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Lonely Stones's itch.io pageJudge feedback
Judge feedback is anonymous.
- Lonely Stones is an incredibly artistic and lovingly crafted experience. The implementation of the theme is particularly strong, you choose a stone, only one stone, your stone. Even if the choice is ultimately inconsequential, it still makes you stop and think about the decision you want to make, which is a powerful touch. Unfortunately, the set five-minute judging period didn’t allow me to fully engage with the game’s intended pacing, especially given the suggestion to “take your time.” I would have loved to explore the mountain more thoroughly and read additional notes left behind by those who came before me. The music is beautiful in its simplicity, with humming harmonies that tie the spiritual tone of the experience together perfectly. Your GDD is excellent, it provides all the key information and goes above and beyond by offering insight into the development process. It’s clear that a lot of thought has gone into planning this project. Overall, Lonely Stones is a thoughtful, atmospheric experience that resonates emotionally. With more time to explore its world, it could leave an even deeper impact on players.
Link to your Game Design Doc on Google Drive.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EV4QJu0HdU_Bwb3k8Apn3zT0gylwXUa4jHV0ywD8an8/edit?tab=t.0
Have you checked that your GDD is publicly accessible ?
Yes
Is your game set to public on itch.io so we can see it?
Yes
Summarize your game!
Lonely Stones is a relaxing walking sim.
Explore the mountain while embarking on a pilgrimage of reflection. Take your time picking up and examining the stones, and whilst you do, think about what it is you're seeking. Once you have found a stone you like, and carried it to a cairn in a spot you resonate with, commemorate your journey with a heartfelt wish.
Controls are listed on the game page.
We'd love to read your feedback, and hear about which stone called to you, which cairn you chose - as much as you'd like to share. We hope this simple game brings you some peace and calm in a busy world and its busy days. Thank you for checking it out!
Please explain how your game fits the theme.
This game is about the importance of intentionality. By asking you to choose only one stone, only one cairn, only one wish to mark your pilgrimage, it invites you to slow down and think specifically about the one thing that might be on your mind and heart above all else.
Is there anything you'd like the judges to pay particular attention to?
Just take your time, this game is about taking the long way - hopefully this can feel like a bit of a breather amidst the many games you'll have to play whilst judging!
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Comments
This was... an experience.
I absolutely need more games like this in my life. What a precious gem of a game! A lovely way to combine self reflection with gaming. Proves that less is more and that as long as something is made from humans, for humans, it will strike a chord. Bravo!
P.S. I particularly liked the stones that felt like they had stitches all over them - like they were healing. But ended up going with another one that felt more "me". Is this based on a real custom?
By the way, I included this in my list of favourite games from the jam. Let me know if you'd like me to remove it or change the images. Thanks again for the lovely experience!
https://yukisia.substack.com/p/8-tiny-free-games-i-need-more-of
This was great fun, love to inspect a stone, loved to inspect all of these stones in particular. Music was lovely as well <3 <3
Thank you for checking it out, lovely friend! I am glad you gave each and every stone a good, thorough inspection, I hereby award you an honorary stone inspector badge - it's like a steam achievement, but for the mind!
Much appreciate your kind words and your having given it a play 💚
Nice, relaxing game with a great atmosphere. I enjoyed exploring and analyzing the rocks while listening to the chill music. The notes left by other travelers felt realistic and made the game feel less lonely.
Thank you for playing and for the lovely words, I'm glad you enjoyed exploring and felt immersed in the atmosphere 💚
This was really relaxing. I found my stone pretty quickly (The screw) and thought about placing it pretty close by, but I wanted to see the top (the blue tree has a certain draw to it). The different locations/biomes all are very charming and the music getting more defined the further you go was a great touch!
Great work!
The 'screw' stone was the final stone I made - fun dev trivia for you there, aha!
It's really nice to hear that felt you drawn to continue exploring, and that you enjoyed what you found along the way! I like the blue trees a lot too, the summit feels so magical to me.
Thank you for the playing, and for the wonderful feedback, it means a lot to us 💚
This was an awesome experience. I'm amazed you packed all this into a two week jam. I knew I was invested when I was really considering which stone resonated with me the most and what spot seemed the best place for it. The notes and guitar along the way were a great touch as well. Great work!
Thank youuu, I'm so glad you connected with it! Honestly, at times so am I, it's crazy to look back on the earliest versions of it and recognise how far it has come since then.
I love that you travelled to the peak and decided to backtrack to a different spot, that deliberateness was so central to the experience we wanted to foster.
Thank you for playing, and for sharing your experience and final screen with us, it makes me so happy to see them 💚
Very zen!
Thank you for playing, tranquil times for all 💚
Wow, this is such a beautiful and elegant game. It was meditative and peaceful. The wonderful thought put into all of it. The notes, the words of inspiration, the concept all fits perfectly together. I can't say enough about this game.
Thank you bytron, feedback like this is so inspiring and rewarding to receive; I'm really pleased that it resonated with you!
Thanks for checking it out, embracing it fully, and for leaving such a lovely comment 💚
Teared up a lil playing this. This game touches on what makes us human in a very simple way. Great work and keep making cool things like this!
That's so sweet, I'm so happy that you connected with it so much! I love getting swept up in the emotions of games - I get watery-eyed quite easily - so it's incredibly rewarding to hear that we made something that could capture those feelings.
Thank you for playing and for sharing your experience with us 💚
Relaxing game. Well done!
Thank you for playing, and for the warm encouragement!
This was genuinely one of the most peaceful and intentional experiences I’ve had in a game jam. The simplicity of the mechanics, combined with the ambient environment and the slow, deliberate pace, made it feel more like a quiet moment of reflection than just a game. I ended up carrying my first stone all the way to the end, there was just something about it that felt right.
The message boards were a lovely touch too, grounding the world in small stories and thoughts that made the mountain feel alive despite its stillness.
I’d love to see a version where we can explore more after placing the stone. Either way, thank you for making something that reminded me to slow down and be present.
Thank you so much!!
I know exactly how you feel, there's something so beautiful about how quickly we grow sentimental about possessions that have travelled with us, even something as simple as a pretty stone - ending the journey with the one you started with can just feel right.
I think so too, I'm so pleased with how the lil' notes turned out, PiersSK did amazingly with them!
In hindsight, I do agree about a 'continue exploring' option - we didn't intend for it to feel like you were losing out once you had made your wish.
That's so sweet, thank you again for playing, and for sharing such lovely feedback, we'll absolutely cherish it. I gravitated towards this idea partly because I find myself in need of that reminder more often than not, so I'm glad to have shared this experience with others who feel the same 💚
I wish that the game didn't immediately end upon placing the stone, I would have really liked to explore the rest of the mountain! I really appreciated the wholesome and introspective messages, the bulletin boards were so much fun to read. I definitely didn't try walking off the edge a few times lol. Awesome game!
Thank you so much for all your kind words about your experience with Lonely Stones, it means the world to us! I'm really glad it left you with a lil' feeling of calm ☺️
Yaay, the ones with the white veins were my favourite type, I love seeing them getting some love! I especially like the comparison to the mountain, that's such a poetic link.
Ah that's so valid, we were really on the fence about adding 'replay' and 'continue exploring' options, ultimately only including the former; maybe we'll push a tiny update post-jam to allow that option.
Ahaha the allure of the cliff edge is hard to resist - one of our playtesters scaled the side of the mountain by picking up and placing two flat stones alternatively, the speedrunning potential is wild! (probably not 😝)
Thanks again for playing and leaving such wonderful constructive feedback, and have yourself a very lovely rest of the jam 💚
This is one of the best walking simulators I’ve played. The notes all follow a theme and the mood is perfect for a very gentle experience. It’s obvious that an artist and musician worked on this and knew what they were doing and what they wanted.
Thank you for such a lovely comment, it's so rewarding to hear that it resonated with you. Historically I've mostly been a writer, it still takes me by pleasant surprise to be called an artist (well, I handled the 3D aspects - the 2D art, music and writing were all contributed by my talented teammate!).
Anywho, I'm really glad you enjoyed it, and I hope you have a wonderful jam 💚
A thoughtful, slow pace amongst a bright, open skyline gives opportunity for peace and introspection. Some lovely details along the trail including the notes left on notice boards making the world feel lived in despite the solitary gameplay. Fantastic job guys
Thank you kindly bud, I'm really pleased you connected with world and the notes, I think they're super sweet too! Appreciate you checking it out and leaving these lovely lovely words 💚
I love a cosy game! The notes on the board are so fun and I love the atmosphere that's created by the music and the setting. A game for mindfulness and slowing down. Having a gentle choice to make with no wrong answers and feeling myself get attached to the first stone even if there were much jazzier ones higher up the mountain felt like a metaphor. Great game! <3
It's really lovely to read your feedback, it makes me happy that you were feeling a lil' sentimental about your chosen stone at the end. We really wanted to create a space for people to spend some time exploring and expressing themselves; huge props to PiersSK for the vibes, especially the notes and the music, I agree that they are completely wonderful!
Thank you for playing and letting us know how you found it 💚
A peaceful time for contemplation amidst the chaos of life.
A joyoustake on a Sisyphean task, Lonely Stones creates a calming environment for introspection. Unlike your Classical Greek counterpart - when you finally find the cairn that speaks to you and set your stone down, it's out of fulfillment, not futility. Never have I pondered the question "Is this the right rock for me?" more.
Also free wishes!!
Thank you friend, that's very lovely feedback! You're totally right, all Sisyphus needs is a good cairning and he'll be having a swell ol' time.
We're glad you enjoyed taking a lil' walk and a mental break from all the hubbub, mission accomplished 💚
Also, as lead stone-maker, it makes me happy that you gave them all a good lookin' at teehee