I would definitely make inhibitors less powerful. I gave it another run through and obviously I cannot see the code in front of me, but I'm fairly sure the inhibitors are stacking.
As far as suggestions to stop the problem I would say instead of making the walls able to completely stop growth, make the rate at which the mass grows significantly reduced. I understand this sounds a little counterintuitive but if you are going for a kinda bleak/horror tone (What I gathered from the ending) it would help to sell the sort of creeping terror of it all. Make it so that the walls are being broken all the time, and you have to head between the front lines (Which are always slowly advancing) and the rear of the field to keep placing extractors.
This would keep the walls from simply rendering the mass entirely unable to advance (At which point it just becomes a waiting game) and instead lets you use them basically as decoys to draw the mass's fire while you try and put up things like inhibitors to stall it.
Other suggestions I have would be for expanded mechanics but I'm not exactly sure how much you are looking to dedicate to polishing and working on a game jam game, or if you were looking to jump into new projects right away. But if you'd like to hear suggestions I'd be happy to provide some.
Thanks for the good feedback. I think I managed to fix the walls. I also checked the inhibitors. I put in about 10, but didn't notice any difference.
I don't plan to add any major updates to this game; I'll be moving on to my next projects. But I would be interested to hear your thoughts on how to improve this game, as it would help me with my future projects.
Thats fair enough heading onto other projects, better than getting bogged down on just the one.
As far as other thoughts on how to improve this one I would give the player other things to manage and juggle while trying to deal with the spread of the mass. Drastically lower its speed to give more of that creeping horror vibe. But have the player have to go to their extractors to collect resources. And have those resources need to be taken back to the base to construct new extractors and walls and inhibitors. Maybe add another machine you can produce that acts like a placeable production center where you can bring resources to make the various enplacements.
Maybe add in an inventory limit for players to juggle with this. That you can upgrade to carry more enplacements at a time. Means you really would need to (as a player) figure out the right balance of gathering materials, running to base or to your production enplacements to make more things like walls and extractors and inhibitors, and generally give you more to do and get overwhelmed with. Just feels like it would fit the vibe you are going for here. Stresses the player out but in a way where if they use their brain and keep calm could lend itself to a really good grind as you manage to squeeze out maximal resources while balancing all of these factors.
Would feel kinda like the loop offered by the Biters in factorio but with all the extraneous things stripped out from that experience. Just you vs this force that won't stop and will only keep getting worse as time goes on.
Anyways, I'm dropping you a follow and I'm interested to see what you put out next!
Went ahead and gave it a solid three replays. The wall fix implemented is excellent. Not letting you place into the mass feels logical and good, and it still lets you spam walls but continues to destroy them so you have to sprint around constantly repairing them and falling back slowly as the mass continues to advance. Feels good.