Developer: Monsoon Studios
Platform: NES (Homebrew)
This game is right up my alley. The NES was my gateway into video games and I know its library of games well. So to play a brand new NES game feels like a treat and Copper Jacket (love the title) does a great job of capturing the spirit of the classic console.
As of now, there is no plot currently in Copper Jacket. I know this is only a demo of the first level, but after reading through your submission notes, I find it crucial that some of the backstory/plot make its way into the game. It doesn’t necessarily have to be an elaborate montage of 8-bit cutscenes, a paragraph with a few images goes a long way. You can even have a cutscene come up when the player is idle at the title
screen. A lot of NES games kept the plot/backstory in the instruction
manual, which is another option if you plan on turning this into a physical release (although I would argue that in game text with cutscenes is a better way to go).
One of my favorite examples of simplistic yet effective plot and player incentive building is the opening to Double Dragon (See GIF below). A guy walks up to a woman, punches her, slings her over his shoulder and then walks off the screen. It’s all the information and incentive the player needs.
I like that the player can take multiple hits before getting killed. It’s a smart departure from the 1 shot 1 kill formula that was so prevalent with NES shooters. However, I think the player’s health could be displayed in a more prominent way. This is the perfect place to add a little personality to your game. Your health could be represented by something unique to your character, like for example, military badges. Or it could be something more common
such as hearts or a red meter. Maybe the health bar flashes red when it gets dangerously low, and/or there’s some kind of sound cue. Other things to consider adding to the HUD are: current level, current power-up and current extra lives or continues. I would also consider adding a score system into the game in which case having a score counter on the HUD or in-between levels could be a nice touch too. Obviously you don’t want to overcrowd the
screen with too much information, so striking the right balance of what is most important to your game is key.
Since water is such a big theme and mechanic in this first level, a few more details would go a long way in making it stand out. Some transitional sprites along the edges where the ground or walls meet the water would add to the immersion. (See GIF below) I think a "splash" sound effect when entering and exiting the water would be a nice touch too. I like the game mechanic that slows down the player while in water, however I found the movement speed to be frustratingly slow. To reduce the frustration while retaining the realism, I would consider increasing the player's speed a little.
I like the different power-ups in the game (especially fire) though I feel like the actual sprites could be more intriguing. Obtaining a power-up could also be emphasized with a more impactful sound effect (like a small crescendo). Since these items greatly impact the gameplay, the sprite and sound design should match that intensity. I’ve also noticed that the bullets aren’t being shot from the tip of the gun but rather from the center of the player. It’s small, but this type of detail builds the immersion and shouldn’t be overlooked. Also, consider having the health pack be a different sound effect from the weapon power-ups. As a general rule, try to interject a unique sound effect wherever possible.
The last thing I want to mention are the check points. I like that Copper Jacket is hard because it feels true to the NES, but some checkpoints seem a little unbalanced. If you’re going to make checkpoints sparse, consider having a physical indicator on screen (it can be some kind of gate or beacon etc). This will create a tangible reward for the player that elicits a
feeling of accomplishment and makes the toughness of the game seem fair.
I know that this is a work in progress and as
a demo, it’s a really solid foundation. Copper Jacket reminds me a lot of the excellent NES games like “Guerrilla War” and "Contra". I'm guessing you're familiar with those games but If you’re not I’d recommend checking them out. Having said that, this game does stand on its own which has me excited because this is only a demo. I can't wait to see where you take the full game.
