Indie game storeFree gamesFun gamesHorror games
Game developmentAssetsComics
SalesBundles
Jobs
Tags
(+2)

I feel like this game could use a good amount of work, which of course is something that is in short supply when you're making a game in 48 hours. There are some obvious things, like being unable to grab a crate that is behind you, being able to softlock yourself by knocking over a spring, or just general jank that would come out if you were to polish it up for a post-jam release. There are also some more subtle things, like the fact that if you do listen to everything they say (my first run), there is no reward. You get very abruptly killed for no real discernible reason. This makes it feel like far less of a choice and more like the illusion of one. Sure, you could go through normally, but there is literally no reason to, so why would you? In The Stanley Parable, for example, following the narrator gives you exactly what he wanted to give you: a cool story with far-reaching consequences and you as the main character. As such, there is a reason to follow the voice. If there is literally nothing besides an abrupt and simple end, then one starts to wonder why the voice even expects them to follow. Finally, even if you do escape, there really isn't a reward. You just walk out of a room, and the game tells you you escaped. There is nothing to differentiate that final action from any other time you left a room before.

All in all, I think there is a lot of potential. Portal and The Stanley Parable are both some of my favorite games of all time, and their core idea is the same: You are fighting back against some authority figure that is desperate to wrangle you back under control. I think this game could really use more attention and consideration, taking the time to decide what is special about that theme and what interesting situations it allows (does the controller try to kill you? Bribe you? Make promises about what you're leaving? Lie about where you're going?), and of course polish up the gameplay a little. When you are able to explore these ideas more fully, which I completely understand is very, very difficult to do in a limited time period, that's when you can start to have a really, really interesting interaction with the player.

Thanks for the feedback! I would also like to thank you for going into depth about what you didn't like, as that's what I need to further improve the game. As for the abrupt ending, being a solo dev meant that I didn't have much time to develop the story, thus forcing me to cut it all short. Things like being able to turn around and grab crates behind you, and being able to grab jump pads without them glitching out slipped through the cracks as I worked on larger things. I am planning on fixing it all though.