Was the game fun to play?
I think for me the fun comes from the storytelling. I particularly liked the phrase “before you lies the vast pale - an inhospitable stretch of snow and wind”. I would have loved to see the story expanded further, particularly at the camps but there is enough to tell an interesting story. I managed to return my embyr from the crater to the citadel and I hope we get to see your character return to the stars in the next round.
Did the game include the core elements from the original?
Yes. I think choosing a flame for a character to look after is a novel idea and I liked the look of the 3 phases where it gets bigger and I particularly like when it smiles and blinks. Feeding it with tinder is a great alternative to food. There’s also stats and resources on the main page that can go up by using tinder to heal and it can take damage from the cold.
Was there a clear path of progression?
Progression is very well defined. Taking a fallen star on a journey is great and seeing where you are on the map is a good indicator of your progression. I also like that there is at times a different route to take. Also, the story progresses nicely over time and the end goal of reaching the citadel is clear from the start.
How good was the audio and sound FX?
The 8 bit sound effects were charming and I think the short tune at the end is very good. I feel like the game could benefit if there was some background music that lasts a little longer to fill in some of the silence though. The beeps were clear for when you can and cannot do any more healing. I think being able to feed while the stats page was open would be a good thing too.
How well implemented was the UI?
Being able to name the character is awesome and I am surprised this is the only game I have come across so far that has done this. The letters A,S and D worked fine for me but the 7 letter limit could perhaps be more generous. The typewriter effect is great and I like that you can click to reveal all of the text at once. For the stats, I understand that HP is health points but I wasn’t sure what FP and DP (defence points maybe?) meant. I’d love to see some further clarity on what the 3 coals (volatile, smouldering and dense) did and what the starting coals (energetic, cautious and brave) did. The UI on the map was great and it was clear where I was and where I was heading. I also like that there is a restart button at the end.