Lock and Key by Relic
Overall: Great
Theme: Great
Concept: Great
Presentation: Great
Story: N/A
Overall (47/50)
A top-down action game where the player is a digestive enzyme trying to bind to fat and sugar molecules. Good presentation, smooth learning curve and easy to pick up. An excellent Jam entry by any measure.
Concept and Execution (14/15)
The concept is an original mix of a resource management game and a top-down action game. The two-handed movement controls took a little while to get used to, but eventually it clicked thanks to the built-in tutorial. The temperature and pH meter mechanics added some variation, though with a tip after the stomach level I was able to game the system and minimize the number of manual adjustments. I was also unable to find any significant bugs during my session, which is a definite plus. My only complaint is that the tolerance for rotation is a little low, and the button presses for A were sometimes unresponsive.
Graphical Presentation (8/10)
The graphics are simple, but they made sense in context. The tweening effects were a nice touch and helped smooth over transitions. One minor issue is that the villi animation in the small intestine level caused the game to lag a little due to number of texture primitives.
Supporting Presentation (15/15)
The subtle background chewing and gurgling sound effects were effective in communicating the setting. The sound effects for fitting a substrate were a little exaggerated, but I see the point and they fit.
The music had a slight "scientific" feel to it, helped communicate the main point of the game, and didn't distract from gameplay.
Theme Usage (10/10)
This is a fitting way to demonstrate the Chemical Reaction theme, and the temperature and pH mechanic also gives a hint of the Adaptation theme as well. When I first proposed the theme, I expected entries where things are simply gathered in scoring sets, but this is a step above.
Additional notes:
I played this entry in gamepad mode only.
Gambrawl by Siolfor the Jackal
Overall: Great
Theme: Great
Concept: Great
Presentation: Great
Story: Good
Overall (46/50)
A simple fighting game in an apocalyptic setting combined with a betting mechanic. Excellent presentation on all fronts, great UX, just some minor issues with balance.
Concept and Execution (11/15)
I like the idea of being both the better and the cage fighter in this entry. Except for the zombies, every other type of enemy is unique and have meaningful counter play. However, the apparent swarming limit got in the way of zombies and shadow men from ever becoming a genuine threat even at 3 dice. After a handful of zombie and shadow man all-ins (I even rerolled for a higher number on two occasions), I was already a millionaire. Without a set amount to work towards, it detracted from the authenticity of the story.
My streak ended with a bug: if you get knocked down near the bottom-right corner, you would stand back up under the bottom border, unable to hit or be hit by anything. I had to quit from there, but I have enough to say that I'm impressed with this entry.
-2 for "invincible ringout" bug (PM me for screenshot)
Graphical Presentation (10/10)
A solid, consistent vector style. Though there isn't much variety, everything that's there is done well and work together. I am particularly impressed with how smooth the animations are with the amount of time you've been given.
Supporting Presentation (15/15)
The music and sound effects were all spot-on. Definitely sounds like the underground on the betting screen and a boxing ring on the main game screen. Can't find fault with it.
The menu system is by far the most comprehensive of all the entries I've seen thus far. The controls were well explained, as well as the rules of the game. I'm glad that you had the guts to abandon the glitz mentioned in the afterwords in favour of having a solid user experience, that is the strongest asset of this entry.
Theme Usage (10/10)
I like how this entry uses the "Against All Odds" theme two ways, one in the more figurative sense (fighting one's way out) and the other in the numerical sense (betting odds). Though I eventually learned to exploit the latter, it's still a solid fit and I couldn't have done it better.
Stream of Adaptation by Smiechu
Overall: Great
Theme: Good
Concept: Good
Presentation: Great
Story: N/A
Overall (45/50)
An fast-paced abstract 3D rail scroller game where the player adapts a crosshair's shape to suit incoming pickups of various colours and shapes.
Concept and Execution (12/15)
I can see the shadow of "infinite runner" games in this entry, but the addition of 3D graphics and the "adaptation" mechanic greatly enhances the originality and adds a new dimension of play. The engine ran smoothly, the tunnel generator created an excellent sense of depth and distance, and the speed scaling was gradual enough to make it fun for both beginners and experienced players. Changing between 4 different modes using only a previous-next key scheme became slightly unwieldy at higher speeds, however.
Unfortunately, there is an on-exit crash on my Windows 7 system that just says the program has stopped working. A rough landing, but still not bad all-round.
Penalties
-2 on exit crash
Graphical Presentation (10/10)
Very consistent geometric graphics, and the 3D deserves some credit for the amount of time given to implement it. I like how the tunnel is wireframed to allow for planning in advance while giving a sense of dynamic movement.
Supporting Presentation (14/15)
The sound and music are a perfect fit for the genre, and at higher speeds, the sound is key in feedback for whether the player has passed through a pickup properly. The navigation was usable (though perhaps not for beginners who aren't used to Function keys), and the supporting documentation helped me pick up the game with sufficient ease. Unfortunately the HUD was a little basic and off-theme compared to the rest of the presentation.
Theme Usage (8/10)
A decent "Adaptation" entry. The thematic fit isn't exactly the best, but I can see clear effort in making it part of the design and what's there is a central part of the mechanics. Compared to the overdone "Against All Odds" entries, this is worth commending.
My Gold by NazGhuL
Overall: Great
Theme: Great
Concept: Great
Presentation: Good
Story: N/A
Overall (42/50)
A dual-themed maze game where the player throws bottles of chemicals to collect gold and destroy gold-stealing zombies. Original concept, clean execution, and there is an element of strategy to it once you figure out the reactions (especially the 1-4 ice reaction). A very enjoyable entry.
Concept and Execution (14/15)
This would have been a rather dull concept if naively copied from a top-down tutorial to be yet another stock "Against All Odds" entry, but there is clear evidence of effort to adapt it to the "Chemical Reactions" theme and make it more interesting. Changing the basic attack to 4 variations that cross-interact with each other adds a dimension of strategy --- building walls using 4-1 (1-4 creates blocks that break on their own for some reason), collecting pickups with 1, creating control zones with 3, etc. I find myself balancing blockoffs and collecting gold on a constant basis, and that greatly enhances the playability and challenge of the entry. The game overall runs well, with the only demerits I could reasonably give being a lack of explanation for the reactions and the spawn rate increasing too fast.
Graphical Presentation (8/10)
Pretty basic style, but it works. It's apparent that the main player and zombie weren't part of the same set as the background and collectible items, but they blend in reasonably well.
Supporting Presentation (11/15)
The sound and music were spot on and they set the "Against All Odds" theme needed for the game. The help screen was helpful in getting me started, although a better overview of the chemical reactions would have helped reduce the learning curve. While I like how everything came together, I would have liked it better if you were more specific with the sources in the credits.
Theme Usage (10/10)
Dual-theme entries always impress me on this front, and this entry makes great use of "Chemical Reaction" and "Against All Odds". The weapons react with each other and help gather resources, and the zombies provide the "Against All Odds" element.
Liquid Bacon by Acr515, Ralucipe
Overall: Good
Theme: Good
Concept: Good
Presentation: Good
Story: Good
Overall (41/50)
A short RPG about getting "liquid bacon" after being turned down at a grocery store. Cute, humorous, and easy to pick up, though a little too limited in scope. Well-executed while it lasts.
Concept and Execution (11/15)
The concept of collecting formulas in an RPG environment isn't bad, and the engine is programmed pretty well to suit. The parallel projection is intuitive, and the in-game controls were self-documenting. The battle and inventory systems were simple and more or less modal, but they are done correctly and work without obvious mistakes. For the time given, this is an impressive result.
Unfortunately the balance in the field to the south leaves much to be desired for. The spawn rate was just ridiculous, I can't move more than a dozen steps without getting a random event. In no time flat, I had a dozen apples, sticks, shovels and plastic wrappers. This is one of several reasons why I never even considered doing an RPG entry for the GMC Jam --- balance always becomes the first casualty of the time limit and it always sticks out like a sore thumb.
Graphical Presentation (9/10)
A fun, clean vector-and-stickman style. The animations were smooth and seamless, and show a lot of personal character. However, the texture work (e.g. grass, wallpaper, etc.) could use some additional work to blend in better.
Supporting Presentation (13/15)
The music was quirky and helps set up the story well. Sound effects were rather sparse, but they made sense when they came up. The humour fits well in context and greatly enhances the tone of the story. The README file had everything I need to start playing the game, though I would have liked it better if there was a menu system in-game prefacing how to play the game and where the sounds actually came from.
Theme Usage (8/10)
Looks like a "Chemical Reactions" entry from the start. There is definitely mechanical tie-in with the theme, such as being able to create reactions for items/bonuses and the final goal of making "liquid bacon". But outside that one goal and miscellaneous item use, it is otherwise a stock RPG engine edit. It just isn't as central to the game as I would have liked.
Against All Odd by Yal
Overall: Good
Theme: Great
Concept: Good
Presentation: Good
Story: N/A
Overall (41/50)
A typing mini-game where the player shoots zombies by typing out numbers on their heads in text form. A bit short, but everything in it works on the most part and it is replayable.
Concept and Execution (11/15)
I love the concept of bringing back those "typing games" from when I was a child in the early 2000s. Though a bit simple, the coding is well done on the most part. The game over screen was a technical hit-and-miss (unwanted transparency, zombie attack sounds still playing), but it isn't a breaking concern.
What might be considered a breaking concern is how often the text labels garble by overlapping. The challenge would make much more sense by increasing the speed of the zombies, rather than the number spawned at the same time.
Graphical Presentation (7/10)
Kind of blobby and run-of-the-mill, but everything works together.
Supporting Presentation (13/15)
There are only 2 soundtracks and 2 sound effects, but they set the right atmosphere and for a simple entry I wouldn't ask for much more. The documentation is short and effective, and the navigation is easy to use.
Theme Usage (10/10)
Another great double entendre of the "Against All Odds" theme (fighting one's way out + odd as in "odd number"). I'm starting to like the diversity of this particular theme among the entries using it.
Little Lost Hero by GameDevDan
Overall: Good
Theme: Poor
Concept: Great
Presentation: Great
Story: OK
Overall (40/50)
A 4-bit style basic turn-based maze game, mechanically similar to Nitrome's "Turnament". The levels are plentiful and varied enough, but a bit on the easy side. The thematic fit is a bit forced, but saved somewhat by a rough storyline.
Concept and Execution (13/15)
As a mechanically simple entry, I evaluated mostly on the variations offered by level design. There were 20 levels, which isn't bad for a jam-length entry, and the final boss show evidence of deliberate design (e.g. the hand is always in your way if you just walk up to the button without using the fast-forward pads). The variety in enemies is a welcome addition, though the 4-legged walkers were too unpredictable compared to others and made the solution less predictable on levels that have them.
Graphical Presentation (10/10)
Consistent 4-bit graphics that extends even to the font. A little simple, but I guess that's the point.
Supporting Presentation (13/15)
The sound and music were of the same style as the 4-/8-bit era, and that's always a good start. I can't find much fault with either. The navigation flow is a little simple, but it's usable. The README file provides enough information to understand the game right away, though it would have been better if it was part of the game. I would have also liked it better if I was warned ahead of time that I get hurt by being next to an enemy instead of being on an enemy, since the latter is the case for most other games of the genre.
Theme Usage (4/10)
This is another case of stretching the "Against All Odds" theme so thin that any game of the same genre would fit. The only saving grace is that the story helps convey the theme that's otherwise indeterminable from mechanics alone.
Snowball in Hell by AndrewN
Overall: Good
Theme: OK
Concept: Good
Presentation: Great
Story: OK
Overall (40/50)
A short bottom-up platformer game with excellent coordination of 8-bit aesthetics across graphics, sound and music. Definitely a good starter entry.
Concept and Execution (10/15)
A little short, but quick and bug-free while it lasts. The idea of having a small cold protagonist in a hot game world sets an effective contrast.
The keyboard movement was a significant pain point for me on this entry. The left-to-right movement was a little too fast given the amount of room I have to move. The jump was particularly troublesome, and I had several unwanted double jumps on platforms that were placed closed together. I would have preferred if the jumps triggered on keyboard_check_pressed() instead of keyboard_check().
Graphical Presentation (10/10)
This is uncompromised 8-bit graphics that isn't just regular MS Paint work with a pixelization filter. The palette is done to-spec, and so is the font and even the palette-shift flash when the level is finished. Definitely the strongest asset of this entry.
Supporting Presentation (15/15)
The sound effects and music made perfect sense together, especially with the 8-bit graphics. The music in particular is very fitting and has a "run for your life" feel to it.
I would have deducted points for not giving credits to music and sound effects, but since it could have been made by the author within the time limit, I'll pass on this one.
Theme Usage (5/10)
I think the theme is "Overcome All Odds", but I can't see specific effort to fit the theme. Any bottom-up platformer could have done the same work.
Duality2 by Matharoo
Overall: Good
Theme: Poor
Concept: Good
Presentation: Great
Story: OK
Overall (36/50)
A neo-pixel dungeon RPG featuring the author, several other GM community figures and monsters to fight. The engine runs smoothly and the graphics were beautifully done, but the level design was more or less just enemy spam, and there was no specific attempt at suiting any of the three themes.
Concept and Execution (12/15)
Pretty generic concept with a basic spin attack. The engine ran smoothly and the controls were reasonably responsive, so that's a good start. The meter on the spin attack prevents the player from having it turned on constantly, so that adds some element of strategy and placement. The Ehsan boss makes pretty good specific use of the spin attack, but outside of that it's just spin-and-go-and-rest-and-repeat most of the time. The mini games in the overworld was a nice variation, though.
Graphical Presentation (10/10)
Beautifully done neo-pixel graphics with exact style match on all fronts. I love how even the shading is done well on this entry, while on most other entries in the same style it was done poorly and detracted from presentation.
Supporting Presentation (13/15)
The sound and music were more or less the right style for the genre, but the dungeon theme was a little short and gets repetitive quickly. The key hints at the beginning of the game was all I needed to start playing, so that is a bonus.
Theme Usage (1/10)
I don't see any real connection to any of the 3 themes, this just looks like a generic action RPG engine edit. If this is "Against All Odds", sorry, it's going to take much more than an elevated amount of enemies for me to pass an entry off as that.
Wizzy Gizzard: Speed Date by HayManMarc, Toque
Overall: Good
Theme: Poor
Concept: Poor
Presentation: Great
Story: Good
Overall (33/50)
A side-scrolling "dodge-the-obstacle" game with funny romance-themed cutscenes. Great example of neo-pixel style graphics and humour, but too simple and has a faulty level generator.
Concept and Execution (8/15)
The concept of running past obstacles to meet a girlfriend never gets old, but the execution for this one feels too simple for my liking.
Unfortunately there seems to be a serious issue with the way levels are generated in this entry. The Love Cafe could show up after around 3 or 4 obstacles, well before the progress meter at the bottom fills up. There was also one level where an obstacle was spawned on the goal and I was forced to hit it as I finish, and the main character walked over it.
Penalties:
-2 for spawning the Love Cafe too early
-2 for spawning obstacles on the goal
Graphical Presentation (10/10)
Nice neo-pixel graphic style, and a lot of variety in obstacles and people at the Love Cafe. Can't really give any less.
Supporting Presentation (12/15)
The sound and music in this entry are simple and few in number, but they work while they last.
This is the first Jam entry I've ever rated that used humour effectively. But without adequate support from other elements, it just feels like decor rather than a central part of the game.
Theme Usage (3/10)
I'd understand that finding true love is genuinely a work "Against All Odds" and the cutscenes definitely show it, but the theme just fits too loosely for me to give a pass.
Find the Cure! by UnEarthly Ethan
Overall: Good
Theme: Good
Concept: OK
Presentation: Good
Story: OK
Overall (33/50)
A colour mixing game using RGB and alpha that tells a line-by-line story as you successfully create the target colour. Nice idea, but the implementation makes it excessively difficult to hit the target because of the low margin of error and inability to tell a white background from transparency.
Concept and Execution (8/15)
I like the concept of mixing colours towards a target. The controls were straight forward, and the game ran smoothly in general. Simple but workable on the most part.
But one mistake in the implementation pretty much ruined most of the game for me --- the target colour box. Because the background is pure white, you cannot tell a light tinge of green from a highly transparent green, and that could invalidate an visually valid solution. Even when alpha is discounted, the margin of error is on the low side for non-technical audiences.
Graphical Presentation (7/10)
Basic and slightly clashy (it's easy to tell which ones you drew and which ones were photographs), but they're passable.
Supporting Presentation (11/15)
The sound and music are next to minimal, but they are effective and I don't see any need for more. Unfortunately the "screen tearing" effect on the opening help screen just didn't work at all aesthetically and distracted me from reading the instructions.
Theme Usage (8/10)
Definitely looks like a "Chemical Reactions" game. I like how you made the mixing of chemicals a central challenge for the theme.
Zombie Assault: Against All Odds by Misty
Overall: Good
Theme: OK
Concept: Good
Presentation: OK
Story: OK
Overall (32/50)
A standard 3D FPS shooter with a swarming mechanic, where the player must survive for a set amount of time and get away on a helicopter. Everything works as intended and the atmosphere is great, but it is pretty stock and almost reminiscent of a tutorial mod.
Concept and Execution (10/15)
I think everyone knows what the concept is and would agree that the implementation is as it says on the lid. It runs well, the controls are responsive, and I can't spot anything out of line execution-wise. But strategically there is almost nothing to it --- just run forward constantly, reload whenever you don't see anything to shoot, and run up to zombies and point-blank them. There's also next to nothing that makes the game's design its own. Subtract material that you can find stock in a 3D FPS tutorial, and there wouldn't be much left.
Graphical Presentation (5/10)
The graphical coding is decent, the textures are fine on the most part, but the selection of graphics on certain areas leaves a lot to be desired for. The menu buttons look clashy and out-of-place, and the menu font is an artistic kind not designed for more than a word or two. And then there are the zombies. They didn't look like zombies, they just look like those black paper targets at a shooting range.
Supporting Presentation (12/15)
The sound and music are on-theme and effective together, and the use of 3D sound makes for an immersive experience. The menu is a little off, but the in-game parts are well done.
Theme Usage (5/10)
Looks like an "Against All Odds" entry and definitely has the feel of it, but like many other entries, there is an "any other game of the same genre would do" problem. There is no just specific attenpt to adapt the game.
ROYal RUMble by Misu, Yal
Overall: Good
Theme: Poor
Concept: OK
Presentation: Good
Story: N/A
Overall (32/50)
A 3D platformer featuring a rolling RoyTheShort smiley. Nice engine, good presentation, but the simple enemy spam just wasn't all that fun in the long run.
Concept and Execution (10/15)
Though I can't say the concept ties in well with the theme, it does work reasonably and is in an area seldom covered by the GM mainstream, so I'll give credit for that. The 3D collisions are intuitive once you learn to rotate with the mouse (not documented), and the controls are responsive on the most part.
Unfortunately I am not exactly a fan of the level design. Lots of kill-on-loads, lots of blind corners and the later levels pretty much all resorted to stockpiling cannons. Also, at around level 8-10 the screen got stuck on loading.
Penalties
-2 for stuck level loading screen
Graphical Presentation (8/10)
The textures aren't bad in general. However, combined with ambient lighting, the texture on the stone blocks makes it hard to tell solid ground from a hole lined by stone blocks.
Supporting Presentation (12/15)
The sound and music don't really make sense for a platformer game loaded with so many cannons shooting at the same time, but given the subject of the game I'll give it a pass. The menu and in-game HUD work and look good, but I would have preferred if there was in-game access to the options menu.
Theme Usage (2/10)
Making it across such a high volume of cannons and hidden traps is kind of "Against All Odds", but the thematic fit is too unspecific for me to accept.
Rise by The M
Overall: OK
Theme: OK
Concept: OK
Presentation: OK
Story: N/A
Overall (30/50)
A pretty standard platformer entry with a hook mechanic in place of jumping. Workable graphics and mechanics, fun while it lasts, but too much content has been cut off by an early crash.
Concept and Execution (6/15)
The concept of using a grappling hook instead of a jump is a cool concept and it was intuitive to pick up. However, much of the level design is basically just swapping out jumps for hookable spots. There weren't many examples making creative use of things otherwise not doable with simple jumping.
Unfortunately, this entry contains two early errors, one when collecting a bonus and one after beating the red bug boss. I would love to re-review this at a later date, but for voting purposes I can't let this slip.
Penalties
-2 for error on collecting a bonus
-5 for early impassible crash after red bug boss
Graphical Presentation (7/10)
The graphics are a basic vector style, which works but could use more consistent shading, especially the background. The glow had visible rings and didn't mesh well. The bonus was also left as a placeholder.
Supporting Presentation (10/15)
The in-game help was well-placed and helped me learn the game. It would have been better if the instructions in the README was part of the hints.
The magic tree and boss themes worked wonderfully, but the music elsewhere leaves much to be desired for. The beginning of the game could have used some music to set the tone, and the Level 1 theme is too upbeat.
Penalties
-3 for no sound effects
Theme Usage (7/10)
This looks like a good use of the "Overcome all Odds" theme. The starting of the game reinforced the theme quite well, especially with the music at the magic tree. Unfortunately the music afterwards was too upbeat and detracted from the theme.
Woodcutter by darijs1
Overall: OK
Theme: OK
Concept: Poor
Presentation: OK
Story: N/A
Overall (30/50)
A survival game where the player cuts down trees for fire and weapons, hunts animals for food and defends against zombies. Nice concept, but too monotonous for my liking.
Concept and Execution (7/15)
The concept is familar and well-intended, but the execution is too simple to hold my interest for long. With just 2 resources to manage and the distribution rather sparse (especially meat), once you learn to gather both there's nothing more to do other than to repeat them ad-infinitum. The control scheme was a little left-hand-heavy and awkward. It would also have been nice if there is an arrow pointing towards home base.
Graphical Presentation (7/10)
The graphics look well together with a simple vector style, and the particle effects definitely add to the atmosphere of the entry. However, the menu buttons look absolutely AWFUL.
Supporting Presentation (10/15)
The 3D audio, though limited in scope, does add to the authenticity of the experience. The help documentation was adequate and allowed me to pick up the game with little effort, though I had to poke around the right click to learn that it's a charged shot.
Theme Usage (6/10)
Wilderness survival definitely fits in the "Against All Odds" category, and the presence of zombies does reinforce that theme. However, the fit is rather generic and doesn't show much evidence of intentional design.
King Of Deals by joh
Overall: OK
Theme: OK
Concept: OK
Presentation: OK
Story: N/A
Overall (29/50)
A card game where players trade cards representing goods, defects, bonuses and actions. I like the idea and would love to see it expanded one day, but the current iteration is too dependent on the opening hand and liable to become stagnant to be genuinely enjoyable.
Concept and Execution (9/15)
It's nice to see a break from the overrepresented action fare, and I was looking forward to this entry when I knew it's in the running. It ran cleanly without crashing or lagging, so that's a good start. But unless I missed an important strategy or element, I'm disappointed in the execution. The concept is nice and I can see where it can continue to grow, but the current iteration just isn't enjoyable enough.
The current rules of the game encourages both snowballing and passivity from the start. If you start with a superior hand containing few demerit cards, you have NO incentive to trade at all. If your hand starts poor, you wouldn't have much that others want to offer good cards for, and their hands would also likely contain too many good cards to care. If a game is about X, for it to be any good, its mechanics must be designed to force X to happen from any start. For example, if at the beginning of each round you have to draw an undealt card and offer a trade containing at least that card, that would give lagging players a chance back into the game, and also force the player to make varying decisions about how to best convince another player to take the deal or turn it down.
One minor complaint is that when I put up an offer and no one takes it, I have to press cancel myself. It should bounce the cards back into my hand and say "No deal".
Graphical Presentation (6/10)
Basic and a little oversaturated, but unified and workable. One thing I didn't particularly appreciate is the default font in several places.
Supporting Presentation (8/15)
Though simple, the menu has a unified style, and the built-in help was somewhat effective. I still had to poke around a little in-game, but eventually I understood the game. The tallying screen was also well done.
Penalties
-6 for no sound or music when appropriate
Theme Usage (6/10)
I suppose the theme is "Adaptation" for following market conditions, but most of the market cards just don't make big enough of an impact on general play for me to score this any higher.
Reel Fruit Slots by Oyakiiv
Overall: OK
Theme: Poor
Concept: Great
Presentation: OK
Story: N/A
Overall (29/50)
A quick minigame where you play on a slot machine spewing out various exploding symbols that you must run from and avoid. Very original idea, but a little too basic and not enough use of the theme.
Concept and Execution (13/15)
I must say this is the most original idea of the lot, and it is the only entry thus far that gave me new inspirations. I would have loved to see more different kinds of symbols or machines to play against, but for a Jam entry this is a good start. The mechanics are smooth and problem-free on the most part, though there is no consequence for losing.
Penalties
-1 for no game over when I get 0 health
Graphical Presentation (4/10)
Workable, but too raw and could have been improved with some pretty basic measures. For starters, look up how to use draw_set_font() to show larger text without scaling artifacts or string() to tack numbers onto strings in the Manual.
Supporting Presentation (10/15)
I like the jazzy music in the background and the sound of the spinning slots, definitely sets the right atmosphere. The instructions are clear and straight-forward. However, the presentation of the instructions and the score HUD are a bit too hastily done, and detracts from the immersion.
Theme Usage (2/10)
I'm guessing this is for the "Against All Odds" theme (because slot machines are classified as fixed ODDS betting machines), but the fit is too loose for me to give it a pass.
Au Début Ça Va by Team Vive Le France
Overall: OK
Theme: OK
Concept: OK
Presentation: OK
Story: N/A
Overall (28/50)
A quick standard scrolling shooter where you must pay attention to shifting key arrangements and "dead man's switch" buttons to hit. Cool neon-geometric graphics, very hectic music, but has significant flaws in usability that compromises the result.
Concept and Execution (9/15)
The basic shooting mechanics work well and are easy to pick up, and I'm surprised at how fast it runs with the amount of graphical effects going on in the background. I am also unable to find any bugs at runtime.
Unfortunately I'm not a huge fan of the way this entry plays out. It's a spray-and-pray game on the most part with little strategic interest, and the changing movement keys didn't have much significance when I could just stand still and shoot. The random warps give no prior warning or potential for counterplay, and I've had a number of instant 100-to-0 losses this way.
Graphical Presentation (4/10)
The graphics has a uniform neon-geometric theme and looks well-made, but it seems too carried away with style to have any care left for usability. The amount of visual noise and issues with contrast are major problems with this particular entry. Almost everything in the game blends too well with the background, and that's inevitable when virtually every colour in the spectrum is there. The text is hard to divert attention to, and there is no reminder of which key is which after it's gone. Also, when the player is near the top of the screen, the letter key popups disappear off the top of the screen.
Supporting Presentation (10/15)
The sound effects and music combined well to create a hectic atmosphere, and the main navigation flow works despite its simplicity.
Penalties
-3 for no documentation on how to play
Theme Usage (5/10)
I'm guessing this is for the "Against All Odds" theme, but the fit is too generic. Any scrolling shooter could have fit the bill the same way this entry did.
Black and e by Ghandpivot
Overall: OK
Theme: OK
Concept: OK
Presentation: OK
Story: N/A
Overall (28/50)
A black-and-white stickman platformer with an unusually high number of unexpected hazards. I understand the gimmick, but it just didn't appeal to me.
Concept and Execution (8/15)
I too would have thought this might be a good concept, but unfortunately the traps ended up being more frustrating than they were fun. The part up to the second flag were reasonable, almost a "fool-me-once-shame-on-you-fool-me-twice-shame-on-me" kind of experience. But then I noticed the bug that followed. I was able to jump into the block under which the stakes shoot out, but I never made it past there, so I quit there.
Graphical Presentation (7/10)
Basic black-and-white stickman graphics. Not much to comment on, but it's sometimes unclear what's dangerous and what isn't.
Supporting Presentation (8/15)
The sound effects get the job done, but the music doesn't feel like it fits into the game. There were also no credits given for the music, which doesn't sound like something produced within the 24 hours allotted.
Penalties
-1 for not stating how to play
-3 for not showing credits for sounds and music
Theme Usage (5/10)
I guess the large number of unexpected hazards is a way to express "Against All Odds", but I didn't enjoy this particular rendition of it.
Eel Lady Cat Constest by TinyGamesLab
Overall: OK
Theme: OK
Concept: OK
Presentation: OK
Story: OK
Overall (27/50)
A maze game with a cat that can only charge in a straight line and stop only at other solid objects. The graphics are professional-quality and I applaud the effort, but the levels are too easy and the music just doesn't click at all.
Concept and Execution (6/15)
I like the mechanics of the puzzle and you've provided a decent amount of content, but the fit with the "eliminating the competition" part of the story feels rather forced.
The level design is by far the biggest liability of this entry. Given the demographics of the GMC, you'd expect at least 16 years old, but the levels are quite frankly too easy for even a 6-year-old.
Graphical Presentation (10/10)
A solid, standard vector style. The main character looks cute and everything just fits together.
Supporting Presentation (6/15)
As predictable as the game gets, this is the part that really shocks me. With the perfectly done graphics, I would have expected the same kind of work supporting it. I'm wrong.
There was a single generic meow for sound effects and that's it. I've never owned a cat, but I've been around cat lovers at work long enough to know that a cat being beaten up sounds VERY different from that.
There was music in the game, but none of it sounds like a cat beating up other cats.
The menu works well and I was able to readily learn the game from in-game hints, but that's the only thing I could really give any credit for in this category.
Theme Usage (5/10)
I think this is an "Against All Odds" entry? I could see the attempt to suit the theme, but the fit is a bit forced.
Afternote:
If you want to know what the same idea executed properly would look like, get Green Ninja Year of the Frog by Nitrome.
Overcome by Sam Spade
Overall: Poor
Theme: Poor
Concept: Poor
Presentation: OK
Story: N/A
Overall (20/50)
Some sort of abstract game where a white blob tries to overcome a variety of black blob enemies. It would have made sense if I could actually control the thing.
Concept and Execution (2/15)
The concept is nice and would have been better to play --- if only the movement actually worked! I was holding down WASD as instructed and I'm barely moving at all. The point of the "Against All Odds" theme is NOT to have absolutely no agency. End of story.
Penalties:
-10 for being unable to control the game (yes, I followed the instructions, WASD for moving, click to attack and defend)
Graphical Presentation (6/10)
The "blurry blob" theme is a unique and simple aesthetic, but having it in the menu poses a readability issue.
Supporting Presentation (9/15)
The sound and music set the right tone, but unfortunately for a part I have next to no input on. The menu system works, but is slightly hard to read and takes more time than I'd like to fade in.
Theme Usage (3/10)
I think this looks like an "Against All Odds" entry from the way it starts, but there just isn't enough material I can play to discern real relevance to this theme.
Johnny's Escape by Bart
Overall: Poor
Theme: Poor
Concept: Poor
Presentation: Poor
Story: Poor
Overall (9/50)
Some sort of RPG game that was supposed to be based on chemical reactions, but the entire theme failed to make its way in. Not much to see or evaluate here, unfortunately.
Concept and Execution (1/15)
Quite frankly there just isn't enough to even start fathoming what the concept is. The only point I'm giving for execution is for not crashing.
Graphical Presentation (5/10)
Simple geometric graphics, but little else. You could have used custom graphics for the part where the main character is being abducted, such that it is of the same simple style as the rest.
Supporting Presentation (3/15)
The background sound was the only thing I could rate in this category, and it sets the right tone relative to the story.
The opening dialog is a nice touch, but with almost nothing to play after it, I think you made the same mistake I did with putting the cart before the horse.
Penalties:
-3 for no sound effects when appropriate
Theme Usage (0/10)
It's going to take much more than posting a few chemical formulas on the screen for me to accept this as a valid use of the "Chemical Reactions" theme.
I Wanna Get To School In One Piece by sp202
Overall: Poor
Theme: Poor
Concept: Poor
Presentation: Poor
Story: Poor
Overall (6/50)
Some sort of platformer game with a time reversing mechanic for when things go wrong. The idea could have had potential, but it isn't meshing with the theme and there's way too little content from start to finish. I've dropped out of previous Jams with more playable material than this.
Concept and Execution (3/15)
Definitely a missed execution. The concept of rewinding time is kind of cool (and actually several GMC Jams too late), but it sees no practical use at all relative to a simple restart button. Everything just looks rushed. Quite frankly, the 3 points are for having a clean run.
Graphical Presentation (0/10)
It's just a mashup of completely disparate styles, and there aren't any credits given for what's there.
Supporting Presentation (3/15)
This part is weak as well. At least the text boxes and the sign showing instructions for how to play work, but that's all I can say about it.
Penalties:
-6 for no sounds or music
Theme Usage (0/10)
If this is what "Against All Odds" is supposed to be, I don't think the entry hit any of it.
juegOS HD Early Access by Alice, Mercerenies
Overall: Poor
Theme: Poor
Concept: Poor
Presentation: Poor
Story: N/A
Ranking witheld on request.