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Post Mortem

Rakuen Tower was created for a project with the requirement that the game feature mental challenge and accomplishment as its core aesthetics.  The game itself is fairly simple, but it has a lot of complicated underlying systems, particularly when considering its grid system.  My original intent was to create a turn based puzzle game that tasked the player with collecting treasure while avoiding enemies.  The grid system and single action gameplay were developed with that in mind, but the scope of creating puzzles with enemies in a month proved to be too high, so I reworked the game with a smaller scope in mind.

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While I'm not particularly proud of the game's design after the rework, I happy with the visual polish and game feel elements created by the underlying systems.  The challenge puzzles are pretty fun to do, as well, even though there are some definite flaws with how I created them.  At some point, I may come back to this project and attempt to make the game I originally envisioned.

The Good

The Bad

• The challenge puzzles are pretty fun and make the best use of the game's core gameplay loop

• The grid system turned out well and allows for a lot of expandable content

• The UX elements help the game feel better even when the gameplay slows at times

• The "story" mode doesn't offer much challenge and the general pacing is poor

• The ice puzzles are awful, even if the system underneath them works well

• Many of the puzzle mechanics, while implemented well, aren't unique from a design perspective