This is honestly one of my favorite games!!!
I downloaded it just bc i was looking for something cool and not-super-committal to play, and this is rad as hell. There are so many different strategies to go about progressing, but you can learn quickly (and experiment quickly).
A perfect run (for lack of a better word) can let the game be done in probably 10, 15 minutes. So, when you get a run that isnt good, or you didnt make great choices, you can absolutely just start again. And since death actually restarts you, you feel youre actually making progress overall, instead of just chipping your way through to one ideal playthrough. Youre learning as you go and actually applying that knowledge to each subsequent playthough. No sort of save-scumming vibes. So it feels substantial.
On top of the basics of the gameplay, theres also a lot of fine-tuning that you can definitely feel. Its so satisfying, because you can take a weapon that is pretty decent (or even bad) at the beginning and spiral it into a super weapon with good management of your cards. I remember being so hyped when I ended my second or third run with over 100 health, and when I was using persistent to just wreck whatever was in my path lmao. And the toothpicks came up to be so much more helpful than I had imagined. Specifically for the spell dudes lol. There are just so many little intricacies and you can tell that things are really well tuned and balanced, but still allow you to progress massively once youve got some mastery of what each card does. Theres no wrong option for starting card. Just different play styles, basically.
And of course, the art and sound design are both so fuckin cool!!! Just everything about them. Absolutely in love. Im an artist myself and I am just obsessed with the world youve created in such a seemingly-simple game. I find it hard to pinpoint exactly what I love so much about it so just everything. Everything is so fuckin cool.
For being made in a game jam, especially? One of my favorites. Thank you guys for making this. These have been hours of playing very well spent. :)))
If you guys ever make this into a full released game, Id absolutely pay for it. Its so good.