itch.io

🎯 First Impressions
Let’s be clear from the start: this was an unfinished project—and the devs were up front about that, which I deeply respect. Submitting something you know isn’t fully realized, and offering it up to be judged, takes guts. That vulnerability, that willingness to learn, is exactly how great developers are forged. Whether the lesson was about scope creep, team dynamics, or time management—whatever it was, I hope each of you took something valuable away from the process. That alone makes this project worthwhile.

Now, onto the game. The art and atmosphere hit immediately. Not just visually, but emotionally. You took the theme “A World Without Color” and pushed it beyond a stylistic choice into something deeply metaphoric. The breathing idle animation of the character, the heavy air of the world—you nailed that sense of psychological grayness. The project might be incomplete, but the feeling it evoked? That was fully formed.

🔥 Fun & Engagement
Unfortunately, the limited gameplay didn’t leave much room to explore or engage deeply. There was one interactable object that hinted at a possible mini-game system, but that was all we had to go on. Still, the ambition is clear. Tackling depression as a central theme—both narratively and mechanically—is bold. That’s not easy to gamify, and yet your world and setup suggest a path toward meaningful, introspective interaction. I’d love to see where this could go with more development time.

🎨 Theme Use
This is where Project Turmeric shines. You didn't just interpret the jam theme visually—you explored it emotionally and metaphorically. The player character, the bleak world, the atmosphere—all resonated deeply with the concept of a world drained of color and hope. For many of us, this was a very real and personal interpretation of the theme. Well done, team. You went beyond surface-level and made something meaningful.

👁 Visual Presentation
The visual art and direction were standout. The dithering and light placement were excellent—dithering especially can be tough to get right in pixel art, and you used it skillfully. The animation of the character’s idle breathing added weight and humanity to the scene.

One area of potential improvement is in the depth of background elements. They felt a bit flat compared to the atmosphere the foreground was establishing. Converting those background pieces into parallaxed objects and adjusting their shadow angles could help bring the whole world more to life. Think more “cube” than “square”—even just a touch of perspective and offset goes a long way.

🔊 Sound & Music
There was no audio implemented yet, but this is a golden opportunity for future development. A melancholic ambient track, rain lightly tapping in the background, and the slow, dragging sound of footsteps could drastically enhance the emotional tone you’ve already established. Minimal audio feedback for interactions would also help round out the experience.

🛠 Technical Execution
With what was playable, everything ran fine—no bugs or crashes. That said, there were some immersion-breaking moments, like being able to walk off-screen after the camera hit a boundary. Even in unfinished builds, adding quick temporary roadblocks or invisible walls can prevent this and protect the player’s experience. A small fix with a big impact.

💡 Originality
Tackling depression and emotional fatigue through a pixel-art platformer isn’t something we see often—especially in jam settings. While it’s a niche direction and requires a delicate balance between theme and gameplay, your idea is both original and courageous. If you pursue this game further, I’d encourage careful attention to gamification of the message—but I truly believe this kind of story can resonate with a wide audience when done with care.

✨ Polish
It’s hard to assess polish fairly when a project is incomplete, but what was there felt intentional. The tone, the art, the atmosphere—it all felt like it had direction and meaning. The polish will come with time, but the foundational vision is strong.

🧠 Final Thoughts
I’m genuinely sad I couldn’t explore more of this game. You clearly had something emotionally powerful in mind, and what we did get felt honest, personal, and intentional. More importantly, I hope this jam was a learning experience for each of you. Whether that was about development planning, creative balance, or technical scope—it all matters, and it will all serve you in the future. This game has deep potential, and I would love to see where you take it if you ever return to it.

Big respect to the whole team for submitting anyway. That takes courage—and it’s what game jams are all about.