a game about fighting two separate mechanics, rather than enjoynig any sort of synthesis of them. Also, point of comparison: the missiles in N move slower, were generally less numerous, and the game gave you way more tools and flexibility for dodging them - and N was infamous for being crazy difficult.
I hope this doesn't sound too negative! I actually had a lot of fun with this and really appreciated the polish. Given more time to tighten up the level design and experiment with the mechanics, it could be really great.
cavern.laser.bat by mattdev
Both the idea and the style of it is great...but honestly, I just couldn't fly this thing.
Lazor Dentist by io42
Good god the balance in this is perfect - I got through 20 some-odd waves before my computer asploded (probably not your fault) and the entire time I felt like teeth were going to fall out at any second. I had a blast. Adding some progression, power ups, and a combo system all might make this better, but it's pretty killer fun as is.
Future dentistry is MESSED UP.
The Narwhal Bacons At Midnight by Svenstaro
fuck yeah!
(but seriously...aside from the technical problems everyone else is mentioning, just referencing 4chan memes isn't really funny or interesting in and of itself)
Secret Cavern by chuchino
Gosh, that was fun. Utterly charming and perfect for what it was.
Caverns of Venus by Endurion
There are a few moments where the enemy placement basically forces you to take a hit that are a little unfair, but this is otherwise a ton of fun.