KingOfJacks » Reviews » Clam Man 2 - Open Mic
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2 people found this review helpful
Not Recommended
0.0 hrs last two weeks / 0.2 hrs on record
Posted: Jun 26, 2022 @ 9:41am

this one needs to be taken back to the cutting room floor.
you're trying to make a disco elysium-esque game, but in disco elysium, the setup is shorter and very strongly indicates you have no choice (black screen, linear dialog, drama to keep you engaged), but then it very quickly gives control to the player so they can explore in the order they prefer.

having your demo be a giant train track discourages people from playing.
I can't help but walk away from this feeling it's going to be railroaded disco elysium-esque game, without the good political insight, witty writing or player agency.
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Developer response:
ClamDev  [developer] Posted: Jun 28, 2022 @ 3:13pm
Thanks for the review! I think in the last two years that the demo's been up, the most common negative criticism has been the intro, more specifically its pacing and player control. A lot of people (you included, looking at your playtime) didn't feel interested in playing past 10-20 minutes for the reasons stated, and assumed the whole thing was as railroaded. I honestly agree with the criticism - even though it splits into three possible paths, it just doesn't feel particularly engaging if the first 10-20 minutes of the game is only text, regardless of branching paths. I've already begun reworking the intro for the full release, and if possible, I'd like to update the demo too. Either way, I do appreciate the feedback and I hope you give the game another shot at some point! It's not a massive demo, but pretty much every quest and dialogue in the game has a variety of outcomes!
2 Comments
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ClamDev  [developer] Jun 29, 2022 @ 12:56pm 
No I think you're right, those 10-20 minutes are crucial to keeping players on and it does get dull if you don't even get to move around yourself! You're actually able to move around and explore after the inside bar section (after a brief interaction while leaving the bar), but I'm currently planning on adding a more playable section before the intro as well as making parts of it with more direct input. Either way, I do appreciate the feedback and it makes me more certain that the rework is worth the effort!
KingOfJacks Jun 28, 2022 @ 3:31pm 
i probably will, but i do think 10-20 minutes would be considered "too long" by most, especially when your only mode of interaction is reading and picking options.
i stopped when they arrived inside a bar, as this was the fourth screen transition without being able to open a menu, click on things or move.

(character creation -> office -> elevator shaft -> outside bar -> inside bar)