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Zeromus of the Renegades31 days ago (4 edits)

This game has such a cool concept, it looks great (presentation, graphics etc.) and switching between video-footage and real life is the most creative mechanic I've seen in any GameJam in a while. But it has several issues . . .

1. A lot of the puzzles/puzzle-elements in this game are pretty random and nonsensical. You're just expected to know things or just figure them out on the fly. What a fool I was for my inability to predict that, without any indication, some of the specific parts of the video drop the item that is needed to progress, except the mom-bed room where you're just expected to bum-rush every corner of the real life room until you come across a drawer with the key inside of it. And what a fool I was for my inability to predict that when the objects around you ask you to bring a "sharp object" near them to cut them, when you finally find a pair of scissors, you're meant to use it on a lock instead of snipping those ropes off . . . or towards the end of the game an eyeball and a piece of knife next to a police officer will magically turn into an axe, and a brick with what looks like a piranha's tooth turn into pliers. Just illogical nonsense with zero explanation, which is not a good thing in a puzzle game

A better way to go about all of this would have been that the video-footage's dialogue should give more indication towards the puzzles themselves, like for example: "Laadi-daadi-daa, oh hey let me use this thing to cut this thing! Oz noe, where is mi knife?" Or something like that, "Hey, let me leave my walking cane here in the corner of the door since I don't need it anymore". It would be clever and it would actually tie the video-footage in into the gameplay as well as explain what is going on with the puzzles better, instead of you just having to guess things blindly without any kind of guidance or a hint

2. I got stuck behind the fridge after trying to open it up, this should be physically impossible


3. After the monster chases you, you end up in this state, without any idea if the game is over or if you can still progress or what's going on 


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Tremotino31 days ago(+1)

Hi! Thanks for trying the game.
I understand the problem with puzzles. each item was originally supposed to be an element of a more expansive lore that, due to time constraints, we weren't able to implement! So we did our best to include indicators to help you understand what to look for. Personally speaking, they could be clearer! But having the characters themselves talk about various items that might be useful doesn't seem very satisfying. But we'll take note for future game jams and in case we want to resume the project!

For collisions, yes! They're a problem! I could never have imagined not using the mesh collisions generated by Godot. Right after this jam, I'm making personal prototypes to better understand some things, also because I've never done Level Design!! (and originally there were supposed to be 4 of us doing it and not 3, another friend of mine who is actually trying his hand at level design)

For the ending, I wanted to convey a sense of eternal limbo. But I understand that doing so just makes it seem like the game has stalled or something else is going on. I'll take that into account too!

Thanks for the criticism and for taking the time to share it! It's truly appreciated! I'll treasure it!

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Zeromus of the Renegades31 days ago (1 edit) (+1)

"But having the characters themselves talk about various items that might be useful doesn't seem very satisfying." One's own personal feelings should never get in the way of what's good for the game. What we grow accustomed/blind to as developers, for we know our own games the best, others may not know since they could have no possible way of knowing, naturally

"For the ending, I wanted to convey a sense of eternal limbo. But I understand that doing so just makes it seem like the game has stalled or something else is going on. I'll take that into account too!" That's fair, it just genuinely made me wonder if something's not working as intended or what's going on, did the game break or what? Putting in at least some kind of an ending-text would have been a better indicator, no matter how cheesy that would be

"each item was originally supposed to be an element of a more expansive lore that, due to time constraints, we weren't able to implement! So we did our best to include indicators to help you understand what to look for" That is fair, and I have no reason to believe otherwise

"(and originally there were supposed to be 4 of us doing it and not 3, another friend of mine who is actually trying his hand at level design)" I can relate to this with my own project of Hauntlings, that ended up being a revolving-door for programmers. My sympathies and condolences, friend

"also because I've never done Level Design!!" Considering that you've done a servicable job, well done!


This game has a lot of flavour and intrigue, and I could see this easily being able to be turned into a full release with slightly more elbow-grease

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