Christmas SAGE 2023 B.U.D.D. (Christmas 2.0 Update)

Well dang, this might be one of if not the best game of this year's SAGE, even if it's not complete I can tell a lot of effort, sweat, and blood and it shows, it is no wonder why it is so highly regarded, I was left impressed.

The graphics are very well done, very Sega genesis style and very pleasant to the eye, special effects are used to great effect too, there's a few visual gags here and there and each background looks different from one another, having variety and making them look immersive.

The writing is serviceable, not the deepest plot but I can get into what the characters are doing, and I found the jokes quite funny myself, and I found the characters perfectly likeable. Maybe in some future we're going to get more lore but what we have now is good.

But the crem de la crem, the gameplay, it is extremely solid and very fun, apart from the typical moveset that you have the game boasts a jrpg-like system where you level up and gain new abilities, this does encourage to keep playing the game more as you discover new skills and more BUDDs, oh yeah, and those, they help you on your journey and they are fun to use, I am a sucker for Popful Mail, and this game ticks all those boxes, so the gameplay here is very solid. Level design is not too shabby either, far from it, the aforementioned gameplay benefits from it, as you use your manouvers, you discover new areas, fighting a fun and diverse enemy roster, the boss was though but fair and so are the levels. .

The music I can't say anything, since it's taken from other Sega Genesis,


Overall, I am impressed, I have no complains about this game, very good job.

As a more formal statement on my thoughts about the game, the pre-SAGE playtest was the version I played, and it was captivating and charming enough for me to say "I absolutely want to see more of this." Let that be my disclosure as to where I'm coming from and how my view of it should be treated.

The combat is simple but intuitive, and the feedback from each hit is both visually and audibly satisfying, and gaining moves and stats as you level up is a nice way of easing the player into the system.The BUDDs that are in the game right now feel very snappy and never feel like keys to doors or an all-dominating weapon. They always have a combat presence that makes certain enemies easier, but require you to use them smartly. I didn't experience any major issues in my playthrough, but I have seen others encounter a few, and the creator has been addressing them as they're brought up to her.
The spritework is charming and effective, managing to capture the vibe of two most immediate inspirations very nicely in a way that still feels visually unique despite seeming at odds on paper. Everything feels consistent, and you get a nice sense of what the scale would be past the super-deformed art style of the main game vs the cutscenes.

Sound design is a very faithful yet idealized take on what the Genesis was capable of, and while the game has few unique pieces of music at the time i'm writing this, what's there is an excellent foundation, and the placeholder track choices are used excellently and have their instruments fine-tuned to fit with eachother.
The writing genuinely endears me to what's going on, both in the plot and just the smaller details around the playable area hinting at something menacing on the horizon. You get the sense that this isn't the start of a big journey, but a journey in progress that's about to hit it's crescendo. But at the same time, there's a levity to it all that doesn't make it feel overbearing, with just the right hint of goofballs and freaks to keep things lighthearted.

All of it combines together into an experience that I'm excited to see flourish.

Eris budd stabbed me in irl

Metroid meets Zelda 2?

That's how I'd describe it, anyway. The gameplay is simple and precise but extremely polished (a pattern seems to be emerging here,) and in fact, this is one of the best examples I've seen in a while of a really authentic retro feel juiced up with tons of modern sprite work, control, and game feel techniques. A strange point to fixate on, but it is legitimately difficult to overstate just how GOOD whacking things with your sword feels in this game. Design structure is also very nice; the game starts out open ended but fairly simple, it's not too cryptic, and things open up at a gradual but satisfying pace.

My main complaint is sort of a dual-issue: your sword's hitbox feels a bit too small, precise, and "literal," for lack of a better term, and your post-hit invulnerability feels too short for how low your base HP is. It's very easy to go from "on fire" to "eat shit" in this game, despite enemy and boss patterns not being particularly difficult or at all unfair in and of themselves.

Amazing gameplay. Amazing 16 bit graphics. Amazing Genesis style sound effects. Exploration and combat are well executed, and the game is a lot of fun! Characters have a lot of life! And the secret levels are so well designed; they are perfect execution of linear platforming action. Amazing!

This game caught my eyes just by its cover image, and boy was I not disappointed.
This is a very well polished 16-bit like game, with great handling and FANTASTIC art. I just played through the first planet and stopped there because I just want to keep the rest for when I can buy this, because this seems right up my alley.

Lots of congratulations, this is an impressive title and can't wait to play the full version!

I wanna buy this game immediately this is so awesome. (for some actual reviewing, this is like the perfect mix of Metroid, Mega Man and Kirby Superstar's Milky Way Wishes with an incredible genesis aesthetic, I cannot wait to see more of this game, there was so much to do for a free demo and I loved it.)

Haven't fully finished the demo but I am really enjoying it so far

Unfortunately the Linux version doesn't work on my Debian system. The game loads but does not detect keyboard input

Ooh, this game has so much of what I love - very fun writing (that intro cutscene sent me), that 16-Bit Sega visual style and sound to a tee, and of course some excellent Wonder/Monster Boy feel. The addition of the B.U.D.D. and RPG elements really makes me want to see where this goes. You have a fan!

This game is fantastic! I don't usually like exploration type games but this game has me wanting to play more and more. Some thoughts...

• Character and level design is great. Both visually and the actual design.
• Game looks beautiful and I very much appreciate the addition of a CRT filter. Whenever 2D pixel art based games do this it always makes me smile.
• The writing and tone of the intro was fantastic. Had me smiling the whole way through (especially the part where she is smashing her hand on the desk in frustration) and reminded me of a late 80s/early 90s anime. It oozes passion and care. Not to mention the nice emoticons while playing which once again add a small yet hugely impactful touch of personality to the game
• The combo factor was a ingenious addition that makes battling even more engaging.
• I like the wide range of attacks the character has too, helps me to mix it up when clearing through an area.
• The only real ideas for ways you can improve would be to expand on and develop the combo system and increase the significance of that. But I don't know if that's possible or fits into your vision but it may or may not be a good idea.

I don't know what I didn't enjoy. I will ASBOLUTELY be keeping my eye on this, it is fantastic. Well done. Please keep us updated if you ever list this on Steam so we can wishlist.

My favourite part is the secret levels. You'll see what I mean when you get to them

This game truly wears its influences on its sleeve and reminds me I should finish that playthrough of Popful Mail I started all those years ago.
(And actually try Monster World, watch Dirty Pair, etc etc you get the gist)

Combat system is fun without being too overbearing as things stand, although I do wonder how it'll fare in the final version with the additional (coil?) BUDD probably giving you two final moves. EXP also racks up fairly fast atm, so what do you do with it once you've unlocked all your moves?
The SA2-inspired combo meter made me smile but I usually don't get more than a 5 or 6x combo outside of the training room 🥲

Really great pixel art too, and I enjoyed being able to see the history of the game in the extras section. Happily waiting for a full release!

Also blessed fake email client , the image loading effect is simple but effective.

Disclaimer: I am a friend of the developer's and received a pre-release version of the demo.

The game looks and sounds fantastic, evoking the best parts of that twangy Genesis/Mega Drive era. The controls are also very nice and intuitive, and the moves flow together pretty well into combos that make combat feel exciting without being too complicated, and leave the door open for creativity. Honestly I wouldn't be surprised if someone started making tiny combo videos in the training room just for fun.

This demo leaves me very hungry for more in the best way, and i'm excited for the full release, whenever that may be.

Also: try to 100% every location in the demo, as many have said already there's a fair bit more meat to the game now than just the main story content.

While it's still a work-in-progress, it's hard to deny the passion and attention to detail this game brings. It's pretty much a love letter to the good ol' MS/MD days with Wonder Boy as its main source of inspiration, among other classics from that era. All while, bringing in some newer nuance to its combat and controls. While its full-release is still on the horizon, what we have here right now is still a stunning representation of what it'll bring in the future.

This game is deadass one of the coolest action platformers I've played in a while. I especially love the satellite missions ;)

I really enjoyed this one! VERY big fan of the pixel art and graphics overall, they're very well done and fit the retro aesthetic perfectly. Very excited to see this project evolve over time!

As a fan of the Master System (like every Brazilian should be), I loved this game.
Besides the Wonder Boy vibes it is trying to achieve, I got Zillion vibes too. And as a fan of both Wonder Boy and Zillion, this game felt perfect.
Keep up the good work, I loved it!

I haven't really played Wonder Boy before, but the way that this game does everything really makes me want to play it. The difficulty is on point; a fun challenge. The graphics, music, and gameplayare all done greatly; makes you really feel in control. Will be buying when it comes out!

this game is definitely an inspiration for me, the production value and just the amount of mildly neat stuff is kinda insane

This is a fantastic game! It's reminds me of a mix of Legend of Zelda and Megaman in the game play, but I definitely picked up some Genesis/Megadrive era inspiration from the design! Speaking of the design, the character design is nothing short of amazing! I did not come into SAGE expecting to get a new waifu, but here we are! She's both well designed and well written. The intro cut scene is a real treat! You have something special on your hands! I will be happily coming back to this one once SAGE is over with!