Feedback Slayer's, Inc. DEMO

[BlackCoatDalov]

Hey all!

I've been working on a little game called Slayer's, Inc. for about a month now and wanted some feedback from other players! Slayer's, Inc. is a roguelite twin-stick shooter about killing demons, grabbing items, and the true meaning of life. love, and happiness (note: some of these may not actually be in the game). Featuring five unique characters, over 60 items, and (for now) three areas to tear through, each run is bound to shake things up!

Here's a trailer:

(note: the game looks nicer and runs at 60 fps, I couldn't find reliable video editing software)

And a demo link:
Download Here!

As for feedback, I would really appreciate a couple of specific things:

1. Would you pay $10 or $15 (or regional equivalent) for this game, if it had at least 2 more areas and bosses, 11+ more items (bringing the total count up to 72+), and other QoL enhancements/fun stuff (i.e. stat tracking, lore archives, etc.)?
2. Is this a workable art style? I'm a programmer, not an artist, and I did the best I could, but I need to know how the art style looks and if hiring an artist wouldn't be a bad idea.
3. Along with the other usual questions, i.e. is it too difficult/easy/just right, is it fair, too much/too little variety, etc.

Please feel free to give any feedback and/or criticisms you can think of! (Keeping in mind that the art style and music are subject to change). I would really appreciate it!

Thank you all, and stay safe out there, Slayers!

 

[pixeltroid]

I like games about fighting demons and stuff!

Is this a workable art style? I'm a programmer, not an artist, and I did the best I could, but I need to know how the art style looks and if hiring an artist wouldn't be a bad idea.

I personally think the art style can be improved. IMO the large swathes of flat colors and featureless walls look dull. It's looks like a NES game right now. You should upgrade the graphics so it at least looks like a SNES game.

Better graphics = appeal to more players = increase the chances of selling more.

I suggest you hire an artist.

would you pay $10 or $15 (or regional equivalent) for this game, if it had at least 2 more areas and bosses, 11+ more items (bringing the total count up to 72+), and other QoL enhancements/fun stuff (i.e. stat tracking, lore archives, etc.)?

In it's current state, I would not. Sorry.

I haven't played your game yet, and I don't know how long each area in the current game is, so I can't gauge what difference 2 more areas will make. Also, I'm not sure if more items and more levels can automatically translate into more $$$.

Along with the other usual questions, i.e. is it too difficult/easy/just right, is it fair, too much/too little variety, etc.

Haven't played it. Can you please upload it to itch.io or gamejolt.com? Doing so will not only give let you present your game properly, it will also expose it to a wider audience (by showing up in search results and stuff).

 

[Niels]

To be honest I would like to play this game, but it doesn't feel like a game I would pay money for (yet).

The art style, music and sound is not up to par with commercial games(yet)

A commercial game looks professional because the creator invested money into the art/sound/music/effects (or in a rarer case is talented in all those aspects)

 

[Xer0botXer0]

I would buy this if we were buds as support, play it too sure.
But as a gamer I wouldn't. I don't even spend $100 on AAA titles even though I really want to play those games.
When I do feel like spending and have some cash to spend, I put a few games in my cart, then I evaluate the joy I expect to gain versus the price and remove the ones down the list. Never expecting to purchase them all.

And a quick comparison, Theme Hospitals modern version being Two Point Hospital, at what $15 compared to a $10 game that doesn't compete with old classics, well.

Now.. with marketing, and a lot of other skill sets that game devs don't usually have because they're already focusing on the coding and so forth, you could get a few sales sure.
But you want your game to be one of those a person puts into their cart..

Since you're good at the programming side, and you've clearly got some idea of pixel art(which you need to have as an indie dev, cause even if you hire a pixel artist, if you don't know what you're looking for, they're going to make good art but not the best art for your game) since - then either get an artist that's going to WORK WITH YOU, this I imagine is difficult in the manner I mean, like they should actually want to play your game and maybe yall on skype or discord, and they'd be like.. well, you know Bart, I could make that art for you yes, but can I suggest that we do it this way, you might have to change a bit of code but it'll look better, and you'll be like wow thanks for input, that might actually be better..

So finding a great pixel artist to work with is more than just request, product and payment..

I've taken that approach before, without the artist actually indulging but sure did make changes as I the unimaginative fool requested, and I'm not sure where to go with that..
My current approach is as you've done so far, do your own art, your own coding, because you as I've been told before knows the best blend between the two worlds for you game.
But you only know as much as you've learnt, so even though that blend you kind of always have, unless you work on the two worlds, then it's not going to be up to par.
Maybe create a pixel art thread right, show what you've got, talk about your art a bit then see what feedback you get, and make those changes.

That's my 3 cents, I didn't mention that your game does look fun, I admire your work so far to be honest and the visible progress.

 

[lolslayer]

Where can I be found in this game?