Ink Souls by Neowedge

[raw]
made by Neowedge for Ludum Dare 54 (JAM)

Legend has it that there once lived an Artist capable of capturing the soul of those he drew on a sheet of papyrus, so that family members could preserve their love forever.

Such a gift reached the ears of the Emperor, who ordered him to possess the souls of his enemies to punish them in the afterlife forever.

As the Artist refused, the Emperor ordered him to be executed and his papyrus burned.

The Artist's last drawing was his own portrait, in the hope of freeing the rest of the souls from the Emperor's punishment.

When the fire reaches the souls, they will burn in eternity. Souls once condemned in ink will be set free with ink.

gameplay.png

Credits:

  • Miguel López (Programmer and Game Designer)
  • Alma Garez (2D Artist)
  • Adrian Martínez (Sound Designer and V.O.) www.adrianmasound.com
  • Angeal (Music Composer)

Ratings

Overall 478th 3.655⭐ 57🧑‍⚖️
Fun 730th 3.222⭐ 56🧑‍⚖️
Innovation 688th 3.209⭐ 57🧑‍⚖️
Theme 990th 2.934⭐ 55🧑‍⚖️
Graphics 28th 4.607⭐ 58🧑‍⚖️
Audio 81th 4.082⭐ 57🧑‍⚖️
Humor 754th 2.5⭐ 50🧑‍⚖️
Mood 82th 4.173⭐ 54🧑‍⚖️
Given 51🗳️ 99🗨️

Feedback

Alpie
02. Oct 2023 · 23:49 UTC
Visuals are stylish. Game is quite hard, I would like to start with some simpler levels
MoNian
03. Oct 2023 · 08:07 UTC
Love this art style!
🎤 Neowedge
03. Oct 2023 · 08:21 UTC
@alpie Thanks for the feedback! It's just a level, that's why we decided to create a challenge hahaha

@monian Thanks for playing! ^^
LDJam user 262766
03. Oct 2023 · 17:18 UTC
Interesting game art but movement feels not cool. Also you should fix platforms which desapear and move platform, it's fast and simple to fix. But concept of the game is great!
MossGames
03. Oct 2023 · 17:23 UTC
I really like this game, I agree the movement is a little funny but this is a nothing compared to the legs this idea has.
Foursay
03. Oct 2023 · 17:23 UTC
Very cool artstyle! I had some trouble in jumping between higher platformes but overall the key-gate gameplay feels great - nice job!
TheLastSlowpoke
03. Oct 2023 · 17:24 UTC
Such a chill little game. I love how easily understandable is what to do.
Roboimuri
03. Oct 2023 · 17:26 UTC
Stylish! Wery hard, a "souls" game even? Aesthetics and the music sell the game for me!
JOZGames
03. Oct 2023 · 17:27 UTC
As teclas de movimento não funcionaram. Eu tentei até baixar, mas ai que nem abriu mesmo.
Metronick
03. Oct 2023 · 17:29 UTC
Love the art, love the music, I am craving for more levels. Although I am not sure how does this game fit to the Limited Space theme
GameDevJeroen
03. Oct 2023 · 17:31 UTC
Loving the voice over at the start of the game! The graphics look amazing. Controls feel great
Haste06
03. Oct 2023 · 17:53 UTC
The game is beautiful. The sounds with the style really transports you into the game.
Wish there was a little more to the game, but I liked the idea. Great job!
🎤 Neowedge
04. Oct 2023 · 07:59 UTC
@anton4ik-dev Thanks you for the feedback! We're glad you like it! What issue did you found on the platforms?

@mossgames Thanks for playing!

@foursay Thanks! I considered remove upper collider, but I think the Artist would die if he left from the papyrus hahaha!

@thelastslowpoke Thanks! I'm glad you enjoy it!

@roboimuri Thanks you! Really is not about skills at all, but observing the patterns and found what is the best order to do the run.

@jozgames Sorry hear that! What browser do you use? I don't have any problem with controls. The game is played in a browser, a server is required for the download version to work.

@metronick Thanks for the feedback! The "limited space" theme is because you are inside a papyrus. Also, in the first versions, the papyrus was burning and reducing its size over the time, but we found some inconvenients for level design with this feature and I removed.

@gamedevjeroen Thanks for the feedback! Voice was a Saturday 3am idea hahahaha I wrote the story straight away imagining the typical movies about an oriental legend and I thought: "this needs a voice"

@haste06 Thanks for the feedback! At the beginning we imagined something more too, but we preferred to invest the time in improving the game feeling and we removed things (like there were going to be several levels). I don't rule out adding some of them in the future :).
Diralf
04. Oct 2023 · 13:43 UTC
I believe it's not just the stunning visual style that stands out, but also how it combines with the story, music, objective, and gameplay of the game. Even the fact that it's a platformer blends well with the idea that samurais often like jumping around. Together, they create a unique gaming experience.

The only thing that slightly confused me was that the character kept running for a bit after stopping, but on the other hand, it adds a touch of challenge. :smile:

I enjoyed completing the level.
Yurain33
04. Oct 2023 · 14:21 UTC
Cool, you also added voice acting. Beautiful simple art, I really liked it
Lenan
04. Oct 2023 · 14:38 UTC
Cool game, the graphics look really but the movement and attack feels a little weird with some attacks moving you back and the character still moving after you release the movement key. Overall nice game
🎤 Neowedge
04. Oct 2023 · 14:43 UTC
@diralf thanks for the feedback, I'm glad you enjoy it! I feel the same about the delay in stop, but only happens to me when I use the keyboard, if I use my xbox controller the stop works fine. I think it could be a input gravity bad configuration, I'll fix it for the next version ;)

@yurain33 Thanks for playing! Voice over by @adrianmart93 hahahaha
LDJam user 9418
04. Oct 2023 · 17:42 UTC
the art is amazing. mood/atmosphere is great, you nailed it. as a platformer it need more polish, jumping feels really weird
mmason
04. Oct 2023 · 17:52 UTC
although short I liked everything about this game, the void acting was a nice touch to really deliver the story
🎤 Neowedge
04. Oct 2023 · 19:44 UTC
@lenan Thanks for the feedback! I reduced the attack back and fix the keyboard move inertia :). I'm glad youu enjoy it despite this :)

@ghpxi Thanks for the feedback! I'm trying to improve my skills making action games and it is very usefull!!! How do you think I could improve the jumping experience? Thanks!!!

@mmason Thanks for playing! I'm glad you liked it!!!! :)
Tetrergeru
04. Oct 2023 · 19:50 UTC
You nailed the visual style for me! Great little game.

The platforming felt a little but clunky, but art and music are really gorgeous
LDJam user 9418
04. Oct 2023 · 20:04 UTC
@neowedge sure, you can check this video essay by Mark Brown https://youtu.be/zWi0jgghGcI it covers a lot of things that platformers should implement
🎤 Neowedge
04. Oct 2023 · 20:31 UTC
@tetrergeru Thanks for the feedback! :)

@ghpxi Thank you very much! My approach was to double the gravity while falling (I use a setable param), but this solution looks like much more complete. I'll keep an eye on it these days ;).
🎤 Neowedge
05. Oct 2023 · 07:58 UTC
@ghpxi I have taken a look at it and the approach is very similar to mine (only that the modification of the gravity there is applied to the gravityScale and I apply it directly to the velocity).

I like it because they have more control over the height the character reaches (you set the jump height and duration and it calculates the jump speed and the gravity scale it should have, while I directly set the gravity modifier and the jump speed), so I may use their system in my next implementation ^^. But the feeling is the same at a code level, so the problem must be in how I setted the jump values (gravity, falling gravity modifier, keep button pressed gravity modifier and jump speed).

The problem is that I am contaminated and I don't see it as bad hahahaha! I'd like to know what the player expect to happen: should it jump and/or fall slower or faster? I'll take a look at other games to better adjust the jump settings :).

Thank you so much! I come from developing idle games and in jams I have almost always made more narrative games, so this is helping me a lot :)
LDJam user 9418
05. Oct 2023 · 08:19 UTC
@neowedge no problem, this is the point of feedback, to improve our skills and make better games! hope to see you next jam.
🎤 Neowedge
05. Oct 2023 · 12:17 UTC
@ghpxi thanks! Yes, I've changed some values ​​to make it faster, and I think the feeling has improved a little :). Sure! I'll participate in the Global Game Jam hahahaha :)
LDJam user 9418
05. Oct 2023 · 13:45 UTC
@neowedge it works much better now!
🎤 Neowedge
05. Oct 2023 · 16:02 UTC
@ghpxi Thanks! ^^
LDJam user 280624
05. Oct 2023 · 18:29 UTC
Wonderful graphic style!
p_zzz
05. Oct 2023 · 23:30 UTC
Stunning art style!
🎤 Neowedge
06. Oct 2023 · 06:58 UTC
@torte478 @p-zzz Thanks for playing!!! :)
Vera Babchenko
06. Oct 2023 · 10:21 UTC
This art style is divine! Very beautiful! You guys are great! You've got a cool implementation of the theme on all counts!
Sozey
06. Oct 2023 · 11:22 UTC
You guys did a great job with this entry! The art is incredible and the game feels good to play, and is intuitive. The soundscape is a perfect match for the experience, too!
🎤 Neowedge
06. Oct 2023 · 16:09 UTC
@vera-babchenko @sozey Thanks you! I'm glad you enjoy it ^^
quasilyte
06. Oct 2023 · 16:18 UTC
I love the aesthetics of this game. The music as well as the art style create a good vibe.

I completed the level and was surprised that it was the only level. :'(
This looks like an interesting mechanic, but it requires more "meat" to be tested out I think.
For example: how far can it go?
Can there be non-combat related puzzles that would require colors?
Can colors also have some side-effects apart from allowing you to defeat a specific enemy?
Can colors be combined, somehow?
Etc.

I'll rate the game by extrapolating this experience.
It's a nice little level after all.

Last but not least, thank you for playing my game.
Devez
06. Oct 2023 · 19:44 UTC
Graphics are top notch. I found the platforming kind of wonky, I fell so many times trying to get to the left and having to wait for the pink guy to run another circle every time got a bit tiresome. But I did enjoy the game overall, wish there was 1-2 more levels. Good submission!
🎤 Neowedge
08. Oct 2023 · 14:24 UTC
@quasilyte thanks for the feedback! Yes! The game could have more content, but I spent almost all my time programming and I only had time to design one level. We also took the chill jam, we went out to do things during the weekend apart from the jam hahaha It was a pleasure to play your game, it's very fun and complete!

@devez Thanks for the feedback! I have the same feeling with the pink soul because I didn't balance its time with that of the platforms and waiting is tiresome. I'm going to upload a version that corrects that :). I'd have liked to have more levels, but with programming I didn't have time (level design is not my strong skill).
Ynnon
08. Oct 2023 · 17:43 UTC
The Asian theme was well chosen, I was very pleased with the voice acting, it’s clear that it was done from the heart!
Flying Dog Fish
08. Oct 2023 · 21:18 UTC
This game looks really pretty and stylish. I'd love to play some more levels.
crylica
09. Oct 2023 · 07:03 UTC
The art style is really nice. One note - the attack animation as a downwards slash doesn't feel that great, I think a forward slash usually feels better (e.g. like Hollow Knight)
🎤 Neowedge
09. Oct 2023 · 07:33 UTC
@ynnon @flying-dog-fish Thanks for playing!I'm glad you liked it!

@crylica Thanks for your feedback! :)
soup and sandwich games
09. Oct 2023 · 08:52 UTC
Probably the nicest looking game I've played on here so far! Would have loved if the fighting mechanic were a little more fleshed out but overall was very enjoyable!
🎤 Neowedge
09. Oct 2023 · 10:02 UTC
@soup-and-sandwich-games thanks for playing! I'm starting to learn to develop melee mechanics. To be relaxed in this game we prefer to focus on the player's attack, in future jams I would like to make combat mechanics a little more complex :)
Jadener
09. Oct 2023 · 10:53 UTC
A nice little game with amazing graphics! I just with there were more levels. But wishing for more is a good thing ^^
🎤 Neowedge
09. Oct 2023 · 10:59 UTC
@jadener Thanks for playing! I'm glad you enjoyed it! I wish I had time for more levels hahaha!
🎤 Neowedge
09. Oct 2023 · 11:13 UTC
[I wrote a review for another game here, but I can't delete the post, so I remove the text and write this xD]
Maste
09. Oct 2023 · 13:29 UTC
Wow - really gorgeous game. It's a really unique idea and quite beautiful! I don't quite understand the link to the theme, but really amazing work over all - well done!
asfdfdfd
09. Oct 2023 · 16:56 UTC
Love visual style and solid mechanics. Nice entry!

Ah, and visual style too!

Ah, i've said it already.

Have i said about visual style?
ditam
09. Oct 2023 · 18:43 UTC
Limited... color space? I see now in a comment of yours that the papyrus was supposed to be limiting the space further. A very interesting concept, even in its current shape!

The ink art is beautiful, and it plays quite smoothly too. Well done!
Skel3ton
09. Oct 2023 · 19:02 UTC
the only thing that makes me sad is that only one level is created..
awesome game, beautiful music and atmosphere. great dubbing
🎤 Neowedge
10. Oct 2023 · 07:20 UTC
@maste Thanks for your feedback! The “limited space” theme is because you are inside a papyrus. Also, in the first versions, the papyrus was burning and reducing its size over the time, but we found some inconvenients for level design with this feature and I removed.

@asfdfdfd Thanks! I'm glad you liked it! Our artist @alma-garez is awesome ^^

@ditam Thanks for playing! Yes, the limited space is about the papyrus hahaha!

@skel3ton Thanks you so much! Yes, it should have some more level :(
Hora-Timer
10. Oct 2023 · 12:15 UTC
Sensational! I loved art
chompdev
10. Oct 2023 · 18:58 UTC
Gorgeous art style and audio design! I really like the concept of completing these platforming challenges to reach various ink types before you can even engage in combat. It's quite impressive that you did unique animations for every soul, and the player's own animations and movement feel very good. The screen shake, particle effects, and other polished details make for a nicely immersive experience.

I also really like how the souls cause platforms to fade as they move around the environment, which adds a fun layer of planning (being careful not to fall through a disappearing platform to danger below) and executing your jumps quickly enough before the next set of platforms fades away. This is a very solid entry and you guys should be proud of your work here!
Agraffs
11. Oct 2023 · 06:49 UTC
A cute game, the graphics are nice, and the mechanics, even if classic had a wonderful story to accompany them. A good jam entry. Well done. ^^ :)
Dan Burns
11. Oct 2023 · 14:15 UTC
I really love your choices for art and graphics. and that them song is divine. Great work!!
🎤 Neowedge
11. Oct 2023 · 14:40 UTC
@hora-timer @agraffs @dan-burns Thanks! ^^

@chompdev Thanks you for the feedback! Our goal was to make something small but polished :)
Johnsensei
11. Oct 2023 · 23:06 UTC
Given my username, I appreciate anything with a Japanese aesthetic. I found the game quite hard and it took some getting used to, but as it was only one level, the amount of playtime was perfect for a game jam. I think some more direct instructions would have helped me. Something like "Touch the inkblot that is the same color as an enemy to defeat that enemy." But maybe it was intentional that the player had to figure that out through trial and error. In the end I really liked this game.
🎤 Neowedge
12. Oct 2023 · 17:33 UTC
@johnsensei Thanks for your feedback! I tried to make the game self-explanatory by giving clues in the introduction to save me from making a tutorial hahahaha I also added the instructions on the itch.io website, although the ideal would have been an in-game tutorial as you mentioned :)
LDJam user 206001
18. Oct 2023 · 14:18 UTC
The original graphic is VERY beautiful. The music is also pleasant. As others have said, some easier introductory levels would be nice. I didn't understand something, I have the sword attack, but the enemies don't die. The look is very nice but the game play seemed a little confusing to me. But it was a great jam
ArtofLuba
19. Oct 2023 · 17:38 UTC
I really like the concept behind this game, but I had a few issues.

1) It took too many hits to kill enemies,
2) Getting hit once and you die then restart doesn't balance well with the "it takes too many hits to kill enemies,"
3) Jumping was a bit janky

Could be tweaked and really fun! I like the artwork, voice-over and overall mood of the game.
🎤 Neowedge
21. Oct 2023 · 10:54 UTC
@lincolnsalles @artofluba Thanks for your feedback! Enemies die with just one hit, but you need to tint your weapon with the color of the soul ("Souls once condemned with ink will be set free with ink" hahaha!). As we did't invest time into tutorial it's explained in the itch.io page, but a tutorial and more level would have been ideal :).

Once knowing this, the level does not require so much skill, just learn petterns and find the correct order to kill the enemies, that's why I decided that the character would die in one hit.

I would like to do more levels, but with the programming I didn't have time :(.
LDJam user 206001
21. Oct 2023 · 17:50 UTC
@neowedge you have to find a way to teach this in the game itself, during game play. And preferably without stopping the game, I know this is challenging, but I believe it's the best way. In my project, which is very basic at the moment but which I will update soon, I am also designing ways to make everything more intuitive, avoiding any dialog boxes or things that stop the game. I don't even want a start menu, I'm going to try to put the start menu options inside the pause options. All that is required is to start the game, and any options can be accessed from the pause screen within the game. I no longer like those games that start with a large menu with 300 infinite settings options. And believe me, paradoxically I love a gigantic menu of options, but I just wish it was built into the game and only when I want to access it, and not as a pre-game slowing me down. The same thing as a tutorial like in your game, just let the player start right away, but you can leave a space large enough for him to only encounter an enemy a while later, so that he has time to learn all these mechanics. colors, then you preferably create a combat where he can't die, and it's just a lesson to teach that. Of course this is just what I have imagined in the games, it is more of my personal opinion, which I am just rambling on with you here. Because the ludum dare doesn't end when it ends, right, otherwise we wouldn't be here and I'm realizing that right now...