I was one of the official judges this year, and now that the results have been made public, and I'm free to do so, here is my score and thoughts on this title:

Overall score: 8

Cute game with find-it quests. I really liked the story, and it moved along at a nice, brisk pace. However, it felt a little repetitive with the quests all being some variation of 'go here, grab/fix/clean this, return, go back, etc' so it felt a little like padding. I would have loved some more interactivity with puzzles and such.

Inn Need 

by TeiRaven, Ji Tealeaf, thepumpkinsnake

Hey there TeiRaven and team, thanks for submitting a project to the 2022 IGMC. I'm Drifty and I was asked to judge your game in round four of the IGMC 2022 game jam. Here's some feedback about your project.

The opening song on the train has some weird syncopation and poly rhythms, maybe it's the train ME playing on top of the BGM? Idk for sure but it's kind of driving me crazy.

I'm using a 1440p resolution and the game window is very small, unless you force a full screen with alt-enter. Adding resolution options or options to scale the window would be a bonus.

The maps are decently made, but they are a bit big, and while I understand an old lady wouldn't be running around, it does feel kind of slow. Maybe she can use her magic to move quicker (allow dashing/autorun options please).

Some of the mapping is layered incorrectly and walking next to the walls causes the head of your character to be placed behind the wall tiles. Specifically in the Tea room.

The idea of role playing as an old maid fixing up an inn may be appealing to some, but not so much for me. It feel tedious and slow-going. I do this in real life everyday, walking around cleaning up messes. It's not exactly something I would choose to spend my leisure time doing in a virtual world. 

I like the music and sound selection.

I'm sure some of the issues with this game boils down to the limitations of the engine that was used to make it and not exactly the game design itself.

All of that being said I think that you've done a good job with putting together a nice chain of events. You do see the map changing as you fix things and find tools to progress through obstacles. You've made a nice atmosphere and I'm sure many people will enjoy this experience.

Good job on putting together a project for the IGMC 2022 it's a nice one to have in your portfolio for sure. Keep up the good work and I look forward to your next release.  

-Drifty

Hey there TeiRaven, Ji Tealeaf & thepumpkinsnake, I got your game for judging so here are some of my thoughts. Y'all made some great choices when it came to artsyle, gameplay, and story, which made for a really enjoyable game.

Now, I'm not sure if I missed a comment or just had a brain fart, but I didn't realize that I had to buy the feather duster and broom in the manager office. Because everything else had its own graphic, I spent quite a while wandering the rooms searching for a physical broom... I didn't have trouble finding anything else, so it could just be a me-issue but I wish there was a different way to buy/find those items (maybe a salesperson shows up once Hestia starts clearing her to-do list?). I was also disappointed I couldn't bring the adorable fire sprite to light my way in the basement, though I understand that using a normal candle does make more sense.

There were minor tile passability issues, such as the right wall in the tea room appearing above Hestia when I went behind the bar, but I'm sure those are easy fixes that you just missed due to the contest deadline. Some of the events, like the planters outside, required me to be standing in a specific spot when I thought I could reach from its other side, but that wasn't a major problem.

Overall, good job with this game! There are minor things that need tweaked or fixed, but it sounds like you are already planning an updated version so good luck with it!

I got assigned this for round 2 of judging for the IGMC. Overall this was a neat little adventure game. I had fun playing it, but did sadly run out of time to finish it (the hour was up before I got to the end). Maybe I'll return to it once all the rounds are done.

The only suggestion I have is when it came to placing the objects in the room some sort of clue as to what went where would be nice. I have 9 rooms to choose from and am not an expert in 9 eras so some objects I was like where does it go? I was button smashing trying every spot to see if I could figure it out, then the hour was up. 

Other than that little quibble nothing else to suggest here. Well done!

I played Inn Need to the end and had fun my entire playthrough. This game was AMAZING! I adored it -- it's one of my absolute favorite entries so far.  

This felt like playing through a Ghibli movie with its quirky, wholesome cast and beautiful setting. Hestia was adorable and just the sweetest. The mapping is awesome; every area is unique and you can tell a lot of love  went into it. The music complements each setting well and is one of the highlights of the game. I stayed in the garden/pool area for the longest just so I could listen to the song there xD

I was totally "charmed" by Inn Need. ^^ It left me feeling happy yet kind of sad because I finished it ... like how it feels when you finish a really good book. Your team should be proud!

(P.S. My favorite characters -besides Hestia- are Cary Bagley and George.  Also would indefinitely check into The Star Room )

A really beautiful game! Everything is polished, you've taken care of every aspect in detail: the cutscenes (love how you explain the backstory in train), the mapping, hotel's exploration... loved them all! I also liked the design of the protagonist, Hestia, a modern-day witch. Very well done!

This is such a cozy game, I love the whole vibe. <3

Cozy games, lovin' it.

The graphic is really beautiful, well cared in every detail, wonderful music, gameplay and story!

The game is slowly paced and relaxing, one of my favorites genre. I enjoyed a lot poke around the rooms, everyone different, and complete the quests to help the rebirth of the hotel.

Having the task list by hand was a great idea, very useful to walk through the game.

Many many compliments, a wonderful gem, one of my favorites for the contest!

I thought the idea of the game was very interesting, the maps were beautiful, and I loved the ghosts!

This was such a fun and cute game. The maps were amazing, the cast was adorable. I am forever sad I can't spend a night at the Silver Willow Inn. (If I could I would book the Vampire Suite (for the gothic vibe) and the Renaissance suit (for that gorgeous bath).)

Such a delightful game! I had so much fun playing it and I'm charmed by everything about it! 

This is exactly the kind of game I love to spend time on after work! So cozy and charming. Excellent mapping and the audio cues are lovely as well. Nice job! :)

What an absolutely lovely and heartwarming game. There is so much love and character in everything from the decor to the dialogue which was witty and fun. Its the kind of game that leaves you smiling the whole way through. I adore all the detail in each of the themed rooms and it was always so satisfying to see parts of the hotel coming back to life. Absolutely amazing job!

Such an adorable and fun good-feeling game! Absolutely well-made, written, and planned. The hotel was decorated with love and I especially liked the themed rooms and the pool area (though everything was beautiful). Can't wait to see what else this team makes! Great job all! 

This was a very cozy little game and I can't wait to see the next build! Exploring the hotel and seeing all the different rooms was a lot of fun. The little quests that the workers at the inn sent you on were cute. It was very satisfying to see the hotel slowly becoming cleaner and cleaner!

A delightful and relaxing game, perfect to unwind with. I loved getting to know the staff and seeing what everyone had to say. I felt bad for chasing the cute little dust bunnies out, but hopefully they're happier outside the hotel. You can feel the love Over Doing It put into the game, as well as their quirky humor. 10/10 a game I recommend!

This was a very fun and relaxing game! <3 I enjoy exploring the hotel and seeing all the different unique rooms as well as doing all the quests in the hotel to help rejuvenate and re-open it! :D Super lovely! Great job! ^_^

Cosy and fun! Looking forward to Build B.