So I played it and quite enjoyed it. The only thing I worry about at this point is having the game rely on a single mechanic. It works right now in such a short demo, but might get stale after a while. More feedback at the end of the video!

Gave it a quick try. I like the idea. Execution obviously needs a lot of work but it's not a bad mechanic (it's quite similar to level 6 in Braid). Perf is a clear issue, environment is obviously very bare bones, etc..

Platforming is a problem... in that large open area with the two moving metal platforms, I frequently fell when trying to get to the exit after solving the puzzle, mostly because the holes are not visible that clearly when you're traversing the outside area.

I'm a puzzle designer myself, so I have quite a lot to say about that aspect. Many of the puzzles can be cheesed by taking gears from an earlier area along with you.  Timed elevators and moving platforms create a lot of unnecessary waiting and would be better if replaced by floor panels. Synchronizing two out-of-sync platforms is really only interesting once. The bullseye targets don't give good feedback (no sound when activated, no visual link to what they're activating... wires on the walls would be a big help). Additionally, it's not always clear which bullseye targets need to be reactivated vs which only get toggled once and then remain switched on forever. Many of the gates are "no way back" if you take a gear along with you, which will make your players feel overly cautious and regretful as they explore the area. Can you get stuck if you drop a gear on the wrong side of a gate and then run under it before it closes?

All of those execution details aside... I think the most important problem is actually that I just didn't find any of your puzzles interesting. The puzzles feel very samey and, more importantly, have a poor analysis-to-execution ratio (you instantly see the solution, never feel satisfied after solving because everything is too obvious, and spend most of your time trying to implement the solution, which just feels laborious).

Compelling puzzle design is by far the biggest differentiator when you're working on a game in this genre; your puzzles need to be interesting for their own sake! If you rely too heavily on mechanics to carry you, your product will ultimately feel shallow. Combat and exploration will always be compelling if your mechanics and audiovisuals are good, but puzzle design is a different beast. You have to give people interesting challenges that they've never had before!

Right now, you have a nice tech demo that looks good enough for screenshots and gifs. But if you *really* wanna convince me that your game will be interesting, show me a good puzzle. I would focus very hard on trying to create one good, medium difficulty puzzle that's *fun on paper*.

too much lag. I would image all the windmills at the begging aren't helping.

This game is sooooo ADORABLE! I loved it team! I want to play more. It was nice to chill out and play this for a while. And when you finish it, you just feel good. Look forward to seeing where this game can go :)

Hey there, thanks for the gameplay demo. Looking forward to Paused being expanded with combat and swimming mechanics. Would be nice to have those pressure plates / sensors light up a path, or small conduit type thing, to whichever gate or platform they activate as sometimes they are not nearby (to help with subconscious guidance for players). I like the soundtrack too, it fits well but sometimes abruptly stops/starts. It is also possible to lose gears through clipping or on higher ground, would be great to have lone gears reset back to their spawn point if they are not interacted with after 30 seconds or so (if not done already?).

I've also recorded some footage of my playthrough.