Helloooooooooooooo!!!!

PlayerXT here! After playing a bit of your game, I'm finally ready to give my opinion and suggestions, and I'll try to be as honest and direct as possible. So don't worry too much about what I'm going to say. After all, I'm only saying these things because I truly believe in this game's potential! And did I mention that this is my opinion?

Okay! No fuss! Let's get to the review! Starting with...

◇Music and Sound Effects◇

I have no complaints here. For me, they're great. I loved the sound effects. The jumping noise is extremely relaxing (lol), and they never distract or anything like that. In other words, they're spot on! The music matches the game. To be honest, it won't stick in my head, but it's far from bad! I think it's doing its job, and together with the sound effects, they do a great job.

◇Art◇

The art is the same; it doesn't steal the show, but it also manages to do a solid job of presenting the environment. Special mention goes to the background motion effects and the colors; I think they're very well done!

◇Gameplay◇

And here's where I have most to say, starting with the central concept. I think a platformer where the objective is to launch yourself in several different directions is an idea full of potential!!! Imagine the level design possibilities! And you've balanced the limits of this mechanic very well, with the jump limit, the character's momentum, the time they have before falling, etc., and in my opinion, the game is very well refined in this aspect, but even so...

I haven't finished the game...

and I'll explain why.

The short answer would be, "I DIED OVER 50 TIMES, I'M GOING TO THROW MY PC OUT THE WINDOW!" But I want to go deeper into this...

The main mechanics of your game are quite complex, and it's not because the levels are complex, but because the movements are! More specifically, the jump recharge. Each side has its own rechargeable jump: upwards has its own, sideways has its own, and so on, and that's okay! It's a design choice, but every choice has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, have you heard of Sonic Riders?

It's a great racing game! I always stop to play it! But it wasn't a big hit when it was released, and all for one specific reason: it's very complex! It has air management (which is the fuel for vehicles), a ramp maneuver system, a route system for specific character categories, a trail system that one player can create for another to slide along, and guess what? You can perform more tricks on those trails. In other words, it's absolutely insane! And I love that about it, but that's because I've already mastered its mechanics. I remember when I started it, I thought it was horrible, I lost all the time, I didn't know what to do, etc. I only started loving it because I persisted, but not everyone has that patience.

The same thing happens with your game. It's great, but only for those who have the patience to master it. And I have a ton of things to do, so I don't have that much time... so I gave up. It's not out of malice, it's simply my reality. A game has to convince the player to want to play more if it wants them to play more.

Your game mechanics aren't bad, they're just complicated. What matters is your target audience. If you're looking for a difficult game, even in the Celeste style, you're on the right track. You'll reduce the number of players who will play your game, but you'll create a gameplay style that those who master it will love! But if you want to reach a wider audience, I recommend two options:

1) Tutorial...

One of the possible reasons for my abandonment could be the difficulty curve. I remember starting out very well with your game, but it quickly got more and more difficult, and I couldn't keep up with the difficulty curve! I think a tutorial explaining the game mechanics more calmly would make it much easier to keep the player engaged and continue playing.

2) Overhaul the game's core mechanics...

This would be the most difficult path for you, but it would also be the most rewarding. (Remember, depending on your target audience)

One idea I would suggest is this: instead of each side having a specific number of jumps, you could have a specific number of jumps in any direction. For example:

"I have 3 jumps, and next to me is a large cliff with a large platform on the other side that's slightly higher than me. I can use these 3 jumps in any direction I want. If I want to launch myself backward, I can do as I please, but only a specific set of jumps will take me to the other side. So I decide to do one jump to the side, two jumps up and sideways at the same time, and that's it."

This will increase player freedom and expressiveness and reduce the complexity of the game, as the player will focus less on managing resources and more on moving around the environment. Then you can focus on increasing the difficulty of the level design itself.

Of course, in the end, this is just my opinion. You have a much greater understanding of the game's structure and know what's best for it. I'm just giving you... something to think about.

And... I think that's it!!! I really liked your game. I've been wanting to play it ever since I saw it on Twitter (I won't call it X!), and after I saw it on itch.io, I knew this was the opportunity! I truly wish you good luck in developing this game, and don't give up, my friend, because this could turn into gold!

I'll keep an eye on your project, and if you need any help, you know who to count on!

And with that said...

PlayerXT has left the server...