Skip to main content

Browse GamesGame JamsUpload GameDeveloper LogsCommunity
Indie game storeFree gamesFun gamesHorror games
Game developmentAssetsComics
SalesBundles
Jobs
TagsGame Engines
PolyB2 years ago(+1)

Very true to Rogue-like form with this one.

PROS:

  • It was cool to start to see personalities of each of the enemy types emerge just based on watching their movement.
  • Combat solutions were viable in some cases, but death in others so it felt good to figure out what was necessary in any given situation.
  • Definitely had some "oh no" moments where I learned something new and while that felt bad in the moment, it was good overall since I felt like I was growing as a player of the game.

CRITIQUE

  • The poison status effect feels very odd to me and seems like it might as well be instant death for the sake of allowing me to start over right now. If it resets at the beginning of each stage and the point is for me to try and finish before dying to poison then I feel like I should start with more than 5 HP to allow a few more steps before poison death just based on the level sizes.
  • It wasn't immediately clear that I was capable of diagonal movement on any given turn so I definitely had early deaths due to monsters cutting my angles off and killing me.
  • I didn't realize a Zephyr could fly until I attempted to push it into magma and my plans were thwarted. It would be good if that could be added as an in-line note for any flying monster off to the side where all the monsters are listed.
Reply
sportzer2 years ago(+1)

Thanks for the feedback!

If you haven't tried using the examine feature, it lists all of an enemy's special properties (well, except for a few last minute behavioral changes to spiders). I do think there's room for communicating more information without relying on examine, though. Poison is probably the worst offender here. The only place it's explained is if you examine a creature which is already afflicted (potentially yourself). A message log hint like "You can remove the poisoned condition by waiting" the first time per game you're poisoned would probably help a lot. Also, at one point I planned on including static properties like "flying" in the monster list but didn't actually end up implementing it and I can see it helping as a reminder/hint of what the enemy does.

I don't really have an easy solution for diagonal movement clarity, though. I'd probably have to rework my entire UI stack, which I'd like to do anyways at some point though not necessarily for this game specifically.

In any case, I probably won't update the game until judging is over, but I've added some hints about using examine and what status conditions do to the game page.

Reply
AboutFAQBlogContact us
Copyright © 2024 itch corp · Directory · Terms · Privacy · Cookies