itch.io

Gorgeous entry, really loved the cozy playstyle with decision making, the pixel art is awesome, and progress was simple and engaging. Glad to see unique games in this zanga, and very smart use of the theme. your project is one of the very few I gave 5/5 on 'use of theme' , and I have rated over 70.

Great work! Best of luck in the jam

Thank you brother! Wallahi it's an honor getting those words from you, I love you work

when it comes to the missing flags, I had more levels prepared but the issue was needing to record more voice lines, since I did one naration by each level, so I couldn't put more sadly

PS: I still have no idea how 'Chess Jester' didn't win last year, one of the best projects I have seen in all my years following Zanga

I didn't think there were Algerian participants in the jam and to my second surprise, he is also a GMS users. glad I discovered your work( and I mean this jam's entry and your previous work), very good job!

Now, coming back to you entry, I think the idea fits the theme well, using planting/trees as a sign of progress, while increasing the difficulty to defend them gradually was a good mix, then adding that last skull mechanics that disappear inside the grass was very smart, it adds an extra layer of gameplay where you have to kill the golbin strategically. WELL DONE!

As I try to be honest in my review, I gotta mention to small parts that I think could get improved on:

The first thing that you can make better is the big tutorial page when starting the game, no one plays a game and likes to see so much text. is it best if you explain to the players through the game, and only explain things that aren't elementary (for example the little numbers under the trees with a gold coin by the side, anyone would understand it refers to the price)

The second thing would be to add more juice/feedback/particles/SFXs..etc, especially the solid color background. In this type of cozy chill games, players can get bored easily if you don't give them that sense of accomplishment, satisfaction to hook them ( take a look at Forager, it's the best example)

The game is actually awesome and my criticism is only to push the game to another level, I know it's a jam and you probably ran out of time, else you would have fixed the majority of what I pointed out.

Overall solid 4,5/5, Congratulations on the entry, and best of luck for the jam!

Keep on the good work, I will make sure you get in touch with you on social. 

Let me start by sharing my genuine opinion that this game features one of the most impressive game ideas and core mechanics in the entire jam, if not the best. As a puzzle game enthusiast, I found it truly amazing. My only critique is that the game could benefit from some polishing, including music, more sound effects, and other refinements. With a bit of fine-tuning and final touches, this entry could be even more solid. Congratulations on the impressive work, and I wish you the best of luck in the competition!

Your game has a really nice look, and I like how you made the theme a big part of how the game plays, not just the story. I did notice a small issue with the spikes feeling a bit unfair sometimes, but overall, good job! best of luck

This game stands out not only as the most entertaining in this jam but also as the most amusing one I've ever encountered in any jam. The humor and voice acting were spot-on, giving me a Stanley Parable vibe, particularly during the narrator's playful interactions, like the two-doors room. Your work is truly impressive, I will make sure to check all your games. Without a doubt, a top 5 entry in my book. Best of luck in the jam!

The art style is simple yet consistent, and as a fan of puzzle platformers, I thoroughly enjoyed your game. The numbers on the UI were a bit confusing initially, but I managed to understand them after a while. If I may offer a small critique, consider adding more 'juice' to enhance the overall experience. Perhaps incorporating particles, animations, and sound effects for better visual and auditory feedback would spice up the gameplay. Great effort overall!

thank you!

very cute art, sadly it was short, I don't know how but Jawad has infinite seeds in that small bag 😂 congrats on your entry, the drawings are really cool, the control and collisions need a bit of work but still a nice project, can't wait to see more adventures of jawad 

thank you for the positive feedback, I was just testing your project, really loved the story artworks

the artist who did the story slides deserves a raise, simply perfect work. The gameplay loop lacked a little bit of diversity as it got a bit boring after some time, but overall good project, congrats guys! and best of luck!

شكرا جزيلا، كلماتك تعني لي الكثير حقا

Thank you so much for the kind words, and for finishing the game. it's an honor for me. I really loved your unique project and the strong message it held, glad to see something different, and meaningful.

thank you! I played your game too, its gorgeous!

Firstly, the art style you did is IMPRESSIVE, it's a standout feature with its modern pixel art and high-resolution lighting, shadows, and reflections. The cozy sound also fits the game really well.
 However, I found myself struggling a bit to grasp the gameplay independently; I had to refer to your gameplay video. The UI could use some improvement, but I understand that time constraints are often a challenge in game jams. Despite this minor things, your entry is undeniably beautiful. Best of luck in the competition!

Thank you! just rated your project too. 

Congratulations on the entry and best of luck!

Thank you! I tested your game, reviewed it and left you a comment brother, great work! 

Best of luck!

The visuals are truly stunning, easily the best I've come across in this genre/style. I gave a solid 5/5 for the 'Art,' 'Sound,' and 'Use of Arabic' categories – nothing to fault there.

However, a minor critique that seems to echo my experience with several games in this jam is the challenge in identifying the theme within the gameplay. While the story is engaging, it feels like there's room for a bit more incorporation of the jam's theme into the actual gameplay mechanics.

P.S. That face is creepy! 😄

Neat artwork and game design! The puzzles are well-crafted, and I can grasp the angle you took on the theme, though it's a tad challenging to fully get it. The restart part got a bit frustrating, having to move all the controls in one of levels without the option to shift icons. It would be smoother if we could move the icons directly. Still, a solid entry, with a standout art style and a cool title screen! 

Congratulations on your submission, and good luck in the competition!

إن شاء الله، لقد لعبت وقيّمت مشاركتك، عمل جيد، حظًا موفقًا في المنافسة

Thanks! I checked your game and rated it, congratulation on the entry and best of luck for the jam

Thank you, your submission is very solid, best of luck!

Thank you! I checked your entry, rated it, and left constructive feedback! good work

I gave a solid 5/5 for both your use of the theme and innovation. I appreciate original games in jams, and yours is definitely one! Really smart incorporation of the theme and The voxel style perfectly complements your gameplay.

However, I have two small critiques. First, I noticed that I couldn't turn to plant a tree unless I moved toward that direction. This makes a few places impossible to plant on, and I assume it wasn't an intended mechanic. Since the game's purpose is to figure out perfect places to plant, limiting accessibility to certain squares takes away from the overall experience.

Secondly, I believe it would have been more enjoyable and interesting if your concept was presented through animations or visual hints rather than relying solely on text. It could enhance the overall engagement and make the gameplay more immersive.

Great job overall, and these are just minor points for consideration. Keep up the good work! And best of luck for the jam

First off, when I saw your game was 7Mb, I knew you were a GameMaker buddy before I even checked the engine you used – big W brother!

Now, onto the game – hands down the most enjoyable and challenging experience among the jam entries. I'm genuinely surprised by the abundance of levels and content you managed to squeeze in within the tight timeframe.

Art, fun, and sound – all solid 5/5 for me. Your game stands out as one of the best in the jam, and everything meshes together seamlessly, with amazing polish.

If I'm being a bit picky, the only nitpick would be the integration of the theme. Planting seeds and growing  felt somewhat detached, doing it while or before battling enemies was useless. The door doesn't budge until you wipe out everyone anyway, making the seed-planting seem like a mere button to advance. In jams, the theme should be "Planted" into gameplay, not just visuals or the story.

Still, a rock-solid entry. A sprinkle of Arabic and a tad more spice to the tree-planting could've clinched a perfect score from me. Congratulations on the submission – seriously impressive work, and best of luck in the jam!

Firstly, let me kick off a cheer for your voice actor – their performance reached AAA levels and truly added a spark to the game. Not to take away from the dev, but yeah, the voice actor carried it quite impressively :p. (little sad I cant put 6/5 here)

The humor injected a unique and pleasant vibe into the experience. Diving into the theme from various angles was a genius move, considering how tricky the theme was. Loved the execution and the diverse approaches taken – well done!

In my small critique corner, I'd like to highlight something. In point-and-click games, players can often feel a bit confined if they're limited to just following instructions. Adding interactive elements, even if they don't affect gameplay or the story, can spice things up. For instance, on the first screen,  if I'm clicking on the girl, why not let me hover over the sun to make it shine a bit more? Later on when I am asked to Plant logs? How about making the other logs do a little dance when clicked...etc  just some random ideas to get what I meant.

And before I wrap up my mini-newspaper, stumbled upon your YouTube channel recently – great game dev content. Didn't even know there was someone out there doing this type of content in Arabic, so count me in as a new follower.

P.S.: Yep, I'm one of the 1748 who outsmarted you in the last GMTK 3:) – good times!

Best of luck in the jam!

This game stands out not only as having the best art in the jam but also boasts the most exceptional artistry I've witnessed from an Arab group. The execution and polish are impeccable – even the animated menu, complete with its own sound effects, demonstrates a remarkable attention to detail. My small critic, if I may: While the engaging story embraces the theme beautifully, I noticed that the theme might not be as prevalent in the gameplay itself. The primary loop of dodging and defeating enemies seemed slightly disconnected from the overarching theme. Nevertheless, I must congratulate you on a solid submission. It's undeniably impressive, earning a resounding 5/5 for art, sound, and enjoyment. Well done!

if there is one element that stood out to me in your project it is the "fun" element, it's rare to see on a jam a game that is genuinely fun to play, I have two critics if you may: 

1- I noticed some incoherence/inconsistency on the visuals, while most of the game is pixel art, the UI on the menu has text written in high res, and the main ability the play fight with is also in high res, it creates confusion, try to stick to one style. 

2- I fail to see the use of the theme, it was more "النمو" than "غرسة", I might be wrong, correct me if I didn't get it

Congratulations on your submission, it is still solid work, best of luck for the jam!

Hi Nick, i am trying to find your contact, please reach out to me on twitter or email

The idea is really good, I think the use of the theme was really smart. but the idea alone won't do much, you executed it amazingly. simple effective, and beautiful pixels, perfect for your project, the juice on level start/win/killing units and using cards is present in a great way. And finally, the quick level replay is nicely put, which is mandatory for this type of game, where players have to go through trial and error again and again.
I am glad such a project was submitted and kept Zanga level high.
unfortunately, I didn't submit this year so I couldn't rate your entry, but it's a full mark in my opinion
Keep up the good work, and best of luck for the rest. PS: if this doesn't win, we riot 

here is a spoiler on lvl9 if you interested how to beat it 

thank you, mister reviewer, I am glad you enjoyed our project, it means a lot to us that the hard work  paid off
About Level 9, its the last level and It had a small bug on the Jam version, where it displays 0 Hp when there is 1 left, technically you didn't win :p but I give it to you, most people couldn't even reach it with one troop.
thank you again!

waw! thats an honor thank you so much man! I followed your thread account, one of my first follows :3 

the developer of this game actually created it, so I thought it would be fun to use it while reviewing his game

did you just spoil to me that I won't be making it to the video? that's so sad man... also, where are the honorable mentions xD? I am starting to suspect this might not be the authentic vid... 

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Review Summary

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[ + + + + - ]  ::  ENJOYMENT

[ + + + + + ]  ::  CREATIVITY

[ + + + + - ]  ::  PRESENTATION

Sandwich Makes Chef is a hilarious twist on the cooking games genre. the face of the chef is what makes the experience way better xD, the sandwich looks hilarious, and the SFX make it funnier, the only regret I had playing the game is that I couldn't take some body parts from the dancing chef.

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Rubric / How I Measure The Score

==========================

[ + - - - - ]      1 - Missing

[ + + - - - ]     2 - Somewhat Present

[ + + + - - ]    3 - Present

[ + + + + - ]   4 - Well Done

[ + + + + + ]  5 - Outstanding

=========================

Detailed Review

=========================

[ + + + + - ] :: ENJOYMENT

The game was surely short but it was still just a proof of concept for a game jam, somehow I'm glad you didn't push too much of it, this type of funny game can get boring if the amount of content/gameplay is given more than it should, even if the controls weren't smooth, I played it till the end and made my chef!

[ + + + + +] :: CREATIVITY

Perfect note for this one, you took the Jam Theme to a whole new hilarious level, and you made the idea even funnier with the art style you went with, the dancing chef with a creepy face, the sandwich olive eyes..etc. Great job on this one!

[ + + + + - ]  ::  PRESENTATION

I was honestly hesitating between 3 or 4 on this one, I think the buttons on the menu, the title screen, and the win screen, in general, can be way cooler/funnier, using the classic Unity UI felt a bit lazy/incoherent with the rest of the style, but it's a game jam after all, maybe you guys ran out of time, I decided to go for 4/5 just cause the sandwich looks cute

Well done, and best of luck for the rest!

your reviews are sick dude! I love this detailed description on how you rate, I will make sure to check your game and give you a similar treatment. I really appreciate your efforts! 

that was genius and simply awesomely made, the face of the spoiled brat looking at the screen expecting entertainment was the perfect touch your game needs to capture that feeling of being on the other role. really well done! 

I love what you did there, such peaceful background music, and chill SFX, the tone, in general, is perfection for this type of game. 

you went with something a bit tricky and risky, but you nailed it! you got a double 5 stars on creativity and presentation, only small criticism I can give is that it felt a bit boring for my taste, maybe I am just not made for this kind of game

Congratulation on your entry, really solid project 

the art is really cool and if following the description you gave, it was a cool idea, sadly the second part didn't work for me when I reached the door the camera goes left then nothing happens. It's unfortunate, I really wanted to see it further,