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This could be way off, but I wanna say it took me about fifteen minutes total? Regarding the real ending, I had a feeling there was something beyond one path where you use the ceiling grapple that required a different ability I couldn't find, but I don't have any other ideas as to where it could be.

Honestly, I enjoyed this more than I was expecting, to the point I got to the presumed top of the castle and got a secret message. I like the metroidvania-esque gameplay with having to unlock the jump and ceiling-grapple abilities to open up more areas, and having to both write and erase words made for some interesting progression as well. I think what could've improved it further (besides eliminating the dead-ends and potential softlocks) would be if there was a bit more obstacle avoidance/platforming challenge, since the areas feel a little empty as is. I also think the visuals were a little too blocky-looking and the music a bit generic, but I still had fun and got a surprising amount of mileage out of this game.

I have gotten a couple comments about the camera going low, and the reason it's able to do that is so you can get a better look around when climbing walls. A proper tutorial is planned, but given that my target audience is familiar with this type of game, I didn't make it a priority. Thanks for the feedback!

Managed to make it to the end on my second try! Getting a good handle on the effect mechanic helped a lot. Overall this is a pretty solid base for a battle system with figuring out the ideal attack loadout under a time limit, and I'd kind of like seeing a whole adventure built around it. If I could suggest some changes, it might be more engaging is if it was less obvious what the enemies were weak to (like if there were other cues to an enemy being grass type besides it just being green). I also feel like the "defend" mechanic could be a little different, though I don't really have any specific suggestions. The in-battle music was also kind of unfitting. Otherwise, good job.

Thanks for playing! Part of what I wanted to do with the keys was have the player do certain sections with a limited moveset, which is why you don't pick them up automatically. The tutorial area thing is something that I do plan on adding later as part of the game's story mode.

For clarity, I knew you could play with the arrow keys; it's just that the movement speed felt a little too slow playing that way.

Thanks for the response! I do intend on making a full-ish game out of this, so there will be more maps and modes in the future. In addition, I'm probably going to redesign this level to change or remove some unfitting aspects, such as the tree borders. (Honestly figuring out how to handle the edges of the map is harder than you might think.)

...hey wait, I played this last year! I guess the big addition since then is the 3D levels. I'll say for the record that those generally took me the longest to figure out because it was kind of difficult to understand what I was dealing with; honestly for a puzzle game, I'm not entirely sure if that's good or bad. I think maybe the free look mode should allow for up/down rotation? I pretty much agree with Solo Man on the music; it's nice that you added it, but it's also not too interesting. Otherwise, though, it's as solid as ever.

This is kind of a hard game to talk about because it had me genuinely invested and wanting to see more, but the design also put me off at certain points. The story had me intrigued because it quickly went from standard-feeling sci-fi tropes to a fantasy world, and I like that I don't entirely know where the plot's going or what the world is like yet. I even went out of my way to do the vinyl side-quest for the spider girl and kind of got emotionally attached to her story in doing so. My one issue with the story is that the dialogue had a lot of poor grammar, which kind of fits for the main character given her backstory but seems sloppy coming from the other characters. (Plus the swear words felt a little out of place.)

When it comes to the gameplay, I think it's well-tutorialized and has a solid (if somewhat unoriginal) gameplay loop; I do think the controls could be a little tighter (like starting/stopping quicker), but they're fine as is. That said, I think the level design could be better across the board; it's a little hard to clarify with words, but there were a lot of little things that felt kinda messy. The stalactite obstacles could've been introduced better, there were parts with the rotating platform wheels where I wasn't able to progress because they don't reset if you touch spikes, there was a treasure chest I gave up trying to get because it required a near pixel-perfect jump across those rotating platforms (if I'm not able to get it with my base abilities, the game should be more clear about that), and there was another treasure chest that seemed to require tanking hits from the arrow-shooting statues.

If there is any part that I specifically remember giving me trouble, it's the bosses. While I commend the attack variety, they are way, way too hard especially this early in the game. It feels like they take too many hits, and some of the attacks feel like unnecessary and cheap additions, like how the Spider Dad summons more big spiders, or the Chef summons arrow-shooting statues. I gave up as soon as I died to the Spider Queen because the Chef already siphoned me of most of my berries, and the thought of doing it again, along with having to mash through cutscenes (there should either be a way to skip them or have them auto-skip if you're repeating a section) and the fact the last save point was not right before the boss ruined my will to continue. That's a shame, because the game really did have me wanting to play more of it.

After trying this game out, I'm tempted to write a whole rant about games that are frontloaded with tutorial text without actually guiding the player along through thoughtful UX design. I'll spare you that, but I still wanted to bring it up. I did get sort of a good feel for it eventually, but I still felt discouraged pretty quickly. Once you run out of offensive items in a battle, there's no reason to continue since you've basically already lost it; there really should've been some other way you can still deal damage, even if not as strong, or otherwise exit the battle. Maybe there's something I'm unaware of, which ties back into my first point about the tutorialization). Your in-battle options are further limited by the rotating shop item list (a mechanic that I think would otherwise be fine), and I felt like I was either overspending or didn't have enough items. One other nitpick I have is that I think moving around with the arrow keys could be faster (I noticed you can move by clicking the mouse though). When it comes to the art, the one thing I'd suggest is to keep a coherent style; the overworld sprites especially feel a little out-of-place with each other. Keep working on it, I'd say.

Sorry I'm late, but thanks for the extensive response! I should probably clarify a few things about the radar. For one, it actually can pick up on any emerald piece at a given time; the icon just indicates whichever one you're closest to. The appearance and color of the radar is something I've already changed and will be implemented in the next update, though it's worth noting that even as it currently is, the radar's beep rate will speed up as you get closer to an emerald, much like in the Adventure games. I assume that would be enough accommodation for those with color blindness, but I'm not certain. On that note, the keys and doors already have different shapes, though perhaps I could have made that more obvious.

I've received a number of comments about the speed being too low, so that will be tweaked in the next update. Though if you see this, I am curious, to what extent do you think it should be buffed? I don't want the control to be so fast that it becomes imprecise.

I really liked the level of customization that was available at the start of the game. The game itself was somewhat confusing and unpolished, but it would be nice to see this get updated in the future.

Pretty fun for what it is; it's nice how you still have to keep track of the hunger meter even as you get bigger. My biggest gameplay gripe is that the hit detection on the koi seemed off, especially at larger sizes, which made eating the items sort of finicky. I would've liked some sound effects and maybe better sprites, but the music choice was nice at least.

Fun enough game but pretty rough around the edges. The controls were a bit difficult to understand at first, and I feel like there's some balancing work to be done (tell me why I shouldn't unload dozens of strawberries or bananas at once). I tried blockading the door during the "Karen is on the loose" event (which was pretty funny) but still lost anyways; not sure what went wrong there. The presentation was mostly good, but the effect that plays when you pick up a fruit made me sort of uncomfortable. Needs work; that about all I can say.

The idea of this one had me interested (you're bartending for ghosts, that just sounds like a fun idea), but it needed a lot more refinement. Initially I couldn't tell if the ghosts automatically went to their seats or if you had to lead them there; a tutorial might have helped with that. It also felt like there were too many ghosts to manage, but after a short period of time, the ghosts just stopped coming, and I was expecting it to go on for quite a bit longer. I also would have liked more sound effects, especially for filling the glasses. The game looks nice at least, but everything else needed more polish.

A pretty good idea for a platformer with decent level design, but it's pretty barebones (especially in its presentation) and the jumping controls feel inconsistent.

If there is one word to describe the game Extend by YDOEY, it would be diabolical. It must have been a deliberate choice on the developer's part to restrict it to download-only, gating off the weak players and ensuring that only those who already have the patience and commitment to giving the most thorough examination of the Fireside Jam 2024 entries would be subjected to its torments.

It seems at first glance like a low-effort platformer with overly basic artwork and the only audio being a simple piano piece. At that time, one little realizes what they have gotten themselves into, but soon enough it becomes clear. Once the first spike appears that provides no visual cue to its presence, however, memories of all those mind-meltingly difficult games that YouTubers would endure for the sake of letting others see their excessive emotional reaction start to flood the player's subconscious, and a certain excited trepidation overwhelmes their nervous system.

And these fears are only cemented with a masochistic glee with each passing level. While a lesser developer might fall back on repetitive usage of hazards meant to blindside in a way that leads to exhaustion, YDOEY has clearly mastered the craft of extricating joy from unfairness. With each passing level there is a new and unexpected twist on the game's rules that forces players to rethink their approach while also reintroducing old tricks in a way that is perfectly paced, ensuring that those who play it remain attentive to its cruelty rather than becoming annoyed by it.

If your experience playing it is anything like mine, this game will break you. You will not remain stable during its runtime. The piano piece will reflect the madness growing inside you. You will come out of it a changed person. You may either hold an eternal grudge over the developer, or come to respect their ingenuity and vision, You may have an easier time facing the hardships in your life knowing that there is perhaps some cosmic purpose behind them. To those reading it, this review serves a warning just as much as it does a recommendation.

Seems like a good start, but there doesn't appear to be any real end point to any of it and you can't even expand outwards by buying more land, so there ends up not being a whole lot for you to do.

Seems like it might have been a little too ambitious for the time frame? The lack of description on what anything does, how much they cost, and where to place them made the game a bit hard to understand, and while I did eventually sort of get a handle on the way the game worked, once the wave starts you reach an impasse since the soldiers seem invincible. The lack of music or sound effects is also a pretty glaring omission. I think this is all stuff you can work out with more time.

Final score was 2326! While not the most original tower defense game there is, this is fun to play and polished, and the in-game graphical style is excellent. If there's one thing that seemed strange to me, it's how little range you gained from the expand towers (and how little range you had at the start), but I still have little to complain about.

Pretty good start and the presentation is solid so far, though I seemed to be stopped after a certain point.

Honestly I'm kinda speechless. As someone who doesn't really play this type of game that much, I thought the difficulty was just right; and while there maybe could have been more sound effects, the boss dialogue was enjoyable and the music choices were really good. This all left me with a big smile on my face when it was over.

Presentation was basically perfect, and I love the gameplay on paper, but I wasn't able to get past around 14 goats even on repeat tries. Things seem to get hectic a bit too fast; I'm not sure if projectiles coming out of the fire was necessary, at least that early on, since I feel like the authorities being on your tail would heighten the tension enough. In addition, the goats' behavior already makes it a bit tricky to lead them into the fire, and having stuff coming out of the fire makes that even more difficult. I feel like I shouldn't be this critical because this is still a very polished and well-made game; I just didn't gel with the design as much as I hoped.

I'm kinda shocked how great this is based on how few people have rated it. It feels like a complete experience with a story, a mini game, and a boss battle; I found the physics-based gameplay to be quite satisfying; and aside from one level with conveyor belts near the end, it feels like the levels were designed to avoid potential softlocks that would require you to restart the level. This is one of those games where I'm impressed that you managed to put it together in ten days.

Neat approach to the theme, and the level design is suprisingly good with some tight platforming and seemingly multiple ways to go through the stages. I wish the visuals were better and there was real music, and it's also bizarre how the jump sound only plays when you let go of the button, but otherwise it was a fun time.

A real game for game devs! Sort of a brilliant concept, and I like how it evolves over time at a nice rate. I honestly wish you went even further with it, like making the player character animate at a certain point or having the level open up more, but I still admire what you achieved here.

Really enjoyed this one! The gameplay is pretty simple, but the presentation is wonderfully zany with the stop-motion visuals and especially the sound effects.

Managed to beat it on the third try! I like how the map layouts make you think about where you should put each establishment. The seeming lack of music was a bit of a let-down, but I do like how the one sound effect gets higher as the money earned per round gets higher. Overall I had a fun time.

They call me Snak-Man.

Anyways, this game was a pretty fun take on some familiar concepts. It did feel like it started a bit slow, but it ramps up quickly, which I appreciate (I like how intense the music gets when you reach 10 pellets). I also sort of like how needing to get to the exit creates a risk-reward scenario since your high score only saves if your reach the exit (mine is 17).

The gameplay here is solid, but the random generation of objects occasionally made for some awkward situations. I also think the longevity would be improved if there was some sort of scoring system. I like the font used in the menu, but the rest of the visuals feel a bit basic. Not bad overall.

"It's me, the devil! I'm here to convince you to do sin!"

...now that that's out of my system, this game was honestly really cool; almost felt like a 2D rendition of Jet Set Radio or something. I liked the balance between stealth and doing the different minigames before time was up, and thanks to the radar, it was never unfair. I did lose a few times, but I still persevered. I made it to midnight and raised 18 prices. I'm feeling delightfully devilish!

My record's apparently 252! This easily surpassed my expectations; the art style was distinct, the gameplay had a nice mix of arcadey action and player progression, and I especially enjoyed the final boss. Only thing I can think to add would maybe be some music (I'm imagining some old timey piano piece going over this); otherwise, nicely done.

Points for creativity, no doubt, but having to place down the cotton candy one at a time made it so I spent a lot of time going back and forth (even when I realized I could throw them), and this doesn't really mesh well with the fact that it's not always obvious where you're even supposed to be going. A really great concept that I wish didn't feel so time-consuming.

I was a bit confused by this game at first, but once I realized you have to place the buildings adjacently for the goods to transfer, I started to appreciate the strategizing here and I think there's potential for a high skill ceiling. It might've been easier to reach if you were able to inspect the buildings to see what their input/output is after you've placed them down, or at least some sort of guide to what they all do, but I still think what you accomplished here is impressive.

Kind of a shame you couldn't achieve your vision with this game; there are many ways in which this clearly needed more time that I don't think I need to go over. Judging the game as is, my biggest hurdle early on was that...well, my delete key doesn't work, but besides that, most of the time when I'd put down a settlement, there wouldn't be any rocks or trees to harvest, though this oddly became less frequent as I went on. Would be nice to see this continue.

Highest score I got was 280036.92! The instructions made this one sound confusing, but when actually playing it, the game's pretty simple and effective. I like the idea, but my biggest problem is that it doesn't feel like it ramps up over time enough; it felt like I could have gone on forever if I didn't get bored after a while. I also think there could've been more sound effects, and I kind of wonder if it's necessary to have the control scheme involve dragging the mouse when I feel like you could move just by moving the mouse without clicking. Just a thought.

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this game, but it did hold my interest. The presentation is fairly good, and while the controls took a bit of getting used to, I dig the gameplay idea. I just think it could've tied into the "expand" theme better.

I don't know if I'm the biggest fan of games where you manage an army, but I thought it was still well-done and I like its commitment to the retro style. The biggest issue I could find was a glitch where units don't disappear from format menu when they die.

My best time was 1:52. Definitely feels like a first game with how simple it is, but pretty good by that standard! My main critiques are that it's easy to softlock as people have said, and the falling speed can be so fast that it's hard to see what's below you. It's fun for what is is though.

Despite how unfinished the game clearly is, I will commend you for taking the time to implement a mechanic that improves every game a thousandfold: you can click on the ducks to make them quack.