I started enjoying it after the tutorial was over. Puzzle platformer with 2 different characters with different abilities is a god idea. But the tutorial is way, way too long and kinda spoils the rest of the game. I can see how it can filter some people.
Being able to control companions directly is a blessing and works really, really well, I haven't touched the "command" buttons since the tutorial.
The art is... I guess it's cohesive? It's an assault on the eyes, and the difference between background and foreground objects is minimal, but you can get used to it. It certainly is weird, but that wouldn't be an issue if the obstacles didn't blend it with the background objects.
Didn't really care about the story to be honest. It's kinda both there and not there. Dunno how to describe it.
But I can see this game being an interesting puzzle platformer.
i'm sorry, i promised myself i would give it another shot but i just can't get into it
i wish i could say that it's not my genre, but i can't shake the feeling that there's something inherently wrong with it. i played through 4 levels and i dreaded every second
it's not fun
your art is nice, but for your first project you should make something more traditional, more intuitive
I can see this as being a fun co-op puzzle platformer in a wacky topsy turvy world but I think it's worth simplifying or even removing the companion commands because it feels unnecessarily complicated. Since you can directly control the companion there isn't much use in commanding them, I was able to play through the game by just switching back and forth between characters. Improving the AI to allow them to climb ladders, jump over platforms and jump with the player would help streamline the experience a lot. I think the only command needed is a button that toggles between stop/follow. Otherwise great job on your first game, being a solo dev is freaking hard.
I understand you seem to have a lot of things you want to show / tell, which is felt in the unique environments but it's also a bit messy with no continuity across a level.
Controls are also complex, with a dense tutorial, which might put off many players. I think you should either simplify the controls or smoothly integrate the tutorial through several levels instead of dumping info through books.
Don't get me wrong, I think this has potential but right now the game is not really fun. I would suggest refining gameplay before adding more and more content.
This looks like quite an ambitious project, you've got lots of content here.
I think there's too many tutorial books to read, and that's caused by the companion movement being too complicated. I think the companion should either follow completely automatically (unless stopped), or you shouldn't have companions at all.
Water movement is janky. Left/right plus up/down only results in the left/right movement, not diagonal. If the left/right key is released but up/down is held, the player moves diagonally.
Comments
I started enjoying it after the tutorial was over. Puzzle platformer with 2 different characters with different abilities is a god idea. But the tutorial is way, way too long and kinda spoils the rest of the game. I can see how it can filter some people.
Being able to control companions directly is a blessing and works really, really well, I haven't touched the "command" buttons since the tutorial.
The art is... I guess it's cohesive? It's an assault on the eyes, and the difference between background and foreground objects is minimal, but you can get used to it. It certainly is weird, but that wouldn't be an issue if the obstacles didn't blend it with the background objects.
Didn't really care about the story to be honest. It's kinda both there and not there. Dunno how to describe it.
But I can see this game being an interesting puzzle platformer.
it's... a videogame i guess
i'm sorry, i promised myself i would give it another shot but i just can't get into it
i wish i could say that it's not my genre, but i can't shake the feeling that there's something inherently wrong with it. i played through 4 levels and i dreaded every second
it's not fun
your art is nice, but for your first project you should make something more traditional, more intuitive
I can see this as being a fun co-op puzzle platformer in a wacky topsy turvy world but I think it's worth simplifying or even removing the companion commands because it feels unnecessarily complicated. Since you can directly control the companion there isn't much use in commanding them, I was able to play through the game by just switching back and forth between characters. Improving the AI to allow them to climb ladders, jump over platforms and jump with the player would help streamline the experience a lot. I think the only command needed is a button that toggles between stop/follow. Otherwise great job on your first game, being a solo dev is freaking hard.
This is a weird game.
I understand you seem to have a lot of things you want to show / tell, which is felt in the unique environments but it's also a bit messy with no continuity across a level.
Controls are also complex, with a dense tutorial, which might put off many players. I think you should either simplify the controls or smoothly integrate the tutorial through several levels instead of dumping info through books.
Don't get me wrong, I think this has potential but right now the game is not really fun. I would suggest refining gameplay before adding more and more content.
This looks like quite an ambitious project, you've got lots of content here.
I think there's too many tutorial books to read, and that's caused by the companion movement being too complicated. I think the companion should either follow completely automatically (unless stopped), or you shouldn't have companions at all.
Water movement is janky. Left/right plus up/down only results in the left/right movement, not diagonal. If the left/right key is released but up/down is held, the player moves diagonally.