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High Tide's itch.io pageResults
| Criteria | Rank | Score* | Raw Score |
| 💖 Heart | #8 | 3.900 | 3.900 |
| 💀 Body | #10 | 3.450 | 3.450 |
| Overall | #10 | 3.663 | 3.663 |
| 🧠 Mind | #11 | 3.500 | 3.500 |
| ✨ Soul | #15 | 3.800 | 3.800 |
Ranked from 20 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.
What did you revive? What was your inspiration?
I've had two short-lived projects in the past that focused on diving and holding breath. I decided to rework these into a sequel to one of my favorite Bitsy games I've made, also about diving: https://your-name-please.itch.io/low-tide
How do you play your game? Is controller required?
Game is a web game, no download required. Game is played with Arrows and Z/C . Button (Z or C) will display on screen as the "O" button (Picotron's controller name for the key). A peaceful mode is included.
What asset packs did you use? What, if any, content is AI generated?
Two color palettes from Lospec user joe70098 were used:
- https://lospec.com/palette-list/azure-abyss
- https://lospec.com/palette-list/astria-solseturs
No code or game content was generated using LLMs or diffusion models.
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Comments
This is great! I love the use of color for depth and oxygen level. The turning is tough in some of the tight grid sections. I got 2 of 4 tablets.
I think having 4 pedestals around the door, and having the tablets appear above the pedestals as you collet them would clearly convey the number of tablets you have left to find. I'd also like an option to "ping" those pedestals for a hint at where the remaining tablets are.
Really cool game! I loved how the player's vision gets darker as you run out of air, and exploring the map was fun.
The controls felt a bit tricky at times, as the character didn't always turn the way I expected. I also felt that the game was a bit too quiet at times, so some additional sound effects or BGM would be great.
Overall, really well done. Congrats!
You can get stuck on walls, which was my biggest issue with the movement. I should rethink movement a bit if I return to this game.
The SFX were added super last minute, kind of rushed them in my last couple hours. I meant to have some nice ambient music. I need to write that too. Ah… so much more work I want to do on this game, after seeing so much great feedback. Thanks!
Really like the control scheme.
Very enjoyable. The swimming controls remind me of the old donkey kong country games in the way the swimming adds thrust. Well done!
Really enjoyed exploring this one! The pixel art looks great, and the screen darkening as your oxygen runs out is such a clever touch that adds real tension. The controls took some getting used to, but the small metroidvania progression kept me going. Great entry!
Ok nice I really liked this one. I acrually feel like exploring too! The whole screen slowly getting dark to show your oxygen level is really smart and looks great!
Nice game! I loved the level design, but the clingy controls made me quit the game after 2 tablets. Nice entry, could be a really good game with some enhancement on that!
I did have trouble finding the last tablet, I think the digging could also use a sound effect. I also didn't know the flashlight revealed hidden pathways. I liked the shrinking iris air meter mechanic.
Flashlight for hidden passageways was kind of a last minute addition, so it’s not explained that well. There’s a hidden passage near where you find it, so I hoped the player would find out either there or in the grid maze.
If you haven’t found the last tablet, I assume it’s the one at the bottom left of the map . There’s a hidden diggable area in the caves above, with the same shape as the hidden dig room on the right. . I was probably a little too cryptic there, ha!
The aesthetics are great. I also liked the design, the pixel art and idea of a small metroidvania. I still haven't finished it, but I'm hooked up on it. My only gripe is with the controls, but I totally get why they are like this.
This was a fantastic submission! A micro-vania adventure game is such a great accomplishment for a jam. I loved the art of the game too, the iris effect of running out of air was a great way to show that while emphasizing the anxiety of drowning.
The controls were
possibly the hardest part to get used to, especially turning around was pretty difficult, but I think I was getting better at it over time.Thank you! Great time for a first playthrough.
After watching my friends play, I’ll admit the controls were definitely a bit overtuned. I spent the first few days focusing on controls and lighting effects, but eventually had to stop fiddling with the mechanics, solidify the movement, and start building the map. But I got used to the controls and ended up somewhat enjoying them as I playtested myself, whoops.
Turning was intentionally hard to give you the feeling of getting stuck in a tight tunnel, unable to turn around. Since backwards movement is slower, it can be very tense. It worked for that, but I couldn’t find a way to turn around while in open air that felt good to me. I also toyed around with more movement directions, but settled on 4 to simplify my design.
Very very cool game! I really dig the pixel aesthetic. The gameplay reminds me of Echo the Dolphin, I loved that game as a kid. I agree with the other comment, some sort of pulse that guides you in the right direction would be much appreciated if you get stuck. The different modes is a really nice touch, I think its great to include things like that in a jam game.
My suggestion for how to develop it is go more into the metroidvania route, like Animal World where there's lots of cool items that unlock new paths and things to do. For a jam game tho, really excellent work one of my favourites i've played so far
I’m glad I could add the different modes. They don’t really change much, but peaceful is nice if you find the oxygen stressful. Speedrun was more for me, I like to speedrun my games once I get close to the release!
The metroidvania route is definitely what I like, though I do like how I made most of the upgrades optional (technically the shovel is the only required item).
Someone else mentioned Scuba Dive for the ZX Spectrum as a similar game, and looking at gameplay I do really see the resemblance. I think you are meaning to say Animal Well rather than Animal World? Animal Well (and its so-called “metroidbrainia” genre) was certainly an inspiration. I like having knowledge-gates in metroidvanias, it’s just a very tricky thing to design!
Ahh yes Animal Well is what I meant my bad! And I do agree, knowledge gates are very interesting when done well but as you say very tricky to do right.
The mechanics are very solid and the functional upgrades really give a cool Metroidvania style progression.
The game world is nicely large for the sake of exploration, but I found myself really wanting some kind of item to clue me in on at least the next direction that I should look for something important. Maybe it's just me being spoiled with that type of mechanic as prevalent as it is in a lot of modern games, but the feeling especially started to sink in at the point where I needed to find the tablets. Something like a sonar pulse that goes out and makes an icon for a point of interest in a direction relative to your current position, just so that I don't feel as aimlessly wandering at times.
A radar was definitely a consideration of mine, but I didn’t find the time to add it myself. I could probably do a fun visual effect as well, so if I do a post-jam update, it’s on my list. I also considered a map, though I do like the fact that the player will get lost and need to learn their surroundings.
I definitely noticed the getting lost after watching my friends play recently. There’s one tablet which is tricky to find, technically visible to the left of the door, but it’s out of your flashlight range which doesn’t help.
My initial concept was much too ambitious, with many more secrets, a bad ending without finding the tablets, and more. I threw in the 4 tablet ending as a bit of an afterthought once I felt the ending creeping near, ha!
Thanks for playing!