Gunk

The game is very good and fun, but I have some suggestions that, in my oppinion, could improve it even further. First: DEFINITELY DO NOT START WITH ALL 3 TYPES OF GUNK FROM THE BEGINNING!!! In the first few minutes of the game, even at level 1, it's ridiculously easy to get cornered by crawling or flying Gunks. And since the cooldown is (apparently) assigned to each enemy instead of the player (which I also think should be reviewed), it's ridiculously easy to die from getting stuck in a corner and having your rear end obliterated by the Gunk train. This makes it frustrating to start a new game from scratch because you accidentally got stuck in a tree, house, or fence and have the GDP OF CHINA in number of Gunks chasing your soul. Second: I don't know if Rye noticed this, but the frequency with which the Gunks just stand there in the middle of nowhere or fly headfirst through walls is worrying. And once again, while you're trying to outmaneuver the Gunks, it's very easy to bump into a wannabe Michael Jackson standing in the middle of nowhere and end up dying... again. Third: I found the game's difficulty curve extremely inconsistent. I understand that the game is supposed to be challenging and all that, but spawning the boss at level 10 when the player can barely handle the horde of Gunks is extremely premature. Even more so considering that the MEGA GUNK presents no threat or difference other than being 10 times the size of a common enemy and 1000 times slower. Perhaps if the boss threw rocks at the player or could summon other types of enemies it could be more interesting. But as it is, it's just a large Gunk that does nothing but surprise the player, either with its premature appearance in the gameplay, or the strangely inconvenient wall it becomes when the player tries to dodge the Gunks. Fourth: This is more of a recommendation than a criticism, but I still think it's valid. The game is cool and all, but once you manage to defeat the final boss, get a good score in Endless Mode, and all the game's achievements, there's practically nothing encouraging the player to come back to play the game. Not even the gameplay, which, as mentioned before, can be extremely frustrating even compared to other rogue-lites and roguelikes. I could suggest fixing some bugs, adjusting certain balances, asking for easier versions, or simply telling you to "make a better game." But what I want to suggest here is something much simpler and more effective: NEW MAPS!!! They don't need to follow a strict pattern or have different mechanics for each area. Just having different maps to play (whether in the campaign or Endless Mode) already increases the variety of gameplay and, even if it doesn't keep the player hooked forever, it still increases playtime and increases the chances of players returning days or even weeks after completing 100% of the game just to have fun with the new maps. The maps can be themed around the Wild West, take place on the moon, in ancient Egypt, at the bottom of the sea, or literally ANYWHERE YOU WANT!!! This is a game about throwing rocks at Gunks; logic or consistency don't apply to this game. Fifth: For a game called GUNK about GUNKS, I expected much more GUNK than GUNK actually delivered. Maybe I expected too much GUNKS, or perhaps the creator's vision of GUNKS isn't as GUNK-centric as mine. But I think more GUNK in GUNK could GUNK-fy GUNK even further!!! Now, seriously. I didn't mean to attack anyone in this review or criticize you as a game developer. It's just that I love your YouTube videos and I simply think the games you manage to make practically alone are amazing. I'm very happy with the release of your first game on Steam and I'm celebrating with you; may it be the first of many! It's just that, as someone who greatly admires your work, I want to see you SOAR!!! So anything that improves the game and makes more people aware of you and your work will be suggested by me and, I believe, by a whole legion of fans! I would genuinely be happy to see some of my suggestions implemented in the game, but remember, the game is yours. Don't feel pressured to do anything. Everything in this review was merely suggestive. Because, aside from everything I've said, Gunk remains an extremely fun and addictive game. I wish you all the luck in the world with this game, and I hope to be here again to see a new release from you. Whether it's on Steam, Itch.io, Game Jolt, or wherever you launch your next project ;)