Okay. I think I’ve spent the most time playing this particular game.
I’m not sure if it’s the best one from the game jam, but it’s definitely the most promising candidate for being developed into a full-fledged product. So, please—don’t abandon it!
Ever since *Backpack Hero*, the "inventory-management-as-combat-mechanic" theme has been gaining popularity, but I actually like this particular take on it even more. That’s why I believe it’s worth further development.
Since I’ve played it for quite a while, I have a few thoughts I’d like to share.
What works well: There’s an RNG element that might occasionally force you to restart, but it’s not overly punishing. Once you’ve memorized the recipes and taken a moment to assess the options available in your backpack, the game turns into a really engaging puzzle. Even before hitting 20 runs, I managed to build an incredibly overpowered army. Of course, this poses a significant challenge for game balance—you’ll need to figure out how to reward the player for clever thinking without accidentally stripping the game of its challenge. If you aren’t familiar with the concept, look up "flow channel game design." It’s an important principle to keep in mind—or at least to practice implementing.
Regarding the unit combinations, I have a few more comments:
Perhaps it’s better to avoid letting players build an army of 100 skeletons—especially when, with a bit of luck, none of them even die. (I realize this was the theme of the jam, but just something to consider for the future.) Maybe focus on upgrading them or restoring their health instead? Perhaps for attacking, it would be better to use the sword (without any bindings) and the wand for mages? This way, we could remove individual items from the bag—effectively keeping the attack UI contained within the bag itself. :)
Also, a 10% boost to all stats for having 3 pumpkins is incredibly powerful. I also felt the absence of any "secret" recipes. Since I enjoy experimenting with random combinations, I secretly hoped to discover a recipe not listed in the official book. For instance, what if combining 2 iron, 1 wood, and 3 bones created a skeleton warrior? This would allow players to explore more complex combinations and make better use of the inventory's potential.
Another issue was that there were simply too many items in the inventory; they were overflowing everywhere. At a certain point, I was only looking for pumpkins, focusing exclusively on combinations that would result in a set of 3 pumpkins.
Anyway, that’s all for now! :) Have a great day.