Neural Dodge

by foursay
Overall★★★★★★★★★★4.20
Fun★★★★★★★★★★4.06
Innovation★★★★★★★★★★4.29
Theme★★★★★★★★★★4.19
Graphics★★★★★★★★★★3.67
Audio★★★★★★★★★★4.51
Humor★★★★★★★★★★2.70
Mood★★★★★★★★★★3.76

Dive brief, Log 0x00323501

Dear Agent 0051,

We are so close to ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■, ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■. ■■■,■■■■■■■■■

■■■■■■■■.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■. Now it's time to dive into his unstable mind and survive from active neurons’ ambush. There are only 3 rules to survive:

#### Move align with their beats.
#### Don’t get in touch with any neurons.
#### The system frequently changes, like, every 10 secs.

We are looking forward to hearing from you good news, Agent 0051.

Best, C.L.O.S

Instruction



and Yes, the music is generated by the game, so you could create your own soundtrack with your unique beat movement!


and Yes, WSAD or Arrow Keys to move......


#### and More than Yes, Please post your score end page screenshot if you would like to share!

Hope you all enjoy this game!

Best,
Foursay

Comments31

LDJam user 52433 Oct 2022, 11:29
Oh, the graphics is holding this one back. Don't get me wrong, the graphics are not bad, the rest of the game is just so good! Music is phenomenal and just the correct amount of juice. Good ratings on this one. Very well done!
yulotomorrow
yulotomorrow3 Oct 2022, 15:09
Interesting idea! A rhythm game but not really because you can choose not to move, but moving is better tactically so it is still a rhythm game :P The music design is great! The visual change when longer time played gave me a surprise -- although feel a bit dizzy after seeing the distorted color. It might be on me but the half beat movement is not sensitive enough and often fail to react to my input. I have to thank the randomization of enemy paths saved my green block and live longer! :P Nice game, well done!
LDJam user 285197
LDJam user 2851974 Oct 2022, 02:31
I am so glad to see a rhythm game added to the mix! Great job and creative way to add in the theme!
Ben Parisi
Ben Parisi4 Oct 2022, 02:45
Five stars for audio! Really impressive work there.
CallofAS22
CallofAS224 Oct 2022, 04:23
I got a 62-second.It's just a beginning.
Rhythm game + every 10-sec theme is a really good idea!
This is so far the most exciting game I have played in this LD51.
Nice work!
Wendy2224 Oct 2022, 04:45
That's a really fun rhythm game! My highest score is almost 1 min! lol
min4uk
min4uk4 Oct 2022, 05:15
wow, thats the best i`ve played today. Make only 96 sec as my best ;)
min4uk
min4uk4 Oct 2022, 05:17
and that efect that screen is getting bigger is superb. makes you feel tension!!!
SanyingLi
SanyingLi4 Oct 2022, 06:02
A solid entry, nice work!
I like the idea and the graphic details you added to the game.
(such as the "debug log" count to start, also the glitch effect based on time,world change into 3d after time gets even longger)
It's very important to handle the whole feel of the game, and you have done it very well.
ActuallyTheMoon
ActuallyTheMoon4 Oct 2022, 07:15
Really enjoyable rhythm based game! Some feedback on the timing would have helped me keep rhythm (an additional sound effect or something like that, when you hit the arrow keys for instance), but aside from that this is a neat little game!
LDJam user 235915
LDJam user 2359154 Oct 2022, 09:20
Very cool game!!! With excellent replayability! Such a game can be sold even on Steam!)
Wizcas
Wizcas4 Oct 2022, 09:31
This is one of the best of this jam! The grpahics effect and the music are splendid. Don't even mention the mechanics! The beat-based gameplay and the consitantly changing beat remineds me "The Crypt of Nacrodancer", but this one is even better! Really looking forward to a complete and published version!
infecsean
infecsean4 Oct 2022, 13:17
Best time for me is 88, and I really wanna keep playing. This game is a whole new definition of rhythm game, good job with that. Although a feedback for when you can move should be a thing, as I often find myself spamming the movement keys, as they work when spammed so why not. Maybe either introduce a feedback or decentivize spamming by putting a cooldown or something. That is just a suggestion, the game is still one of my top 5s.
dnivie4 Oct 2022, 13:37
Wow, the game looks and sounds amazing. I would have liked some more mechanics to spice up the gameplay, but the game feels really well put together.
LDJam user 245333
LDJam user 2453334 Oct 2022, 16:41
Despite several attempts, I couldn't pass 103 seconds. Which is too bad, because the game was looking more and more crazy! The visuals of the game are way richer than they seem, it's a bit regretful that it is hidden behind a difficulty wall (or that the game is too punishing to allow to reach it).

But besides this point, I had a lot of fun with it! As a lover of rhythm games and generative music, I very much enjoyed this. It just sounds really cool, and making music in rhythm is always satisfying. The beats can be difficult to read visually, but the patterns are simple enough to be learned after the first bar. The challenge sometime seems a bit unfair (by the unpredictability of the movements, and the dreadful blue squares ^^), but it still gives great sensations (I had some Necrodancer reminiscence). I was hoping to see rhythm games with that theme, this one was a fantastic entry!
Tyrannas
Tyrannas4 Oct 2022, 20:55
Loved this minimaltistic rhythm game ! I was a bit confused a first and it was hard to keep up with the rhythm (but also mostly cause i was in AZERTY haha). Nice entry anyway, couldnt pass more than 80 though !
Mastyff5 Oct 2022, 01:19
Super fun game! The soundscape is very unique. One day I'll reach triple digits haha
keip5 Oct 2022, 01:20
nice implementation of the theme. but rhythm games I can not unfortunately. nevertheless nicely done keep up the good work
nardandas
nardandas5 Oct 2022, 01:55
Super super cool, especially for a 24 hour game! Really well-executed concept. I really don't know the strategy for the purple things, too fast! Overall really cool!
Hawkin
Hawkin5 Oct 2022, 02:17
Incredibly clever use of rhythm and time! This was a nice challenge, and a pleasure to play. I appreciate the details like variation in rhythms and enemies, padding the level to give the player a warning about new enemies, and the post processing effects.
Ggross
Ggross5 Oct 2022, 02:28
I like the graphic and the changing rhythm! Already a solid entry, and has large potential. Well done!
GuitarBro
GuitarBro5 Oct 2022, 02:45
Very interesting idea. The music that's generated actually works surprisingly well and it's pretty intuitive to control. Two suggestions: 1) some indications as to whether or not there's an end. I made it to 121 seconds but other than things getting more chaotic, I wasn't sure if things were almost done or if it's just "get the highest score" and 2) I felt that the increased chaos from additional neurons was plenty and the screen zooming in/rotating so the whole board wasn't visible just felt more unfair (though the post process changing as it progressed was a nice touch). Overall very solid, especially since you did it in 24 hours.
LDJam user 278146
LDJam user 2781465 Oct 2022, 10:07
I eventually found a spot where I could just stand still and was completely safe haha. Having the game running did make a good soundtrack to making dinner though - great job on the music.

It was annoying that you die if an enemy moves into the space you just were. There should have also been a penalty for trying to move out of time, as it is you can just spam the movement button and don't really need to follow the rhythm.
DGSpitzer
DGSpitzer5 Oct 2022, 21:33
Super dope visual effect to make a game in just 48 hours! The generated music is really enjoyable as well!
rayriver
rayriver7 Oct 2022, 05:19
Very cool, very rhythmic, it makes me dance :laughing:
TranziT8 Oct 2022, 03:40
10/10 game, one of the best ones!!!
Elmos Minion
Elmos Minion8 Oct 2022, 12:21
I made it to 113 seconds! I love the gameplay and rythm
ColeSlaughter
ColeSlaughter9 Oct 2022, 02:59

Thanks for submitting your game to stream!

What a fun audio/visual experience, as usual! I did have a little bit of trouble getting the faster beats to work for me, but I love how the perspective changes the longer you survive. A very fun game to play and replay!
WetBurritoSupreme
WetBurritoSupreme15 Oct 2022, 16:30
Also made it to 113!
Dang what a game, really cohesive and tight. Nicely polished and great concept! And tough!
Wuppos
Wuppos17 Oct 2022, 09:45
This was really amazing! The rules were very simple, but the game was super intense. As the game went on it just became more-and-more intense because the post processing became stronger, faster enemies started showing up, and did the music also become more intense? The gameplay matched the intensity, because missing a note could be detrimental sometimes. At some point I was being chased by another red cube, and missing a note would have caused me to lose. You did a really great job creating such an atmosphere with really simple sprites! Incredibly done! ^_^

In the end I managed to get to a score of 97 :D Super enjoyable to play! Great job!
Foursay
Foursayauthor27 Oct 2022, 00:26
Sry I am late - but here's the thanky part!

@daandruff Thank you for enjoying the music!

@yulotomorrow This is exactly where I get started: You CAN choose not to sync with the beats, white your other input and decision will affect the world. The half beat problem is I deliberatly enlarge the reaction time, but it turns out to affect next adjecent beat a lot. Thank you for playing!

@j4cko16 @ben-parisi Thank you for liking the rhythm audio part!

@callofas22 @wendy222 @min4uk Thank you for trying get higher score! The game is indeed a little difficult and intuitive for playing, some parts which I could work on further

@sanyingli Thank you as always!

@actuallythemoon Thats absulotely making sense, and I will make it on our list if I plan to expand the current version!

@bassilij @wizcas Thank you! Crypt of the nacrodancer is defnitely an insiration, There' s alot to learn from it!

@infecsean The spamming is a pity, since I don't have enough time to do the reward part. Definitely nice suggestoin!

@dnivie Thank you for playing! I should start brainstorm some similar gameplay with the core beat mechanics...

@itooh It feels soooo great to hear that you are having fun! I only grant all enemies cubes the stupidest AI I could make in 1 day lmao. Thank you for playing!

@tyrannas @kelp Thank you for trying! There's a lot could use some polishment

@mastyff I could DM you a dev version that you could easily reach even 4 digits - If there's any further plan on this entry!

@nardandas It does lack the strategy for player to deal with the overpowered purple cube, might think about it for a little bit. But anyway thanks for playing!

@hawkin Thank you for your feedback and sharing the score post lol!

@ggross Thank you for liking this one!

@guitarbro the chaos is intentional, white the unfair experience is not. That's something invoke my reflection, and thank you for pointing it out!

@chybby Wait what... I think you are the one make it the highest score among all players including me! Nice job and thank you for playing for so long lol!

@dgspitzer @rayriver Thank you for enjoying this entry! See ya guys at Indienova ;)

@tranzit Thank you for your high rating lmao!

@elmos-minion Congrats on reaching over 100 sec and thanks for playing!

@coleslaughter As always, thank you for your patience playing this awfully balanced game and took you more than 20mins to reach a single objective lmao. But thanks for playing cowboys!

@wetburritosupreme Thank you for liking this entry!

@wuppos Thank you for playing! There's a lot of detials that could use some polish, but thanks for enjoying the atmosphere!

See you guys at the next Ludum Dare season! ;)

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