After playing the entire game for 2+ hours of solid incremental 3D platformer gameplay with excellent level design, I truly belive that this is one of the best games made at ENTI period - and it deserves more attention.
The character movement is very responsive, so much as the camera focus system.
The world feels extremely well crafted: an open map of intertwining paths unlocked after obtaining new abilities culminating in total freedom. Additionally, the communication between areas and their shortcuts are really well positioned, which remarks developers's great understanding of how to make the "reset loop" an enjoyable mechanic.
The game has a very nostalgic feel to it, conveyed by the animations and, of course, the art style, which, in my opinion, was an excellent fit: it narrowed the development scope to the essential all while suiting the gameplay perfectly.
After all that praise, I want to note the few instances where I think the game can be improved:
- The 2 "double jump walls" used to tutorize the 1st "dash recharge shard" make that jump frustrating and confusing. These walls could be removed altogether (in part because it is the only part of the game where "jump-banishing platforms" are being used as walls, adding to the confusion).
- When the camera is far from the player, sometimes the stamina UI gets in the way, completely covering the player. Which, effectively, is like playing blind.
Lastly, I would like to appreaciate the effort that was put into the narrative, dialogues and cinematics despite it not being fully integrated into the environment. Without a narrative, games just don't feel like games, they are mere prototypes - which is not the case with Sandloop.
Awesome work, I hope you guys from Yoku Games are both proud of yourselves and of what you have made!