Results
Ranked from 8 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.
Judge feedback
Judge feedback is anonymous and shown in a random order.
It's a fun pun, which as a dad I appreciate. The world of nits and Hairny's semi-dickensian dilemma are entertaining. I'd like to see something deeper as it comes to the unfinished climax. The choices are some times reversed by the story (like the enforced billiard balls) which works against player agency.
Well done on your first game :)
I liked how clearly this game focused on storytelling and player choice - felt like a great fit for this jam!
I also appreciated that, even though you ran out of time, you still let me play through the skeleton of what you had plotted out. That said, by the end of the game, I was still left confused about what the story was that you wanted to tell. It felt a lot like you'd come up with an interesting premise (the player trying to win their love's affection at Crustmas) but didn't really have a satisfying end of the story in mind. The result was that the whole thing felt quite meandering, and sometimes frustrating for the player.
A lesson to learn here is that you should try to steer clear of offering players choices that you don't intend to deliver on. Why was I given the option to pick the flowers if all I could buy were the billiard balls? Even if the flowers had ended in disaster, it would have felt better than making a choice and then being told I actually hadn't made that choice.
There were some good turns of phrase in the writing. At other times, I felt quite confused about the world and it's characters.
My other main note would be that the writing didn't inspire much affection for Hairny's love interest. I wasn't sure why he liked her, or as the player, why I should be fighting to win her over.
Congrats though on what you managed to achieve over the course of the jam, and hope it'll be a good stepping stoned towards your next game!
Student Prize
n/a (does this count if I'm a student of life?)
First Game
It's-a me! First-time-io!
Strangers in the Night Prize
n/a (does this count if I don't know myself?)
Best Solo Game
It's-a me! Solo-io!
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