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[clewcat]

Hello there

This is our first game and my first finished indie game.
It's in alpha version, and we still have a lot to iterate, especially the art. Before that, I can't wait to share it and listen to your feedback.

What is it?
River of Time is a top-down move-and-dodge Zen game with randomized levels.

You are a Solitary living in the mountains. Be enlightened through the dangerous adventure in your meditation, or be obliviated by the River of Time.

Screenshots:



Features:
* 4 levels with 4 unique gameplay and enemies
* randomized levels with endless challenge
* choose your upgrade strategy for the next try
* play with optimized touch and gestures (in future mobile version)

Controls:
Arrow keys or WASD to move (Level 1 can only move left and right)
SHIFT to cast Slow skill.
SPACE to cast Leap/Blink/Invisibility skill.
1/2/3 to cast Laser/Photon/Tachyon Shield skill.
M to toggle music.
P to pause/resume.

Feedback Requests:
* Balance: do you feel good with the randomized levels? are they are too difficult/easy? how about the skills?
* Control: does the movement feel good? or too fast/slow/whatever.
* Narration: is the story understandable to you? how do you think the connection of the levels?
* Unity: do the graphics, music and sound effects fit? or what's the unfit part?
Any other feedback are welcome too


Play it here

Updates:
09/23
Decreased the difficulty of Level 1 & 2.
Added tutorial and difficulty learning curve to Level 1.
Fixed minor bugs.

Known Issues:
The music sometimes stops playing after long pause.

[pladmi]

Overall, I'd say I didn't like it very much. Here's my feedback.

First of all I have to say that I didn't make it past the river level. So in my opinion the game is way harder than it should be.

1. There's too much ways to fail. You can fail by getting stuck on the wall, between the wall and the rock, on the rock, between several rocks, etc.

2. Controls don't really help. Game screen is too small to plan things ahead, the boat movement is too slow. I haven't really found a use for the "time slow" ability and "jump" is too dangerous since there's a high risk that I fall on a rock, which is a loss (also, it is hard to tell when exactly the boat touches the ground - maybe a shadow will help).

3. I didn't get far, so the story eluded me. I have to say though, that your game definitely aims for "zen" vibe, but the difficulty of gameplay as is doesn't allow player to relax and feel any of that.

4. Graphics and sound is okay! I didn't get a super-consistent feel, but it didn't feel bad either.

I hope my feedback isn't too harsh! Maybe it was just me not liking the game and somebody else has a better impression.

[clewcat]

Overall, I'd say I didn't like it very much. Here's my feedback.

First of all I have to say that I didn't make it past the river level. So in my opinion the game is way harder than it should be.

1. There's too much ways to fail. You can fail by getting stuck on the wall, between the wall and the rock, on the rock, between several rocks, etc.

2. Controls don't really help. Game screen is too small to plan things ahead, the boat movement is too slow. I haven't really found a use for the "time slow" ability and "jump" is too dangerous since there's a high risk that I fall on a rock, which is a loss (also, it is hard to tell when exactly the boat touches the ground - maybe a shadow will help).

3. I didn't get far, so the story eluded me. I have to say though, that your game definitely aims for "zen" vibe, but the difficulty of gameplay as is doesn't allow player to relax and feel any of that.

4. Graphics and sound is okay! I didn't get a super-consistent feel, but it didn't feel bad either.

I hope my feedback isn't too harsh! Maybe it was just me not liking the game and somebody else has a better impression.

I didn't know you were expecting a relax game of a "zen" title... but maybe you are right, the first level comes straight with hard settings and tense music, which breaks the feeling of the intro animation. I should do something about the difficulty curve, like putting less rocks and walls at the beginning.

Thanks for playing and the feedback pladmi, I hope you can finish all the levels someday

[ClockworkWolf]

Similar feedback to pladmi, it's quite difficult and way too easy to die. Another thing, the intro doesn't seem to be skippable? And the intro is rather long. I did enjoy the chinese water paintings though!

I was expecting with a zen title it would be more meditative and slow paced; this has me tensed up, and not in a good way.