[Completed] Experimental Gameplay [1.3 Bug Fix Release]

[_pheebee]

Basic info:
This is a game about Pokémon.
But, not in the Pokemon Universe.

This takes place in a Alternate Universe to the one we live in. An alternate universe where Pokémon did not succeed at it's Red/Green release, and thus was forgotten through the sands of time.

Story:
There was once a game company with great potential.
But, unfortunately, they did not use the potential well, and the universe forgot them.

Many people had to leave the company, including one Iroh.
Who left 10 years ago, and after a year of no contact from his ex work peers, recieves a letter asking for his help.
Help, in testing a new game.

But, what Iroh finds is more than just a game.

This... is the story of Pokémon.

Features:

• Collect 3 pieces of a circle key.
• Use the Holo-Circle to use the strange Pocket Monsters
• Witness many deformed Pokémon!

Screenshots:

Warning:
This game features strange/odd looking Pokémon, and disorted cries.
The aim was to make the Pokemon creepy/deformed for the nature of the game.

There's also roughly an hour play time.

Download Link:

Experimental Gameplay 1.3
27/09/2019 release

Version 1.3 Changelog:
- Removed Credit Sequence from box in Jacob's Office.
- DLC Confirmed.
-..

Experimental Gameplay 1.2
04/06/2019 release

Version 1.2 Changelog:
- Fixed the Scientist doors. (replays cutscene when fainted and kicked out of area)
- Added Running Shoes (given in intro, but first healing machine near fountain gives them if you don't have them)
- Removed a Magnemite, lowered the level of Magneton, and lowered levels of final bosses.
- Fixed Grammar
- ..

Experimental Gameplay 1.1
22/04/2019 release

Credits:
Pokémon Essentials Team
Maruno, Poccil, Flameguru, etc. (listed in credits scene).
GameFreak/Nintendo for Pokémon.
Rare/Microsoft, SquareEnix, TobyFox, Camelot, Gamefreak for various music.
​

 

[Marky Vigoroth]

Expected meme:

Spoiler:

SINCE WHEN WERE YOU THE ONE IN CONTROL?

Honestly speaking, the premise of this game is great. I mean, normally, Pokémon is considered a surefire long-runner, but, back then, the game was going to be released at the end of the GameBoy era, plus the people at Nintendo thought about making the Pokémon appealing to a United States audience who might not like 'cute' things. In other words, there is not much consideration at how much risk the original games really were.

This is not just your ordinary gritty reboot, but, rather, an honest look at the very real risk of failure these games had. Putting these in the form of an actual Pokémon game gives this a 'meta' appeal.

 

[Soccersam]

Distorted Cries and Deformed Pokemon? I'm there.

The core premise of this game is pretty interesting, and the game is really fun to play through as well. Good job!

 

[Lulu24]

I absolutely LOVED this!! My only complaint is that there isn't more

 

[_pheebee]

I absolutely LOVED this!! My only complaint is that there isn't more

One day...

 

[Sparkin]

i loved everything about this game, esp the story

 

[_pheebee]

i loved everything about this game, esp the story

Thanks, I hope I have your vote for the jam!

 

[Marin]

I was a critic during the April Game Jam 2019, and here's my personal review of the game.

Mapping

There was one clear and main setting: the company's building and its offices. While simplistic, the maps and routes you had to take were brilliantly planned with enough backtracking and sidetracking without distracting or confusing you.


Gameplay

There wasn't that much battling, but enough to be a change of pace from exploring. The choice to only have encounters in a few areas was appreciated.
The final battle was tough and took me a second attempt, but overall I found everything to be well-balanced.


Story

There was one fully-fledged, well-thought out coherent plot. It was relatively linear and basic, but well-executed and clear. It's a very cool origin story behind the Pokémon franchise, and it was fun to see this take on it - which wasn't what I at first expected it to be. This game's story especially stood out to me.


Inclusion of theme

Aside from circle keys, balls and perhaps the cycle of life (being an origin story), I could not find many more references to the theme.

---

Thank you for participating in the April Game Jam 2019! We enjoyed playing your game and hope that you had equal fun creating it!

 

[Vendily]

I was a Critic during the April Fan Game Jam 2019, and this is my personal review.

Mapping
From the dim rooms as if every light in this place is off, to the static-y tiles that cut through maps and the contrasting GB/C tiles to the Gen 3 stuff, each and every one of the maps in this game gives a heavy sense of something wrong.

Gameplay
The game itself is very quiet, and has mostly ambient noise the vast majority of the time when it comes to the overworld, which really helps with that eerie feeling that the game gives.
The areas in the game are clearly divided into three separate sections. The most you have to remember is which sections you've already done.

I got stuck on the final boss, which is two trainer battles back to back. The first battle drains you of you health and moves, leaving you weak when the second battle comes around.

Story
Most all of the story in this game is picked up from journal entries. Each of the journal entries only contains a small bit of information so you spend a decent chunk of the time piecing them together while you progress through the game itself. The sheer mystery of it all becomes a huge driving force to progress through the game, and it really makes you feel good when you connect some of the puzzle pieces together before the game tells you in a journal entry later on.

Inclusion of theme
The main plot of the game requires us to collect circle keys to unlock the path to the final boss.

---

Thanks for participating in the April Fan Game Jam 2019! We enjoyed playing your game and hope you had fun making it!

 

[juliorain]

I was a Critic during the April Fan Game Jam 2019, and this is my personal review.

Plot

Pretty interesting! I couldn't defeat the final boss, but other wise kept the mystery alive throughout. Lots of well placed infodumps.

Mapping

Interesting mapping! Good length with appropriate healing locations and puzzles. I was a little upset that the game was near-incompletable without the Mew which was hidden. I liked the glitched tiles you added in the game. I think some of the interior puzzles were a bit too well hidden like the mew.

Gameplay

While the trainers weren't too difficult and there were plenty of opportunities to heal, there wasn't much room to grind nor options to heal. When midgame without a mew, I had to rely on PAR hax to win. I struggled across 8 times to defeat a trainer with magnemites. That shouldn't be a thing! By the final boss, if you haven't picked up that mew, you literally couldn't carry your team to the victory.

Relevance to the theme
Circular as in theyre trying to reboot the world and return it to a GB-like state? Not clear!

 

[_pheebee]

Thanks to the judges for playing through!

I'll keep all comments in mind for my next project, and/or the next jam. if there is a next one!

 

[UltimateNPC]

[SPOILERS FOR ANYONE WHO HASN'T PLAYED THE GAME YET]
Great game, very well-executed. These are the kinds of original game concepts that make me want a sequel, no matter how big or small that sequel may be. The story had me hooked constantly, and I love the concept of an alternate universe where Pokemon ultimately failed. My only major criticism is the pace of movement, it would have been really helpful for there to be at least an option to run. I get that walking slowly makes the atmosphere more intense and makes the game feel more progressive, but to people like me it comes off as slow and off-putting. I'd genuinely love to see a full game made out of this though. Perhaps after the final battle, Iroh could somehow regain consciousness via a coincidental reference to another reality, and attempt to escape. He could go on his own journey and attempt to defeat Red before he beats the Pokemon League, thus breaking the game. As you progress, the game would break more and more and slowly turn back into the appearance of reality as it was in the beginning of this game. I think that would make for an epic sequel and a satisfying ending to a possible alternate universe continuity.

Either way, loved the game while it lasted, thank you for making something extremely unique and interesting, it was a joy to play.
P.S. I see what you did there with that loss reference. ;)

 

[Inner Rhymes]

Hey! so I started playing this game and so far., i'e really enjoyed it. However, I am in a bit of a fix, I actually got defeated by the scientist who said something along the lines of "Oh no you fcannot survive" after whiting out i returned back to the Game development office building. I am now back inside the simulation world, but the area which the scientist locked is still locked. Is there anyway i can get around this? Thank you.

 

[_pheebee]

[SPOILERS FOR ANYONE WHO HASN'T PLAYED THE GAME YET]
Great game, very well-executed. These are the kinds of original game concepts that make me want a sequel, no matter how big or small that sequel may be. The story had me hooked constantly, and I love the concept of an alternate universe where Pokemon ultimately failed. My only major criticism is the pace of movement, it would have been really helpful for there to be at least an option to run.

Hey! so I started playing this game and so far., i'e really enjoyed it. However, I am in a bit of a fix, I actually got defeated by the scientist who said something along the lines of "Oh no you fcannot survive" after whiting out i returned back to the Game development office building. I am now back inside the simulation world, but the area which the scientist locked is still locked. Is there anyway i can get around this? Thank you.

Fixed.

Version 1.2 Changelog:
- Fixed the Scientist doors. (replays cutscene when fainted and kicked out of area)
- Added Running Shoes (given in intro, but first healing machine near fountain gives them if you don't have them)
- Removed a Magnemite, lowered the level of Magneton, and lowered levels of final bosses.
- Fixed Grammar
- ..

Download:
Here

[SPOILERS FOR ANYONE WHO HASN'T PLAYED THE GAME YET]
Great game, very well-executed. These are the kinds of original game concepts that make me want a sequel, no matter how big or small that sequel may be.

Perhaps, soon...

 

[TorchickenNuggets]

This was a really cool game, I enjoyed it a lot! Hopefully you'll release more games in the future.

I even did a playthrough of it on my YouTube channel -- https://youtu.be/d8YXkJUuL6M

 

[_pheebee]

This was a really cool game, I enjoyed it a lot! Hopefully you'll release more games in the future.

I even did a playthrough of it on my YouTube channel -- https://youtu.be/d8YXkJUuL6M

Thanks to TCN's playthrough which I watched, and reccomend everyone watches.

I fixed a bug which displays the credits in the final boss room.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4efwo94dpyg2y9y/ExperimentalGameplay1.3.zip?dl=0

 

[Inner Rhymes]

So, I finally completed this. I stopped my previous playthrough because of a bug that has now been fixed. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. The storyline was fast paced yet intense and kept me on my toes whilst exploring every nook and corner possible. Not gonna lie, that ending had me shook. The writing is also very well done. Props to you my dude!

 

[_pheebee]

So, I finally completed this. I stopped my previous playthrough because of a bug that has now been fixed. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. The storyline was fast paced yet intense and kept me on my toes whilst exploring every nook and corner possible. Not gonna lie, that ending had me shook. The writing is also very well done. Props to you my dude!

Oh hey, thanks for giving it another shot!
It means alot that you gave it a second chance, and I'm super glad you enjoyed it!

 

[_pheebee]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNrxtpZo0Os
zombiesgonomb livestreamed this a while ago.

Noticed a few more bugs. Needs fixing.

and has brought something up I wanted to do, but didn't have time for in the jam.
Multiple endings. The game is short, so I wanted multiple endings.
Should I add some now? Or, is it too late?