Thank you so much for the thoughtful and in depth critiques! If this project were to continue, I know some even more in depth level design is on the radar. I don't want to speak for the rest of the team (so if you guys read this feel free to correct me!) but I was hoping I could provide some clarity to some of the issues you have!
The extend/retract button was set as the default just to make both actions super clear to even beginner players and just improve accessibility all around. But luckily, we have fully customizable controls! It still isn't possible to bind both actions to one button, which may be something we address if we continue work, but if you continue playing, we hope you are able to find a control scheme that suits you!
As far as bunny hopping, although it is implemented , it's mostly for maintaining speed not necessarily increasing. That being said, bhopping is a little out of scope for this jam, and the level design was not made specifically trying to highlight that mechanic, although it is definitely something to keep in mind for expanding upon this game further!
I wanted to ask for more specifics about the graphics. I may be misunderstanding, but our game was intentionally made with "grit" in mind hence the intentional grittiness of the graphics in game. If there's something specific about the graphics you think doesn't quite fit, we are all ears and would love to hear any suggestions!
As for locating items, that definitely seems to be a struggle for some, but we wanted to really encourage exploration and using the swinging mechanic to it's fullest during gameplay. That being said, clearer item locations is definitely something to consider for a full release!
Finally, as for the music (which is what I worked on specifically) I definitely understand the critique. I actually did have something more upbeat and punchy in the works, but ultimately landed on what you hear in game due to the gameplay not NEEDING to be fast paced. Obviously, the game has a timer and speed running is a factor we heavily considered and emphasized, but as the description says, you aren't penalized for taking the time to hang out with our characters, or to simply take your time and enjoy the swinging mechanics. When writing the music, I wanted to really emphasize the grandeur in the freedom of swinging and freedom of player choice, while also highlighting some of the more techy elements, while also still making the song sound as though you're bouncing on clouds and bounding through the sky, hence the overall sound and instrument choices. It definitely won't be for everyone and that is totally ok! Again, maybe something to consider in a full version!
Thank you again for your feedback! If we do end up doing more work with this, we will definitely consider everything you've said! These are some really great notes!