I love this!
FYI, when I try to run the Mac version, it says it's "damaged and can't be opened". I'm on Monterey 12.3.1, with Apple M1 chip. I had to use the web version for now, which did indeed have some lag as you mentioned, but there's only so much that can be done to help that, especially in a rhythm game and especially especially in a game jam. I know first-hand how tough that can be, so great job! What engine did you use?
Anyways, lots of cool concepts in this. I especially like how well-integrated the debate theme is with the mechanics. You literally have to read the audience to know what's worth your effort, but you also can't just mindlessly hammer on the same points over and over again. So cool! I enjoy the flow of players taking turns too.
The visuals are lovely. I'm really surprised how polished and cohesive it all looks, considering it was a game jam! The sfx and crowd chanting in-rhythm when things heat up is super super good too.
So far I'v only played this by myself (handling input for both players), so take these next points with a grain of salt.
- It was tricky to mentally associate the "note" color/shape with the keyboard keys, but it did eventually stick.
- There's a lot to keep track of in general, so I had a tough time remembering to go for specific combos. To be clear, I don't think this is a bad thing, just something to get used to!
- I think I only unlocked an item once, and I wasn't sure when I was supposed to use it. There isn't much time/space to experiment to learn.
- It was tough to understand what the impact of certain combos/items was on my score.
I imagine all of the above could be dealt with through some sort of tutorialization/practice area/etc, which of course isn't much of a priority for a game jam.
This is possibly my favorite jam game I've played from you/Marte. It's really, really good! I personally think it would be very cool to see it polished up and given a full release at some point. :)