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This was a really bittersweet story. I had a suspicion after the "baseball" conversation, and was pleasantly surprised to see I was correct. Mr. Crow and James are both very charming characters, and I'd say you executed the theme really well.

Gameplay wise, it was quite fun! I had a great time wandering around the forest looking for parts, and the calming music and delightful art only added to the experience. I do think the jump height and speed was a little... off. It made controlling James a little difficult at times. But overall it was a delightful experience!

This made me cry. That is a good thing.

I'll start with my critiques first: I wish there was more art to look at, admittedly. While I like Ada's little trailer, I do wish I could see it from multiple perspectives as the two are doing things and talking, maybe in the form of CG. The background for the text box, while delightfully colourful, might be a bit hard on the eyes after a long time. This was a very short game, so it didn't bother me while playing, but I can see it starting to strain if this was much longer.

That all being said, time for my praises: This was incredibly moving. It has a very cozy, down to earth writing style while also being very cerebral in its topics. You managed to make prejudice, the value of life, consequences and the guilt we harbor from them all seamlessly work together to tell a very thought provoking story about two people with a lot on their hearts. Beautiful symbolism with the moth as well.

I adored Ada and Jez both. Though I only got to see them for a short while, they were both incredibly well-written and very human characters. I love the family relationship they developed, and the nuances behind their respective heartaches. I opted for all the kind options, and while I'm usually very thorough when I game, I don't really want to go back and do the mean ones because I'm just so touched by their happiness.

As another reviewer stated, you have a gift for storytelling. Even if you don't continue working on this project in particular, I would love to see future work from you. 10/10

Thank you so much! I'm beyond thrilled to hear you enjoyed it.

This was a beautiful experience, unfinished though it may be. The art is gorgeous, and whether intentional or not, I find the sketchiness of the lines very appealing. The characters are very expressive and I get a clear idea of what is being conveyed without dialogue.

Correct me if I'm wrong-- as I'm a big fan of mythology, but I'm rather lacking with Norse myth --the soldier in question went to Helhiem instead of the warrior's Valhalla, because he did not meet the criteria for entry. He is satisfied with this outcome because his wife is also in Helhiem, and he would rather not be separated from her, much to the Valkyrie's dismay, who had wandered far to retrieve him, as she believes he deserves a place in Valhalla instead?

If I'm correct in my assumption, then I think this was a truly beautiful approach to the theme. Not only does the Valkyrie fly, but she was attempting to make a soul "fly" to higher planes despite them not wanting to. The actual mechanics of the game were, as others said, somewhat lacking, but overall I think this had a lot of promise and was very pleasant as is.

I am a little saddened to see you won't be continuing work on it, but that's very understandable. I would love to see what else you guys make in the future.

I really enjoyed this! The concept is cute, and I think for a 10 day time limit you did a great job. The art is charming, and I love that everyone is colour-coded. The music choices were great and added a lot to the scenes. I also think you did an excellent job of giving each character their own distinct personality. There's a surprising amount of choices here, which I do like, but I think not having a save button made it very tedious to play. It also feels very difficult to get a good ending. I played about 6 times and got the same bad end for each: Midori confesses to Kiiro. 

While I think it's good you gave the players an option to let Aka go a more dark path in her quest for romance, I think I'd enjoy it a little more if there was more opportunity for her to either:

A. Talk to Midori maturely about the matter, or...

B. Decide that seeing her friends be happy is more important.

I'm sure the opportunities are there, but I suppose my overall point is that it feels difficult to gauge what choices will lead her down those paths. Encouraging her to talk to Midori about her feelings did nothing to change the outcome. Being civil didn't either. So I'm at a loss for what I am supposed to do to get any good ending.

Please don't take my criticism to mean "I think this is badly written"-- FAR from it, I think you made an excellent story with very engaging characters! I just think as it stands now, Aka is leaning more towards "understandably upset" or "concerningly unhinged" with no (seemingly) plausible in-between.

I look forward to seeing what you do with this project all the same! I adore it, and I would like to see what else you write in the future.

I adored this! Not only was it super fun to play (and very clever with how it approached the theme, no less) but it was also just very sweet. I love the sprite work, and the music was very fitting for the mood. Overall comfy and nostalgic! I did run into a bug, however: In the very big room just before the treasure vault with the potion, I set down a pot and the camera would not pan back to the wizard, so I had to restart the level. Not a deal breaker, but definitely a time sink seeing as I had to do the whole level over again.

Despite that, I really enjoyed this! I look forward to seeing what else you do with the project, or any other fun little games you make!

A fun twist on the usual fairytale! The execution is simple, but very charming. I was having fun pushing people off until the last one, though. That was just mean. xD 

This had wonderful presentation. I love the colour palette you picked, and you used it very well. The atmosphere was very sinister in a quiet way befitting of a captive situation like this. I was very determined to help this character break free, though doing so proved to be a little frustrating in Chapter 3. I'm not sure if it was intentional or not, but at times the entity seems to pull you back a bit. Which is great in concept, but a little exasperating when I get pulled into a pit or spikes. That's a very minor criticism though! Everything else about this was on point, and I loved it!

The art is so pretty! I really liked the music choice as well, and you managed to tell a story without words so very wonderfully. I will say that I did encounter a small bug (I think?) where the character would keep moving even if I wasn't holding down an arrow key. Given it's a prototype though, I think that's entirely forgivable.

The concept behind this story is so genuinely sweet, and I think a lot of people (myself included, if I'm being honest) will find it relatable. I can't wait to see what else you do with it!

Everyone else has already pointed out the criticisms that came to mind, so I'll refrain from beating a dead horse and just say that this was super cute! It kinda brought me back to some early 2000's fashion games that came with their own little funky consoles. Very specific vibe, and one I found really charming. I think the decision to make everything except the clothing items monochromatic was a fantastic choice. It really helped add character with all the little pops of colour! Also, some of the clothing pieces were legitimately rad. I was pleasantly surprised to see Mothman himself had some stylish drip. :]

LET'S GO LESBIANS

This was a really cute game! I was raised by Buddhists for a time, so it was quite charming to see the religion explored in this. The plot setup is nice, the characters are lovely, and I found the actual game play enjoyable.

Like the reviewer below me, I do wish Ming-Hui had more of an active role in the journey, but I completely understand why she didn't given the circumstances. I also felt like the jumping was a little off, but otherwise this was an incredibly delightful experience! And very very well fleshed out for a 10 day time limit. Please keep up the good work!

This was a fun little point 'n click. Very nostalgic and brought back a lotta memories of watching sitcoms late at night when I should have been sleeping, lol. The tone of the story and characters was very appropriate for the vibe. I'm very fond of the CRT effect as well. It really tied the whole thing together.

I will say that the laugh track feels overused, or played during times where it didn't make much sense, but I assume that was intentional given how much they're abused in actual sitcoms. Still, for future projects I'd suggest toning it down just a touch so it's not too repetitive for the player.

Overall a solid experience!

This was a funny lil' experience. Punny, witty, and actually quite fun! I got genuinely invested in seeing how much money I could make before I flunked a jump. The answer is $51. 

Overall, the experience is straight forward, simple, and consistent! I can tell you have a knack for platformers, because sometimes I would have to be clever about my jumps if I wanted to survive, which is a plus in my book. Like others have stated, I think the experience could be elevated by having some variety! Different enemies, maybe traps, or power ups all keeping to the political humor would make for one snazzy little game!

Also, solid music choice. It was very relaxing to listen to,

Conceptually, you have an interesting idea. Execution wise, there is much to be desired.

There is no clear way to convey to the player how to fly, let alone that you are flying. I did it by pure accident and thought I had perhaps encountered a bug at first. I also played the game twice because I wasn't sure if I had done something wrong when I died, or if that was legitimately just the end of the game. The sprites are fine, but confusing: The lack of any proper animation only makes it harder to discern what I'm doing, and the lava creatures... don't entirely look like lava creatures to me. I could certainly tell they were heat-related, however, so that's good. This probably goes without saying, but the lack of any music or sound effects really makes it feel flat. 

I think you did a great job with the i-frames, however! That's usually something most people overlook, so I'm glad you kept that in mind.

Overall, I would be hard pressed to say it was fun. It's just far too unfinished and unpolished for me to really gain much enjoyment from it, but I do think you're on the right track to really figuring out some proper mechanics for future projects. Keep it up, and don't feel discouraged!

Thank you! He'd love to make more friends. ♡

I'll keep that in mind, thank you so much! It made my day to read this!

Thank you! I'm delighted to hear you think so!

Thank you so much!

NOTE: For everyone struggling with bugs, don't press the directional keys when in a dialogue box otherwise you'll get locked in place, and if you get stuck on a menu hit the back button enough times and you should exit it! Also, avoid reading all books EXCEPT for Winter Ranger, as the other two will bug your game.

With that being said, I really love the concept behind this entry. The setting has an interesting set up, and I adore the idea of rangers being named after the different seasons. It saddens me that this wasn't more finished, because I have so many questions: What is the current state of the world? What is Winter's relationship with Autumn like? Where are Summer and Spring?

I'm very invested in this narrative you were writing. I failed my last Game Jam (couldn't even get a submission out, honestly) so I can only imagine half of the frustration you must have felt not finishing this in time... But don't let that discourage you! I would love to play a finished game detailing Winter's adventures and what it means to be a ranger in a future project.

As a former cat owner I greatly approve lol

In all seriousness though, this was a really cute game! I was surprised to see it was a bullet hell of all things (in a good way!), but it works well! The plot is straight forward, adorable, and has a very sweet ending.

My biggest complaint is that the lack of music or sound effects made it difficult for me to feel immersed. I think even one track would have helped with the mood a lot. The battles themselves are fine, but it might not be a bad idea to add some variety to the bullets and experiment with patterns in the future!

There's a lot I wish I could say, but I feel like I shouldn't just so other players can get the full experience.

I adored this entry. You have a great understanding of atmosphere and presentation, and it really shows here. I play a lot of horror games, so I'm usually pretty stone-faced when I go through them, but this one actually got me anxious. A lot about this is incredibly clever, from using the storybook as a map, to the audio cues lining up with the storybook itself, and the overall suspense you created.

I did not want to play this. Not because it's bad, but because it just unnerved me enough.

My only criticism is that the game is a bit buggy in some regards: The controls prompt did not show for me the first time, and the camera keeps trying to drift to the right even when I'm not touching my mouse. The second one was especially frustrating at times when I was trying to get my bearings in the maze-- Which, in fairness, added to the anxiety lmao

Overall stunning, would love to see more from you in the future!

Edit for other players: READ ONLY IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH SPOILERS

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if you're worried about a jump scare, don't be! There is none.

Like the other two, I was not able to play this game. It opened, but aside from movement, the controls did not work and I couldn't interact with anything. I did, however, walk around the maps to see what you were aiming for!

The art style is charming and rather nostalgic to look at. I quite liked the way the game looked. However, there were some graphical errors: The character sprites would overlap buildings and the lack of a shadow makes it very difficult to gauge distance. Also, the forest path sometimes overlaps into the field or looks slightly off, making it hard for me to navigate and tell just where exactly I'm going.

I found the music very repetitive. It loops seamlessly enough not to be distracting, but it becomes very hard to listen to very quickly. I would suggest adding some more oomph to your tracks in the future so they're a little easier on the ears.

The UI was good for its simplicity, but the lack of any idea how my controls worked meant I spent at least a minute trying to click on everything and trying every single key on my keyboard. I would suggest adding a short document detailing the controls in your game files next time.

With all of my criticisms being said, conceptually, I think this game is incredibly interesting. The cover art and intro description really had me excited to see what kind of intense, mysterious story you were going to tell with it. Which makes the fact that it's unplayable a real crying shame.

Please don't feel discouraged despite what I've said. I think you had a really fun, engaging idea here, and I would love to see you try and flesh this out more in the future, if you feel you still have the drive for it! 

This was really sweet! I love the concept behind it, and I'm so glad that you're going to expand on this story further, because it really does hold a lot of promise! I do wish this sample had been longer than it was, but I think given the 10 day time limit you had to work with, you guys did a great job.

The art is really lovely, it has a sort of storybook aesthetic to it! And the body language and facial expressions do wonders to bring the characters to life. I think you picked an excellent song to accompany this piece as well.

I will say there were a couple of typos here and there: "church" was misspelled, and there was some funky punctuation at times. I think another proof-reading would have helped.

But all in all, this is a great entry! I'm looking forward to the rest of Lacey's story!

The fuckin' job titles in the credits tho-- The hell ya'll doing in that studio LOL

Jokes aside though, this was a really fun game! I liked the silly dialogue (and the fact that the jank translation seems to be randomized for every playthrough) and the funky concept behind it. Artistically, you did a solid job with such a limited palette. The character designs are charming, the detail is professional grade, and I like the funny lil' bobbing the alien does in his tank. :]

Music wise, it was very catchy! I noticed a couple of songs were a little on the repetitive side, but they were still very enjoyable despite it. I'm absolute garbage at rhythm games that require memorization, so I don't think I could give a decent critique on the actual gameplay, but I did encounter a strange bug: When I missed a note, sometimes I couldn't continue the flow even if I hit the right key. Other times, it would let me? But I would still take that with a grain of salt, I might have just been messing up that badly. Still, great game overall!

i would like to be a pepper

There's a lot I feel like I could say, but I think the story speaks for itself. Short, bittersweet, and very sobering. This made me want to go call my partner and tell them how much I love and appreciate them.

I don't want to rudely assume (or accidentally play into stereotypes), but the fact that the family did not approve and "our" was in rainbow leaves me to speculate and wonder. I don't know if my guess is correct or not, but if it is that makes it all the more tragic and relatable. 

I truly loved this. It was an experience I don't think I'll forget. It is very short, but I think for a 10 day limit it's very sweet. Like others, I would be delighted to see longer stories from you, given the amount of heart you put into your writing.

This was a really cute game! I love the fun art style, it's so delightfully expressive and charming. The bird flipping us off and the faces of the shiba inu got me cackling lol, and the music was very fitting for the tone and general playfulness of the story...

...which is why the first ending I got really sucker punched me, especially when the music changed to reflect the more sombre tone. It was unexpected, but definitely welcomed, and really sweet in a tragic sort of way. I appreciate that you left it up for interpretation, because it really got me wondering just WHAT happened, which helps the game stick with you despite how short it is. I played it about an hour ago and had to go tend to other things, and I'm still wondering about the shiba and Dum Dum.

My only criticism-- and one others have already pointed out --is that the button for progressing is very small. I also had a hard time finding it initially. I think either making it bigger or changing the colour so it doesn't blend in as much with the background would help immensely.

The "save" option was an excellent idea, though. Especially for a game with multiple choices!

Overall a solid experience and I quite enjoyed it. Please give your little shiba inu a pet on the head for me, and tell her to maybe bark at pigeons instead. They're much more generous with their food LOL