Really charming game!
From the screenshots, I wasn't expected much, but the game really pulled me in.
Music & Mood: The music isn't the highest production stuff, but the melodies and mood create just the right feelings. I was really impressed at how much the music calmed me and set me in a mental state of just relaxation and exploration. Really great writing and writing.
Art: The art is probably the weakest part of the game. If this is a hobby project, then it's totally fine as is. If this is a commercial project, that's probably the #1 to improve. As it stands, the overworld and dungeons feel pretty good. Very crisp and clear. The characters are good. The town and castle could use some work. The three-dimensionality isn't as well represented. I wasn't easily able to tell which areas I could or couldn't walk on when in town, though it was easy outside of town.
Gameplay Thoughts: The general gameplay is very unique. The concept was something I don't think I've encountered in an RPG before. The items are cleverly names and flavorful. The simplified combat removes the typical grind of old-school RPGs. I really love front-loading a powerful choice with the 6 accessory options. Gameplay is king here and it seems really strong!
UI: I had to refer back to the controls several times. I even got stuck on the controls screen and was trying to leave it (finally found it). I think if the controls could be customized a bit, or just if they were taught in a clearer way up front that might be a good minor improvement. Overall though, the UI seemed clear enough. I could play and figure out how to find informational easily enough.
Really fun game! Thanks for sharing this and brightening my Friday evening!
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Wow, thanks so much for such in-depth feedback! This is indeed a hobby project, but I've been working on it for almost 4 years so I will try to sell it eventually, at a reasonable price though. As you can probably tell, I'm a self-taught composer and pixel artist, doing what I can with what I have, ha ha. I'll see how to improve what you pointed out eventually. Gameplay-wise, I'm working on something new: it won't change the core mechanic, but will try to make it so you can take advantage of all your stats better, instead of just HP. Still experimental, will see if that works. Also, you perfectly grasped what I was going for: easing the grinding as much as possible to focus on exploration. Really happy you enjoyed the game overall! Out of curiosity, did you get close to completing the demo (did you defeat LOATHE?). In any case, what you said: "Thanks for sharing this and brightening my Friday evening!" totally made my day! Thanks again! :))