Post by wkostyukov in Dolls Made Here [Playtest] comments

Viewing post in Dolls Made Here [Playtest] comments

Hi,

I played your demo and wanted to share a short structured feedback.

The atmosphere, sound design and visuals are strong. The environment feels solid and the factory setting works well visually.

However, the current gameplay loop (assemble doll → deliver → earn money → repeat) lacks escalating tension. Since the conditions remain mostly the same each cycle, the horror element feels static rather than progressive.

A few specific points:

Lack of narrative hook
There is no initial story motivation or unsettling context. The phone call sets a task, but not a threat or mystery. Adding even a subtle narrative hook could significantly increase engagement.
No escalation during the timer phase
The 10-minute assembly phase feels mechanically tense but not psychologically tense. Introducing dynamic disturbances (audio cues, environmental shifts, subtle visual anomalies) could enhance fear without changing core mechanics.
Limited player agency (vending machine interaction)
The presence of a chair near the vending machine suggests possible interaction (e.g., breaking the glass), but the player cannot attempt it. Even a failed attempt with an in-world response would strengthen immersion.
Loop repetition without variation
Since each run feels structurally identical, motivation drops quickly. Adding evolving conditions per cycle could improve retention.
Minor issue: inventory feedback bug (“My hands are full” while empty).

Overall, the foundation is strong visually and atmospherically, but the horror loop could benefit from escalation and increased player agency.

If you're interested, I’d be happy to share a more detailed breakdown.

Best,
...W...

Ready2Run2 days ago

Thank you for the review. Sure, share whatever you want with me it helps!

wkostyukov2 days ago

Thanks for being open to feedback — I really appreciate it.

I’ll try to structure my thoughts clearly.

1. Core Strengths

First of all, I think the game already has a strong atmospheric foundation.

The sound design works well.
The visual quality is solid for an indie horror demo.
The core task (assembling the doll under time pressure) is clear and mechanically understandable.

The base concept is good: controlled industrial space + repetition + money reward.

2. Main Structural Issue: Lack of Escalation

Right now, the gameplay loop feels mechanically consistent but emotionally flat.

Loop: assemble → deliver → earn → repeat.

The timer creates surface tension, but the psychological tension doesn’t grow between cycles.

Each run feels almost identical.
Because of that, the fear resets instead of escalating.

3. Early Unease / Subtle Inconsistency

Introducing a small logical inconsistency early on could create unease without relying on jump scares.

Since your sound design is one of the strongest aspects of the demo, subtle sound-based inconsistencies could become a powerful tool for tension.

For example:

machinery briefly starting on its own,
distant assembly sounds before entering the workshop,
a faint second set of footsteps slightly out of sync with the player.

Small system-level anomalies like this could make the environment feel less stable and more unsettling.

4. Escalation Inside the Assembly Phase

The 10-minute timer is a good base.

But during assembly nothing interferes with the player in unexpected ways.

Possible low-cost additions:

light flickering after the first cycle,
subtle environmental audio changes,
slight repositioning of parts,
minor environmental distortions.

No new mechanics required — just dynamic variation.

5. Player Agency / Interaction Expectation

Near the vending machine there is a chair.

Visually, it suggests the possibility of breaking the glass and grabbing items.
But the game doesn’t allow even an attempt.

This creates a small immersion break.

Even a failed attempt (with a speaker warning or system reaction) would make the world feel more responsive.

6. Small Technical Issue

I received a “My hands are full” message while visually holding nothing.
That might be a minor bug, but it breaks immersion.

7. Overall Impression

The foundation is strong.

What the demo needs most is escalation and variation between cycles.

Right now, the system works — but it doesn’t evolve.

With stronger progression and subtle system instability, the experience could become much more gripping.

Thanks again for sharing your work!
If at some point you’d like a more structured breakdown of tension progression, feel free to reach out — I’d be glad to discuss it.
...W...

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