Thank you! As it was a two week game jam it was difficult to fit everything in, and I had to move forwards with animations and backgrounds alongside plotting, so it was really a balancing act. I hadn't thought as much about AI ruling as the commercialising of 'cozy' entertainment (I'm glad you used that word, as that's what I was trying to put forwards for the first part), with people watching simple, calm lives but not necessarily making that change for their own lives... but not necessarily saying that is bad, more raising it as a question - it's not necessarily possible for all to live such a life if there is money difficulties, and not even what all people may want, but perhaps most can see the benefit of removing a lot of societal stress? Anyway, that was the thinking behind it, and the game sort of developed from that. I usually write horror, so this was a bit different, a bit sci fi too, and I enjoyed making it :) Thank you for playing!
Yeah, I could see the sci-fi! And there was something in it that reminded me of great classics like the Blackwell series and also the Dig maybe? Though I couldn’t say Blackwell is sci-fi. But the artstyle gave me really strong vibes of something beautiful.
I think I would also add that one of the puzzles I did try wrongly, which was one with the lemon. I thought I had to slice it before washing the clothes. I wonder if that was originally planned and then dropped because of the time. But yeah I didn’t think you did say it it was or wasn’t bad. In fact it’s funny because at times I’ve found it really comforting to watch Big Brother but when there’s nothing happening and they’re just washing the dishes and sitting on the couch peacefully. Watching that made me feel like I was learning something in my life. But usually people watch Big Brother for the bits when people are arguing. So if we think about it, that society is much less addicted to conflict than our society right now.
Your game also reminded me of a book, but I fear giving that out would hint you too much about the book’s plot. But there was a bit in it that reminded me of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go. Have you read it? I think you might like it.