itch.io

🎯 First Impressions
Sanj1t is a returning Jammer, and after enjoying Bubble’s Day Out, I was genuinely curious to see what they had in store this time. True to form, MonoChroam immediately won me over with its subtle storytelling and quaint charm. It’s not flashy or over-the-top—but that’s the magic of it. The cozy personality shines through, and the menu design was especially well done: clean, intuitive, and offering players the option to learn or dive in without fuss.

🔥 Fun & Engagement
The tutorial levels did a great job introducing mechanics in a clear and satisfying way. Each obstacle felt unique enough to keep me interested, and the design encouraged consistent forward momentum. I especially loved the flip animation during jumps—it was a small detail that added a big dose of charm and joy. That little touch made me want to keep going just to see what came next.

🎨 Theme Use
The game took a simple but fitting approach to the theme. A character, bored in a monochrome world, invents their own challenges for entertainment. While we never actually see this "building" happen, the context supports the experience well enough. With a little suspension of disbelief, the narrative holds up and adds personality to the journey.

👁 Visual Presentation
This is where I’ll offer a few constructive notes. While the background effects like parallax scrolling and “breathing” elements gave the world some life, the hazardous obstacles really needed more contrast. In a monochrome palette, visual clarity becomes even more important—players need clear cues about what’s dangerous and what’s not. I’d also recommend extending the edge walls just a bit more to hide "negative space" and unused areas from the camera’s view. These small tweaks could significantly boost immersion.

🔊 Sound & Music
Once again, Sanj1t shows a great ear for music that adds to the world’s mood. However, the soundscape could be expanded with simple SFX for actions like jumping, walking, climbing, or hitting hazards. Those little audio cues go a long way in making a platformer feel polished and reactive. It’s not a major miss—but it’s a clear opportunity for enhancement.

🛠 Technical Execution
Smooth sailing here—no bugs or soft locks encountered. At one point I thought I was stuck, but it turned out to be a design choice: a tempting chain that seemed explorable but wasn’t. Just something to consider—players love to explore, so if something looks like a path, it should either be a path or clearly signal otherwise. One area for deeper refinement would be hazard hitboxes. A little generosity goes a long way—hitboxes that feel too tight can frustrate players. I'd recommend iterating and testing repeatedly to get those nearly pixel-perfect. Once you dial in how your engine handles collisions, future projects will benefit massively.

💡 Originality
Narratively, Sanj1t always brings something cozy and a bit whimsical, which adds charm to their games. Mechanically, the platforming elements are familiar—but that’s not a flaw. Platformers are tough to innovate in, and this game still manages to feel personal and inviting. The originality comes through in the atmosphere and storytelling, even if the mechanics are classic.

✨ Polish
For a jam game, this is impressively polished. It’s cohesive, it plays from start to finish, and everything ties together well. That said, adding a bit more “game juice” in terms of visual and audio feedback would really elevate the experience. Those sensory layers help make actions feel impactful and immersive.

🧠 Final Thoughts
The flip in the jump animation genuinely made me smile—it’s the kind of small, thoughtful touch that gives a game its personality. I’m a fan of the micro-narratives you build, and I think your grasp on the fundamentals is strong. For future projects, I’d focus on juicing things up—more visual and audio feedback, clearer obstacle contrasts, and refined hitboxes. You’re clearly growing with each submission, and I’d absolutely play a future update to see what new ideas you add or obstacles you invent. Great work!