I liked the visual style and the premise seemed really cool, but the even though the game gave me information (very nicely done with the texts that popped up), I felt like I was missing a very key element: a reference point.
I had no clue what direction was continue forward and what direction was was go back. Neither was the delineation of what was the “room” and what was not very clear to me. I’m guessing that the S shaped corridor where there was a blood marking was the not-room but everything else was the room?
I think it would have been great if this part was visually very distinct from the room. Because there were hallway parts that still remained inside the room if that was the case.
It might also have been good to have stairs down versus stairs up as a way to indicate going forward or going back. Or if that connector hall had other visual elements that clearly gave it a forward direction and reverse direction.
I didn’t find anything out of place either, but I think that’s because I was a bit distracted when the game started and missed some prompts.
So since the movement isn’t super fast, after having played and thinking I kind of understand now how it should have been played, I think there might be a benefit och making the “room” a much smaller and concentrated area and giving the player the first anomaly more or less for free. Right next to the exit both lamps are dancing about so you should notice it and go the back-way.
For people like me. It would also be good if the game more or less didn’t allow me to leave the first room before they’d looked about. I know because I watched back how I played it, that there’s a prompt, but I really didn’t connect the dots and then I never really understood when I was reset either.
I think the game could really stress it when you end up back at the start.
Playthrough: https://youtu.be/cM6FiMBHrZw