The Ones You Keep by Hugimugi7 2023-10-03T01:49:13Z
this is frankly phenomenal. oozing with love and intent in every respect. love it so much
Foon → Ludum Dare Explorer → Users → MapleLeaf
| Year | LD | Theme | Game | Division | Rank | Ov | Fu | In | Th | Mo | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 54 | Limited Space | inertia in the dark | jam | 107 | 4.10 | 4.00 | 3.78 | 4.00 | 3.57 |
this is frankly phenomenal. oozing with love and intent in every respect. love it so much
Lovely theme, graphics, overall vibe is fantastic, hard not to smile while playing this
Gameplay-wise, I found the controls to be really floaty, stiff, and not always responsive. The package throwing mechanic feels a bit unfair in the sense that you always throw it too close or two far, without much in-between. Maybe some timing-based system where I can move a cursor around and point where I want to throw it, something with more visual indication. Or even make the player move faster and snappier, get rid of throwing entirely, and increase the overall pace of the game for a more hectic feel? something like that
A small thing: as a gamepad lover, I'd also have appreciated if the "I have read the terms" checkbox was also gamepad-friendly
The speed of the background and the speed of the incoming collectibles doesn't match, and that makes it feel somewhat weird visually. The relationship between the slimes, the water (?) and the player health wasn't really clear and felt kind of arbitrary.
I also don't think the multiple speed levels really add much to the game. I get it's supposed to be a risk-reward type deal, but I think forcing the player to change speeds in some way, and/or make them figure out when they need to use certain speeds, that would give the mechanic more weight.
That aside, the concept is really nice and innovative, actually walking around to control the ship like one would! Just the visuals and execution need some polish.
I'd definitely like if I didn't have to hold the right mouse button to look around, if it was just an FPS camera. Other than that, this really gives a deep sense of suspense and anxiety, so mission accomplished 😅
I don't know if I just have Extreme Gamer Reflexes™️, but I felt like the timers for health and temperature could be made a little shorter.
The intro cutscene was a really nice touch to set the mood. Probably out of scope for a jam, but some simple fade effects on the images and captions could make it feel more cinematic.
Graphics are really clean and a little trippy. Plays really nicely and fluidly. No complaints! Solid game
I was thinking this was just gonna be a chill game before that purple death cloud started coming down 😆 This was fun and appropriately stressful! It felt a bit annoying having to point exactly at blocks and leave a bunch of them un-dug, but no complaints aside from that. Well done
I love the chaos of this, we need more chaotic games! I think I'd prefer to have snappier controls and more agency over my movement. At the moment it feels a little "floaty". Increased movement speed and harsher gravity could help here. The gameplay itself also feels a bit samey and repetitive.
@themixedmaster @raassh23 @dan-miller It's actually intentional that you can strafe or short-boost through all the levels (maybe except the gravity pits in level 10?) just for those who want to get through it and refine their skills over time. You can actually cancel your momentum if you tap the button and release it immediately.
I considered adding some sort of fuel/cooldown system, but arbitrary limits like that tend to ruin the "raw" and freeform feeling of the mechanics I feel. (plus I was out of time LOL)
Thanks for the feedback!