Playtest Type: Blind (First-time player with zero prior knowledge). This mimics the real launch experience to see if players get confused and abandon the game early.
Focus areas: Onboarding clarity, UI/UX, game loop, pacing, and immersion.
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🎬 Trailer & Presentation
immediately hooked by PS1-style retro graphics and weapon showcase (00:00:16, 00:00:43)
liking the main title image and overall visual direction (00:00:43)
feeling lighting works especially well with pixelated style (00:01:34)
noticing trailer fonts not matching style / not attention-grabbing (00:01:42)
missing clear sense of story or narrative hook in trailer (00:01:54)
⏱ First 5 Minutes Impression
intro cutscene feeling perfectly on-point for PS1 aesthetic (00:05:07)
graphics and movement hitting a strong nostalgic sweet spot (00:05:22)
UI elements (icons, cursor, dots) immediately breaking immersion (00:04:27, 00:06:40)
noticing darkness/visibility issues affecting play (00:04:46)
🧭 Onboarding, Goals & Feedback
missing basic tutorial prompts (e.g., crouch), causing initial confusion (00:08:55)
taking too long to discover core mechanics like crouching (00:09:02)
interaction hints sometimes too explicit and unnecessary (00:20:48)
unclear input expectations (keyboard vs mouse inconsistency) (00:28:19)
🔥 Fun Factors & Peak Moments
strong enjoyment from exploring the house and atmosphere (00:25:15)
satisfying retro aesthetic carrying engagement (00:05:22)
reaching progression points (platforming success) felt good but lacked feedback (00:19:53)
💡Ideas
replacing UI fonts with pixel-consistent or stylized alternatives (00:01:42, 00:02:40)
using handwritten-style notes for better immersion (00:24:30)
adding subtle tutorial prompts (non-intrusive) (00:26:24)
improving enemy feedback (hurt states, visibility changes) (00:29:49)
enhancing death/kill animations for enemies (00:24:50)
increasing environmental storytelling and lore density (00:25:15)
🐞 Bugs / Crashes
getting stuck / unable to move after interaction (00:21:50)
item reading temporarily blocking movement (00:23:07)
inconsistent climbing / collision issues (00:19:03)
missing sound/effect feedback on interactions (00:20:00)
🎯 Game Loop & Motivation
driven mainly by exploration and curiosity about the house (00:25:15)
motivation could increase with stronger story hooks and environmental clues (00:01:54)
current loop lacks strong feedback/reward signals for progression (00:20:00)
😴 Boredom Threshold
slight drop when mechanics unclear or friction interrupts flow (00:08:55)
tension reduced when enemies don’t feel threatening enough (00:29:44)
👍What works well
very strong PS1 aesthetic and visual cohesion in environments (00:05:22)
lighting and atmosphere working effectively (00:01:34)
intro cutscene quality and tone (00:05:07)
overall exploration feel and mood (00:25:15)
⚠️Biggest friction points
UI elements (fonts, icons, cursor) breaking immersion heavily (00:04:27, 00:06:40)
lack of onboarding/tutorial clarity (00:08:55)
inconsistent controls and interaction feedback (00:28:19)
missing audiovisual feedback on key actions (00:20:00)
enemies lacking threat and feedback clarity (00:29:44)
#indiedev #gamedev #playtest #uxdesign #indiegame #horrorgame #retrogaming #ps1style #gamedesign #feedback