OKAY, THIS IS A REALLY DARK AND CREATIVE WAY TO INTERPRET “THE LONG WAY HOME”! 🎣🌊🏠
The idea of fishing in a peaceful lake while slowly uncovering pieces of a buried hometown is genuinely intriguing. I really liked how the fishing mechanic isn't just there for gameplay it becomes the way the character reconnects with his past, which gives every item you pull from the water a bit more meaning. The atmosphere and relaxing music also fit that mysterious, dreamlike feeling really well, especially for a first game jam.
The fishing minigames are a cool idea, but I think they could use a little more polish and player feedback. A short moment before each minigame starts to show what type of challenge is coming, along with clearer success/failure sounds or visuals, would make them much easier to understand. The environment could also become even stronger with some extra atmosphere like fog, lighting changes, or more visual storytelling around the lake.
The biggest strength for me is definitely the concept and the mystery behind the lake. There is a lot of potential here for expanding the story and making each discovered object reveal another piece of the character's past. REALLY PROMISING FIRST JAM GAME! 🎣✨🏠 KEEP GOING WITH THIS IDEA AND GOOD LUCK WITH THE JAM! 🔥🎮