Not to be mean, but this game feels like a game made by people who have never played any games. It looks like a game, it has a bunch of features someone looking at gamers would think gamers like - guns, robots, swords, platforming - but none of it feels right.
The movement feels awkward, you're too slow for the huge levels, you have no control in the air so platforming is a chore, and the dash kills your horizontal momentum at the end for some reason. Combat is extremely simplistic, and even then the sword doesn't feel satisfying to use at all. It's easy to miss enemies that are right in front of you, which is especially annoying when you're fighting the big guys with the weak spot on the back. There is no satisfying feedback when shooting either of the guns, enemies either die in one hit or take 10 machine gun bullets without flinching before suddenly exploding. The only thing that feels like it's had any proper effort put into it is the cutscenes. The animation is really quite good, although the writing and voice acting could use some work. Are you sure you guys don't actually just want to make a movie?
I get that it was a senior project and you probably had deadlines you needed to meet, but it doesn't feel like you did any kind of gameplay testing. No aerial control and the dash ending you with zero horizontal velocity feel like really simple mistakes that should have been picked up after the first playtest.
That said, it is impressive how big the scope of this game is for a school project, hopefully you guys go on to make bigger and better things!
Thank you for the feedback. We appreciate your thoughts and criticisms.
While we agree with many of your points regarding the fine tuning of mechanics and game feel, this game was (as you pointed out) a student project and our first game.
To your first point, all elements of the game were carefully chosen, tested, and implemented within the constraints we had as students. For example, you mentioned the dash coming to an abrupt stop. This was designed to allow players more accurately land on platforms from below as opposed to flying past them. If we were to recreate this game today, perhaps this mechanic would function differently.
Ultimately, when we created it, it was a labour of love by students who were passionate about games under tight constraints. It was completed and released 7 years ago for free, and has not been updated since. We're sorry it wasn't up to par for you.
Yeah actually I feel bad for being so harsh, I only noticed it was a student project near the end of writing my comment and didn't want to change it. Hope you don't take my comments to heart, I'm hardly an expert and have never made anything as good as what you guys made, I wouldn't listen to me.
This was cute! It felt to me like some kind of reverse Metroid situation. Where Metroid is defined by its isolation and claustrophobia, Samus Aran out on her dangerous missions all alone in the world, with Halen you have this space adventurer character out on dangerous remote missions but then getting stuck in that isolation with a talking sword? This is a neat idea!
Boss fight was janky. Couldn't hit him with sword at all. But could beat him without moving by just standing still and shooting repeatedly.
Understandable from a smaller game. But was confused about what I was supposed to be doing. Are you supposed to just stand still and spam shooting? Because that worked for me!
This game is so good I love it. Those enemies who charge at us tho are so annoying I spent half an hour just trying to kill one. Love this tho and love the voice acting. 10/10
I just finished the first part of the game and i love it, its got good voice acting, some funny parts here and there (so far as I know at least), Very Fun. I'd Say one of the best games I've played in a while. 10/10
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Not to be mean, but this game feels like a game made by people who have never played any games. It looks like a game, it has a bunch of features someone looking at gamers would think gamers like - guns, robots, swords, platforming - but none of it feels right.
The movement feels awkward, you're too slow for the huge levels, you have no control in the air so platforming is a chore, and the dash kills your horizontal momentum at the end for some reason. Combat is extremely simplistic, and even then the sword doesn't feel satisfying to use at all. It's easy to miss enemies that are right in front of you, which is especially annoying when you're fighting the big guys with the weak spot on the back. There is no satisfying feedback when shooting either of the guns, enemies either die in one hit or take 10 machine gun bullets without flinching before suddenly exploding. The only thing that feels like it's had any proper effort put into it is the cutscenes. The animation is really quite good, although the writing and voice acting could use some work. Are you sure you guys don't actually just want to make a movie?
I get that it was a senior project and you probably had deadlines you needed to meet, but it doesn't feel like you did any kind of gameplay testing. No aerial control and the dash ending you with zero horizontal velocity feel like really simple mistakes that should have been picked up after the first playtest.
That said, it is impressive how big the scope of this game is for a school project, hopefully you guys go on to make bigger and better things!
Hello,
Thank you for the feedback. We appreciate your thoughts and criticisms.
While we agree with many of your points regarding the fine tuning of mechanics and game feel, this game was (as you pointed out) a student project and our first game.
To your first point, all elements of the game were carefully chosen, tested, and implemented within the constraints we had as students. For example, you mentioned the dash coming to an abrupt stop. This was designed to allow players more accurately land on platforms from below as opposed to flying past them. If we were to recreate this game today, perhaps this mechanic would function differently.
Ultimately, when we created it, it was a labour of love by students who were passionate about games under tight constraints. It was completed and released 7 years ago for free, and has not been updated since. We're sorry it wasn't up to par for you.
Yeah actually I feel bad for being so harsh, I only noticed it was a student project near the end of writing my comment and didn't want to change it. Hope you don't take my comments to heart, I'm hardly an expert and have never made anything as good as what you guys made, I wouldn't listen to me.
i started the game yesterday and i already know my opinion of the game. EPIC!
Hey thanks for playing! Glad you like it :D
This was cute! It felt to me like some kind of reverse Metroid situation. Where Metroid is defined by its isolation and claustrophobia, Samus Aran out on her dangerous missions all alone in the world, with Halen you have this space adventurer character out on dangerous remote missions but then getting stuck in that isolation with a talking sword? This is a neat idea!
Boss fight was janky. Couldn't hit him with sword at all. But could beat him without moving by just standing still and shooting repeatedly.
Understandable from a smaller game. But was confused about what I was supposed to be doing. Are you supposed to just stand still and spam shooting? Because that worked for me!
Thanks for playing & glad you enjoyed it!
Yes, this was our first real attempt at creating a boss. Glad you managed to beat him!
This game is so good I love it. Those enemies who charge at us tho are so annoying I spent half an hour just trying to kill one. Love this tho and love the voice acting. 10/10
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed the game :)
wow great game! finally someone who places the controls in the pause menu :D !
Thanks for playing! Glad you liked the game and the pause menu!
The Trailer was awesome trying the game now.
I just finished the first part of the game and i love it, its got good voice acting, some funny parts here and there (so far as I know at least), Very Fun. I'd Say one of the best games I've played in a while. 10/10
Thanks, glad you're enjoying it!
The game is amazing! It is fun.
Thank you :)