Steve Dragon

Bucket Buffet by Don Fouts 2023-10-03T03:19:57Z ♥ 4

There is clearly a decent bit of polish here, the sound works great and the goofy early-tablet game style art is almost charming. The clicks are responsive and the larger premise is silly but not too left-field. The receipt that comes up at the end is a very nice touch.

I think the big problem I had was that the core loop just wasn't that fun. It felt a bit repetitive and it did not feel like I was making any meaningful decisions. I can think of some minor improvements for a post-jam version, maybe allowing more control over what food to get and perhaps more challenge with stuff falling off. Some more predictability with regards to physics will help the game feel less random and more fair.

All in all though, a nice polished experience.

Limited Parking Space by Johnsensei 2023-10-03T00:52:21Z ♥ 4

I feel like this is one of those games that is greater than the sum of its parts. The core loop is not necessarily fun, but it is strangely real. You are in a crowded parking lot, you are looking for space, you are navigating between cars. As a concept, the barebones seems like a starting point for something bigger.

The mechanics themselves are not smooth, but they are playable. Some more testing and fixing would have helped with the current clunkiness.

I would say you need more in this to make it a more game-like experience. Maybe more story behind why we are parking, maybe easter eggs, just something to break the monotony or to exemplify it. There is definitely potential here.

Packed to the Gills by npckc 2023-10-03T00:46:30Z ♥ 7

Very fun core gameplay loop, definitely enjoyed fiddling around with it. Sound design is solid, though I feel like some of it could have been softened a little because over an extended period of time it does feel a little bit jarring.

Fairly solid entry overall!

1 Man 6 Bullets by Raphaeltan 2022-04-07T23:32:46Z ♥ 4

That was incredible! I love what you've done here. First off, the comics and intro are so brilliantly drawn. I absolutely adore them. The game itself is SO GOOD. The core loop is well-made, the concept reminds me a little of Yahtzee's 12th game in his game dev series, and feels like a fresh fast-paced take on the bullets-bouncing mechanic. The slowing of time is perfect. The gameplay feels challenging, catching bullets and predicting trajectories isn't easy, it feels like you've traded action-hero-wish-fulfillment for some real challenge, which I can respect.

It's somewhat punchy, but if I had to criticise something that would be it. I think the art, music, and sound effects can come together a little bit better to add more oomph to the primary gameplay loop.

But apart from that, I'd struggle to find something to complain about. Level design is interesting, enemy variations are fun and I see you're working on even more. All in all, a sweet game!

The Endless Night by Arivenzys 2022-04-07T19:45:41Z ♥ 1

Really cool game! I loved the art so much. It was so beautiful and charming, so well animated. Absolutely amazing. The themes and design of the game were also really interesting, I liked the way you incorporated an overarching plot idea to tie all the mechanics together. The UI and end-screen were cute and funny as well.

I think the gameplay itself was a little bit underwhelming. It was great in that the challenge was enjoyable and the way it was presented was crystal clear. However, I think I just expected...more. It felt to me that it needed a larger map or more variation in terms of danger. The ramping challenge was not enough to keep it engaging within the current primary loop.

That said, it was a beautiful game with some really cool concepts, mechanically and thematically. I'd love to see an expanded version!

No Match by Peche et Tradition 1867 2022-04-05T19:45:42Z ♥ 2

Echoing has been noted out before, this was probably one of the most polished jam games I've seen. The music, the art, the gameplay, it all comes together to make something that is very complete. It was a joy to play through, simple but challenging and after the first few rounds a couple different strategies started coalescing for me.

The take on the theme was so refreshing. I think a lot of games went down a route where the games were endless. This one is 'delaying the inevitable' because the house always wins. 50 levels is insane. The hand-craftedness adds to the difficulty ramp feeling perfect. (Though I got nowhere close to 50)

The only thing I can say needs adding is some quality of life stuff and balancing. Maybe music choices, art-packs to keep it fresh. The dealer could be slightly more interesting in terms of comments.

But these are nitpicks. As a whole, this is a brilliant game. I loved it.

ileftbehind.me by thevinter 2022-04-05T16:33:48Z ♥ 1

The existential dread came outta nowhere. You've done an amazing job capturing the right mood for the game. The music and the writing work so well together. The setting was so cool. Combining OpenAI and GPT with this idea of an AI stuck in a cache somewhere trying to survive. Loved it. Genuinely heartfelt.

The interactions were so freaky, especially the "No, your real name" bit in the beginning. Loved the way you danced around the player and predicted how they'd interact with the bot.

It boxed me in a little with the "Yes" and "No" at points, where if I replied with an "I am", it would take that as a rude non-answer. Obviously not something that can be planned for without a ludicrous amount of testing, but it's the only thing that was immersion breaking.

The story itself, I think the second half is weaker than the first. The set-up is so awesome, but it kinda loses it's thread after a while. Though the message of survival and making the most of life is a beautiful one, the execution isn't the best.

However, the ending is so beautiful. Forgetting my name one last time, asking for it again, then saying goodbye. I think if the middle was more cohesive, it would've been perfect.

The music is so beautiful and powerful. I loved it so much. Can't wait to check out more of your work!

Pass The Torch by Dan Smith 2022-04-05T15:16:08Z ♥ 2

That was one of the moodiest games I've played. The ramping music, the super ethereal art and wind, and the way the children and old people slowly fall behind if the torch-bearer is an adult or a teen. It was a harrowing game, with a strong concept. The bleak world was interesting, the Torch and the bitter winter, I would've appreciated more worldbuilding in between stages.

The persistent characters was awesome. My first playthrough, I ended up losing almost all my tribe and then slowly died out as my remaining human got old and slow. You learn and adapt in this game, which I thought was interesting.

Definitely needs some work on the player-experience side of things. The primary loop is interesting, but I can see it getting a little repetitive. More interaction, more things for the player to do, more ways to make choices (maybe choosing who cares for the baby as well?), larger tribes. These are all things that would make this so much better.

As is, you've nailed the mood and the feel. So much potential here!

Panic at the Museum by James Beninger 2022-04-05T15:00:24Z ♥ 3

That's such an awesome game! It feels so polished and complete. You've captured perfectly a sense of whimsical panic, the classic top-down time-based puzzles become so much harder when compounded with the beats and the fire. The fact that the fire actually blocks routes and makes the game harder creates a tactical challenge. Should I spend time getting fire extinguishers that don't add to my score but buy me time and open up pathways? That's such a cool concept.

The art is so charming and enjoyable, the colour scheme adds to the whole whimsical panic. The fact that I am just a hand is so fun. Lots of great decisions. The masterpieces are truly worthy of the illustrious museum.

If I had to be critical, I'd say it needs more than just paintings and fire extinguishers. More power-ups, more kinds of things to collect. I can imagine a full game where you're traversing a large gallery and going to different exhibits to save different pieces that form collections, more valuable together than by themselves. As it stands, the primary loop is fun and engaging, but it does get old relatively quickly.

I'm glad I played it, really cool game!

Ancient Shooter by attentionadmin 2022-04-05T14:42:27Z ♥ 1

Congratulations on your first game jam! Not sure how to rate the game, for some reason the rating system isn't showing up for me...

In terms of feedback, I think you started on the right track with some of this. The creepy character design really works, and the concept of being stuck on an island and having to find an exit with little to no help is quite cool.

Definitely one of the games where execution needed more time. The character design is so cool, I would've loved to see animations and an environment where it fits in well. I'm guessing you didn't have the time to properly implement an exit or boat-related puzzles. The atmosphere was solid, so those would've brought it all together. A very specific complaint I have is that the environment is too same-y, so when you're swimming along the side of the wooden-like things, you sometimes can't tell you're moving at all.

On a broader scale, I think the art needs more unification. It needs to fit together better. The music is dope, and the 3D audio effect made the boat feel like a lifeline I was supposed to hold on to. Maybe pushing and making it a complete game might be an interesting post-jam project, even if it is a short one with a simple win state and some puzzles. Something I'll look forward to if it ever happens.

Cat in the Bag by JoshH 2022-04-05T14:24:55Z ♥ 6

There's definitely something very cool about being a cat handing items to my human to go on adventures. On a conceptual level, it reminds me of games like Jacksmith where you aren't taking part in the action, but rather facilitating it. I love that. The art is SO GOOD. Honestly, you've conveyed the emotion and the humor so well with the art and the writing. The knight bounding up the stairs with reckless abandon made me chuckle.

The gameplay itself is possibly the weak link here, but only insofar as there is so much more potential. The connection between the object chosen and the way the scenario plays out seemed a bit arbitrary at some points, and the puzzle-solving was not too satisfying as a result. I know fully how impossible it is planning out detailed decision trees and dialogue managers, but I think this game needs it to fully execute on the concept. Even in the very first encounter, why doesn't Dracula kill all the Llamas? Why do the Tiger shark and the squid soup succeed where the needle fails? Another interesting element I expected but missed was that some tools may be useful in more than one encounter. So, if I use it during the first one, I can't use it during the third. Maybe even new tools that are found in previous encounters based on how they are approached.

That, however, is a criticism that comes with the selfish desire to play through a more fleshed out version. I wanna read more of your writing and play through a more expansive game where I take my human on an adventure! With more dialogue trees, more impact for my actions, more varied storylines, and endings. (Full disclosure, my human died every time. I got through three scenarios and then he fell down the stairs. Not sure if I missed an easter egg that would've kept him going, I really wanted the big man to survive)

Grieventide by Abdonatioera 2022-04-05T13:55:38Z ♥ 2

I think you've got something really cool here, both as a jam game and as a potential full-scale project. As a jam game, I think the way it's structured is awesome. I started the game lost, then slowly discovered that there was a whole quest-thing going on. The environmental discovery of the quest through pathways and runes is something I've never seen executed so well in a jam game. There's a sense of completion here. As a full-scale project, I would love to see it pushed and developed with more attack types (that said, the simplicity does add to the enjoyment, so that would need to be reconciled), more enemy types, and some environmental storytelling.

You've done some things really well. The attacking is satisfying, the art is charming, and the way you deal with health is, honesty, inspired. It looks brilliant to slowly dim it as you get closer to death. There's definitely a Don't Starve + Dark Souls feel to the overall game.

There was too much firewood around for losing to be an actual concern (though I did pick up a lot of it without knowing what it did before), and the combat was not too challenging. I think that's the big criticism I'd have. The combat gets a little bland after a while. Within the super bleak theme, I think you need to give the player more in terms of combat. Either making it more mechanically challenging, or making it more puzzle-y. Different enemy types requiring different tactics. Either of those things would fit the bleak theme better than what you have now.

Overall, it's a really good game! I really hope you push this to a bigger project, I would want to play a post-jam version with more story and variation.

Why Am I Here by Zer0_Flash 2022-04-05T13:34:45Z ♥ 1

That's a pretty decent game. You've taken the base concept of a top-down shooter and extended it with some additional quirks like the tower bosses. The primary loop feels a little off, I think it needs some polish with how the shooting actually feels. The map also lacks variation in a way that makes it less replayable, which is a problem since this is a game where you die often.

That said, I think there's something to be said about how cool it feels once the initial difficulty ramp is overcome. I think the running and gunning is relatively fun. The art is simple but gets the job done. Overall, I'm glad I played it.

(I couldn't figure out what the Reset thing was. I get that it's an easter egg kinda situation, but worth considering how cryptic you want it to really be)

Dino Defense by 3BT 2022-04-05T03:33:50Z ♥ 1

The dinosaur theme was such a cool idea. I think it works well, almost comically, with the placing of turrets to prevent asteroids from crashing. The turrets themselves acted like mini-checkpoints, things to aim towards that prevented it from getting stale. The turrets themselves were variant (although, I think I would've liked some graphical variance as well to set them apart). A little ways in, I realised I had boxed myself out of a lot of resources, which was so awesome because I realised the placement needed more thought than I had been putting in it.

Needs some polish in places, but overall a really well-made entry. Enjoyed playing it!

fireme.club by velvetlobster 2022-04-05T03:23:27Z ♥ 4

That is such an awesome idea and the fact that you executed it is, frankly, astounding to me. The conceptual building behind the game is brilliant. It feels super breezy, but I can see all the tiny things that have gone into making this the way it is. The writing is so good! Whoever wrote the copy did such a wonderful job of capturing the very specific cheeky procrastinator feel.

It does take a bit to get to grips with the controls and the set-up, but once I got the hang of it I thought it was very interesting once it got going. Bubble.io is such a fun choice. Definitely looking forward to diving deeper into this at some point!

Run Wacho Run by Sarduc 2022-04-05T03:02:09Z ♥ 8

That was an interesting game. I think the strength here is definitely in the concept. The theme is fun, the art is beautiful, and the music is relatively jazzy.

The execution is limited in the ways a jam-game is usually limited. I think this is a game that relies on its primary loop being snappy and replayable, and it needed fine-tuning to make it feel more...crisp. I don't know if there's a better word. Just needed to feel more polished. The animation was also a little laggy for me. Plus, the difficulty ramp feels a bit off. There's definitely a lot of potential, it's well-thought out and designed, just needs better granular execution.

That said, the power-ups and theme were really great. My first game, I got immediately run-over. I genuinely laughed out loud. And, I cannot overstate this, the art looks so good! Overall, a pretty cool game!

Nuclear Arms 8.5er: Skeleton Survivor by Logicon211 2022-04-05T02:55:28Z ♥ 5

Another Nuclear Arms game! Such a treat. The fully-voiced opening was awesome.

Generally, a very cool game. I definitely got the feeling of slowly building up my character, becoming more complex but also more powerful, while the game-world scaled appropriately in a way that the overall challenge went up but I could still feel my strength.

Some balancing issues, but that's understandable within the time constraints (specifically, the difficulty scales too quickly around the 6 minute mark, and the nuclear barrels are too powerful). I would have liked a few more varied power-ups because that feels like the main thing that keeps you going, variation and excitement in terms of powers. That, however, is an ask I make only because the existing game is so cool and I can see what more variation would bring because you've already given me a taste. So, just keep doing what you're doing!

Flooded Caves by nusan 2022-04-05T02:37:46Z ♥ 1

Very simple but very cool. I definitely think that the strength here is the addictive fun gameplay. The primary loop is satisfying and engaging. The music was nice and complemented the gameplay. The graphics were cute. Fluid simulation was interesting, almost mesmerising to watch. Overall, quite fun!

Dig Deeper and Deeper by leviathon 2021-05-13T22:57:11Z ♥ 0

I think the core concept works. It's more an experimental proof-of-concept rather than an actual game (which is fair since this is a jam). It needs a lot of polish. More responsive graphics, a more extensive shop, cleaner code that lends to more consistent behaviour. As @lisyarus said, sometimes it just didn't destroy blocks when it really felt like it should have.

If optimised, I think this could be a really cool core loop. Add to that some narrative or mood, and you've got a neat little game. Looking forward to a future version if you decide to make one!

Untitled Simulator by Eugenik 2021-04-28T09:37:29Z ♥ 1

The research, theme and dialogue was good. I enjoyed the premise and it started off well. The problem for me was the absolute snail's pace at which the text appears and how it can go around in circles over and over. I played for a long time, but didn't finish the game because I just got so tired of waiting for the same cycles of text to finish.

Even with the text and premise being interesting, that one thing really broke the experience for me.

They Told You by Spaghetti Inc. 2021-04-28T08:26:20Z ♥ 0

As a whole, I think the way you told that story was fairly compelling. The small vignettes painted almost in an epistolary form. I think that is the strongest part of the game. The music is good, but it gets a little repetitive. It needs more variation, maybe escalation as the game escalates.

The fact that it is 3d is impressive, but still it needed more in terms of visuals to make the walking bits more interesting. It got kind of same-y, not really engaging, because of how little there was to do except make a beeline to the next orange tree. There were not enough trees to make it feel like the forest, the mountainside didn't have the same kind of depth that it needed to feel ominous. It just needed more work and polish. The gameplay gave way to narrative, which I can respect, but a little more focus on UI and polish would have made it feel much better.

Still, a good entry. One can see the work that has gone into it.

Deepest Sword by Strega 2021-04-27T17:57:26Z ♥ 1

The graphics were really charming, the gameplay was innovative and fun and overall it was a decent game. It felt like a polished release, with the way it was structured and the absolute finish that everything had. I spent a lot of time playing it so clearly it was engaging and fun.

I think what I disliked about it was the way the puzzles could be figured out long before the maneuvers were executed. It took a lot of fiddling about to get the sword to do certain things. I understand that it's by design, but I felt it took away from the experience and added a lot of frustration to the game. That wasn't for me.

Apart from that, solid game.

Burst Vein by Caladrius 2021-04-27T17:53:03Z ♥ 4

Echoing what @ilyas-aqil said, this was an awesome game. The scale and feel of it is great, the atmosphere works really well. I was a little stuck on the puzzles, but that made it all the more satisfying when I figured it out. It was never unfairly challenging. The whole confusion, overbearing, sense of being lost fit in with the theme. It got progressively creepier till the end whcih is so trippy and exciting to watch. Just, the way the game flowed at the end.

The union messaging was on point and hilarious. The environmental storytelling throughout the first section was engaging, with the letters and the rooms and everything. Even the puzzle elements had such cool messaging to it.

All in all, I loved it!

Augmented by johnryanaudio 2021-04-27T17:49:03Z ♥ 2

The mechanical aspect of the game was interesting at first, with it forcing you to read closely and not glaze over for details. I think it needed expanding upon, with other types of questions or other ways to use the information.

The story and ending were predictable but satisfying, so that worked.

The graphics didn't feel charming, could have used a little more work. The audio didn't match the tone of the game.

Overall, though, the story and mechanics made it a solid showing.

Beebook - Beat the Feed by Beebo Studios 2021-04-27T17:19:29Z ♥ 1

Aw. The MacOS version seems to be missing from the Itch page. Looks like a really cool game from the screenshots and descriptions though!

Ariel Cleanomancer and the Eldritch Sweep by alyd asmar 2021-04-27T17:16:43Z ♥ 5

That was outstanding. I can praise the music, the sound design (the vacuum is SO SATISFYING), the cute art and the strong theme. But, most of all, I want to praise the puzzle design. It is stellar. It is just absolutely stellar. The levels are beautiful, intense, satisfying to solve and I am confounded as to how you guys managed to design puzzles that work so well in so little time. For that, kudos! You've really outdone any expectations I had from an LD puzzle game (or puzzle games in general).

The only thing that I can think of in terms of improvements is that the isometric style, colour choices and design come together in a weird way sometimes that make it difficult to see the floor spaces. So, a couple levels in, I found myself stuck at a puzzle because I couldn't see the tile in front of my player as free. Multiple times, I found tiles existing or being blocked where I didn't think they were because of shadows, lighting and plants. It's an easy fix with some testing, and it was a minor annoyance at worst.

That is very nitpicky though. The fact that that is the only thing I could think of when I replayed the game in my head means this is really awesome. Would love a post-LD release to play through. If not, I'll probably come back to this and show this one off.

Loved it!

Rocket Philosophy by Cambryx 2021-04-27T16:11:48Z ♥ 2

That was genuinely funny. The enlightenments are hilarious, the whole beard and philosophy theme is hilarious and it just made me chuckle. The art was cute-sy, but it felt a little off-beat for some reason. The music worked, but again, it felt a little off-beat and slightly off-tone.

The gameplay was solid. It was engaging, ramped up in difficulty well and was all-around interesting, if not particularly innovative. Still, a strong core loop which keeps you going, and a humourous set of quotes to keep inspiring you.

I kept playing to see more and more pearls of wisdom, and I was not disappointed.

Decked Out Clone by mrbrainfed 2021-04-27T15:49:50Z ♥ 1

The mood was pretty decent, with the art being charming and functional enough to bring it together well.

It lacked substance, so I can't say much more. The music was nice, but it didn't do much for me in terms of tying with the theme of the game.

It felt a bit repetitive and there wasn't a really strong hook.

Overall, good attempt. I realize the time crunch is real, but it definitely needs content to make it a better play. However, for a first attempt, you've made a decent game that has working controls, decent art, good mood and music. That's more than a lot of people can say. (Not to mention, it's distinctly smooth playing)

Deep Abyss by Taranis Elsu 2021-04-27T15:21:34Z ♥ 3

3d graphics are cool and the music's pretty lit, not gonna lie. I really vibed.

The game has desperate balance issues. It's almost impossible to get past the start unless you're lucky and move past the squids quickly. Some of the enemies move faster than the sub, so it's literally impossible to dodge them. Just...it's not fun because it constantly kills you. It's unfair.

Lots of potential though. I like how the enemies grow in size and the submarine grows smaller. It makes it feel creepy and adds depth.

It just needs to be better balanced to allow one to experience that depth.

WordGeddon by DevMerlin 2021-04-27T14:53:41Z ♥ 1

The core loop seems fine. It was nice to be able to answer with 4-letter words while knowing, for sure, that there was a longer one I was sacrificing for time. Made for interesting decisions. I wish it told me what the 8-letter word was every time instead of only when I gave up.

The words themselves were a little...strange. Some of them like "nonesuch" aren't in use as such, so it felt like the game had cheated me of the satisfaction of actually finding the 8-letter word. Maybe more curation there is required.

Overall, pretty decent.

I'm So Deep by liammasters 2021-04-27T14:42:18Z ♥ 1

It is definitely super innovative as a concept. I fooled around with the AI with different kinds of poetry and different keywords, but it seems to know when I'm doing that. Honestly, that's so cool. Overall, that's the highlight of it, the way it feels like it's doing the impossible and actually reading my (albeit bad) poetry.

Everything else is charming. Obviously, it can use polish, but the core loop works and it works well!

Deep Exploration by aposs 2021-04-27T14:33:26Z ♥ 1

Generally speaking, not a bad concept. The actual gameplay is satisfying, weaving around danger and collecting powerups. It can definitely be clearer how you work within the game. So, maybe more feedback to the player about when they get powerups and stuff like that. The audio-cues seemed a little buggy, which really hurt the game when they became so important in the darkness.

The art and music were a little incoherent, but I guess those are because it's a prototype more than anything else.

I think the prototype works. It's a working proof-of-concept for a diving game. It's not the best as it is, but it has potential.

Just Call Your Mom by willjardine 2021-04-27T14:16:37Z ♥ 1

The visual style was cool. It felt quite interesting to see the hand-drawn characters animate and move with the whole 2D beat-em-up style. The audio added to that, made it seem more fun and fast-paced. The punching felt okay, but I felt the gameplay was somewhat lacking. It needed more, options or something. The combat has little complexity, and since there's no story to keep you hooked per se, it really needs the combat to shine.

I think more variety in the core gameplay loop will definitely help a lot, and maybe added enemy variety. Just...more to keep the player here.

You Are Now Breathing Manually by ChewieCB 2021-04-27T14:05:49Z ♥ 3

The concept is really good. The whole manual breathing thing was quite cool, I enjoyed having that busywork to keep me interacting, making even basic things feel panicky. It evoked a sense of being trapped, which is a really interesting blend of gameplay and theme.

I don't think the movement really works as a secondary mechanic. The movement didn't feel difficult, just frustrating. I think it's either a problem with the balance and level design, or maybe a problem with the mechanic as a whole. Maybe it needs some other mechanic, maybe puzzle based, rather than dexterity.

The art style felt a bit incoherent, the music was a little out of place. The sound design on the breathing was stellar though. Really creepy and tense.

All in all, fun little project. Could use a lot of polish.

The Fall by junkajii 2021-04-27T13:58:21Z ♥ 1

I think it was a decent game. The art direction was very practical, the game is easy to read and understand. The core loop definitely needs tweaking, I agree with @tim77 in that some of it was too out of control. The art was cool, the main character was well-designed but it felt like it was missing some of the finesse and polish it needed to stand out and help the game feel great.

(Quick bug note: The high score seems to be stuck on 10650, not reflecting actual score.)

Leech of the Deep by tarrDev 2021-04-27T12:02:59Z ♥ 0

The greatest strength of this game is the absolute horror you feel when you first see the leech. Running away from it is an instinctive, intuitive thing. I loved that. The entire game was based on instinct and ease. No learning curve (for me, at least), no thinking, just play.

It's very emotive too.

The core loop is solid, the level design is decent but it definitely needs polish. A more unified visual style, something that ties it together more. With some polish, it would be a stellar game. Further, the quality of levels dips a little after the first few. (That is not too bad in a jam game because of constraints on testing times and balance.)

Well done!

Search for the Quacken by Xeke-Death 2021-04-27T11:51:08Z ♥ 2

The individual components of the game are quite decent. The 3D art is impressive and creates a strong feel of something miniature you're playing around with. The fish streams are good, but the implementation makes it obvious they're segmented (maybe better if more seamless). The music is creepy and intense. The gameplay takes a lot of experimentation to get going, but when it does it isn't bad. Risk-reward balance, decision making.

What didn't work was these elements together as a game. There is little cohesion here. The art, the music and gameplay are so discordant that it feels like the game doesn't know what it wants to be. I think it needs to focus in and decide on a direction.

Those things are hard to do in a jam game with so much else within it, I just wish they'd been there to make it a better experience overall.

Bucket: A Space Odyssey by Carraka 2021-04-27T11:30:24Z ♥ 2

The writing is very functional and the paths are interesting. They intertwine well with the longer-term consequences as well as immediate payoffs. I liked that. The combination of a more graphical and image based system with the text based on seemed to work well. I loved the little touch of mentioning the AU distance.

Bucket be cute.

I think you missed out on making the audio more impactful and engaging. The graphics could be more visually consistent in style too. Though the mood and theme were somewhat fitting, it definitely needs a lot more polish. It also desperately needs length. More stuff to do, more options. Just more. The story requires more. Without more stuff before the FTL drive is assembled, it feels too minor and not significant. I can sense what you're going for, it's just not working at the current length.

The encounters themselves are well designed. Whoever was the quest designer here has done a stellar job. Lots of moral choices, the voice notes back home to mom, the risk-reward calculations. They were all great.

Delevator by guladam 2021-04-27T10:17:31Z ♥ 2

The scope of the story is far too large to fit in a narrative as small as this. The result was a lack of emotional impact because it didn't leave room for interpretation but also did not have enough concrete stuff to make it feel emotionally impactful. The graphics and audio were decent, the mood was set well, but the lack of a powerful story in a story-driven game meant that I didn't really have a good time with it.

Good attempt, can be easily made longer and more powerful with some work and time.

Abyssonaut by thomas-olsson 2021-04-27T10:04:11Z ♥ 2

That was legitimately amazing. Loved the art, loved the gameplay concept and felt so excited to be playing through a full-length adventure. The level design is beautiful, the work as a whole is thoroughly engaging and fun to play.

The only qualm I have with this is that the throwing rocks bit was a little iffy. It would have been amazing if there was a way to put the rock down/some form of auto-targetting to help with placing rocks on the balloon platform. That got frustrating really fast (but it might just be that I am personally bad at it and the game is fine, so I can't fault the game too much).

That one minor qualm expressed, I just wanna say this was a great game and I'm glad I played it.

Pearls of Wisdom by JHax 2021-04-27T09:55:03Z ♥ 1

That was pretty cool! I think the whole diving in the deep sea feel really works. It's got some really solid integration between different gameplay goals. In the short term, it was about keeping the diver alive. In the long term, it was about treasure and following maps. In the longest terms, it was about exploring everything in the ocean. The whole system really works.

I think the graphics could have used a boost to better fit the style and power of the gameplay, though the direction it's going in is great. The controls took a few tries to get the hang of, so maybe a more engaged tutorial might help. Though, once I got the feel for it, the drag and momentum made it feel akin to controlling a real diver who can push against the water but needs to be careful too.

The audio could also use a boost, to be honest, to better convey the tone you're going for. As is, the tone seems a bit lost.

Overall, an interesting game!

Seeker Of Riches by Robert Woods 2021-04-27T09:43:18Z ♥ 1

So, I think the big problem here was the lack of feedback in terms of whether my shots were going through or in terms of player movement. It made it a difficult game to play and experience because the core loop was off.

The feel of the game, beyond that, was good. The art is nice (the 3D modelling is quite impressive for a game jam). The deep hole was quite intimidating and overbearing, the sense of scale and power clearly established. Just, overall, it felt quite intense.

The sound design was nice, but without visuals to support it didn't really work.

Solid attempt, and I would love to play a post-LD version that keeps the concept and polishes up the core gameplay.

Also, you really did well on the theme. Not a particularly unique take, but a well-done take.

Capsaiciner by a333 2021-04-27T09:36:36Z ♥ 2

The mechanical feel of the game is pretty good. The graphics are simple and functional (and sometimes, cute). The story has a sense of absurdness to it, but I think the humour did not come through as well as it needed to so as to make the oremise work.

The power-ups and collectibles were a really nice touch that I appreciated so much. It adds to the experience of playing and makes it more fun.

However, I will say, it desperately needs music. To set the tone, to make it more punchy, to make it feel cooler. Music and sound effects will go miles in making this feel better.

Overall, I think the core loop being engaging is the greatest strength here cuz then you don't get bored of it even if the motivation to play from art, music and story middles out.

Moot by Peco 2021-04-27T09:26:56Z ♥ 2

That art was incredible. Legitimately, I aspire to make art like that someday. Absolutely awesome. It was a coherent visual style with so much power, that connected with the music powerfully. The audio work and sound design was amazing too. The mood it captured was beautiful.

There's nothing I can criticise. More experimentation with lighting would elevate the mood slightly. The puzzles themselves weren't really...puzzle-y? They didn't make you think too much once you got the basic gist of it, but I think that making proper satisfying puzzles takes an unreasonably long time for a jam anyway.

A really brave game I would pay money for if there was a full-version with strong puzzles.

Absolutely loved it.

To The Core We Go! by Rost 2021-04-27T09:18:21Z ♥ 3

The game is quite charming. The art and the music add to a sort-of retro feel that the simple punchy gameplay continues with. It feels very...complete. The enemy variation is introduced slowly and the caverns themselves are short but exciting to navigate. Very fast-paced.

Where is loses out is the tweaking within the different aspects. The combat feels a little off, the enemies feel a little random, the difficulty goes from super easy to super tough on a whim. The combat conttrols are slightly clunky too. Just, overall, needs a lot of playtesting and polish to be well-balanced.

The torches seemed like such a cool mechanic, I only wish they'd had some use.

Overall, though, a really charming entry. Enjoyed playing it!

Sticky Diagnosis by made3 2021-04-27T09:05:54Z ♥ 3

First of all, having a decent upgrade system to a strong core loop in an LD game is absolutely amazing. Really impressive that you got all that done. I fiddled around with it a bit and there's definitely some strategies one can develop to get better.

The balance of the game was a little off. I think the spawn of items and enemies is a bit too random. So, getting 4 bad guy germs before a single defensive food token killed some runs very early on. Too much luck involved, in that way. I think the core loop works, the level design needs a little more love.

Overall, cool concept, decent art, trippy music and a good game.

Deep in hell by katamary 2021-04-27T06:40:41Z ♥ 4

The art was absolutely awesome, loved the beautifully drawn characters and stylistic choices. As a whole, it was an engaging experience, short and punchy. The audio design was stellar as well, the sounds really added to the experience. The music and effects blended together quite seamlessly. Overall, pretty good.

However, I will say that the writing was a little bit weak. The way it was phrased and the pacing was off. The twist at the end came out of nowhere. I think the story could be better structured and the dialogue itself could feel more tonally appropriate.

That said, I understand that something like that takes a lot of time and this is a game jam, so kudos on getting something so cool out there. It was a pleasure playing it!

Delicious Letters by ZakAmana 2020-04-22T10:46:23Z ♥ 1

Very polished, beautiful art. The gameplay gets very difficult, very quickly, but is consistently fun. Thoroughly enjoyed the correspondence. Maybe a little more complexity would have helped, but as is it was quite innovative. Graphics were quite charming and so were the little personalities.

The letters themselves weren't very well-worded and the storytelling kind of fell flat there. I was enjoying reading through them, but my sentences seemed to have little connect with each other, and at one point an unmarried lady sent me a letter saying something about her husband.

However, the complaint is simply a minor quip at an otherwise excellent game.

Apple Sauce RoboSmash by Kaboom242 2020-04-22T10:40:58Z ♥ 0

I really enjoyed the feel of the game. The atmosphere and the graphics were interesting. The graphics were impressive as well. The guns felt fun to shoot, though I couldn't get the aiming system to work properly. I felt the aiming and feel of the bullets hitting the enemy were two things I could foresee being improved upon. That said, solid game, tough but rewarding.

Noble by SludgeKey 2020-04-22T10:13:07Z ♥ 3

Really charming little game. Strong vibes, would've liked some music. The animations were spot on and the portraits were interesting. I found myself setting little goals for myself, like pairing the youngest and oldest. It's a bit too sandbox at the moment, not really lot of incentive to think, just drag and drop wherever you see a heart. Very difficult to lose unless on purpose. That said, I did play for a while and laughed at points along the way as well. So well done!

Bard: Keep the Story Alive by polyducks 2020-04-22T06:52:12Z ♥ 1

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!

Garden Royale by Nyamah 2020-04-21T15:33:47Z ♥ 1

Love the graphics, love the style and the zazz. The core gameplay is interesting, and the mix of fast paced FPS with tactical water-stealing strategy is really fun! I missed sound design and music, it would have made it feel much more exciting and responsive. I also wish there were more weapons and a clearer indication of damage done. All things considered, fun!

Sheep Sheep Halloumi by Dining Philosopher 2020-04-21T13:51:05Z ♥ 0

The game is really fun to play. The music and graphics are really charming. The difficulty ramps up very quickly, and the challenge is really refreshing. Overall, a really solid game!

Let It Burn by lootgrounds 2020-04-21T13:48:46Z ♥ 1

The art was absolutely gorgeous. The shading was spot on and the animation for the text bubbles was incredible. Really polished stuff, playing it was so much fun. The lack of sound really impacted me, because hearing the fire would have been great. I didn't quite get the point of saving the art or books. The theme was really cool, and I felt more could have been done to have us explore the world.

It is a fairly calm game in terms of pace as is. I didn't feel like cranking it up to red had too much of a consequence, the time lost could easily be made up. Again, music could have helped push the theme on better.

That said, the lighting was incredible and really pulled me in. I point that out in specific because of the way, despite the lack of music, there was a creepy overbearing feel to the game. Enjoyed it!

just a boring topdown shooter by Kinshuk_thebest 2020-04-21T11:47:40Z ♥ 2

Fun experience, the sound of the gun firing is really satisfying, so well done on a stellar sound design. The atmosphere is cool as well.

Strong Stanley Parable feels with the narrator. I love meta games with layers and complexity in the story, and I felt you'd really set something cool up here. On the negative side, I guess it was a bit short and the difficulty didn't really ramp up, so wasn't too hard to get to a 100 and then just continue indefinitely. I would have liked to see the story go further as well, as it seemed interesting and then just...stopped.

That said, I felt as if the game was very cool. The gunplay felt good, the enemies died with a satisfying animation, the added narration elements and reverse psychology were beautiful as well. All in all, a really fun experience!

Mutiny by Cataractar 2020-04-21T11:37:14Z ♥ 1

The idea is really cool. As a game, I think the weakest parts were the lack of music and the graphics not coming through well. The UI got a little bit confusing as well. And adding to that, some sound design would have gone a long way. I would have also liked some flavor text, especially for the win screen.

That said, the core game-play was fantastically balanced. I loved the simple yet engaging primary loop. The complexity was just right, though it doesn't offer a lot in terms of replay-ability. It made for a thoroughly absorbing experience. Enjoyed it!

The Reef by jakemchugh1 2020-04-21T10:38:34Z ♥ 3

The idea is very innovative and having a game that uses proper formulae and modelling is really exciting. As an interactive experience, I really enjoyed playing around with the numbers. The graphics are cool as well.

In terms of gameplay, the UI was a little confusing and so was understanding what was happening. I really hoped to have more minute control or see wider scale changes. I understand that this would be really hard to implement, and I think you did a really good job considering the time restrictions. I missed having more events and more things to do.

All that said, a really innovative game from a classical interpretation of the theme. Loved it.

Lich Clicker by Fictions 2020-04-21T10:16:01Z ♥ 1

The game looks amazing, and I really enjoyed the art style and animation. The sound adds a nice layer to the atmosphere. The main mehcanic wasn't the most engaging, however, and got a bit tedious. The levelling system was cool. The dialogue was well written, but the story did not really go anywhere. That said, really cool game!

The joys of parenthood by IronyGames 2020-04-21T09:24:48Z ♥ 2

Really cool graphics. The X-Z and X-O thing was a bit confusing at first, but the game itself was quite interesting. Some music would have really driven home the atmosphere, but sound design as is was cool. The minigames were quite fun and the slow descent was very well captured by gameplay as well as story. Overall, I think this is a very strong experience. Short but impactful.

Hacking is Probably Not Like This by sayumeki 2020-04-21T09:07:05Z ♥ 0

A very polished game with a strong finish. I loved every second of playing it. The puzzles were challenging but well balanced, the graphics were charming and the mechanics were beautiful. The game was chock full of content and I can easily see myself drowning hours and hours into this.

Some sound would have gone a long way in making it slightly more responsive.

However, even without sound, as is, it is a pretty impressive game.

Loch Ness Periodism by Itey 2020-04-21T08:57:20Z ♥ 1

The game looks really cool, and has a very cool take on the theme. The idea of keeping a legend alive is unique and fun to play with. The premise and visual design were cool, the music added to the fun. The writing was cool as well, and I wish there was more of it.

The thing missing the most was more gameplay variation. I felt the set-up was not done justice. I thought the puzzles were far too easy.

That said, I really liked the innovative way of presenting the scene with a panning camera and a 3D table.

Adrestia: Sublime Balance by ldd 2020-04-21T07:11:44Z ♥ 1

Beautiful art style, and loved the idea. The concept is really strong, very reminiscent of Baba Is You. It is quite easy to win, but also fun to experiment! Really wish there was a story mode, but time restrictions are hard to keep to and I think you've done a really good job!

Keep Them Alive by acoto87 2020-04-21T07:06:05Z ♥ 1

The game really fit the theme very well. I was constantly looking around, trying to keep patients alive. The thrill of having one actually live was amazing. It was fun and I found myself playing for a solid chunk of time, trying to figure out an optimal strategy. The music was relaxing, some sound to give feedback when I changed the ventilator from one to another may have been nice.

At a certain point, I felt locked down, because I only had a few beds left, and it felt like there was no way to push to recovery there. It felt like an endless vicious cycle, especially because sometimes the healthbars jumped back and forth randomly, despite the presence or absence of a ventilator. Maybe a bug? The Windows 64 bit version wasn't running for me either.

The art style was simple but conveyed a strong emotion. Loved the palette.

The biggest bummer was the ending screen. I saved all 24, but all it said was, "At least some survived". Would've liked some sort of victory screen.

Again, really fun game!

Silva by derparuni 2020-04-21T06:41:51Z ♥ 4

The mood for the game was absolutely spot-on. I felt the terror slowly creeping up, and I loved every second of it. The tie-in with the theme was pretty solid as well. Keeping the fire alive was such a compulsion, and I could listen to the story alongside. The story got quite creepy.

On the other hand, the box displaying the story covered the part of the screen I needed to get to the firewood ever so often, so that was a bit annoying. More so, however, I felt hte story had a strong set-up but it didn't really go anywhere. The pay-off was a little drab. Plus, me putting logs into the fire had no real impact on the story. Lily killed me while I was walking around the forest, I'd have hoped she would show me the courtesy of waiting till I came back.

That said, ending on a positive note, the art style and visual direction were amazing. I've never seen this type of art done this well to so much effect. The art style is what brought me here, and it did not disappoint. Even with minimal animation, I was absolutely absorbed.

Keep Hope Alive by Vawer 2020-04-21T06:26:26Z ♥ 0

The mood was very strong, loved the way the lighting worked. I think you guys really did an incredible job with the visual atmosphere. I felt the sound could have contributed more to the mood. The movement was fairly responsive. I think you had some really strong ideas with this one, the door opening with lights and the hope slowly draining. The door mechanic was intriguing, but the audio was a little annoying. Also, my first play-through, I did not realize the meter did not have to be filled up. Some indication of that would have been nice. With the hope, I think it tied in well to the theme, but the hope was so abundant I felt no need to worry.

It was a really cool experience going through and piecing together the story, and the visual style was awesome!

VURM by AndrewJAdams 2020-04-21T06:13:24Z ♥ 1

The game very quite strong. Loved the way the movement and sound integrated, feedback to player was really cool. The minimalist style fit well and the game fit the theme as well. The only criticism I have is that the snake was big, but perhaps the hitbox wasn't as big, so on occassion I would think I was in line to grab some food, and I wasn't. That said, the game is fairly relaxing and fun!