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Thanks for the feedback! The worm does actually have a pre-attack telegraph (there's a road SFX and its eye bulges one second before it charges) but we noticed too late that sometimes the worm is off-screen and you can't see its eye changes. The jump mechanic was meant to be a dodge-roll stand-in to avoid the worm's dashes, but its not as useful if you can't predict when the worm is about to attack in the first place.

I did consider procedural animation, but since I had no experience in it, we decided to go for the safer option. I also had a different vision for the worm initially (I imagined it more like a coiled serpent) so it was a bit of a planning mishap on my part.

I didn't really notice the stars because I didn't see any indicator of what gives you the stars or how fast exactly you have to be? (I actually thought they were pickups I was missing) Because speed is the only reason to match the shape, if the player isn't interested in stars, the acceleration loss actually becomes a good thing (I've slipped off a ledge to my death many times due to going too fast).

I'd say the scaling might need a purpose other than speeding through the right hole, like if scaling in a direction also scaled your speed in said direction (so y scaling gives more jump height, forward scaling makes you faster forwards, etc.). 

I think having to get to a certain location to revert your scaling had some puzzling potential, i.e. you have to get to location A before you can resize yourself and fit into location B rather than a linear route. Though, this wouldn't work in this specific game because having time pressure and puzzling don't mix.

A more brute-force method would be to give the stars a purpose, like an alternate ending if you manage to get a certain amount. It's elegant and easy to implement, but it also forces players to prioritize speed, and time pressure can be rather stressful.

I think the best solution really depends on what you think is most important about the game. Is it about beating the clock and executing moves with the perfect timing? Is it about using the mechanics given to you and the map's features to methodically solve each level?  Is it about coming up with new and novel ways to use a mechanic already given to you? As long as it feels rewarding to engage with, I'd say it works.

Interesting game! It feels like you put a lot of heart into this and it shows.

I noticed that the forwards-scaling can go through every hole? It sort of feels like a pity since you went through the effort of colour-coding every wall with a hole (which I appreciate). It's like a symptom of a problem that the scaling and platforming are sort of... separate? You can scale, platform, and dodge lasers, but they don't end up interacting, feeling like 3 game mechanics put together instead.

I was sort of blindsided by the story. Throughout the first 6 levels, it felt like something deeper was implied, but things only started to happen at the end of the 6th. By then, I wasn't really expecting any story and wasn't paying attention, so the dialogue elements felt kind of like a waste (which is a pity because it was very well-implemented!)

Finally, I think this game has too much precision platforming. The player's shadow doesn't correspond to what's below you, which theoretically makes sense, but now you can't tell whether you are above a platform and have to approximate it and hope for the best. This feels like the weakest part of the game and is a frustrating part of what would have otherwise been a pretty clean experience.

Whew, I've said a lot. Like the others have said, it's charming and has artistic flair, and I can tell there's attention to detail. It's just got a couple of issues that might turn the average player away.

Impressive! It blends familiar and unique concepts in a satisfying way. Feels good to get larger and cut through ever-evolving swathes of enemies. I just wish there was more feedback, i.e. sound and visual effects when you hit enemies, get hit by enemies or projectiles, collide, etc. 

There's also a bit of RNG to this game. In my first attempt, I only got 1 module in the first minute, while in the second, I got 6 in 40 seconds. Maybe you could add a hidden pity system to ensure the player doesn't go too long without any modules, since it tends to snowball if you lack the modules to kill enemies and get more.

Love this game! It's got style and feels really good to play, such that even when the concept starts repeating itself, it still feels good to play until the end. Feels extra good to slay a big enemy with an oversized sword. The scaling is really satisfying (and kind of makes me jealous, tbh). I just wish there was a settings menu to adjust the SFX and key bindings.

Got stuck on the settings menu unable to quit while my antivirus worked overtime deleting files like crazy. I'd like to test it more, but I'm sort of terrified right now.

Interesting take on the theme! Story also did a good job of making it feel like more was going on. The art kind of has a nostalgic Newgrounds feel to it, too.

Nice game! Though, it's pretty odd that the projectiles don't scale with the character? More could be done with the theme of scaling that could tie everything together more neatly.