itch.io

Hi! Thank you for sharing the link to your game! I’ll start with the positives:

Positives:

1. The cartoon or even comic-style visuals are simply outstanding. My compliments to your artists for their incredible work on the game’s visuals. The stylized 3D environment with a cartoon look is very inventive, and I’m not exaggerating when I say your game has the most impressive graphics.
2. It’s great that there are multiple characters with dialogue between them. I might have preferred slightly less formal dialogue, but that’s just a personal preference.
3. I appreciate the inclusion of a tutorial, although it feels almost unnecessary and could be removed without taking away from the game.
4. The interactive desk with notes and stories is a fantastic touch. I always enjoy this kind of feature. In our game, we wanted to add something similar inside the truck cabin but didn’t have time. It’s great that you managed to pull it off!
5. The storyline is excellent. I loved the idea of temporal anomalies, reminiscent of films like "Interstellar" or "Looper." These are inspiring choices, and I enjoy grounded sci-fi like this rather than generic supernatural elements.
6. The choice-based dialogues that influence the endings are great. I counted three endings, though there might be four. It’s amazing that you created multiple endings and branching narratives.
7. The solution with the photos is brilliant. It allows the player to partly see what other characters observe, helping them analyze the situation as well. It’s an elegant solution for such a short development period.

Negatives:

1. The first thing I noticed was the text running outside its boundaries. It’s not too distracting, and I’m sure it’ll be an easy fix.
2. I didn’t like that the player essentially just listens, with little actual gameplay. I understand why, given the immense effort needed for the game within such a short time frame, and I’m glad you found a way to work around it. However, it feels like the player was meant to find solutions at the desk, but the desk doesn’t serve a real purpose beyond ambiance.

Conclusion: The game is exceptional and among the best in this game jam. It’s not particularly scary, but the plot follows the spirit of sci-fi horror, where there are no villains—just a dangerous, mysterious situation that the characters must navigate with skill and ingenuity. This game deserves to be developed fully and sold on Steam for $15-20. While playing, a few ideas came to mind that might interest you, so I’ve listed them separately.

Ideas:

1. I think this might be your intention, but I’ll mention it anyway. It would be more engaging if the player directed characters around the secret facility. I imagine that’s what the interactive map on the monitor was meant for.
2. I assume the player is a technician? What if they were a hacker instead? Check out the game "TriumAI" from this game jam, and you’ll see what I mean.
3. I was also reminded of the manual in "The Children of Clay". Give that game a try to understand what I’m referring to.

That’s all from me. Thank you for sharing the game. I enjoyed the story and characters immensely, and I truly hope to see this game on Steam someday. If that happens, I’ll definitely buy it. Thanks for the game!