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The Lost Borealis Expedition's itch.io pageResults
| Criteria | Rank | Score* | Raw Score |
| Mental Engagement | #15 | 3.800 | 3.800 |
| Overall | #25 | 3.760 | 3.760 |
| Lasting Impression | #29 | 3.560 | 3.560 |
| Atmosphere | #33 | 4.000 | 4.000 |
| Overall | #34 | 3.540 | 3.540 |
| Characterization | #45 | 3.440 | 3.440 |
| Emotional Engagement | #82 | 2.680 | 2.680 |
Ranked from 25 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.
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Comments
Very beautifully done. Having to note times is so smart and actually makes you feel like you're doing real detective work. I wasn't smart enough to solve everything on my own but I really liked the atmosphere and that it made me feel like a detective...
Thanks for playing and the kind words. Really appreciate it! :)
An affably funny period piece with a strong setting and more than a little influence from Golden Idol and Obra Dinn which is always a good thing. As a former salty sailor I felt more than a little like an incompetent detective gathering clues from chattering ninnies, noting the time, and solving literal puzzles grounded in the reality of 19th century sailing. I wish I could click to speed up dialog, the typewriter effect is perhaps a tad too slow (apologies if it was updated, I installed the game through the app) but this could be expanded to a full commercial release that would turn heads.
Thank you so much! :)
I'll fix the text speed in the next update. Thanks for the feedback, always appreciate it!
One of the rare gems found here. :) Cypher was tough and I still didn't really get the 3rd part fully. Otherwise the plot was sensibl and deep enough!
Thanks for playing and the comment! :)
Did you play the updated version of the game? I've made some changes so the cryptic is slightly easier.
I played the version on itch. wasn't aware there's an updated version. but I managed to solve the cypher!
Ah, okay! Only a downloadable updated version is available for now. I haven't updated the web version yet because the jam voting period is still in progress.
Glad that the puzzle was still solvable for you though!
Thanks again! :)
Very nice game, reminiscent of Obra Dinn. Happy to say I figured out the cryptic puzzle after reviewing the examples a few times. Tough but fair. Great atmosphere and an enjoyable challenge.
Thank you very much! It's great that you figured the cryptic out (most people were having trouble with the triangle so made it slightly easier in an update).
Obra Dinn is one of my favorite games so your comment makes me so happy! :D
Wow, this was really good. Definitely my favourite of the jam so far, as far as puzzles/deduction are concerned. Figuring everything out was very involved, with a lot of cross-checking and interpretation required - I definitely ended up needing to make notes on paper - but it was definitely fair, and I beat it without the walkthrough. There were lots of really satisfying "Aha! moments" throughout, although there was at least once where I sorta guessed & had my guess confirmed by the UI, which is maybe not ideal.
All of the deduction was very grounded in the setting, rather than seeming forced or out-of-place, which I think is important. It had a very cohesive feel/atmosphere, and everything came together satisfactorily in the end. The art and audio are solid as well.
Overall, an amazing game!
PS: The web version didn't work for me in Firefox on Linux; the screen went black after I left the wardroom at the start of the game. But I was able to run the Windows version successfully in Wine.
Thank you so much for the kind words! You've made my day :)
I'm really glad you figured it out by yourself and didn't need the walkthrough. I'm working on an update that should hopefully get rid of any guesswork.
I've no idea why the game crashed in the web version, I'll try to figure it out. Thanks for letting me know!
To clarify, it didn't *crash*, exactly. The screen went black, but I could hear the text advancing when I clicked, so presumably the game was still going and only the graphics were broken.
Oh, okay! Thanks, I'll look into it.
awesome game! I appreciate art , and the color gives that suspenseful air in the game. I am a fan of point and click adventures and is truly impressed with this well made game. The puzzles are challenging and the mechanic is easy to understand. I enjoyed playing this one! congratulations! keep it up!
Thank you so much! :D
Wow! This was a challenging game - which is good, even though I had to refer to the walkthrough twice. I like solving puzzles and that is where the game really shines. I had a lot of fun with the deductions, that reminded me of the Golden Idol game.
(Minor nitpick: The walk-cycle was a bit jerky, but that might have been caused by my internet connection (played the web version) or my potato of a pc. )
Music was pleasing, graphics pretty and the story interesting. In combination with the clever puzzle design you got hell of a game!
Thanks for playing and the very kind review! I really appreciate it.
The walk animation does need some work, it's not your internet. :)
Very interesting game design!
Thanks! :)
This really took me back in the best way. I used to love playing Cruise for a Corpse, interrogating characters for bits of information with cool stylish graphics. That game hasn't really aged too great, but Lost Borealis feels fresh and much more focused.
I actually booted Lost Borealis up first day of the jam and had to step away a couple times, but I'm glad I didn't rush. This was a truly rewarding experience, one that had me scratching my head a bit. So many mystery games now give the facade of deduction, but here I really had to rub my brain cells together.
I feel like if I hadn't played Case of the Golden Idol last year I might have froze at the fill in the blank testimony charts, either that or the developers just did a good job easing me in. The art style is very cohesive and looks quite professional. The characters were a fun salty bunch, I loved reading the squabbling portions. Thank you for this one!
Thank you so much for the kind words! It really means a lot to me. I love proper detective games and I'm so glad a fellow detective game fan enjoyed this!
I absolutely adore Golden Idol (played the DLC recently) and it's definitely very well designed. I know that my game could use a bit more work - I'm thinking of adding a separate section for deductions and the hammock puzzle to the diary to make things clearer to the players. The time constraint (and general tiredness) didn't allow me to make everything I wanted to make - like access to the main deck and having the full crew aboard the ship but I'd like to work on it further and release a post-jam version.
Thanks again for your comment! :)
I would recommend revising the letter at the start to be shorter/have a more readable font. The art fits the vibe of the game very well :)
Thank you for the feedback! Glad you liked the art. :)
That was a bit more difficult than I had expected ...
I had to use the walkthrough twice. Once for the cryptic puzzle, because I couldn't figure out the movements of the triangle. And a second time because of the witness statements. I didn't realise that the game wanted me to interpret my findings already. I could kick myself for that, because it was clear that this was bound to happen at some point. I just expected it to be a later step. And I have to admit that working out the times was a bit too convoluted for me, so I just, ahem, "masterminded" it. :)
That being said: I love this game to bits. The graphics are good, the setting is great and the puzzles are genuinely challenging. Collecting all the witness statements in the diary was a lot of fun. I like mechanics like that. The hammocks were also a nice idea.
Excellent game.
Thank you so much for playing and your detailed comment! I find reading about player experiences very valuable and it helps me improve the game. :)
Your game's been on my to-play list ever since I saw it but I've been trying to pace myself and not finish all the "good looking" games at once. Can't wait to try it!
Haha! I had to use the walkthrough at exactly the same points for exactly the same reasons. Seems like we trained in the same school for puzzle solving... ;-)
The universe is full of utterly inexplicable coincidences. :))
Interesting and challenging game as usual. I admit I brute forced a few things once I got most of it, but at least I didn't need a walkthrough or solution. Quite a solid entry as expected.
Thanks, Vance! I'm really glad you could finish the game without the walkthrough!
I'm working on improving on the in-game hints/signposting so hopefully a walkthrough won't be necessary for anyone. Any pointers on which areas need the most work? I know the cryptic puzzle is hard for sure.
Well, let's see. I never did figure out how the triangle moves. I just figured out the other shapes and then tried the triangle in every other space. Other than that, the cryptic puzzle was fine.
It took me a while to realize that I was supposed to record what actually happened to the best of my knowledge in the diary instead of just recording what people said happened. This might not be a big deal but maybe some indication that you are supposed to change their story to match the facts as you find out more.
As far as figuring out the time, I know how I was supposed to do it, and it's perfectly fair, I even found the guy with the watch set wrong. But I discovered it was just easier to use the messages about how many are right and how many are in the right location to deduce the order than to go around talking to people and looking at things again.
That's very helpful, thank you! :)
I knew that the locations could be brute forced because of the hint system but I left it in because doing it that way was a Mastermind like puzzle in itself. It's brilliant that you got the solution both ways!
I admit I needed some help (thanks for providing a text file AND a couple of images too) - but this investigative game - in a closed environment - is intriguing and well done.
Characters animations and background are good - but dialogues are even better .-)
Thank you so much, I'm happy you liked it! I knew that some puzzles (the cryptic especially) would be hard to solve so I wanted to make it easier for players to finish and rate the game quickly - I know we have a lot of games to get through!). I'm working on an update and improving on the in-game signposting and hints so hopefully a walkthrough won't be necessary.
This is so good, good job!!
Thanks! :)
The game is very good. it's good in every way
Thank you! Really means a lot to me!
Ah, whenever I play one of your games I know I'm in for a brain-wrecking time. I always wonder how you come up with such cryptic puzzles. Now, not a critique at all, but... I was a bit "saddened" by the serious setting, but that's just because I love humor and I know that your humor is definitely my kind, so I was hoping for something along the lines of your previous games :D
Haha, I like to alternate between somewhat serious and funny themes so I'll most likely be making a game with more humor for Vance's jam. Thanks so much for playing! :)
Very deep systems for a two week jam, impressive!
Starting off with the letter almost seems a little unnecessary when your characters already have so much information to tell, almost felt like it could have been omitted entirely. Really liked the investigative journal mechanics, would have liked to see the 'time' mechanic of it all perhaps used a bit more. It's the first thing we learn but didn't seem to really come up again.
Unfortunately even with the walkthrough I was too stupid to complete the cryptic puzzle, something about the last part of it I could not get right and I got too frustrated. So I had 8/10 witnesses and struggled wayyy too hard on the puzzle till I gave up.
Tiny lil bug: Some of the rooms on the lower deck say 'My pocket watch' at the exits.
Thank you so much for playing and the feedback. It's very helpful!
The time does get used but it's only after you're done with the witness testimonies unfortunately.
I'm sorry about the cryptic puzzle and the frustration it caused. I would really appreciate it if you told me where you got stuck. It would help me improve it in a future version. Maybe I should have added better hints in the game. I know there are a lot of games to play in this jam but in case you're still interested in continuing, I've added images of the solution to the cryptic puzzle to make it easier.
Ah OK thank you that will make it easier! It was the final little sequence of it, the fifth one. I just couldn't seem to get the shapes in the right place, but that was following the text guide. It also took me a little too long to realize the circle/arrow thing at the top right took you to the next page of the puzzle as well. My brain has lost the ability to do new puzzles over the years lol
Very polished game! I liked the dialogue, the writing must have taken some time. Excellent work!
Thanks so much for playing! I'm glad you liked it.
Everything in this game fits the theme; the UI, the art style and the puzzles. Looking forward to some of the changes you make post-jam!
Thanks for playing and the comment, I appreciate it!
Very intriguing. Pretty darn clever puzzles too. I particularly liked determining the hammock assignments. One slight usability improvement I'd like to suggest is to have the ability to clear a square in the doctor's puzzle. The inability to do so made me prefer to solve it outside of the game as I couldn't undo a placement making it difficult to see which letters I'd placed correctly and which I hadn't.
For me the biggest challenge was determining the location order at the end and I admit I "cheated".
Thanks for playing and the feedback. I appreciate it!
I'm really glad you liked the hammock puzzle. It was my favorite puzzle to make and I was afraid that people would skip it and simply guess the answer.
I'll definitely add an option to clear a square in the doctor's puzzle as well as highlight the correctly entered ones with a different color in a post-jam update.