Wow. This game is very interesting. The narrative and art style stands out the most to me. I'm very impressed with all the dialogue written and intractable details (for example the intractability with the bedroom mirror, cat, bookshelf). The animations and aesthetics are really impressive, beautiful art where the memory notes are and beautiful splash-art between chapters. Who ever did all this pixel-art is very talented. I have to admit that this game is pretty real for me; as someone with intense anxiety I can relate with the character and narrative of the game. "My Own Personal Prison", "I wouldn't have thought I'd be drinking after living with my dad", god damn I can relate. This kind of reminds me of something like Pixar's Inside Out but for adults with more mature themes.
Sadly though, I got stuck at the second maze of the game. I couldn't get passed this part where the bad-thought enemies would overwhelm the screen. I just couldn't outrun them in time to keep a safe distance, perhaps if the player was given an alternative way to get rid of these enemies besides outrunning them the game could be a little more engaging. Like the frog for example, you just look at it and it walks away, there's some intractability and skill involved, but I felt like the bad-thought enemies were a little too strong because I often had a hard time outrunning them (I'd often try to outrun them but I'd just end up running into a dead-end in the maze). I wish these enemies didn't have the power to completely blacken the screen too. There were times where I probably could have gotten away if the screen was a little more visible, but I would just end up hitting a dead-end wall without realizing because they would turn the screen too dark. If the main character had some other abilities to deal with these enemies, I think this game would have a lot of potential as a standalone game! Perhaps the notes that you collect could give the character the ability to recall positive thoughts to make the bad-thought enemies go away?
I really do wish I could get passed this part of the game because I'm legitimately interested in seeing how the game's story progresses! Really cool jam game!
Submitted: T.I.M.E.