Hi Dave, Thank you for playing the game! We're happy to hear that you had fun with it.
In the maze, there are two types of blocks: movable and fixed. Fixed blocks form a grid-like layout, while movable ones fill the gaps in between (similar to Bomberman). The movable maze blocks are moved based on shadows. Yes, the black squares are the shadows :) and they represent the passage of time. For the future, we could create smoother animations for the shadows (using real lights), where the shadows move with each step, but the objects shift only every five steps (as it works now). I hope this would make the mechanics clearer for players.
If a shadow covers an item or a movable wall, it can push it in its direction. There’s also a percentage value that defines the likelihood of objects moving. For later levels, this percentage should be reduced. Currently, it’s set to 80%. :)
Another idea to make the maze clearer is to increase the distance between fixed blocks. However, for the purpose of this GameJam, I thought a more chaotic maze would better align with the theme. Everything Changes feels more chaotic to me, but yes, there’s a clear system behind it, which we should strive to make more intuitive for players.
Thank you again for your feedback, Dave. I’d love to experiment more with this game, and your comments have highlighted some weak areas with interesting potential.