You only get one life. Dream. Locked in, sometimes you can't win.
Suggested resolution: 1366x768 (16:9). Other aspect ratios may have wrong UI positioning. Note that you will want to devote some time to the game, minimal 8 minutes (max around 20).
Absolutely awesome. I love the graphic style together with the music and the sounds. Stuff like this is why the artstyle seems way past "retro-style" to me. Back then it was often still about trying to make it as realistic as possible, yet not having the options. Now, games like these profit immensely from the style because it leaves room for the imagination, which is probably my favorite part about games like this.
Absolutely loved it, but the opening title and the dialog both seem to play really slowly. Maybe it needs a way to be able to click through each dialog individually or something along those lines. :) Other than that, excellent work! :D
Great game. Good story and well played on only getting one life. I will leave it at "loosing", since it seems like the correct way of playing, only once. Art was good and fits in the game, just as the audio. Good luck!
I really enjoyed the visual style, it felt unique (in a good way) and consistent. The modern-hardware scaled mixed-sized pixel art isn't something I've seen much of, but I think you pulled it off very well. Definitely a nice game to look at.
The sound and music was excellent, I really enjoyed the use of sine waves in both the pads on the music and other places, the audio also tired in incredibly well with what was happening on the screen.
The combination of dialogue and music really set the mood. I knew instantly from the opening dialogue that all wasn't well; the sense of tragedy which I was sure the protagonist was going to experience, combined with the implied child-like innocence of the character set me up for a feeling of unease.
The gameplay mechanics were simple, though in this case it felt like it added to the plot. Mechanics more complicated it seems couldn't have been spawned from a child's imagination, and so would have made little sense in the context of the game. The fact that there were several mini games is nothing short of amazing.
Though I found some of the minigames difficult you provided a skip button on them if the player failed too many times. This was (unfortunately) used, and very much appreciated. The skip button on the dialogue remained unclicked, but it felt like a good choice to provide such an option hidden discretely in the corner of the screen.
Very cool! I'm impressed that you worked in several minigames and had time to have a worthwhile story. Controls were responsive and any failure felt like it was my fault, not the game's. Impressive work.
I was unable to get the ship past the meteors after a half dozen tries, so I feel like I'm missing out on the story, but from what I was able to gleam, you did a nice job :) The title screen is really cool.
Very touching and beautiful. I completed the first two levels in a dream-like determination that I knew Sam would feel. But I failed the third level without realizing the crucial thing that might've kept him alive. A sad game. Stunning end sequence.
Does it have an alternative ending? I just didn't know what to do in the cardiac monitor level? Should I have kept clear of walls? Should I keep beating? Should I get the diamond shaped thing? What is the oxygen bar? And when I failed there, I couldn't try again. So very well designed game with just one color! I liked the story presentation, it was emotional. Gameplay was simple but effective, childish but it should be so! Nice game overall, except the ending gameplay part! :D
@goyal You are right that the game is very unforgiving, don't feel bad for skipping a level! That's what I added the button for ;). I actually trimmed the hitbox down quite a bit (screenshot: http://i.imgur.com/A6gcubk.png), but I know it is probably still too hard.
Figured I'd add this to the comments to explain the name of the game a little: Asphyxia or asphyxiation (from Greek α- "without" and σφύξις sphyxis, "heartbeat") is a condition of severely deficient supply of oxygen to the body that arises from abnormal breathing.
-Story was great. -The sound and background music were perfect. -Graphics were very good, but sometimes I would see especially bright stars in the background and think I needed to avoid them 'cause they're the same color as other obstacles.
Overall, this is a completely legitimate, complete game by itself, as-is. You can't say that about many LD entries.
Damn this long unskippable dialog intros are a bane of ludumdare... I cam to play, and sitting waiting for what seems to be a minute when there are thousands of other games waiting -_-
Other then that, job very well done, loved your use of sounds + atmosphere you created in the game!
A weirdly emotional atmosphere in this one! Loved it. As others have noted, timing is a little off in the intro. Gameplay itself is smooth but maybe a little repetitive and without a goal in sight it doesn't motivate to keep playing. Amazing visuals and music, and great polish overall.
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Other than that, excellent work! :D
Intro is a little slow, should be skippable per-sentence (or click to speed up at least).
Rocket sequence is rather difficult!
Overall 4/5!
I really enjoyed the visual style, it felt unique (in a good way) and consistent. The modern-hardware scaled mixed-sized pixel art isn't something I've seen much of, but I think you pulled it off very well. Definitely a nice game to look at.
The sound and music was excellent, I really enjoyed the use of sine waves in both the pads on the music and other places, the audio also tired in incredibly well with what was happening on the screen.
The combination of dialogue and music really set the mood. I knew instantly from the opening dialogue that all wasn't well; the sense of tragedy which I was sure the protagonist was going to experience, combined with the implied child-like innocence of the character set me up for a feeling of unease.
The gameplay mechanics were simple, though in this case it felt like it added to the plot. Mechanics more complicated it seems couldn't have been spawned from a child's imagination, and so would have made little sense in the context of the game. The fact that there were several mini games is nothing short of amazing.
Though I found some of the minigames difficult you provided a skip button on them if the player failed too many times. This was (unfortunately) used, and very much appreciated. The skip button on the dialogue remained unclicked, but it felt like a good choice to provide such an option hidden discretely in the corner of the screen.
Overall: Nice work!
I have one suggestion, make the hitbox on the rocket smaller, it destroys even if you if just like slightly touch tangentially to those floating mass.
I tried few times before giving up. I really wanted to see the ending :(
Figured I'd add this to the comments to explain the name of the game a little:
Asphyxia or asphyxiation (from Greek α- "without" and σφύξις sphyxis, "heartbeat") is a condition of severely deficient supply of oxygen to the body that arises from abnormal breathing.
-The sound and background music were perfect.
-Graphics were very good, but sometimes I would see especially bright stars in the background and think I needed to avoid them 'cause they're the same color as other obstacles.
Overall, this is a completely legitimate, complete game by itself, as-is. You can't say that about many LD entries.
The mood is set incredibly well.
I actually finished both mini games after a few tries :)
Other then that, job very well done, loved your use of sounds + atmosphere you created in the game!
You should really remove the "External" assets from your tree.
Nice b&w art, it sets up the atmosphere quite nicely. Good job!