I really like the concept of having to navigate around your previous character's movements! It's an interesting interpretation of the "Loop" theme, where the path you take during the first phase becomes an obstacle you have to deal with in the second phase.
I also really enjoy the overall aesthetic! The grayscale visuals, bitcrushed ambience, and old TV effects work well together to create a mysterious atmosphere.
However, I feel like there are a few areas where the puzzle design could be improved.
My biggest concern is the lack of information available for planning ahead.
Since the levels are quite large and don't fit entirely on the screen, it's difficult to plan a route for the black character to get all key items and get to the door without exploring the whole map first. The old TV effect also makes it harder to see certain parts of the level, especially near the edges of the screen.
I understand that the visual effects contribute a lot to the atmosphere, but I feel like they sometimes get in the way of the puzzle-solving experience.
Perhaps allowing players to zoom out or preview the entire map before starting would help them plan their movements without sacrificing the aesthetic during actual gameplay.
Another issue I encountered is that there's no indication of where the white character will spawn during the second phase.
Since the whole puzzle revolves around planning your black character's movements to avoid interfering with the white character later, I think knowing the white character's starting position beforehand would make the puzzle feel more strategic.
As it currently stands, I often have to finish the entire black character phase just to discover where the white character spawns, then restart the level with that knowledge.
This feels a little punishing, especially since collecting all the black essences across such large levels can take quite a while.
I think the challenge would feel more satisfying if players could focus on figuring out the right route rather than spending time repeating sections just to gather information.
One other interesting thing I discovered: You can leave the black character standing still for about a minute before starting to move. This gives the white character a full minute to move freely before the black character's recorded movements begin!
I'm not sure if this is an intentional strategy or an oversight, but I thought it was worth mentioning since it can make some puzzles much easier.
Unfortunately, I couldn't finish the game because I got stuck on Level 4, where the black character starts in a narrow hallway and seems to block the path to the white door. I couldn't figure out how to get past it, so I'm not sure whether I missed an intended solution or encountered a bug.
Overall, I think there's a really interesting puzzle concept here, and the presentation gives the game a distinctive identity! I'd love to see the gameplay provide a little more information upfront so that players can focus on the planning and execution, which I think are the most interesting parts of the mechanic.
Thanks for making this game! I hope my feedback is helpful!