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(1 edit)

Alright, after reading your last blog post, I've decided to add some further thoughts on this game aside from was already said in my review.

So, here it is:

SPOILERS:

I have to admit, I *did* get somewhat uncomfortable playing the game and with the way the characters looked. Especially with the scene where Alesa lost her tongue and when she was running around in her underwear after being thrown into the dungeon.

Thing is, with the VHS filter and such, it reminded me of all those PS1-style games that aim to recreate the feel of trashy old slasher-horror films and are very popular. Puppet Combo is known for making a lot of those kinds of games, for example Night Ripper and I see this game as the RPG Maker equivalent of that. I've played your previous games with female protagonists, so I knew that this wasn't your usual style.

I do think you could've toned it down a bit though, and I can see where the critics come from as I had similar thoughts while playing the game. I just don't think it's that much of an issue and does in some way contribute to the horror-style you've attempted to emulate, even if the execution could be better.

The shower scenes in particular were probably a bit too much, especially the one where Alesa showers together with Greta. You also have to watch the shower scenes multiple times if you go for the different endings and there's no real point to them. If there's a shower scene in an old slasher movie, generally it's something that happens while or right before the killer/monster attacks.

So, maybe there could've just been the one shower scene in the Greta ending. Alesa goes to take a shower alone and has Greta wait outside until she's done. But then while Alesa showers, Greta suddenly bursts in with the knife and kills her. That would've been a nice homage to old horror movies and made the scene feel less gratuitous.

Then again, I consider that whole Greta ending the worst written one in the game. I think there should've been another choice atleast. To take Greta home (which would end badly) or to take her to the police and have her institutionalized/see a psychiatrist. Alesa is a social worker, she should know how to handle cases like hers. Of course, Greta is maybe-supernatural, so it might not have ended well either way, but it would be nice to have that option.

Though with the current story, an ending like that would've resulted in Mr. Bob coming over to get Alesa anyway, which is why I didn't mention it in my review. It is a game jam game after all, so things like that are to be expected. To make a hypothetical choice like that more meaningful, it would probably also require another ending variation where you can reach Mr. Bob without Greta dying. Then you could have a potential bad ending even when you manage to defeat Mr. Bob if you choose to take Greta home with Alesa.

One other nitpick about the story I didn't mention since it was a game jam game... a medical examiner would be able to determine if someone else cut out Alesa's tongue or not, so unless they are absolutely incompetent or in on it with Mr. Bob, they probably wouldn't dismiss her story outright like that (atleast in the ending variation where she loses her tongue). She was responding to a call serious enough that her boss wanted her to come together with a cop, so those circumstances would most likely make them treat it somewhat more seriously as well. I know that the "authorities don't believe the protagonist for ridiculous reasons" is a staple of the horror genre, but it doesn't add much to this story.

A more "realistic" outcome would probably be that they believe her that she was indeed attacked and her stories about the house and the monstrous family are just a distorted account of her attackers who probably fled the scene, while Alesa is in shock and in need of therapy. They could've also managed to trace the phonecall with the allegations Alesa was responding to to the house/wherever Mr. Bob called from (even if he called from "another dimenstion" they could determine that there was something strange about the phone call). They could also check who the owners of the house were (if there were any records at all, which would also be strange if there weren't).

This could lead them to conclude that there's something weird going on with the house, but there's no real further leads, so the investigation isn't likely to really result in anything substantial. As such, it would still essentially lead to the same outcome while feeling less dismissive.

Anyway, these are my thoughts regarding this. Another idea for you to consider... maybe you could do a game with a male protagonist next time? Could be a nice change of pace after this game and your previous few ones.

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Very fair points and a really interesting read.  It seems nobody liked the Greta ending hahaha. Although that gives me an idea if I make a sequel (reviving Greta and allowing her and Alesa to be happy). There's definitely a lot of room for improvement if I want to make a B-horror type game again.

"Another idea for you to consider... maybe you could do a game with a male protagonist next time? Could be a nice change of pace after this game and your previous few ones."

Funny that you mention it! I've been working on a new horror game where the protagonist is a 62 year old male

Hello, just wanted to say, don't take those comments from horribly judgmental people who make weird assumptions about the game seriously. Just take what piece of criticism you find useful from the comments and ignore the rest.

As I said, the indie horror genre is full of games that are inspired by the 80s Horror B-Movies. I named the Night Ripper and other games by Puppet Combo as one example, but there's honestly so many of them that it's a whole sub-genre at this point. Your game fits very well in that genre. There are things that could've been executed better, but it's a game jam game, so that's to be expected.

Keep making games, you have great talent and are noticeably getting better at it. Your last game honestly came close to the RPG Maker horror classics like Witch's House. It was a very good game, even if flawed. Looking forward to playing your next game when it comes out! I'm sure it will be even better!

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Thank you so much Beregon! : D
I'm already working on a new horror game and I'm implementing everything I've learned in jams. Since this isn't for a jam, I'll have time to polish everything and add more mechanics. I'll still participate in the next Rpg Make Horror Jam though, I never miss them! The Cursed Jewel theme sounds interesting!

Don't mention it! I find it inspiring how fast you create these games. What's that non-game jam game gonna be about, if you want to talk about it?

And I'm glad you like the Theme for the next game jam, looking forward to what you come up with for that one when it comes around! I liked how you implemented all of the bonus challenges from this jam into this game, do you think you'll try to do that with the 19th one too?

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The non-jam game is about a 62 year old psychiatrist who begins working at an asylum for the criminally insane. I still have to flesh out the plot, and I don't have a villain yet, but the project is coming out nicely so far. I'll probably take my time with this one and try to polish it as much as possible, so it might take a few months to complete it (although when I'm really inspired I work really fast, so it might take less)

I'll definitely try to implement all the bonus challenges in the 19th jam, as I found out trying to implement all of them makes things more fun and interesting, as well as challenging. The midas touch one might turn out to be more challenging to implement though, but  I definitely want to try it