Hey! The concept is really creative. I never thought I'd play a game where a living candle is the protagonist, and lighting is used as HP feedback! I had fun trying it out, and I wrote down a few observations that I hope are helpful if you decide to keep developing it or apply them to future projects.
- The game doesn't currently have a main menu, which could be a great place to include settings, credits, and a short introduction to the controls. Since the controls are only explained in the game's description, I found them difficult to remember once I started playing, and I died several times before I understood what I was supposed to do.
- The game looks much better in fullscreen. Since many browser games default to a smaller window, adding a note in the description recommending fullscreen would help players experience the game as intended.
- I wasn't immediately sure what my objective was. The description mentions "KEEP MOVING, FIGHT, AND SURVIVE TILL NEXT SHRINE APPEARS!!", but once I started playing, I found myself wondering what I should be doing next, because shrines appeared quite frequently. A short in-game objective at the beginning could make the progression much clearer.
- The melee combat felt a little clunky. My attacks didn't always seem to land where I expected, and since enemies don't have any visual indication of their remaining health, I wasn't sure whether I was damaging them or simply missing. At one point, a moth (assuming they're moths, since they're drawn to the flame!) stopped reacting entirely. I couldn't attack it, and it didn't attack me either. I wasn't sure whether that was an intended mechanic or a bug (pun intended).
- Using Flame Burst was a bit confusing. Because it's presented as a special attack, I expected it to require charging through normal attacks, but it seemed to be available at all times. After repeatedly using it, the screen eventually turned gray and I had to restart the game. I also noticed that repeated right-clicks sometimes triggered my browser's Back action, taking me away from the game and interrupting the session.
- The combo counter never went above 3x. I wasn't sure whether that was an intentional cap or whether my later hits simply weren't being registered, so it became difficult to tell how effective my attacks were.
- Enemy attacks were difficult to predict. Adding clearer attack telegraphs or some anticipation before enemies strike would make combat feel more skill-based and give players more opportunities to react.
- Finally, I think the game would benefit a lot from music and sound effects. The visuals already create an interesting atmosphere, and audio feedback would make combat feel much more impactful while also helping the game stand out in the jam.
Overall, I really enjoyed the idea, and I'd love to see how the game evolves if you continue working on it!
I don't have a GMTK submission for you to rate, but if you found this feedback useful, I'd really appreciate it if you could leave a comment on my itch thread as well. Thanks in advance!