Hey! I gave your game a try, and I have to say that I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the music. Since this is your first game, I wrote down a few observations that I hope will be useful not only for this project, but also for any future games you make.
- Making the game playable in a desktop browser would make it much more accessible, especially since most GMTK entries support browser play. Downloading the game, I also found that it couldn't be launched through the itch.io app and required an additional third-party program, which added a few extra steps before I could actually start playing.
- The story and controls are explained in the game's description rather than inside the game itself. Since the game launches in fullscreen by default, it was difficult to check that information while playing. For example, I didn't realize I could attack until my second run, which made the game much easier from that point onward. I also think it's important to communicate that jumping while attacking performs a different attack, since it's part of the intended combat mechanics.
- I found the enemies a little difficult to read because they attacked without much warning. Clearer attack anticipation or telegraphing could help players react more consistently and manage their health more strategically.
- When I reached the treasure chest at the end of the first level, I discovered that I needed a key. Since I had focused on progressing quickly instead of exploring, I had to backtrack through the level and ultimately ran out of time. Introducing the objective earlier (for example, hinting that a key will be required) could help players make more informed decisions throughout the level.
- After opening the treasure chest, I wasn't sure if I still needed to keep exploring or if I had already completed the level. The stage only changed once the timer expired, so I spent that time wondering if I had missed something. Transitioning immediately after completing the objective could make success feel more rewarding while also preserving extra time for later challenges.
- In the following stage, I understood that the objective was to survive the enemy waves, but since healing items appeared unpredictably, it was difficult to plan around resource management.
- When I was defeated during that stage, the game restarted from the beginning with no checkpoint or save system. Since I had already invested quite a bit of time reaching that point, I decided to stop there instead of replaying the entire first level.
Overall, I enjoyed the game, and I think the story has a lot of potential. I hope these observations are helpful, and I wish you the best with your future game development projects!