itch.io

Part of me sort of likes that you were initially confused when the first battle started as that fits very well thematically! However maybe there should be a short instructional message that first time just to clarify what the player is meant to do.

Yeah, variation in the environment and non-interactable props is something I really wanted to include but unfortunately ran out of time for. I note you don't mention the map. I do hope you were using it as otherwise you were definitely playing the game on hard mode!

Regarding clicking in the battles, there is indeed a cooldown as indicated by the cursor/crosshair animating and this is intentional design to limit the player's power as otherwise it becomes very trivial (and can also devolve into a pure dexterity game of who can click the fastest which I wanted to avoid). I don't think I would want to default allow the holding of the button to place blocks as I think you'd lose something with the less direct player input and no longer having a one click, one block relationship. It also runs the risk of being frustrating if blocks are placed unintentionally. However I guess something like that could be an accessibility option.

Thanks for playing!

Incredible graphics and atmosphere but I'm a sucker for this 3D pixel art aesthetic anyway. :)  I think your sanity drains frustratingly quickly. I felt like there was a mismatch between the atmosphere which said to me 'be cautious' but then the meter is saying 'dash about like a madman'. I really dug the lock picking minigame, super simple idea but works well. Movement-wise I missed being able to hold keys for continuous movement. Also, unsure whether this is intentional but I completed the game on my third try but never had an encounter with any enemies. Overall, really enjoyed playing this one. :)

Everything is really cohesive here and it's very 'complete' for a jam game. The setting and back story is interesting and the graphics really add to the overall mood. I did find the combat a bit dull and repetitive but I'll be the first to admit I'm not the biggest fan of JRPG style combat so it might just be me! Random thing I noticed is the UI would show 'Open (Enter key)' on doorways that you could just walk through seamlessly. Finally I have to mention that the battle music is an absolute jam - love it! Really solid entry. :)

Very minimalist but it's quite a compelling little game. I like the low res pixel art and the robot's sound effects are cute. It would have been good to have continuous movement when holding down keys and not being able to strafe wasn't ideal when engaging the bugs. Also a map would have been very helpful and maybe a noise or some other feedback when collecting items. I got to a point where I found a larger version of a bug but then encountered a bug (the other type) where I couldn't move anymore and so died. :(  Overall a cool little entry that I enjoyed my time with. :)

Cool! Yeah, in my original plan there was actually another type of item you could collect that would allow you to build an unbreakable block but alas it ended up on the cutting room floor due to time limitations. I like the idea of little 'helpers' building blocks as well! Thanks for playing. :)

Nice one! Yup, the battles are certainly intended to be stressful. Thanks for playing :)

I really like the environment graphics and the theming is cool. It's a shame the monster isn't also a 3D model, I think that would make the whole thing a lot more cohesive. Sound is good but I did miss having some sort of music or ambience. There seemed to be some technical issues with the monsters - I was sometimes able to move through them and I swear they are able to do their ranged attack through walls! Overall a good entry that I enjoyed playing.

Thanks for playing. Yeah, in my original plan there was going to more complex interactivity than 'find key, open door' but unfortunately the scope had to be cut down quite severely so I could finish in time!

Thanks for playing!

Thanks again for playing! It was super helpful to watch someone playing it live. :)

Such a unique set of characters and setting for the game. I especially enjoyed the dialogue between them all. Graphics, sound and music are all good and cohesive, creating a memorable atmosphere. You already know about the shortcomings of the battle system. At the very least I feel like there needs to be more feedback regarding taking damage. I noticed an issue where it's possible to turn away from an enemy just as you are engaged in combat or indeed be engaged in combat from the side, so the enemy cannot be seen. Overall a solid entry and a great idea for a dungeon crawler.

Yes, the objective is indeed behind the Level 3 doors. So glad I got the minimap in, you're not the first to mention how essential it is! Thanks for playing. :)

Play right now: https://machinescreen.itch.io/its-in-my-head

It's In My Head! is a classic grid-based first-person dungeon crawler in a sci-fi setting with random encounters that play as reverse Breakout-style battles against an alien entity that is trying to destroy your mind.

Earl-Caldwell Research Station has been infested by the Void Entity it was built to study and must be destroyed. Find the reactor room and overload the core. Prepare for the entity's psychic attacks.

There is around 15-30 minutes of gameplay and it was made over 9 days for the Dungeon Crawler Jam 2024.

Graphics and sound contribute to a great overall horror atmosphere, with the music being particularly effective. Maybe it could have been a little less dark or the doors should be more obvious, at one point I struggled to find one. I was not expecting typing based combat but it worked well. The UI felt a little intrusive to me, maybe it could have been a bit smaller. I also found it a bit jarring that you can walk into the space occupied by some of the larger props. The one thing I didn't understand was what stats were being used to add bonuses to dice rolls and how you could affect them. I assume it's something to do with the items you pick up but it was unclear to me. In conclusion though I enjoyed it and it's a solid game.

A very charming entry, from the graphics to the humour to the music. It all worked really well together. And then, there was solid tactical combat layered on top which was great. I missed being able to continuously move when holding down a key and I found it jarring knocking against a locked door to see a flash of what was behind it. Also, at the very beginning the purple wall section seems to go back over itself in an impossible way - unsure whether that is intentional.

First off I'm in love the visuals here, just really great. Overall atmosphere is excellent, creating a really cohesive vibe. The world is intriguing and I wanted to know more about it, helped along by the writing. Also the game is just generally polished and complete. Great job for a jam game.

Shut up Jil! Though I see she is part of the theme... Graphics are good and the overall atmosphere works well. Combat could have done with at least some more sounds. I think I got stuck in the same place others have.

Thanks for playing. Yeah, variation in the environment is the one thing I had to cut that I really wish I'd have had time for!

Thanks for playing and your feedback. :)

Thanks for playing. Yeah, the minimap was a fairly late addition when I realised that it would be extremely hard for someone who hadn't designed the level to navigate without it. Certainly glad I got it in there!

Thanks for playing! :)

Thanks for playing! :)

Thanks for playing!

Does the entity even exist?

This comment makes me feel old... haha

Thanks for playing and for your kind words. :)

Absolutely, glad I could be of inspiration!

Why not check out my new game Void Piercer: https://machinescreen.itch.io/void-piercer

You can play it for free right in your browser and each run lasts around 15-30 minutes.

Void Piercer is a first-person horror roguelike dungeon crawler where you can only see what is lit up by your scanner.

• Traverse seven procedurally generated levels in a bid to escape your prison by following the beacons.
• Use your scanner to illuminate the darkness and halt or destroy the things that seek to stop you. 
• Collect resources to upgrade the scanner at the end of each level.

Headphones are recommended.

Here's a gameplay video to give you an idea of what you're getting into...

Thanks for playing and for your feedback. :)

Wow, that's the highest score I've ever seen! Nice one. Ha, yeah, I've never been beyond 10km so the game may well just break down from that point on.

Thanks! So it's basically just an invisible object floating in front of the camera. I then check to see if it's overlapping the switch. It's not a perfect solution and there was a lot of fiddling to get it working acceptably! Hope that helps. :)

Yeah, 3. Thanks!

Thanks for the honorable mention Darenn and for your kind words. :)

Thanks for playing. Unfortunately it was a requirement of the jam to be 64x64 resolution... However the good news is that there's a super special secret cheat code to increase the res to 128x128 if quadruple the number of pixels will make it more palatable for you! Just press the 1, 2 and 8 keys together when you're in the game proper (not at the start or control screen).

Thanks Darenn! You and some other people mentioned about a map or some other way to orient yourself so I added one. :) I figured a map as part of the environment was most in keeping with the rest of the game.

Needle & Frost is beautiful!

Thanks so much for playing, it was great to watch. Yeah, the game is intentionally quite tough. :)

Thanks for the playing - it'd be amazing if Markiplier played it! *fingers crossed* Also, what's your address? I have your replacement underpants.

Thanks for the playing!

Thanks for playing and your feedback - both of those issues are things I'm considering changes to for a post jam version of the game. :)

Thanks for playing! :)