Really clean take on DIVE + BUDDY — I got a full run to 737m ("OUT OF AIR, NEW BEST DIVE!") and it was immediately readable and fun. The "LINKED (air x2, half drain)" mechanic is the star: it makes keeping your buddy close an actual strategic decision, so BUDDY is load-bearing rather than decorative, which is exactly what the theme wanted. Air meter + depth + personal-best hook give a tidy one-more-try loop, and the pixel art reads perfectly at a glance. If you keep building it, escalating the jelly/mine density (or a rare current that separates you and your buddy) could add some late-run tension. Genuinely one of my favorites in the jam — nice work!
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Thank you so much! 737m is an amazing run! 🤿🫧 I’m really glad the “LINKED” mechanic came across the way I intended. I wanted the buddy to be something you actually have to care about during the dive, not just a cute companion, so hearing that it worked strategically means a lot.
And thanks for the ideas too! Increasing the jellyfish/mine density and adding currents that can separate you from your buddy sound like great ways to make the deeper sections more tense.
I’m especially happy to hear it was one of your favorites in the jam. Thanks again for playing and for such thoughtful feedback! 🥰