First and foremost I’d like to thank everyone in their participation in this little Game Jam, I hope it was a good experience and has had some benefit to you even if you did not win. I know I haven’t been as available as I had hoped, but I’m thrilled to be able to be apart of this with you and do plan to host more in the future and extend the scope and reach. But for now I would like to announce the winner of this one.
So even if you skipped the first paragraph and came right here:
The Winner of the First LevelUP Jam: @AbstractGallery’s LOPARE!
Once again I’d like to thank all participants from pseudo-Judges to contestants, and a special thanks to @00T_Free for their game and general contribution to this Jam! Details/Reviews of all the games can be found below for a better understanding of the ruling. This is being announced afternoon in my time zone so I apologize for any inconveniences this causes in yours.
Lopare Winner! 1st Place
@AbstractGallery knows what he’s looking to accomplish in this straight to the point crisp platformer. With no real story or setting but with a good sense of structure and style carrying it, Lopare is a solid, and maybe the closest to finished, product. I do have an especially noticeable at risk here; the lack of any real risk. Though I find the game to be generally competent in all aspects, even despite a rhythmic based learning curve, I do think the lack of any real substantial content that isn’t on the surface holds this back from any possible further acclaim. With its fine gameplay in spite of some general repetition, it has earned a 7/10 in this competition.
Death’s End: 2nd Place
@BroBro2 submits what could have been a solid game that I so very much want to admire. Self-described as a game set in some post-apolocalyptic society, Death’s End appears to be a callback to the great arcade games we’ve all been fond of for decades, and though setting and atmosphere seem a little confused in contrast to execution; there is no doubt an experience so very nearly competent here. The problem however is a true lack of play testing, as some of the game mechanics, particularly the jumping, feel not only unpolished but frustratingly so due to the inconsistent height to which the character may leap to. This aesthetically sound and well tense platformer could have more, and that’s why I feel it has earned a 6/10 in this competition.
Blandus 3rd Place
@CodeAlpaca’s entry appears to follow a youth in the mundane fictional town of “Blandus” that is home to less than 800 residents and seem to have a thing for dry rice. The game consists of two gameplay styles; an all-direction semi-linear segment and a platform segment, both of which I found unfortunately, pardon my humor here, bland. That isn’t to say that the game itself is a poor experience as it is far from it, however I felt that the Flow Lab references and light-hearted inclusions were the bulk of what was enjoyable in my play through. Besides some expected bugs and typos, I sense an overambitious project for the time allotted and less polish than was ultimately necessary. Though there did appear to be a distinct art-style and aesthetic at play, and in light of the amount of content in this little game- I feel that this game earns a 5/10 in this competition.
Maze Hunt 4th Place
@Chrisdakiller’s near last minute entry is not a low-effort one. Another story less entry that doesn’t feature anything besides the gameplay itself, Maze Hunt is an impressive feat of procedurally generated mazes for the player to navigate while avoiding/outsmarting the enemy A.I am lurk near the goal. Despite its obvious repetition and incomplete feel; this game does deliver some enticing gameplay for a few mazes at least that feel satisfying to complete. I do wish that there had been more content for this to compete better in the general sense, as it did have my favorite gameplay element across the competition. Though it doesn’t thrill me to do, I need to award it a 5/10 in this competition.
Until next time, thanks everyone and take it easy.
~ Sable.