H.A.R. VEST by Breaddysticks
A short Puzzle Platformer where the goal is to get to the end of each room while using as little energy as you can to increase your score. Aim for a high ranking at the end of the level!
Story
Jason was a scientist working for a brilliant tech laboratory developing a new kind of advanced artifical intelligence that could be fully self-taught.
One day, when the newest prototype, the H.A.R. VEST, was nearly completed, he decided to steal it and escape the lab for his own personal interests.
Now, Jason and the H.A.R. VEST must work together to not get caught in the lab's security traps! The vest has the remarkable ability to absorb energy and use it in a variety of ways. Can this unlikely duo make it to the end?
Theme
The theme is represented in the titular vest and its "harvesting" of energy ability.

| Web and Standalone | https://pokopish.itch.io/har-vest |
| Original URL | https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/52/h-a-r-vest |
Ratings
| Overall | 636th | 3.133⭐ | 51🧑⚖️ |
| Fun | 661th | 2.857⭐ | 51🧑⚖️ |
| Innovation | 702th | 2.735⭐ | 51🧑⚖️ |
| Theme | 799th | 2.429⭐ | 51🧑⚖️ |
| Graphics | 385th | 3.673⭐ | 51🧑⚖️ |
| Audio | 302th | 3.354⭐ | 50🧑⚖️ |
| Mood | 578th | 3.135⭐ | 50🧑⚖️ |
| Given | 59🗳️ | 92🗨️ |
Graphics were great. Audio was great.
The puzzle aspect of each level was good.
Platforming itself could do with a bit of work, maybe some acceleration on the movement. Some coyote time wouldn't go amiss as I often found myself dashing when it felt like I should be jumping.
Very good though.
Fun little platformer with some cool mechanics.
Graphics were nice, but that fragile texture on the side of the boxes kinda let it down a little.
But damn that jump!
Interesting puzzle ideas with the teleport, would have been nice to get a little explanation about it tho haha!
I do think that the platforming controls felt a bit off, but they clearly weren't _too_ off, otherwise I wouldn't have played it as much as I did. I also ran into a bug a couple of times where a box or platform would be somehow "behind" the character, making them impossible to jump on top of. This was a pretty rare bug, and I'm guessing it's some kind of physics issue, but it killed my runs when it cropped up.
Anyways, great soundtrack, great level design, fun variety of abilities, and a unique 2D/3D platformer look! Overall I'm very impressed with what you guys accomplished here.

I didn't have such a good time with the puzzles. For puzzles, I think consistency and clarity are highly important! For example, I was not sure why the teleport got me past one wall earlier, but then it wasn't allowed later. The inconsistency was a tad confusing! Also, in the first puzzle with the laser wall, I was able to jump down to the ground floor once by accident, and then I couldn't figure out how to do it again. Clear indications of what the player should do, especially early on, are a great way to bypass frustration and get people to play your game _quicker_.
I really loved your menu design, by the way! That's usually under-utilized in jams and quickly thrown together (guilty as charged), so seeing that level of polish is impressive.

I can't jump up either left or right side and I don't seem to be able to walk towards or further away from the camera. Unfortunate.
I sucked badly :smile:
But it was a nice entry. At the beginning the speed of controls and changing direction was a littlebit uncomfortable but then I got more and more used to.
Catchy music (damn you I will sing it in my head the whole day) and aside a couple of glitches that was a pretty solid submission.
I just found inverted y axis on the controller stick while on the menu and a couple of times item where unaligned on the z axis and could not hit them.
Had a nice time, thanks!
The art and music are fantastic.
I recorded my experience in this video, HAR VEST is at **12:03**.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST10nvA_qXE