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Solo Dev Game Jam #5

Hosted by Solo Development, fernandolv3, Practical NPC, symbol24
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A jam submission

Closer in the DarkView game page

Submitted by Trumane — 12 hours, 56 minutes before the deadline
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Closer in the Dark's itch.io page

Results

CriteriaRankScore*Raw Score
Theme Interpretation#93.8463.846
Creativity#103.6923.692
Polish#133.5383.538
Overall#183.4043.404
Gameplay#312.5382.538

Ranked from 13 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.

Judge feedback

Judge feedback is anonymous.

  • A nice story, and nicely told. The responses felt real. The effects were properly reflect by the mood. The creativity was great. Loved tying the light and dark to the mood of the conversation and relationship. Gameplay was simple but effective. Theme is on point. Fighting the dark literally and figuratively. A very well polished small game.

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Comments

fernandolv3Jam HostSubmitted1 year ago(+1)

A short and well-written visual novel. Great job!

Submitted
Dark Times
Reply
TrumaneDeveloper1 year ago

Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Sometimes even a short story can touch on those feelings we all recognize, and it means a lot that you took the time to experience it. Really appreciate your kind words!”

Reply
jakewaitgamesSubmitted1 year ago(+1)

OO my that hits hard, very well done!

Submitted
Candy Rush
Reply
TrumaneDeveloper1 year ago

Thank you so much—I’m really glad the story struck a chord with you. Sometimes the hardest truths are the ones we all quietly share, but facing them together makes them a little lighter. I appreciate you playing and connecting with it!

Reply
ChrisBCKSubmitted1 year ago(+1)

Great writing. I like how the story centres around the comforting glow of a candle. you've captured that well, it was a nice experience.

Submitted
Catbats Curse
Reply
TrumaneDeveloper1 year ago

Thank you so much for your thoughtful words! I’m glad the candle’s glow resonated with you—it’s a small light, but sometimes that’s all we need to find comfort and feel a little less alone. I’m really happy you enjoyed the experience and felt that warmth in the story. Thank you for playing!

Reply
Migrant Bird StudioSubmitted1 year ago(+1)

That was a beautiful game! Great writing and very relatable as well. The visuals are stunning and the music was very atmospheric!

Submitted
Escape From The Shadow Dimension
Reply
TrumaneDeveloper1 year ago(+1)

Thank you so much! I’m really glad you enjoyed the experience. Knowing the story and atmosphere connected with you in a meaningful way means a lot. Sometimes, it’s those shared, relatable moments that remind us we’re not alone—even in the dark. Thank you for taking the time to experience it, and for your kind words!

Reply
R0Submitted1 year ago(+2)

I really love your take on the theme - The writing actually hit me pretty hard.

We can't be afraid to ask for a little help out of our own dark sometimes.

Submitted
NN
Reply
TrumaneDeveloper1 year ago(+1)

Thank you so much for sharing that—it means a lot to know the story resonated with you. It’s true, sometimes facing our own shadows feels impossible alone, but a little support can make all the difference. I’m really glad you felt that connection, and I hope it reminds you and those that play this game, that there’s always someone ready to help light the way. Just as you said, we don’t have to face the dark alone. There will always be someone willing to help you fight the dark.

Reply
palpali4xSubmitted1 year ago

Im not a fan of visual novels( good luck

Submitted
Lonely Darkness
Reply
TrumaneDeveloper1 year ago

I hope you gave this one a go :) its only a few minutes long!

Reply
PressgoalSubmitted1 year ago(+2)

The dialogue is well written in this, and the way that the candle changes with how well the conversation is going is a really nice touch. I think that I got the mid ending, and the good ending, and I'm impressed with the possible variation in the story, and the good ending was really heartwarming. This was a very unique take on the theme, and I enjoyed my time with it. Great job!

Reply
TrumaneDeveloper1 year ago(+1)

Thank you! I really wanted to do something different with the theme. Having emerged recently from a dark mental state myself this was the first style that came to mind and I ran with it.

I had a great time playing with the contrast and brightness settings to get what I wanted - not to mention playing with the colour mix to make sure those changes had the proper effect.

I will be playing everyone's game starting tomorrow morning. Yours will be the first on the list!

Reply
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