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Mind the rules's itch.io pageResults
| Criteria | Rank | Score* | Raw Score |
| Innovation | #168 | 3.738 | 3.738 |
| Overall | #240 | 3.587 | 3.587 |
| Visuals | #252 | 3.976 | 3.976 |
| Theme | #300 | 3.571 | 3.571 |
| Audio | #316 | 3.452 | 3.452 |
| Gameplay | #397 | 3.357 | 3.357 |
| Enjoyment | #493 | 3.429 | 3.429 |
Ranked from 42 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.
How does the game fit the theme?
"Nothing Can Go Wrong.." – A Rule-Based Psychological Horror Game
Mechanics: Rules as Both Limits and Clues
Our game is built on urban legend-style rule-based horror, where strictly following the rules keeps you safe. These rules define what can and cannot be done while also guiding puzzle-solving.
A unique feature is the trait-based rule selection, allowing players to choose rules that shape their experience. Each choice affects their interactions, vulnerabilities, and survival strategies, making every playthrough different.
Psychological Horror and Narrative: The Fragility of Routine
Life feels stable—until it isn’t. The protagonist is commuting as usual to Bankston Station when a small mistake shatters their routine, pulling them into a twisted world.
Every step forward forces them to face their past and guilt. They once believed that as long as they followed the rules, nothing could go wrong—but reality proves otherwise. The game explores how one irreversible mistake can trap you in fate’s grasp.
What code and assets did you not make from scratch during the jam (if any)?
none
How many people worked on the game?3
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Comments
Awesome job! The 2D and 3D art blend together really well. The atmosphere is amazing.
Thank you for your comment!
I'm sorry-- this was made in just 7 days??? This is polished to the max!, you guys really outdone yourselves congrats man, I think I'll be seeing you guys in a brackeys video haha
Actually, we spent most of our time designing the plot and mechanics. It took us 3–4 days to decide everything before we could start working. Our one and only programmer even pulled an all-nighter before the submission.
We wanted to make the experience as good as possible, and I’m really glad you liked it!
(Also hope we can be into the video😂)
make sure to treat your programmer nicely after this, they had it rough hahaha I know because I'm the programmer in our team, also pulled an all nighter hahaha.
ambience is top notch, amazing style and feel to this game
Thank you!
The atmosphere that you've created is really incredible! The art and sound design compliment each other nicely, and the mechanics were well made. Great job!
Thank you for giving it a try and liking it!
I finally decided to play this myself XD
I was kinda worried before because I'm bad at horror games (I don't like jump scare at all :(( ), but I still can't help myself but being creeped out by the atmosphere (visual and audio) you guys created! I love the mix of 2D art in a 3D environment style, it really makes it feel dynamic to go around using the character!
One thing I noticed is about the flow of the game is a little bit confusing at the start, idk if I didn't play the game properly enough or anything, but it seems like I went and skip a few steps to begin with. Maybe, you could make the rule board or maybe something that the player can't ignore appears from the start, so the player gets a clear understanding that they must follow each rule right from the start of the game. But I assumed you guys set it that way, so the first rule is a scripted violation for the player to accidentally break.
I think if you guys can focus the game for the player to solely not breaking the rule it'd be clearer for the player, the side quest of finding the part of little girl's drawing was kind of distracting and leading it from the focus of the title "Minde the Rules". Cause it feels like the rule is a one-time thingy (story-driven/scripter), not a continuous mechanic that the player must actually follow for the rest of the game.
and,, sanity meter is actually a good mechanic if you guys can create more obstacle that challenged it :)
But really, this game does have a lot of potential! I do hope you guys can develop it further! :D
Thank you for giving us such thoughtful advice!
We intentionally make the player violate the rules at the start, which may take away their control of the game and make the flow feel a bit unnatural. Perhaps we can refine this in future updates to make it feel more natural and dynamic. For example, the rules could be revealed progressively based on when the player breaks them, and it might even be possible for players to complete the game without breaking any rules at all.
One of the biggest design challenges for us is the conflict between puzzles and rules. Ideally, we want the player's experience to change based on the rules without restricting their gameplay. This means that puzzles shouldn't rely on specific rules, but at the same time, this approach can make the connection between rules and puzzles feel weaker. We're still working on this and trying to find a better solution.
Ideally, each level would have more rules to choose from (similar to selecting traits during character creation), allowing players to experiment and develop their own survival and puzzle-solving strategies. We also plan to make the sanity mechanic more tied to the rules to make it more important.
Thank you again for your feedback!
I had a similar idea at first, a rule following horror game, I like this a lot. The visuals are great, the mix of 2d and 3d id done really well. One thing though which might be a problem on my end but still reporting it to you just in case, the game did make my pc cooling fans go wild.
Thank you! I'll report this issue to our programmer!
I was a bit disappointed at first but immediately changed my mind. This game does a great job of making an environment creepy without telling you it's creepy. Great idea.
Thank you for your comment! Would you mind telling us which part disappointed you a little bit? We understand that if the game isn't interesting enough at the start, players might turn it off and not play it again. So, if possible, we'd like to improve the overall experience as much we can.
No, the pacing was great. It was explicitly my experience that by just looking at the start of the game, I didn't see much coming ahead. I am sure everybody has liked it and enjoyed just like I did.
Great job, I like how everything came nicely together to set the atmosphere of the game.
The rule based mechanics are great, might be better if its given out in smaller bits, so it will stick better with the players as they progress in the game.
Keep up the great work!
Sure, maybe we'll consider revealing the rules only when the player violates them. This will create more tension and make it easier for players to digest the information. Great suggestion, and thank you for enjoying the game!
The visuals are stunning! The concept is cool and the atmosphere it creates is amazing! Really good job, might be one of my favorites so far!
Thank you! We spent some time figuring out how to make it feel creepy without actual jumpscares, and I'm glad to know it works!
Cool vibe!
Having to start all over and get through the dialogue again for getting into the wrong tube was a bit much though T_T maybe I'll try again later
You've pointed out an important issue! Maybe we can add a save point or allow the player to skip the dialogue to improve the experience. It would also make it more convenient for players to try different combinations of the rules.
Thank you for your feedback!
Yeah definitely, being really generous with saving the players' time with those solutions will make us feel safer to experiment and potentially re-do a flawless run when we think we have it figured out
Really cool concept! I love how the rule-based mechanics create tension and affect the story. The psychological horror aspect is well done, and the narrative around guilt and routine is intriguing. Great job!
Thank you! We spent most of the time writing and revising the rules. We want the rules to be not only creepy but also enhance the gameplay.
The game is well made, I like when 3D and 2D are combined. The music is atmospheric. The visuals are excellent.
Thank you for your comment!
Pretty nice game. Really loved the concept and the art (especially how it created the tone and atmosphere of the game)
I'm glad you like it! ヽ(⁎˃ᴗ˂⁎)ﾉ
A game with really cool concept and with stunning art!
Thank you! We'll keep polishing it!
one of the only other psychological horrors I’ve seen in the jam. Great minds think alike! You should give ours a shot if you get a chance! Great game!
Thank you for your comment!
Sure! I tried your game before but couldn't reach the ending due to a technical problem with my monitor. I'll play it again once I fix it!
Cool game but there are things that need to be polished, and for me there is too many text (the rules). The visuals look really great. Nice work
Rules (text) are our core mechanic, so it's hard to make it less complex. However, we’ll try to make the information easier to digest—perhaps by separating the rules into different sections instead of displaying them all at once.
Thank you for your feedback!
👉 I played your game, and I just don't know how to proceed I’m stuck. I’m at the train station, I just managed to open a magic red door, and now I'm stuck.
👉 Otherwise, I love the atmosphere of the game. I was really into the story, but there is no music or sound effects in the game except for the phone, so yeah, it's a little bit strange.
I also made a game if you want to play it and rate it, it’s just below 👎
The magic red door is the one with the little girl's picture on it, right? Just to clarify—do you mean you can't enter the red door, or are you stuck after going inside?
I know some of the puzzle clues and instructions aren't very clear. We'll keep polishing them and will also record a walkthrough.
We really wanted to add music, but we ran out of time 😢
Thank you for your detailed comment and I'll play your game also!
Like i can enter, find objects and walking in the red door, this work but, when i get out of this door, i'm back at the trainstation and i don't know what can i do next.
I see! You’ve picked up the little girl’s paper inside the red door, and now you need to bring it to her parents.
To do this, please interact with the drawing of the little girl on the platform by "left-clicking" on it. You will notice some changes afterward.
We apologize for the unclear instructions regarding this interaction, and we’ll be sure to improve them in future updates. Thank you so much for bringing this to our attention!
Okay, I finished it. I’m just a little silly, sorry ! It was just a little girl who wanted to find her parents, love the story. I also love the train animation. 👍
No, we are the ones who should apologize for the inconvenience. We can definitely make your experience more enjoyable. Thank you for playing!
That's one of the best ones i've played! The graphics are so good, really liked the effect. It really fits the theme and it's very interesting.
Thank you for your comment! It means a lot to us!
LOVE psychological horror games! good job guys! please play my game if you guys get the chance! If you do make sure to check the description before playing!
Thank you! I'll play and rate your game as well!
Rated! Nice game
Thank you!