(SPOILERS – if you haven’t played yet, beat the game before reading this!)
I knew there would be some hidden gems in this jam, but I did not expect a full-fledged game that completely captivated me. I got into such a flow state I didn’t realize four hours had gone by. Then I found out this is your first game! Whoa, you created a masterpiece on your first try. I kept thinking there couldn’t possibly be another resource type, and then there was. When I reached the bottom you even managed to jump scare me not once, but twice.
I first tried the Mac version, but it wouldn’t open for me, so I played on Windows instead. At first I didn’t realize the rocket was a save point. Maybe it was mentioned and I missed it, but a quick “Progress Saved” message could help make that clearer. Because I didn’t know, I thought I had to beat it in one session or lose my progress. Looking back, I could have stopped and returned later using “Continue,” but honestly, it turned into a really nice way to spend an evening when I had nowhere else to be and could just relax into the game.
The payoff of seeing the rocket fly off at the end was amazing. So many jam games don’t prioritize a satisfying ending, but you really nailed it. You also prioritized all the right things — gameplay above all. I enjoyed the art and graphics, and if you ever wanted to upgrade them you could, but the core fun factor is already there. Many others focused on graphics over gameplay, but you kept the heart of it exactly where it should be.
The only small issue I ran into was one sound effect that hurt my ears a bit, which was the final upgrade on the laser. Everything else was incredible. Finding the signs at each layer was such a smart way to tell the story and prepare me for new mechanics. I loved how it started off easy and then gradually introduced risk with exploding tiles and the creatures at the bottom. Even traveling back down felt like a little mini-game, trying not to land too hard.
This was just amazing work. 5/5. Honestly, I would have bought this had I known what I was getting myself into. The only drawback is the length, since it can take quite a while to finish, and many jammers may not commit enough time to see it through. That’s unfortunate, because if someone only spends 20 minutes, they won’t get to experience all the goodness waiting further in. Still, what an achievement. Incredible job.