Technical
You have to use the pointer lock for this game:
// Click the game to lock the mouse
this.input.on('pointerdown', () => {
this.input.mouse.requestPointerLock();
});
// Press ESC to release automatically
// or release manually:
this.input.mouse.releasePointerLock();
The game is super frustrating without this because the cursor is constantly leaving the play area.
Visuals
Visually, I would aim for more consistency. I realize the graphics may be AI-generated, and that goes with the territory, but I’ll tell you what I think anyway.
The graphics on the loading menus look like Miami Vice City-style neon graphics. I’m from Florida, and it looks very familiar, but if you’re using that style, use it. The gameplay screen looks completely different, with weird alien biotech backgrounds and Egyptian or Tron-like stuff. You should pick an art style one way or another, either cosmic horror or cute neon. Also, try to pick either an illustrative style or a photorealistic style. A good critique is the Kang Fu review from AVGN:
Accessibility
I have light sensitivity. After about five minutes, I had trouble looking at your game, and I had to turn it off. I’m not epileptic, but it makes me disoriented and nauseous, and gives me a headache. I think this game could easily cause a seizure in some people. The game has a ton of screen shake, strobing effects, flashing red, and trippy flashing stuff. If you keep it like that, I would add an epilepsy warning. If you’ve done web development before, you may be familiar with WebAIM accessibility standards. If you want to try to make it more accessible, those can help.
In general, these would be my recommendations:
- Make screen shake super subtle or remove it. A little goes a long way.
- Don’t strobe or flicker the logo. It doesn’t really add anything.
- The “trippy vortex” level transitions are really disorienting. I couldn’t look at them.
- Same with the flickering GAME OVER text and stuff. Like, I actually think even people without light sensitivity might be bothered by that; it flickers so fast.
Gameplay
Gameplay-wise, I would make the screen area match the play area a bit more. You spawn powerups way on the side of the screen, but it pretty much never makes sense to go out there to get them. Look at your inspiration. Arkanoid had way tighter level design where the screen was just a bit wider than the play area. This also makes the gameplay tighter and more fun. The screen is so wide that sometimes I’m just waiting for the ball to come back from the corner.
As to whether people will play an Arkanoid clone today without more stuff bolted on, I don’t know. I believe that if you make a game with a unique style and good sound, music, and UI, it could attract an audience. That’s where I would focus attention now if you’re thinking of working more on this project. Maybe put it on the back burner to add some unique twist to the gameplay.
