This game is really stretched for me! I included it in my compilation video series of the ‘So Bad It’s Good’ Jam, if you’d like to take a look. :)

I think the basic premise and idea of this is pretty nice! Not sure how much of what just happened was intended (people disappearing while trying to talk to them and the like), but I had fun. I liked the art and music tracks.

Are items not usable? Besides the poison identification kit seemingly automatically triggering, I couldn't find a use for anything in my two attempts.

I think this could actually be a fine full game if developed further. Well done!

This is brilliant!  Really enjoyed this game, in spite of (or maybe because of) the fact I couldn't really figure out what I was meant to be doing and even though I found the murderer, I still didn't win the game.  A refreshing change of pace from insanely difficult shooters.

I have no idea what it is I'm supposed to be doing in this game

I couldn't play cause the windows it is to big.. sorry

I've decided to try using a standard format for all my feedback this time around. Please excuse me if I come across as overly curt or miss something important about your game. I'm writing these all quite hastily as there are a lot of games in the jam this year!

What I liked

The art style. It reminds me of a few of the entries in Magical Girl Game Jam in that it shouldn't work, but does. The combination of max JPEG backgrounds, pixel art portraits, and slightly janky UI is surprisingly appealing.

I like the concept of the gameplay and it stands out a lot in a jam that seems to be dominated by platformers. It's slow and methodical and story driven and reminds me of some of those old CD-ROM games from the 90s and I just really like the idea okay?

What I didn't like

The world feels very sparse and empty. Only in certain times in certain places is there anything to interact with, and even then it's usually only a few lines of dialogue.

It's incredibly buggy and broken at times. Dialogues end randomly or loop, things stay on screen and don't disappear, inventory items cease to exist, and the map changes color. Though given the nature of this jam I'm kind of on the fence whether this is a good thing or a bad thing.

Related to one or possibly both of the points above, I often felt like I had a good idea of where to go or who to talk to but they either weren't there or didn't offer any useful options.

Did I think it was so bad it was good?

Not so much. It's hard to describe this one but I think the best description would be that it feels like an ambitious indie game that didn't quite get there. It feels more incomplete than bad, and lacks that certain something that defines a so bad it's good game in my mind.

My thoughts on the modifier implementation

Impossible due to being convoluted? I'm not sure what the exact intent was here.

Other remarks

The first time I played I got a bad ending, the second time the game just kinda bugged out. I'll probably give it a few more shots.

Verdict

An ambitious project that didn't quite get there.

If you have any questions, comments, queries or concerns, please reply and I'll do my best to get back to you.

This is quite an interesting little game. I haven't really seen something in this kind of format before in the history of this jam.

It seems to me that a lot of the game is kind of being in the right place at the right time. I kinda found it hard to understand at first, but got used to it very quickly.

Absolutely love the art, and I think it fits quite well for the jam. Overall a very different entry to the usual, but quite enjoyable nonetheless!

Unfortunately the current size of the window of the game cuts off the 'Next' button and I can't progress.