I agree that the popups could use some more refining after the game jam. At the moment there are some that disappear after you leave a task’s trigger box, while some disappear after a timer expires. We actually did come across a bug where specific popups disappeared instantly like you said. I guess it came back somehow haha.
As for finishing the game…
SPOILER ALERT
We intended to stay as true as we could to our inspiration of The Backrooms, an area where people can legitimately get lost in.
So all I will say is: keep exploring, be curious of the environment, stay safe, and hopefully you can find your way out!
Cool game! I like the game's take on the theme: ghosts aren't real until you make them real. Honestly was a bit sad to keep firing at the ghost since it seemed to be harmless for the most part? But great job on getting this done in a week!
Like many others have said, great game! It was cool to see the dynamics between the father and son (how the son can't jump as high as the father) and how it adds a different layer to the platforming. I also thought the light mechanic was a neat idea as well.
The usage of color was pretty interesting as well. Blue background, red platforms, solid, gray ground. But despite the tutorial, I did have slight trouble recognizing when there was a door in front of me and I think it's due to the way color is presented in the game. Since closed doors are shown to be gray, my first thought is that it's a solid wall. It also took me a while to notice that door handles turn green when they become interactable. Maybe this could be fixed by making the color a slightly brighter green (one that's not too bright to fit with the overall dark colors of the game)?
I also enjoyed how dogs were introduced into the game: friendly at first, then hostile the moment the light stops shining on them. It implicitly shows how the light mechanics work without text. It would be cool to have interactable friendly dogs where if you have the light shining on them, press the interact button when you're close (probably a "pet the dog" action), then the dog stays friendly. It could possibly be a way to communicate that the son has "conquered" his fear of this particular dog.
I was definitely not expecting the ending and I could see this game being further developed. Great job!
