Hello Jay!
Like I said, I played through your demo and really enjoyed it, and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next.
My review has become longer than planned. I hope it doesn't clutter up the comments section. If it does - just delete it! 😁
One thing first: I can't seem to find your demo of Shadows of Betrayal here on itch. I've searched for it, but it hasn't come up. I only found the site when I searched for Dreamwalker or your username and went to your profile.
Now to the game ...
In the end, nobody hated me, but I had to sleep alone. Oh, well ...
I liked the summary at the end of day 1. Made me realise what I'd missed - and made me a bit nervous because everyone was healthy (for now?). Well, everyone with the exception of Alex. 😆
The writing is good. The story doesn't drag on, but moves at a nice pace. Important information is relayed in a natural way. Information like the lack of a phone signal (I'm sure that won't be a problem later) …
I also liked the dynamics of the group. The characters are unique, but not so different that you're constantly wondering how they became friends in the first place. (Again, with the exception of Alex. Nah, just kidding. I find him oddly fitting)
Still, I could have used more time with Brooke and Marcus, but I liked Jenna. Alex was a bit much, but I feel like he's the kind of character I find a bit annoying at first, only to grow fond of them later.
I also like that there are situations where the relationship status doesn't change until later (Sleeping on the porch? Not on my watch!), even if it makes ‘cheating’ a bit more difficult. 😝 It just feels more natural that way.
Oh, and the ‘surprise’ at the end was really well done. I liked how all these thoughts (some absurd or inappropriate) flashed through MC's head, showing his shock very well.
I wasn't sure about the art style at first, but the characters have grown on me. You wrote that the budget is tight, and I understand that, but I think that might be a weak point (especially with the use of AI-generated backgrounds).
I'm not sure how many backgrounds you will need. Maybe a solution would be to buy an inexpensive background pack that covers most of your needs, and only hire an artist if you can't find a specific background. ‘Minikle’ on gamedevmarket, for example, has a whole range of background packs. I don't think I've seen anything you could use right now, but maybe something will come up as you continue working on your project.
Using a blue tint to simulate night time could also serve as a compromise instead of creating an additional night version for each background. (This confused me a little when I left the cabin and it was supposed to be night, but it was still bright outside)
Just a little brainstorming here.
Another thing I think you could improve is the cover picture (I mean the image with Jason on the left and the logo on the right). It's the first thing people see of your game, and to me at least, it looks a bit stiff and isn't really eye-catching. I think it would work better if there were either more characters (instead of just Jason), if Jason was actively doing something, or if there was something going on in the background to add interest.
Again just some ideas.
Anyway, enough with my rambling. I enjoyed the demo and am waiting for more. So keep up the good work!
Do you have a release date planned yet? ;)
~ Mara