Knight and Prison of Ice - Release!

The development journey of Project “Knight” began with a single cover image and one sprite featuring running and idle animations. My initial idea involved roguelite elements and setting in a labyrinth, amidst a frozen tundra. However, I found myself procrastinating on the project for some time, unsure of how to fit the game concepts within the limitations of Pico-8.

In early January, a breakthrough idea struck me: I decided to make the sword a separate entity, allowing players to control it indirectly by setting targets. With limited attack possibilities in mind, I opted for stationary enemies that can be defeated with no more than two hits. The game’s challenge would be adjusted only by the number and types of enemies, emphasizing the importance of maintaining momentum and continuously pushing forward. To break the monotony of the gameplay, I wanted only the boss to be able to move.

During the initial playtest, two significant issues surfaced. Firstly, players approached combat cautiously and methodically, moving only when they felt secure. Secondly, the boss battle seemed overwhelming and impossible.

To address these concerns, I introduced a smaller version of the boss that spawns if a player lingers for too long in a room without defeating all enemies. This mechanic incentivizes players to take risks and maintain momentum while offering a chance to familiarize themselves with boss patterns before facing the actual boss. Additionally, I implemented a visual cue, similar to summoning the sword, that appears beneath the player just before the boss attacks to alert the player without the need to maintain focus on the boss.

Another pivotal addition was blessings. The blessing either heals players or grants them abilities to combat bosses and regular enemies more effectively. By introducing choices to exploration, players must decide whether to seek blessings in other areas of the level, risking more enemy encounters, or confront bosses without any aid. This mechanic not only diversifies gameplay but also alters playstyle, injecting freshness into what could become monotonous gameplay.

Subsequent playtesting revealed that the sword mechanics might feel unfamiliar to new players. To address this, a tutorial room with explanatory text was incorporated at the beginning of the playthrough. Instructions on utilizing abilities granted by blessings are now provided only after players acquire their first blessing.

A coin system was an entirely unplanned addition. The reasoning was to give something satisfying for the player to do after they defeated all enemies in the room. Moreover, as the game relies on repeated attempts and failures, the coin system serves to reassure players that progress is being made even in defeat. This system underscores the expectation of setbacks and progress as integral components of the gameplay experience. Coins enable players to purchase blessings and shortcuts, offering temporary ease of the difficulty while fostering player agency in how they want to approach the next attempt and overall players’ perseverance.

The final game consists of three levels, each distinguished by a unique colour palette and boss encounter. To prevent combat from becoming monotonous, a new enemy, the “trap,” was introduced in the second level, with its behaviour changing in the third level. Although this addition breaks the initial rule to allow movement only for boss-like enemies, it introduces much-needed variety into the gameplay experience.