I'm going to be that guy who actually gives feedback instead of a copy/paste "awesome game" response that suggests the poster never played (or even watched someone else play) the game. As a huge supporter of indie game development, I feel honest, constructive criticism is the single best way to support new developers and that blindly positive or negative comments usually ruin a career before it starts. That means it'll be a long read, but hopefully it'll really help you to grow as a developer and really make a name for yourself.
I left a more detailed (yet oddly shorter) review in the comments section of the CJUGames playthrough for this game, but as that one's rife with spoilers and suggestions meant specifically for IMax.One (our little community there has more than a few people involved in game development, so you'll always get useful feedback), this one will focus more on general pros and cons.
That said, as a first game, this wasn't bad at all. I'll start with the good points, then the constructive criticism after:
Graphics: decent, as are many of the effects. Most animations are pretty good as well, although the girlfriend's animation needs a little refinement. The graphics on an indie game rarely have to be AAA standard and too much detail can sometimes ruin the mood. The assets and lighting used are a pretty good match for this kind of setting.
Gameplay: smooth enough with simple but effective controls. The interactions with the computer may or may not need a little work, depending on the intended effect. But other than that, I've seen a lot of Devs on their third or fourth game who can't get this level of playability.
Story: Okay, this is where I personally feel the greatest flaw is in the whole game, but also the greatest potential. As a professional writer, I kept seeing potential plot hooks and yet there really was no cohesive story. You only learn one or two vague details about the protagonist, and then have to make a choice at the end without any true understanding of what makes that choice necessary. That vagueness made the choice lose its impact. I give far more detail on this in the CJU comment (including some suggestions on what could be altered to make it cohesive), and I honestly feel this is something that wouldn't be hard to fix at all. Plot really makes a huge difference at the end of the day, and it can make or break a game all by itself. But for shorter gaming experiences, you really don't need a deep plot to make it good as long as it makes sense.
The only other problem I have is that this is primarily a jumpscare game instead of a survival game. Again, there are places where it would be easy to add suspense or a bit of psychological horror, but these things rely on fleshing out the plot. Jumpscares really only work when sparse and carefully placed (and the subtle ones are often the most effective), with the notable exception being Spooky's House of Jumpscares where the whole point was to poke fun at the recent era when Indie games were nothing but jumpscares and marketed as horror. Seriously, most YT channels ham it up on the jumpscares because the over-the-top reactions get them clicks. for the average gamer, jumpscares aren't much fun unless done REALLY well.
But let me bring this all back. There are people who will have some fun with this game exactly how it is, but there's a LOT of potential to knock the quality up a couple grade points with only a few simple edits and reach a much bigger fanbase. In fact, I see the same potential here as with the games made by the (now defunct) Smart Hart Games. Their first game was simply okay, but they listened to feedback and every game became better than the last. The team broke up, but its members are still making games on their own. I could also mention a few other Devs and Dev teams that also made a name for themselves after an okay start, but that's not why I'm here.
I'm here because I see in you a diamond in the rough, and there are too many people treating this game like it's the emperor's new clothes instead of giving constructive feedback. I want to see what your games look like down the road once your skills have been properly cut and polished - and if I can help you reach that point, I'm at your disposal.
Good review, it's actually quite hard for most of us to criticize some ones work and I feel this is lacking on itch.io. Constructive criticism is the only way you can help improve some ones work.
I haven't played this game yet but I will. I can relate to your comments in general about the overuse of jump scares in indie horror. I can also relate to the lack of story and logic in lots of indie games. However, as said, I will give this game a go it sounds pretty good from the devs comments (except the loud jump scares lol)
The reviews are almost all spam (the accounts were all created the day of their comment) so that's the problem honestly. The devs seem to be making fake accounts and that's just lame regardless of whether or not the game is actually good.
To be honest none of them are fake, I just simply asked a few colleagues to support me, guess this is not the way to go forward. I watched all the YouTubers very carefully and subscribed to their channel so I could examine other reviews and try to get the best and most accurate thoughts about my game, as this is very precious for me for further development. I can not say how thankful I am to those who support me, criticize me, and analyze the game. I was hoping I could get some direct feedback on how exactly I could have had it improved.
My apologies for assuming that they were fake, then. I would suggest not doing that in the future (asking for support from friends) unless your friends give genuine criticism; otherwise it can seem disingenuous.
The best review I have ever had, Detailed and well thought out, I appreciate the time you have spent and carefully examining the pros and cons. Would not say all, but I have taken most of it as a guideline for my second game. Creating a game all by yourself is challenging and frustrating, taking care of the story while you're creating all the assets and messing with the code or blueprints ... I am not trying to bring any excuse, only a Dev who has stepped into the 3D world and indie game wonder would know how it feels, time is always against you, but here we go ... It all worthed for the feedback you get and the attention gamers put into it. Thanks to Valosi and everyone who has supported me.
This game is a blast to play! The controls are smooth and responsive, the gameplay is addictively fun, and the visuals are stunning. It's clear that the developers put a lot of thought into making this game both enjoyable and challenging. I can't stop playing it and I'm already excited for what's to come in future updates. Great job to everyone involved in making this awesome game!
This game is a masterpiece! The gameplay, story, graphics, and sound are all top-notch. The developers clearly put a lot of passion into creating this unforgettable experience. Thank you for bringing this amazing world to life!
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Super cool =]
Good work
Thanks
Well designed game. good story line, amazing graphics and sound effects. Recommended!
SenorSpooks, thanks for the review.
pleasure!
I'm going to be that guy who actually gives feedback instead of a copy/paste "awesome game" response that suggests the poster never played (or even watched someone else play) the game. As a huge supporter of indie game development, I feel honest, constructive criticism is the single best way to support new developers and that blindly positive or negative comments usually ruin a career before it starts. That means it'll be a long read, but hopefully it'll really help you to grow as a developer and really make a name for yourself.
I left a more detailed (yet oddly shorter) review in the comments section of the CJUGames playthrough for this game, but as that one's rife with spoilers and suggestions meant specifically for IMax.One (our little community there has more than a few people involved in game development, so you'll always get useful feedback), this one will focus more on general pros and cons.
That said, as a first game, this wasn't bad at all. I'll start with the good points, then the constructive criticism after:
Graphics: decent, as are many of the effects. Most animations are pretty good as well, although the girlfriend's animation needs a little refinement. The graphics on an indie game rarely have to be AAA standard and too much detail can sometimes ruin the mood. The assets and lighting used are a pretty good match for this kind of setting.
Gameplay: smooth enough with simple but effective controls. The interactions with the computer may or may not need a little work, depending on the intended effect. But other than that, I've seen a lot of Devs on their third or fourth game who can't get this level of playability.
Story: Okay, this is where I personally feel the greatest flaw is in the whole game, but also the greatest potential. As a professional writer, I kept seeing potential plot hooks and yet there really was no cohesive story. You only learn one or two vague details about the protagonist, and then have to make a choice at the end without any true understanding of what makes that choice necessary. That vagueness made the choice lose its impact. I give far more detail on this in the CJU comment (including some suggestions on what could be altered to make it cohesive), and I honestly feel this is something that wouldn't be hard to fix at all. Plot really makes a huge difference at the end of the day, and it can make or break a game all by itself. But for shorter gaming experiences, you really don't need a deep plot to make it good as long as it makes sense.
The only other problem I have is that this is primarily a jumpscare game instead of a survival game. Again, there are places where it would be easy to add suspense or a bit of psychological horror, but these things rely on fleshing out the plot. Jumpscares really only work when sparse and carefully placed (and the subtle ones are often the most effective), with the notable exception being Spooky's House of Jumpscares where the whole point was to poke fun at the recent era when Indie games were nothing but jumpscares and marketed as horror. Seriously, most YT channels ham it up on the jumpscares because the over-the-top reactions get them clicks. for the average gamer, jumpscares aren't much fun unless done REALLY well.
But let me bring this all back. There are people who will have some fun with this game exactly how it is, but there's a LOT of potential to knock the quality up a couple grade points with only a few simple edits and reach a much bigger fanbase. In fact, I see the same potential here as with the games made by the (now defunct) Smart Hart Games. Their first game was simply okay, but they listened to feedback and every game became better than the last. The team broke up, but its members are still making games on their own. I could also mention a few other Devs and Dev teams that also made a name for themselves after an okay start, but that's not why I'm here.
I'm here because I see in you a diamond in the rough, and there are too many people treating this game like it's the emperor's new clothes instead of giving constructive feedback. I want to see what your games look like down the road once your skills have been properly cut and polished - and if I can help you reach that point, I'm at your disposal.
Good review, it's actually quite hard for most of us to criticize some ones work and I feel this is lacking on itch.io. Constructive criticism is the only way you can help improve some ones work.
I haven't played this game yet but I will. I can relate to your comments in general about the overuse of jump scares in indie horror. I can also relate to the lack of story and logic in lots of indie games. However, as said, I will give this game a go it sounds pretty good from the devs comments (except the loud jump scares lol)
The reviews are almost all spam (the accounts were all created the day of their comment) so that's the problem honestly. The devs seem to be making fake accounts and that's just lame regardless of whether or not the game is actually good.
To be honest none of them are fake, I just simply asked a few colleagues to support me, guess this is not the way to go forward. I watched all the YouTubers very carefully and subscribed to their channel so I could examine other reviews and try to get the best and most accurate thoughts about my game, as this is very precious for me for further development. I can not say how thankful I am to those who support me, criticize me, and analyze the game. I was hoping I could get some direct feedback on how exactly I could have had it improved.
My apologies for assuming that they were fake, then. I would suggest not doing that in the future (asking for support from friends) unless your friends give genuine criticism; otherwise it can seem disingenuous.
Agree, I’ve learned the lesson 😋
The best review I have ever had, Detailed and well thought out, I appreciate the time you have spent and carefully examining the pros and cons. Would not say all, but I have taken most of it as a guideline for my second game. Creating a game all by yourself is challenging and frustrating, taking care of the story while you're creating all the assets and messing with the code or blueprints ... I am not trying to bring any excuse, only a Dev who has stepped into the 3D world and indie game wonder would know how it feels, time is always against you, but here we go ... It all worthed for the feedback you get and the attention gamers put into it. Thanks to Valosi and everyone who has supported me.
This game is a blast to play! The controls are smooth and responsive, the gameplay is addictively fun, and the visuals are stunning. It's clear that the developers put a lot of thought into making this game both enjoyable and challenging. I can't stop playing it and I'm already excited for what's to come in future updates. Great job to everyone involved in making this awesome game!
This game is a masterpiece! The gameplay, story, graphics, and sound are all top-notch. The developers clearly put a lot of passion into creating this unforgettable experience. Thank you for bringing this amazing world to life!
The experience was lovely. Thank you for the game!
Horrifying experience. Loved it XD
Loved it! was very creepy.
That was insane! Thanks for creating such a great game!
Still, good game. hope there is a download for the linux.
Wow game, I love it.
cool game
Definitely interesting but it's a great motivational game to tell you to clean your room and get your life together :)
We loved the great game!
The graphics and gameplay look great
Thanks
It's really scary, I must try this
It is really worth it
Hellll yeah
great booooy
Thaaaanks
nice job
really fun
A sense of pure loneliness. I think it's a different experience
The graphics look great.
It's gonna be something
It truly is
I wanna buy this!!
This game looks cool!
Thanks