Incredibly cute game. A lot of the comments are critiquing the vagueness but in my opinion it fit really well! I never got stuck or wondered what the controls were for longer than 3 seconds. Even the part with the berry bush felt very tvish. The character wanted to go do this thing but then realized something else sparkling next to it. That is something that I feel didn't need to be narrated and felt like I was really  part of the story figuring that out on my own. The whole thing flowed super smoothly and although it made me SUPER sad when the old man first disappeared the ending was quite heartwarming. Overall really great and underrated game!

A well lit world with warm colors and friendly creatures.

To answer your inquiries and provide additional feedback:

If I didn't tell you the controls, would it have been obvious?

Not entirely. While some controls are intuitive to those who have previously played a video game, it is still favorable for special inputs to be explained. While “E” to interact or “shift” to accelerate movement are common binds, even experienced gamers occasionally get confused. 

Even after being taught the controls, players can struggle to remember them without reinforcement. For example, a playtester of “Venue” was momentarily trapped in a menu immediately after learning the input to close it. Foregoing instruction and teaching nothing at all may enhance this issue because it adds an additional step where the player must first discover the control(s).

Is the direction of the game clear (like what to do)?

At times it can be confusing. Searching for “a specific berry bush in a ‘different’ part of the forest” is vague and somewhat misleading. Players might assume they need to traverse the land instead of just looking below them, and the small sparkle effect coming from the charm may be difficult to see. It’s also possible to kick the charm model away from its hitbox, which requires returning to the “sparkle” to pick it up.

Later on, when tasked with berry-picking, the requirement of a basket is slightly unclear. If a player is not paying attention to the Bear’s dialog, they may not realize what is being asked of them. The basket itself does not stand out very much, and the “sparkle” effect appears below the table. Having some sort of prompt display around interactable items can easily solve this and save players from potential confusion. Alternatively, interacting with the Bear again could remind the player that a basket is needed to fetch berries.

How would you enhance the art style?

The water shader has beauty in its realism, but the shimmering caustics and highly detailed normal mapping are unlike anything else in the game. A more stylized approach to water would fit this world better.

No changes to the models are necessary. The characters and structures have a cohesive style, blending together easily to create a simple and inviting atmosphere. Adding more details to the sky and terrain would further improve that, such as a cloudy, pink sky to complement the setting sun and more varied land elevation.

The voice acting is also quite nice, but the volume should be increased. 

Very cute little narrated adventure. I do wish there was a bit more direction in the level designs though, it felt like finding the correct place to go or item to find was often a wide sweeping search of a large area, which proved a bit cumbersome. Overall though, I liked how the bid controlled and the characters were full of life!! Great job.

The game feels cozy and warm, and the story is very clear. I wish there are more hints(like which direction you should go) for missions because the scene is sparse compared to number of objects you have. But overall it's a great work!

I wish there was a bit more of psychological guidance ( I mean our game also really struggles there because of all the last-minute rushes, so I understand! ) but this is a solid foundation, the assets are simple yet the atmosphere is so soothing; but I hoped there was some more feedback as to what all could be done. 

I did find one shiny acorn but it seemed so tiny, and it felt more like luck that I could find it. I found the friend's abode too, but with relative ease. I got stuck after that point , however.  But good work, I really liked just flying around! I wish I understood the narrative a bit more though - but the idea of collecting little trinkets and making other people happy - makes me happy!

This was such a beautiful game! I loved the story and the message. It reminds me of a charming storybook!