Play Enigma
The Great Enigma / O grande enigma's itch.io pageResults
| Criteria | Rank | Score* | Raw Score |
| Intuitive perception of the theme/Perception intuitive du thème | #2 | 3.750 | 3.750 |
| Use and respect of the diversifier/Utilisation et respect du défi optionnel | #4 | 3.250 | 3.250 |
| General interest of the project/Intérêt général du projet | #5 | 3.250 | 3.250 |
| Atmosphere - finishing of the project/Ambiance – finition du projet | #5 | 3.500 | 3.500 |
Ranked from 4 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.
- I will be posting a comprehensive YouTube video of my multiple playthroughs and feedback soon. https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyBriggs
- This constant black and white video overlay is a real success. It gives the game a monster life, while highlighting the part of the books, colored in drawings. A very beautiful staging, a certain taste for making a narrative game a rich and sumptuous experience. Everything is beautiful, everything is interesting. The story, the characters, the choices, the narration, ... In itself, it is the best way to make a Visual Novel lively. I had never seen so much care given to the finishing of such a game which raises it to the top of the basket of the genre.
- J'ai aimé le thème choisi pour raconter l'histoire. La DA est magnifique et mêler dessin/photo/vidéo donne tout le relief au jeu. Chapeau bas pour le côté émotionnel. Merci aussi pour l'effort de traduction.
Diversifier/Défi optionnel
I used a couple of times de "YAY" expression, but not intensively. I also used the number 5 a couple of times. Again, nothing "nuclear".
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Comments
This game has been quite a big surprise to me. I had never seen before such a visual novel made with video, and it works great. I can imagine the amount of work needed to create the videos and images (even if it's AI, because you had to obtain footage that was making sense all together, including the characters that had to look quite similar), and then to make/script the game itself, with all the writing. There's a unique atmopshere. I love the black and white parts particularly, and I would have enjoyed it even more if the whole game had been like that. I think the recipe would work greatly for a film noir. Excellent ideas!
Thank you very much for your comments! ^^
It was all new for me, I was experimenting. With 2-months-experience with GDevelop, never done a visual novel interactive fiction, first time using AI video prompting… The central idea of the story was clear in my head, but my skills were very limited. It was a huge huge (huge) effort to get this game done, a lot of days planning, editing, writing, making schemes, prompting, solving problems, etc., and I´m very proud of the results.
The colours and scenaries are symbolic or metaphoric. The “present” is black and white. The past is static oil painting color style, with only a bit movement in some parts. “Happy” recent memories (Bregoán) or oniric parts are colorful (oniric parts has different style of colors) and with movement… There are some minor exceptions, but with a symbolic significance.
It´s like the sound. There are a lot of sound effects in chapter 1, but when Sara goes deeper in the “dream”, the sound effects slowly fade out. Only music remains.
And… You are right. I think this type of recipe would work perfectly for a film noir ^^
I'm very impressed with game, it made people cry which I'd imagine is really hard to get such an emotion feeling with a game.
I'm useless with AI and I think you did really well with it and as I've said to great effect.
Well done
I really apreciate your words. Thank you very much ^^
It is impressive to see what you managed to create here. The mood and emotions, it's obvious that you have a strong creative vision for what kind of experience and story you were aiming for. Yes, the use of AI is a thing that still caused conflicting feelings in myself as a more or less "traditional" but mostly digital artist. But I understand that you wanted to use what you can to realize your ideas.
Most of what I saw of your game was in that Yaz Stream though. I downloaded and started it to see it myself, but unfortunately I struggled with that breathing interaction with the ring. Somehow I didn't really understand what the game expects of me, so I clicked and clicked and clicked, the ring was colored, but all that happened was a slow zoom at the door. So I am not sure if I did something wrong or if I stumbled upon a bug. If it works as intended, maybe it would help to show a small description how to do it ingame somewhere, or at least in the game description on the itch io page? At least it didn't feel like it's supposed to be a puzzle how to do it.
I like the presentation overall (despite the use of AI) and since you honestly list everything in the credits, to me it feels okay this way. For example less "unfair" when compared to other entries in this jam.
Sorry for your loss!
Oh, the game has instructions in this minigame. I added it after the first gameplay of Tiger J. It says: “(Hold down the left mouse button until you inhale the exact amount of air; release to exhale)”
You need to hold down the left mouse button until the white circle colides with the gray ring. In that moment, the ring changes to green, and you must release the left mouse button. There is a bar you need to fill (5 times doing it right). If you hold too much the button, the ring changes the color to red, and lost part of the progression bar.
The work and love that goes into this game makes no sense... it's impressive.
For me the most important thing about this game is the story it tells, it's beautiful and at the same time masterfully presented. Technically I love it, I'm not a fan of using AI in video games but I have to say that in this case it's perfectly implemented.
If we also take into account the background of the story I find it impressive, the emotional effort to create something like this is enviable.
Great work.
(And I'm sorry for your loss)
Oh, thank you very very much… I´ve been working so hard to make this game, that your words are like a gift ^^!
Yep, I am also not fan of using AI in video games, but I have not experience in 3D modeling, neither in drawing or coding. I needed to tell this story, because of my aunt (she had a different experience, but same “condition”). So, I used the tools permited ^^!