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 combat feel.
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🎬 Trailer & Presentation
Loving the strong old-school aesthetic immediately, rare to see this level of visual appeal ([00:00:18])
Feeling mismatch between pixelated title art and in-game visuals, expecting consistency ([00:01:05])
Thinking illustrated key art would elevate nostalgia and perceived quality ([00:00:53])
⏱ First 5 Minutes Impression
Feeling instantly invited by character select and intro screen, strong first interaction ([00:03:41])
Wanting to jump straight into gameplay without friction ([00:03:54])
Feeling visuals are immediately satisfying and polished ([00:04:06])
Struggling slightly with readability due to small elements, wanting zoom option ([00:04:56])
🧭 Onboarding, Goals & Feedback
Not understanding what upgrade was picked, feedback unclear ([00:07:14])
Feeling confused by green checkmarks in skill tree, unclear meaning ([00:13:47])
Misinterpreting shooting mechanic at first, unclear weapon behavior ([00:20:22])
Not realizing interactions (like objects) immediately, missing prompts ([01:15:26])
🔥 Fun Factors & Peak Moments
Enjoying moment-to-moment combat and chaining kills ([multiple: 00:10:28, 00:42:56, 00:56:10])
Feeling strong satisfaction from visuals, enemy design, and explosions ([00:57:32], [01:16:43])
Finding certain weapons more satisfying (then hockey stick) ([00:27:28])
Enjoying arena completion flow and rhythm overall ([00:16:24])
💡Ideas
Adding zoom functionality for better readability ([00:04:56])
Simplifying skill tree into faster, text-focused decisions ([00:18:44])
Showing skill effects or comparisons directly without extra navigation ([00:44:18])
Adding auto-loot or pickup helper after arena completion to keep the action going (not as unlock to keep pace going) ([00:16:44])
Introducing mobility boosts like jumps or launch mechanics ([00:34:36])
Allowing projectile deflection with certain weapons ([01:03:42])
Adding more environmental interactions (breakables, chain reactions) ([01:15:42])
Expanding map variety with thematic or dynamic environments ([01:04:17])
Adding small health pickups to smooth difficulty spikes ([01:05:42])
🐞 Bugs / Crashes
Seeing previous weapon briefly after switching (visual glitch) ([00:33:52])
Brief moment of getting stuck in level geometry ([01:11:00])
🎯 Game Loop & Motivation
Loop feels clean and arcade-like but slightly interrupted by skill tree pacing ([00:12:44])
Questioning long-term depth and strategic variety in weapon choices ([00:58:46])
Expecting more enemy mechanics requiring timing or positioning ([00:59:32])
Feeling progression exists but not always meaningful or exciting ([01:06:10])
😴 Boredom Threshold
Concern that gameplay may become repetitive due to heavy focus on ranged combat ([00:58:23])
Missing additional gameplay layers beyond shooting and positioning ([01:16:01])
👍What works well
Strong visual identity and polish across environments and enemies ([00:57:32])
Very satisfying core combat loop and responsiveness
Inviting and clean start into gameplay
Dialogue boxes fitting style nicely ([00:11:23])
Weapon variety and design feeling solid overall ([01:00:47])
⚠️Biggest friction points
Skill tree slowing down pacing and not matching arcade flow ([00:12:44])
UI readability issues (small icons, unclear information hierarchy) ([00:12:02])
Lack of clarity in upgrades, unlocks, and feedback systems ([00:07:14])
I found the hockey stick and puck could feel more punchy/ hard hitting([00:22:34])
CURRENT Music not supporting player energy or action intensity – i remember there was one that I found more fitting the action ([00:37:54])
#indiegames #gamedev #playtest #uxdesign #indiedev #feedback #gamedesign #roguelike #arenaShooter