insolation
the sun won't let go. the sun won't let go. the sun won't let go.
click inside the embed to start, use arrow keys/WASD to navigate.
insolation (n.)
##### sudden prostration due to exposure to the sun or excessive heat;
_Synonyms: sunstroke / thermic fever / siriasis_
insolation (n.)
##### incident solar radiation;
_Synonyms: unknown_
insolation (n.)
##### therapeutic exposure to sunlight;
_Synonyms: heliotherapy_
This is the start of what will likely evolve into a longer post-jam Bitsy sci-fi/horror game. This was made by me using Bitsy, Bitsy Savior, the bitsy hack repo, and other community tools. The story, art, music, and construction was done by me solo. I really fell in love with this prompt, this game, and had a lovely time considering this was my first time doing Ludum Dare and an in-depth Bitsy. I will be updating this through the itch hosted version. I would say you can get at least 5-10 minutes of play time out of this, and it's really all just a long introductory cutscene leading up to a very unconventional situation between a somehow surviving astronaut, and the Sun, who is a lifeform we know next to nothing about.
If you're not familiar with Bitsy as an 8bit engine, the only key controls are the arrow keys. That's how you move and progress dialog. it is very easy to accidentally miss dialog, so please wait until you see a little triangle indicating all the effects have loaded, as the way this story gets delivered is a big part of its impact in this medium! If you're not sure what to do, always go for any fun colored or blinking object if you can. Even a seemingly "empty room" can have a variety of invisible elements!
Comments4
jess from online5 Apr 2022, 16:50
i love it. it’s written so much like a poem and that combined with the format of a pico8/bitsy style game is so interesting. the possibility offered by the simple backgrounds contextualizing the text and all of the really evocative text-effects makes for a really interesting and unique poetic form not available in traditional mediums and i think this story can only exist in that context.
it’s really haunting and the music is fantastic, and i love it being in first person talking to the sun. this is a really excellent, beautiful, and haunting little game!
it’s really haunting and the music is fantastic, and i love it being in first person talking to the sun. this is a really excellent, beautiful, and haunting little game!
Rhiannon Daly6 Apr 2022, 02:11
this is an incredible sample of something i now know i definitely will want to play. the music is extremely impressive and goes great with the prose, and every screen is very well composed even in this very minimal style. really looking forward to getting to see more of this
KidderTTV6 Apr 2022, 02:51
Wow really good game. Bravo.
I would love to see the sun on the screen somehow, at the end. Or in a longer game, like out a window or something, as a constant, silent companion. I think the suggestion of the sun worked here for a prologue. It left me ready to go back into that setting and find out what's going on/linger in that ambience more, so I think that's a success!