Post Jam Analysis

First of all, I want to thank everyone who played my game! Every comment, criticism, and word of encouragement was deeply appreciated and motivates me to keep improving. I also made an effort to play and provide feedback to as many games as possible, offering constructive criticism and support to fellow devs. Being part of this game jam has been an incredible experience! Again, thank you for taking the time to check out my game!

This was my first game jam, and to say I had limited time for development is an understatement. However, considering my current skillset, I doubt I could’ve done much more even with additional time. My game, The Lab, ranked a respectable 165th out of 397 entries. The ratings and feedback say a lot about what worked and where things fell short:

    Theme: The theming was spot on! Many comments highlighted that the game’s atmosphere worked really well, which I’m glad to hear because it was my main focus. Players got jumpscared, and the game felt spooky, as the secondary theme of the jam commanded.

    Game Boy Soul: There’s not much to say here, as the game is designed to run on a Game Boy, so it naturally met the "Game Boy soul" requirement.

    Audio: I was surprised by the audio feedback. The monster's sound effects were wav samples, which seemed to work well, but the absence of music didn’t hurt the game’s ratings as much as I expected. I think the theme helped mask the lack of a soundtrack. That said, some players rated the game low on sound, which is understandable. Could I have done more? Probably not. Even with more time, I could only have added extra sound effects, as making music is outside my skillset.

    Gameplay: Sadly, this was one of the weaker points. Several players commented on the slow pace, which was intentional, but it seems it was a bit too slow for most. There was a solution, but not many players discovered it. Additionally, the items weren’t usable, which likely disappointed some players. A more dynamic monster—one that roams rather than follows a scripted path—might have made the gameplay more engaging. The updated ROM does address some of these issues. You can now sprint by holding the B button, which makes the game much faster, and I’ve also added two more endings, bringing the total to six. Could I do more to improve the game? Yes but this will take me out of what I am working currently so this is as much as I am willing to do.

    Graphics: Unfortunately, this was my lowest-rated category. Graphics are an area where I still have a lot of room to improve. Competing against so many visually stunning games, it’s no surprise my game ranked lower in this aspect. Improving my art is something I’m actively working on, though it will take time since it's not my strongest skill.

Finally, to commemorate my participation in the jam, I made a physical cartridge of the game and flashed it with the latest update!