Oof - this is a really difficult one! Difficult, but very fair. I think you really nailed the retro aesthetic, too. I love the palette, and the little footstep sounds are very charming. The vista in the final boss arena is a simple addition, but it really adds a lot to the atmosphere and the staging of the battle. It's exactly how older games would have done it, I think.
My favourite weapons are the lance (I've figured out a routine for cheesing the second boss with it) and the wand, which is really useful in the final fights. I'll have to get a lot better with it if I want to beat hard mode, though... Limiting the player's weapon choice is a very clever move.
Thank you so much! It's so kind of you to give it a shot (and don't worry - I can completely sympathise with your feelings on button-mashers! It's why I wanted to vary the inputs somehow, at least). I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed it. I'll make sure to pass on your compliments to the artist, too!
Thanks so much for playing, Bauske! I saw your VOD. I'm sorry you weren't able to play directly from the MFA - I messed up after trying to embed an array file. The final version doesn't even need the embedding (I think). So that was embarrassing...
Either way, I'm really glad that you enjoyed the game. I agree that it's very short and simple, and definitely needs expanding in terms of an actual gameplay loop. I didn't have the strongest idea for the game before I decided to make it, and I think it shows. It really did come down to 'there are eight directions that the d-pad can point in - maybe I could have eight slices of pizza.' And then I spent most of the time making the menus before doing the actual game part, which probably wasn't the greatest idea.
I mention all this because I think the strongest games come from solid and fully-formed concepts. It's why I was very inspired by your entry: your game is mechanically deep/rewarding, and naturally encourages replayability thanks to a high skill ceiling. It's clear that you've thought about what you want to happen and why. In contrast, I approached my game as a one-and-done experience around a loose concept, which I think really hampered the end result. But I really wanted to enter something into the jam (and it gave us Wedgelord, so I can't be too disappointed).
I probably sound a bit negative, but I've just been able to reflect now that the jam's over. Maybe I'll have to write a post-mortem, or something. But I really appreciate the feedback, and I'm flattered that you enjoyed the game so much!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate the kind words. It's a simple idea pushed to breaking point in terms of content, but I'm so glad that you enjoyed it.
I'll be sure to pass on your feedback to the artist. We're hoping to do more together in the future, so I'm excited for whatever comes of that.
Chaos Mode is (appropriately) very difficult, even with the souped-up power-ups! I thought that putting four barricades down would turn the tables, but they're almost necessary. I think the mode does a great job of teaching the usefulness of items/how to best utilise them. And the palette changing with every level is a nice touch - it makes it feel fresh.
It's so impressive that you've managed to put together a full-fledged RPG for your entry! Amazing work.
I love the 1-bit style, and you've managed to portray so much character within such strict limitations. The portraits are all wonderful, and the writing is very strong. It really did feel like a little adventure with all the places you visit and the people you meet. You also did a fantastic job of blending comedy with more serious and heartfelt aspects... I didn't expect the game to go where it did, but it tied into the overarching narrative so nicely.
I did get a little lost at points (for some reason, I just didn't clock where the university was) - but it is the moon, so I think the open space is good for properly conveying the setting and atmosphere. By the end of the game, I had a solid grasp on where things were and where I was meant to be headed.
I don't think I engaged with the combat system quite as much as I should have done... I went from grinding to defeat The Conditioner to slicing down all foes with my upgraded Plasma Cutter. That's probably a side-effect of getting lost for a while: I had an overabundance of resources to spend. Balancing an RPG is a tricky task at the best of times, though, let alone when it's for a month-long game jam. Crucially, you managed to make the level-up system super-satisfying. I really appreciated being able to feel an immediate increase in the strength of my attacks.
No worries at all! It's my pleasure. I'd been excited to try your game since I saw your video submission (I'm still trying to get mine sorted)... It's clear that you put a lot of effort into the game, so it only feels right to give feedback.
It's a relief to hear that you want to tweak the end of Arcade Mode, if only because that's where I eventually Game Over-ed! That makes me feel a little more capable. But it being properly 'arcade hard' toward the end is no bad thing, if you decide you still want to make it difficult.
You did a fantastic job with this entry, Bauske. It's a perfect concept for a retro handheld game, and beautifully presented - you really nailed the arcade aesthetic. The little graphical touches (like the swirling text, the counters ticking down, the stars that appear when you kick a boog, and the expression changing when you lose a life) go a long way toward making the game feel like a complete package. You should be very proud of what you've done.
The game itself has a nice difficulty curve to it. I ended up learning more optimal strategies and techniques as I played, which felt good. There's a satisfying cadence that comes with running to and from the 'base' to collect powerups. And the fact that you managed to squeeze in bonus stages is the cherry on the cake! It's a game that'd be right at home with Pac-Man. I was reminded a lot of Magic Garden and Paint Chase from UFO 50, actually, which can only be a good thing.
Thank you so much for playing, and for the feedback!
I agree about the difficulties... I was worried about it being too hard for people, especially for a game-jam game (where you want to show everything off). But I'll make sure to crank up the difficulty in a later version!
