In examining the intricacies of digital entertainment, it's undeniable that the game titled "Cube Game" offers a profound introspection into how we perceive and understand the realm of competitive digital engagement. One can't help but wonder: who has the true authority to delineate the criteria by which we evaluate a game? Or, to take it a step further, how do we even define what constitutes a game in the first place?
Consider the ubiquitous term "fun." A multitude of gamers revel in platformers, bestowing high ratings upon games that fall within this particular genre. However, in the vast universe of gaming enthusiasts, there are those whose preferences lean in the exact opposite direction. To them, platformers might represent an element of gaming they find unappealing, leading them to rate such games rather unfavorably. This subjective dichotomy of opinion can be extrapolated to almost every gaming category imaginable. There are those who yearn for an evocative musical backdrop to augment their digital escapades, while others might find solace in the simple, ambient whir of their computer's fan. Similarly, pixelated graphics might evoke a sense of nostalgia and appreciation for some, yet there are critics who decry this style as being both clichéd and lacking in innovation. Despite these polarizing views, a consistent theme emerges: the evaluation of a game largely hinges upon the inherently subjective perspectives of its players. Ironically, it's often the game that bears the brunt of criticism for not universally satisfying such a diverse audience.
Yet, "Cube Game" doesn't just acknowledge this monumental challenge—it embraces it. Rather than striving to satiate a broad audience, it remains true to the creator's vision, catering to those who resonate with its unique essence and, in the process, disregarding the criticisms of those it never sought to please in the first place.
Moreover, "Cube Game" audaciously challenges the conventions of gaming, refusing to be constrained by the established categories that many of its contemporaries readily fit into. It eschews traditional notions of competition and, in doing so, carves out a niche for itself, standing as a beacon of originality amidst a vast expanse of homogeneity. This distinct approach extends to how it engages with its central theme. While my interpretation of its theme was deeply insightful, the game doesn't pander to those craving a more overt or literal representation. This subtlety, whether intentional or not, highlights deeper, systemic issues that pervade various facets of our digital culture. To distill it down to its essence, "Cube Game" is a deep dive, challenging our preconceptions of gaming.
The game stands as a testament to the power of subversion and challenges the status quo. It's a shining embodiment of individuality, of a creator rising above the noise to assert their unique voice, fully cognizant of the potential repercussions, yet indifferent to them. In the vast tapestry of digital games, "Cube Game" emerges as an unapologetic assertion of individualism in an ecosystem often inclined towards conformity, and therein lies its sheer brilliance.
There is a lot to like here. Starting with the great-looking sprites and good music and sound effects. The gameplay is good too, responsive, jumps felt good, and it's a simple platformer with a good amount of challenge introduced by the claustrophobic camera and small light range. Thank god for checkpoints!
This is a fantastic submission to the jam, a nicely polished final product. Good job!
Thanks for trying it out. Oof, I agree the controls are wrong. I actually want to put in controller support. But yes, I think once the review timeframe is over, I will make an update to allow to change buttons for powerups. I just ran out of time to test the right button placement.
This is one of the better games I've come across here. I love the visual and audio design. The diving animation at the game start is something that I actually wanted to do as well, but couldn't find the time to do something like it. Great work.
As I was dashing at each interval, I thought to myself, I wish the green area was getting smaller so it would become harder the more I dashed, but I realized, eventually, that very slowly it was speeding up. At one point I was getting into a rhythm of perfect dashing, over and over. I barely saw any rocks for a while, I was just moving too fast, too perfectly!
I would love to see further updates, maybe adding the artifact/upgrade system you were initially thinking, to give this game some more depth (no pun intended).
I enjoyed and played through to the end. I think you balanced it well, although I was able to finish it on my first playthrough, I might just be a god gamer though, who knows?
The graphics were great, but I wish there was a little more SFX and maybe different or longer looping music.
I think there is a fun base here, and would love to see a mechanic that allows you to drill into rocks, or something else then simply dodging and evading.
I love the art and sound. And I think you're on to something with the gameplay. I kept playing, and I really wanted to progress further, but I felt the gameplay was very slow waiting for the bomb to land in the right spot so I could progress. Reading some other comments, it turns out that I can also move the bombs when they're about to explode, but I didn't discover that on my own through gameplay.
I also found it frustrating to die, one hit, when a bomb would fall on you. This felt too punishing, because they fall at random, and they fall very quickly, leaving very little room for skill. It felt more random than anything, and that wasn't fun.
Giving this feedback, because I'd love to see this taken further, game-tested and polished. Maybe more bomb types, and maybe a mechanic to speed up the progression. There is something very at the base of this game.
Very hard, but nicely made. I tried a few times and struggled with the knife. It took me awhile to get used to the movement, I kept thinking that forward movement would follow the direction I was looking with the mouse.
Thank you so much for trying it! I really appreciate it. It's just my second game jam, so I'm happy that I was able to make something even a little fun :)
Thank you, I hate all of the SFX, and I just ran out of time and repurposed a bunch of old effects that I had I just got something in. I think that might be the first thing I change, because I totally agree with you! Thank you for the feedback.
Thanks! I agree, it's too difficult. I ran out of time to do proper game testing, which means I never got the chance until after I had submitted to modify the difficulty.
I really like this game, and I hope to put more time into it soon. I added my laundry list of things to do in the description of the game at the bottom!
You're right. It's not balanced properly. I, unfortunately, ran out of time to do proper game testing. And I was unable to tweak some of the values to make it challenging but not impossible. I plan to update the game once the jam is over, so hopefully you'll come back another time to give it a shot with some new features.
Great graphics, sound and gameplay. I enjoyed playing. If I had one item on my wishlist, it would be to be able to see the cooldown of the different bullet types and maybe a health bar above some of the more difficult mechs.
Great graphics, sound and gameplay. I enjoyed playing. If I had one item on my wishlist, it would be to be able to see the cooldown of the different bullet types and maybe a health bar above some of the more difficult mechs.
Thanks. I was too ambitious with what I wanted to do in the time I had available, and proper game testing and tweaking the numbers on speed and enemy generation never happened. I added a laundry list of todos in the description, and if you're interested in following along, I do plan to make updates once the jam is over and continue development on this idea.
This was a lot of fun, I really wanted to get to 5000 fish, but the time to refill oxygen in the early game kept me waiting too long and slowed down the gameplay.
Some game testing, tweaks, and maybe more options in the shop and you have yourself a perfect little game.
There is a foundation to build on here, but without anything to spend money on, there wasn't much to do in the way of gameplay. I'd like to see where you take this if you add some more to the game.
