The writing does not feel particularly strong with the frequent punctuation errors, but there is some good dialogue. The two plot threads don't necessarily come together; there are a couple of thematic connections that are orbited around, but the payoff isn't as explicit as it maybe should have been to make this kind of shortform work feel cohesive. The presentation, meanwhile, is a bit plain – the custom sprites clash with the art style of the game jam assets, and the lack of movement and animation makes the fight scene feel static. Good music choices, though.
Deranged, but not necessarily in a good way? Between all the weird quirks (like so many typos it seems intentional and the dialogue and narration UIs being used very weirdly), the prose is close to unreadable. The RPG elements, which seem to be the main point of the game, do not lead into some sort of punchline and are not visualized in a way that would funnily emphasize their realness in this world, if that's what is supposed to be happening. The vibe is stumbling across someone else's inside joke you don't get and have no way of enjoying.
I love how good the writing was, as well as how they were able to put so much detail about this world they are in with so such a small game. I like how the mc put the nurse in place when she was rude to the dogman and how he cares for a patient.
Noodles & Love provides a decent experience at a weirdly fast pace. All of its individual pieces work fine enough, but the end result fails to be more than the sum of its parts. The striking presentation is easily its most memorable aspect and it performs well delivering such a story in a limited screen space. It's fine.
A short story FVN with a dark twist... that reads as confused about its identity. So Long as we both shall live lacks confidence of its identity; the spooky elements are underutilized and the dark comedy is just as inconsistent. Had this work leaned confidently one way or the other, it could have been far more interesting. As it stands, works well enough, but its wasted potential hurts the final product in unavoidable ways.
An FVN with an interesting and deep emotional core... that is barely explored. This game's biggest shortcoming may be its poor use of its limited word count. Scenes here linger too long and nothing is truly developed except exposition. Would probably work better as a longer project or with better pacing management.
A FVN featuring an interesting world through a too-fleeting glance. The limited scope and GameJam deadline seem to have really hurt this project, as pieces of story feel disjointed and confusing. While it does make decent use of its word count—telling a story that begins, develops and ends—the breakneck pace and lack of connection between events and flashbacks make its interesting world fall short of its potential. This might be a concept worthy of reconsideration for a bigger project, but as is, just doesn't impress.
Also, has nothing to do with Lu Bu, what a ripoff!
After passion presents a good blend of comedy moments and heartfelt drama. A cool presentation with speech balloons and voice acting for nearly all dialogue, complement this project perfectly, enhancing the emotions on-screen. Some of the worldbuilding—though clearly meant to be comedic—can give a bit of a whiplash effect, but most everything else works perfectly for this bittersweet short story.
A standout from all the normal wolves in the Game Jam