A jam submission

ESSENCE OF VIOLENCEView game page

top-down shooter ala Hotline Miami

Submitted by slmmm, BlueSpells, BouncyTheBoy — 7 hours, 10 minutes before the deadline

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ESSENCE OF VIOLENCE's itch.io page

Judge feedback

Judge feedback is anonymous.

Very intersting take! The fact that your energy goes down when in essence form, and even that it goes slower when in a body, makes for a high paced run! Music was missing, but I get it given time constraints. It kinda reminded me of Super Hot! Definitely something to keep expanding, and get a story goind about how you came to be. How would a boss level be like? I'm divided between how quick the people died. On the one hand it kept it fast paced, on the other I was often kind of lost on where and who I was. Also, it felt quite difficult to point, maybe a cross hair? Keep at it!!

Link to your Game Design Doc on Google Drive.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HzzMd-8ZNDfKVH_Gxn9v8F2BFh1Z-9gns9YDDWnsFbg/edit?usp=sharing

Have you checked that your GDD is publicly accessible ?
yes

Is your game set to public on itch.io so we can see it?
yes

Summarise your game!
You are the Essence of Violence. Your very being is to bring destruction in this top-down shooter, where death is hardly a hindrance and no body is left unscathed as you possess your enemies and force them to kill their friends and allies, twisting their bodies to make them fight far beyond the limits of the human body. Even if they die along the way, that's merely the chance to use another.

Please explain how your game fits the theme:
The description of the Jam mentions that whatever "the weapon's" nature is that "[it] exist[s] to influence [its] surroundings in some direct way." In this game, you play as not just an object or being that influences its surroundings, but rather the influence. Your very existence is to be violence and to cause violence, forcing others to act in ways they would not otherwise to achieve this goal of absolute destruction. Violence can be considered a tool used by all sorts of people, even if it's not something you hold, and as shown in this game, is something that more easily holds you.

In addition, like a tool, you can not do anything on your own. You need a vessel to "carry" you and act in your stead.

Is there anything you'd like the judges to pay particular attention to?
We thought our take on the game jam's theme was unique