Neon Alchemist
[Note] Play full screen for best experience! (If you're having trouble playing it in full-screen or if it's clipping off at the top, please set your browser zoom to 90%)
[Note] For the Hacking Minigame Type the "Target Cmd" exactly as it appears into the "Enter Cmd" text area within the time-limit. Do this 3 times and you'll succeed.
Are you ready to join the ShadowNet?
As an Alchemist in the ShadowNet Syndicate, you will navigate through a virtual underworld, hacking into systems and battling AI defenses. In each job, you must utilize your skills and elixirs to bypass security, combat Data Guardians, and complete various objectives such as data theft and sabotage.
Core Mechanics
- Navigate Virtual Networks: Use your skills to infiltrate systems, bypass security, and achieve mission objectives.
- Combat Data Guardian Hacker Jobs: Face off against AI security systems and rival Alchemists in turn-based battles.
- Utilize Elixirs: Deploy elixirs in the form of programs, strategically to gain buffs, debuff enemies, and turn the tide of combat.
- Complete Objectives: Whether it's stealing data, sabotaging systems, or eliminating targets, success depends on effective use of skills and elixirs.
- Conduct Transmutation: Fuse different programs to create unique and powerful elixirs. Experimentation can lead to discovering new combinations and effects.
- Research New Upgrades & Elixirs: Invest time and resources into unlocking advanced elixirs with special abilities and new cyberware and hardware upgrades.
- Upgrade Equipment: Enhance cyberware and hardware to improve hacking abilities and combat prowess.
Progression Mechanics
- Failure and Growth: If a mission fails, players can undertake additional missions to gather resources, conduct further research, and strengthen their character.
- Mission Variety: A wide range of missions with increasing difficulty and different objectives ensures players remain engaged.
- Elixir Discovery: The process of discovering and experimenting with new elixirs adds a layer of depth and replayability.
Combat Mechanics
- Turn-Based Battles: Combat takes place in a 2D scene where players can select from three buttons. Hack, Firewall, and Overload and deploy Elixir Chips programs with different utilities in order to defeat the enemy Alchemist.
- Elixir Management: Elixirs function like spells in traditional RPGs, providing buffs, debuffs, and special effects. Players must manage their use carefully to maximize effectiveness.
- Skill-Based Attacks: Players have access to a variety of cyber attacks, each with unique properties and effects. Hack, Defend and Overload.
Comments
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Impressive title splash. The game suffers from some resize-to-window issues (UI and graphics), however, so I have to play it in fullscreen and the edges still cut off slightly. Most of the large-scale assets are impressive. I failed the first attempt at the typing minigame because I wasn’t allowed to backspace and didn’t know what to do at that point. I haven’t had this happen in any of the other missons. played until roughly I unlocked Detection Upgrade. It is a bit annoying how all enemies seem to turtle with firewall + healing potion once they’re below about 20% health, making them impossible to kill with Overload.
The CRT-overlay effect is rather fine. I can see what you’re doing with it, though an option to be able to turn it off (to increase readability and such) would be great. You could also experiment with making the lines further apart.
Hey Artok, thanks for playing! This is some great feedback and we'll definitely take it on board.
The full screen was a little fiddly - apologies for that. If you zoom out a little, you should be able to see the 'blue' full screen button at the bottom which will allow the unity game itself to go full screen and that should solve the issue.
In respect of the hacking minigame, we've had a lot of feedback about how people found this confusing - backspacing should be working as intended, I'm not sure why you were having troubles with that and we'll definitely look into it as we further develop the game. We included a setting in the settings menu for 'E.Z Hack' to help give people a little more time to complete the hacks - both for those people learning the ropes, and to improve accessibility.
In respect of the battles - I fully agree that this is still very rough around the edges. Some of the enemy AI can be very stubborn and difficult to take down by combining turtling and using their heals - especially Akuma Nik for some reason. We plan to add more sophisticated AI behaviours, as well as a lot more combat actions for the player to pick from so that they can overcome different enemy behaviours, though I hope that you can see the potential in the system!
In respect of the CRT effect - Absolutely valid point. We did a lot of work to boost the readability of the text - changing the font, increasing the size and the spacing. But I definitely don't think that we nailed it in this prototype and we'll be working to make sure that it provides that retro experience, but without compromising the readability. And it's a really great idea to include an option to disable that effect! Something we'll definitely look to include in the future.
Once again, thank you so much for playing our game, and for providing this great feedback. I hope that you can see the potential of the game, and will try it out again once we've further developed it! <3
Like the style. I like the ideas!
However... my critic of the game is that:
- You can Spam Defence / Firewall to get to ABSURD level of defence.
- Props of not using an INT for the defence counter, got bored after round 234 with Def: 775,314,700,000,000, still haven't crashed the game... Too much.
- Instructions unclear when I opened the game. Didn't know what to do at all. Especially on the Terminal screen. I've understood after like 5 minutes that it was only to copy the text up top.
- Same for fight, Ihaven't notice the ? the first fight. but even reading it haven't made me understood the fight much better.
- In some situation, using "HACK" always return damage againt the player.
- Fights are feeling a little empty.
- The loading effect on the Desktop is cool, but when leaving some menus it just feels a little long to wait for it. (May be just me)
- It is not clear why we can upgrade our stats, where they can augment and reduce during fights... (May be just me?)
- Some Buff would probably benefits to be one time use. (My 234 Rounds, could have been infinite, since the enemy had a potion)
- A little bit hard to read. Disabling effect in Settings maybe or bigger font?
- Is there a "Win" condition / Goal?
- I like that there is animations and different enemies.
- The whole premise seems cool, for what I understood.
- Nice Backtrack Background :)
- Huge potential to be a full game. Deepening the story in VA-11 Hall-A style, but having to fight instead of doing drinks, and bla bla... Could be very interesting with this art, music and current story. IMO.
- Nice 2D Unity Game!
- Better than my submission.
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On that. It is IN MY OPINION. I try to be constructive, however, I often sound more rough than I wish it to be.
I just hope you can get this feedback as an appreciation of your work!
- Mickplouffe
Hello Mick! Some great feedback here - and it echoes many of the things that we've been talking about in the team. This was our first game jam and first time using unity so we fully accept that the game is pretty rough around the edges, but this is absolutely fair and constructive feedback! I'm glad that you can see the potential of this concept, however and hope that you'll enjoy the full version :D
I really like the take on the theme! Also this is a nice game, very addicting and a nice vibe.
That's kind of you to say! Thank you for playing our game <3
How many people worked on this? I’m amazed with what the team pulled of within the time limit. Great game!
Hey Platylaza what a lovely comment! We had 5 people working on this 2 artists and 3 developers (one of the developers is also our music guy) We picked up a few assets (UI, VFX and Battle backgrounds) to help flesh out the game. The main time investment was in the battle scene which is sort of the 'climax' of the game loop. Thank you for playing our game.
The look and feel of this game is awesome, love the cyberpunk vibe. I tried the first hacking game which you need to type in the phrase, and when i got to the second one i had to use my mouse to click in the box again before i could type. kinda breaks the flow ya know. Really good job tho! keep making games
Hmmm! Thanks for the great feedback, Grantlerr - that shouldn't happen. The game should automatically put you back into the input box so you can keep hacking away. I'll check it out and see what gremlins are causing this mischief. Thank you for playing our game <3
Great gameplay! it's diverse and addicting from the get go. The music pairs very well with the general visual theme. Keep up the excellent work
What a lovely comment, Kharne! We'll do our best. Thank you for playing our game <3
Extremely cool! I love the hacking segment, music is sick too!
Thank you! <3
Great game, love the music!
Voltone will be very happy to hear you say that! Thanks for the kind words.
An amazing and fun game to play, you guys did a great job creating this!
Thank you <3
This. IS GREAT!
Thank you so much Gr0n!
Loved working on this!