Read the full feedback with timestamps at https://akton.one/pt/canvas-infernum-by-canvas-ink-games/ (optimized!) or below!
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, visual readability, and interaction feedback.
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💭 Playtest afterthoughts
I didnt get the impact of seals for quite some time because finding the right tiles takes already a lot of energy. I might have needed short visual guide on how a seal contract is reached, to get into the flow sooner.
🎬 Trailer & Presentation
Strong, striking art direction immediately communicates a unique identity and artistic intent (00:00:08, 00:00:48)
Perfect music and voiceacting to support the overall design (00:01:05, 00:02:00)
Presentation strikes as a art pice (00:00:48, 00:01:27)
⏱ First 5 Minutes Impression
Initial curiosity is high due to visuals and atmosphere, but gameplay expectations remain unclear (00:00:22, 00:01:25)
Core interaction logic (tiles, deck, placement) lacks early clarity and requires experimentation (00:03:34)
Hidden controls (middle mouse, right-click morph) create friction early on (00:05:40, 00:06:25)
🧭 Onboarding, Goals & Feedback
Tutorial lacks explanation of terrain types and their roles (00:08:33)
🔥 Fun Factors & Peak Moments
Best moments are when connections work out and everything clicks. When you get into creating and making big combos.
Connecting tiles to entities and solving spatial paths feels satisfying and engaging (00:28:37)
Discovery of placement possibilities and valid tile areas creates small rewarding moments (00:09:51)
Art direction and atmosphere consistently enhance engagement (00:02:00)
💡Ideas
I think the packts could have some (even abstract – infernal) names to give the player further lore inputs
Introduce contextual zoom-ins or focus highlights when meaningful actions occur to showcase detail (00:18:58, 00:33:09)
Allow zooming toward cursor position for faster navigation (00:43:15)
Add optional interaction-based zoom or reward systems tied to visual details (00:18:34)
Improve tutorial with clear breakdown of terrain types and systems (00:08:33)
Enable more flexible input (e.g., right-click toggles outside playfield) (00:10:38)
Add sorting or categorization systems for seals to improve usability (00:49:56)
🐞 Bugs / Crashes
Unexpected full-board preview flash without clear trigger or explanation (00:49:35)
Placeholder or incomplete UI screens visible in demo (00:48:19)
wrong UI highlight (00:15:21)
🎯 Game Loop & Motivation
Primary motivation comes from optimizing tile placement and building efficient connections (00:28:37)
Secondary systems (seals, passives) feel underutilized or unclear, reducing their motivational impact (they are clear but maybe it should be already included in the tutorial together with placing the curical tiles to visually make the connection) (00:50:00)
😴 Boredom Threshold
Engagement is sustained by visual appeal and puzzle-solving, but unclear systems risk early drop-off
👍What works well
Exceptional and distinctive art style carries strong initial appeal (00:00:08)
Atmospheric audio and voice acting enhance immersion (00:02:03)
Tile connection mechanic provides satisfying core interaction (00:28:37)
Readable placement feedback (valid tile areas) improves usability (00:09:53)
⚠️Biggest friction points
Core mechanics and systems are not clearly explained early on (00:03:36, 00:16:24)
Hidden or unintuitive controls reduce accessibility (00:05:40, 00:06:32)
Visual richness conflicts with gameplay readability due to zoom constraints (00:18:06)
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