What did this game do well?
****************************
I like the basic concept of the game, since a 1v1 boss fight can show off characteristics very well. The boss's moveset has an impressive amount of variety, and the barrage of bullets is a visual spectacle.
The visuals are very interesting, and moving across the screen feels nice and smooth. This definitely feels like a game where practice would surely make a better player. I liked the feedback provided by the health bars, which made it easy to see the progress.
The game is easy to understand. The enemy has varied attack styles which is interesting. The animation of the enemy attacks are also very well done. The introduction level is also very well done since it allows the player to test out all the different actions.
This game did a well boss fight mechanics, and Player will be able to practice more to get a better score, which fits the prototype theme accurately.
I really enjoy the UI and mechanics as a big Binding of Isaac fan. I also love the dash mechanic.
Really good art choice and enemy attack patterns. Projectile patterns were very effective at looking imposing/difficult to handle, but were ultimately manageable with good timing. I liked that some could be outmaneuvered directly while other forced you to use your dash ability. Scoring system using simple metrics is also a nice bonus
Enemy's attacks are unique and very fun to watch. The boss room design and the character design are good, and the rating system encourages the player to play more.
The boss fight feel was very well done. Definitely like a 2D Elden ring esc fight with dodge and moving around. Challenging at first but the more times you play the better you get at it.
I really enjoyed the unique movesets of the boss. It made for a different challenge every time. The scoring system is also great, giving players incentive to preserve hp and clear the boss as quickly as possible.
========================================
What could this game have done better?
****************************
The difficulty seems very hit-or-miss. Sometimes I'm able to burst the boss down in 5 seconds without taking a hit, and other times they do multiple full-screen attacks that are very difficult to dodge. I think a few tweaks such as invulnerability frames, attack cooldowns, and a more normalized attack pattern would help a lot.
The kill condition didn't seem super clear, and often times it felt like the round was ending when I thought there was still health left. The win screen, visually is also a little bit misleading because it feels just like the lose screen at first, with the bright red.
Having audio feedbacks would make this game a lot more satisfying. The grading system could also use some explanation. The attack and dodge mechanisms are very fun on their own but the game could use some other mechanisms, such as obtainable items placed on the level or making the map larger and have a more interesting level design could make the game more fun.
First, the game could add a score displacement or timer to the in-game UI so that player will be able to view their current score. For now, I'm only able to view the score when the game ends.
Next, I notice the dodge function only works for a very short time period, which might be too hard for new players to get hand on but could get used to it after practicing. This is like a double-edge sword, where it ensure the practice-more higher score things, but it also decrease the player's interest when first playing this game.
The boss needs to telegraph the attacks better. Also as a twin stick, I expected to have momentum carry on the projectiles.
It would be nice if enemy attacks, other obstacles, or changes to the landscape would push you into moving around the screen a bit more. As is, anyone with fairly decent timing can stay in 1 corner, shoot in 1 direction and take of 90% of the enemy's health if they positioned themselves well (occasionally dashing but mainly staying put). For the week long restriction the limited arena movement is understandable, but if the project were to evolve I think the first thing to sort out would be how to force the player to engage with the entire arena instead of staking their claim in 1 spot.
Enemy behavior could be more balanced to give fairness to the player on each play. The player could also have more attack methods to give the game more combat elements.
Definitely a replay button, it was annoying having to reset the browser when dying and repetition was a core mechanic. A clearer indication of the scoring system would be nice too, maybe something in the corner that shows my current rank.
Although the randomness of the boss's moves are nice, it makes some runs significantly easier than others. Maybe a more deterministic moveset would make the game more fair. I would also like to see a level progression instead of just one boss to give players a challenge.