Hey there! Got the chance to play through this version of the game and I have some feedback for ya.
I think the gameplay needs some “umph” to it, so to add some more spice to the game, I drafted some ideas on characters/mechanics you can try adding to the game!
- More than one civilian drop off point
Having 2 or 3 spots on each map where the player can take the civilians will instantly fix issues where the player has to go back through the same areas over and over if they don’t want to escort everyone at the same time. I personally tried to take back about 5 civilians at a time so i can better protect them, but found myself having to go through the same few sections again and again, since there wasn’t another choice. The maps also seem to be built where it’s not completely free roam, but more like a bunch of paths that don’t connect with one another. They all lead back to the same point, but you can’t go from one area to another, so building a strategy to pick up civilians ends up feeling very one-note.
- Drop the time limit or ease it up in the early levels of the game
I talked to some friends who played escort missions in games before and they said that harsh time limits nearly always ruined the experience, creating unwanted stress. It’s okay to have a limit, but for sure in the early levels it should be much more forgiving. You can always have a Hardcore mode that has harsh time limits too!
- Police characters
If you can find them, police characters could follow the player and help fend off enemies with their own attacks, but they still can die too, so the player can’t 100% rely on them, but this can easily add more depth to the gameplay. It’ll also give players a reason to explore the map a bit.
- Mercenary characters
A more complicated idea, I had a concept where you can find/earn currency (we’ll call them Credits) after completing levels and you can hire a mercenary to help fight off enemies. They’re stronger than the police and have more health, but they still cost credits, so the player has a choice: save their credits and fight off the enemies themselves, or spend a little money for some extra help.
- Doctor/medical characters
Another character type you could find is a healer type that can restore some health in the civilians. Another problem my friends noted in escort missions was if whoever/whatever you were escorting took too much damage at a certain point, it becomes nearly impossible to beat because there wasn’t a single way to give them any of their health back
I think you have a great start to something that honestly could be great, I dunno your limitations but I’d love to see you try to expand the gameplay and mechanics so the gameplay feels more fleshed out and exciting! ;D