I love this game! You did an amazing job with this. Where to begin...
Innovation:
- I think the way you implemented the mechanics of Two Button Controls was brilliant. Sure, it's not hard to think of doing a rhythm game, but you did it right. Further, you tied in the mechanic to the spaceship's health. That was creative, and I loved the effect!
Fun:
- I am slightly biased as I love rhythm games, but nonetheless I believe that this game's fun rating is off the charts! I was addicted, and if I didn't need to look at other games, I'd still be playing. I personally think this is the most important category, and you aced it. Now to answer why it was fun, well, part of it is that I was constantly engaged. The other part is I got pretty immediate feedback from succeeding or screwing up. The words denoting how well or poorly I did, the ship slowly bursting into flames and smoking from the rear, it all contributed to the fun experience.
Theme:
- See Innovation. You aced this too.
Graphics:
- Amazing graphics! The art is cute and retro, the style is consistent and the animations are smooth and beautiful. Had I found this game somewhere on the internet and not known it was from the Ludum Dare, I'd think it was a professionally developed (albeit small) retro game. Great work!
Audio & Mood:
- In a rhythm game I consider these two to be one and the same, and I think you succeeded on both fronts. The music goes well with the art, it feels very space-ish, and it doesn't clash with the beat. Since the music fits the game, the mood is set and maintained well. It might've been nice to have had some music on the title screen, but then again the silence at the start helps you better appreciate the music when you start playing.
Conclusion:
- There were a few subtle things I noticed that I feel deserve mentioning, and a few things that could've been improved.
- First, the subtle. I like that the score goes up gradually instead of instantly. I also like the stars that spread out after you hit a beat. They may not be a big things, but visually they have a nice effect and add to the overall experience.
- Second, what could be improved. I felt Hard mode had far too steep of a difficulty curve. There's too much difference in the rhythm and pace. As for Easy mode, it would've been nice if there were periods of calm during which there were no beats so I could get a chance to take my eyes off the top and admire the spaceship a little more. None of this was game-breaking though.
- Finally, my overall opinion? As I said earlier, I love this game. I will be playing it more in the future, and I look forward to any updates you make to it. I also freely admit that I gave it full stars in everything. Great work, RhythmRider is an EXCELLENT game!