I really like the wordless narrative! The animations, especially on the character we donât control, really sell the feeling of awkwardness.
That said, I donât think the gameplay mechanics works that well with the theme of the game. Now, I know itâs just the way to quickly gamify it, but itâs kinda boils down to âavoid eye contactâ. I think the âawkwardâ part, when they look at each other, should not punish the player so much. Maybe just reset the gauges on a full Awkward Gauge, and maybe play some sort of animation to show that both characters are embarrassed a little.
In other words, the most heartwarming moment for me was that just as I filled the gauge the characters actually looked at each other. And instead of me needing to look away, they moved closer.
Overall, an impressive entry!