Hey, I did a little blind playthrough of your demo in 2 parts, very impressive looking game that I'm definitely looking forward to the full release of! First video is up here for anyone who cares:
If you want constructive criticism I would say the walking is a slight bit slow in the beginning, when you don't know where to go there can be a lot of time consuming hiking back and forth and also it's a bit confusing to know where you can and cannot go because the low rocks with invisible walls on top often look like you should be able to travel even in places where you can't. Oh and also that dark maze area was just a little bit too dark I thought, but other than that I thoroughly enjoyed this one and I hope you finish it! PS I also got completely stuck in the hammock in the light house so you may want to look at that too :)
Lowering the art resolution and compressing the sounds would be a good idea for reducing the file size. No one will notice the low res art if you do that because it's a 3D game.
Here we go guys. Managed to get it recorded in the end. Really enjoyed the demo. I felt it could use some work on the combat that was clunky and unenjoyable. It felt like a chore. The text reading was difficult, although a nice touch it really could do with a text overlay mode so you can read it in clear text rather than the faded paper with script writing.
But the plus points, absolutely stunning graphics, intriguing story from the get go, looking forwards finding out more. Brilliant voice acting considering it was done over mobile (sounded a lot like Josh Brolin. :D). Great demo guys, really pumped to play the full game now! Well done.
Ive only just got through the start of the demo but it's such a beautiful game! The look and atmosphere is stunning and it looks like itnhas so much promise. It reminds me a lot of the forest in that for an independent game, it looks incredible. I'm looking forward to seeing more!
Obviously, the game looks fantastic, and I appreciate the story, as well. My biggest ask is for a little more direction, or visual blocks for areas I'm not supposed to get to. I just asked myself over and over why I couldn't just step over the rocks and cross to the other boat, instead of taking the route through the statue. and maybe add more rocks and debris around the diving suit, because nothing really stood out to tell me which little bit of ocean I could walk into. Other than that, I expect the final product to be incredible! Good luck!
I really wanted to play your game for my YouTube channel but unfortunately it seems impossible to record on a 1 PC setup. Even on low settings it was running 100% on my 1080GTX 3700X. If I cap the frame rate at 30 frames it drops slightly but not still not enough headroom to record the game and my cam. It's a shame because the visuals looked really good. I'm hoping you can optimise the game in the future to enable me to cover the game on my channel.
I believe I solved my problem. I have no idea why but some other system resource was hogging the GPU. I have been able to record it OK now which I'm so glad of because I really wanted to play it. As expected, fantastic graphics, but I'll post my video and full comments when I've had chance to reflect. :D Thanks for replying.
So I've been trying to play this for awhile. Getting a lot of lag. Audio makes odd noises, like static clicks. Anyone else have this issue? Any suggestions?
I'm generally not one where I concentrate on the game's aesthetics, but gosh darn, is this game pretty to look at. I can just chill out at the shore for days just watching the water and the waves. A+++ effort on graphics. The story is also very interesting, looking forward to seeing the full game!
Hi! I am contacting creators/developers on behalf of a graduate researcher studying how Lovecraft is represented in games. If you have time to complete a 10-minute survey about The Shore, please send a message to: masonsmith [at] tamu [dot] edu.
This is the most beautiful and the best game I tried in itch. I loved the vibe it gave me, where a lot of them are childhood related(but thats beside the point). There were some parts i didn't quite understand, but since it's demo, I understand why.
I am surprised by the massive effort you've done during the corona lockdown, where the result gave me a feeling I cannot desribe about this game. Some of it where the graphic, music, athmosphere, etc.
Can't wait to see how the final product will be. Good luck!!!
I have never been so impressed by a horror game before! The quality of the assets, the story narrated by a grizzled old sailor, and the lore of the HP Lovecraft books! Even more so when I heard you had a hard time due to the Covid-19 crisis! An amazing job guys! I can't wait to see how that project continues in the future!
VERY DOPE GAME!!! Reminded me a lot of the movie The Lighthouse. Great graphics, dope storyline. Well worth the download (13GBs!!!!) lol. I hope you enjoy my reaction!!!
One of the most stunning games i have ever seen. Although every flawless thing has its own flaws, this game kinda pissed me off with the invisible walls. Although it is understandable in terms of how and where the creators want us to move on. But 50% of those walls are useless. Music breaks also, but that can be on my end.
Just some things I noticed that will hopefully be resolved in the final product:
It was a little difficult to rotate things to examine them.
Enemy "naruto" running seemed a little bit odd. Combat felt a little funky.
The sound effects and music I think could use a little more work. Maybe add some more intense music for the combat scenes and also for Cthulhu's appearance at the end.
It wasn't always clear where the borders were. The layout of the land made it look like you could walk over the rocks fairly easily. But when I tried to do so, I was met with a bunch of invisible walls.
The Shore is a gorgeous game. I think it's the one thing that stands out to everyone who sees the previews. And it really is a beautiful game with effects that are well done. Unfortunately, this is the only good thing the game has going for it.
The game is spooky... at times. In other instances, not so much. There was a part where I was in the lighthouse reading a piece of parchment, and the music shifted making me think the horror I had just read about was now behind me. It wasn't, however I was thoroughly spooked. Another instance was when you're in a maze or temple. It's really dark, and you can hear your heart beating with loud rising music in the background. This was definitely a moment that was meant to frighten me, but completely failed because I was inconvenienced by how dark my surroundings were.
I think the story behind the game is interesting. I would say I'm hooked, because I'm interested in where the story leads to and how it ends. However, getting there is a majority of the journey and it's a dull and boring journey. You spend way too much time just slowly walking around. Walking is slow. Sprinting isn't much better. I definitely believe an increase to the movement speed is needed to make exploring the game feel less cumbersome.
The combat in the game feels like an afterthought. In the scope of the demo, combat didn't play a large part in it, but I was left unimpressed by what I had experienced. Fighting felt awful and clunky, couple that with the monster animations and you have a mess on your hands. The monster animations aren't great, they Naruto run at you, stop and then animation lock themselves in their attack. The animations are really fluid and well done, but it all felt a bit silly considering this was a combat encounter. Ranged wasn't much better, you don't have a crosshair so aiming was difficult at times.
The music felt off. Don't get me wrong I think the music is great on its own, however I think the timing in which music is played is out of tune with the game. Let's go back to my example of me being in the lighthouse and being spooked by the music, that was really well timed, but I think that was just a coincidence. There were several other occasions where the music would pick up randomly while I'm walking or doing something minor. I'd look around to see nothing, and all I was left with was confusion. I think the music application could be done better, the music on the other hand is really good.
So would I recommend this game/demo? Not currently. I think the game has potential, it just needs some adjustments and polish. I'm definitely interested in the story, where it goes, and its conclusion. I will be checking back and following the development process. Hopefully adjustments are made, and this game can really shine.
I can definitely say this was fantastic, it was so fun to playthrough! I added a full review at the end of the video where I go through what I love about this and what i think can be improved.
This game is really cool! The graphics are really well done and the music is great! I did notice a few shells that were missing textures but I reported it in the bug reports after I finished the game. Also came to a point where I had to restart the game in order to get passed one of the statues because the "key" I had vanished after using it on a different statue. Also reported it. Overall, good stuff! I look forward to seeing where else this game goes! :)
An astonishing game, I had a wonderful time playing it. the graphics choked out my computer a bit but it did not take away from the experience. The creatures, Music, and atmosphere are all 10/10 for me. Looking forward to the full release!!! Keep up the amazing work
I think Cthulhu could have a bit more drippiness to him. He did just come out of the ocean. I did find it a wee bit difficult to navigate the rocks since I naturally assume I could jump over the small boulders. The candles did help a lot in sense of direction and I think it needs more. The run function did not work at first when introduced, but it did in the black maze. I absolutely love Lovecraftian games and I hope this grows well for you guys. The inventory system is really neat visually. I am excited to see the full release in the future!
Hi The Shore, your game is enthralling and I would love to be part of it, so if you happen to make it global, please count on me to localise it. I could even be the project manager for the localisation process, anyway, I'll be all ears!!!
This is extremely beautiful ! Just a little complaint, I really had a hard time in the caves maze...maybe add a subtle hint anywhere ? Otherwise you did very well !
Was impressed with scale of things. Not something you see in an indie game very often. Looks beautiful. I experienced the same issues as others but overall I enjoyed my time!
This game was impressive, to say the least, I got confused and ended up not getting very far, judging from other people's playthroughs, I may play again soon.
Gave the game a try as I saw a lot of people playing it. I thought the game looks really good! The graphics, atmosphere, and objectives in the game are good!
I just played this game and loved it! I definitely can't wait for more! Here's my gameplay if you wanna check it out! My feedback is at the end! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YsnOWkwmZ4
This was honestly one of the better games I've ever seen on ItchIo. The concept is very cool, the atmosphere is great, the creatures are incredible, and I really hope this becomes a full game. I did encounter a couple of bugs which I reported, but overall this seems EXTREMELY promising.
This was a great demo teaser for something that hopefully will be a real gem of a game. The photorealistic setting initially reminded me of the first time I played Myst - and then the rest of the atmospheric design totally engrossed me. Very well produced with the sound editing and the sheer magnitude of things being seen (the monolithic creature, Cthulhu's halls of residence, etc) just blew me away. Highly recommended. Thought it was a bold move to introduce some of Lovecraft's beasts so early in the build, but not sure if this is just for the demo?
Pros:
Engrossing atmosphere, slow burn tension that kept this player engaged and thoroughly entertained.
Great use of the Lovecraftian lore - utilised better then some of the triple A games out currently.
Visually stunning, some awe struck moments.
Cons:
Puzzle elements currently just seem to be basic fetch quests. Get a key, open a door. Get a talisman, open a blocked path. Would have loved to have seen some a bit more depth on intricate puzzle solving.
Certain pop-in textures did disengage this player when they occurred, but realise that this may be fixed before full game release.
Realise that there's a lot to pack into the demo but the main protagonist mentions his daughter at the beginning and then...nothing much after. Think the player should be reminded what they are playing for throughout the narrative.
I came to try and play this before finishing the Alpha Beta Gamer video because I was impressed. Unfortunately I don't have the disc space to unpack the downloaded files, but that's an issue on my end, not yours.
I'm going to repost what I wrote earlier because I'm trying to help you get your game out there. If you have a problem with the content, say so or ask questions. Deleting valid criticism (especially when it's not about the game) won't help you, and just hurts all of us. I genuinely hope I can play your game someday, but I guess I need to just wait and see, and watch the video for now.
It’s genuinely concerning how difficult it is to download your demo. You likely don’t want such a huge obstacle keeping people from trying your game.
Fix the download link, make it one working link, and host the files wherever itch.io recommends to make the game installable through itch.io’s desktop installer. Fix these issues and you’ll be doing one less thing to hurt your game getting an audience.
itch limit the size of files they will distribute via their servers, hence many devs split the archive. You can get a bigger allowance but there is still a limit.
Rar or 7Zip is as valid a format as any if you have the apropreate software installed. Most OSs do support the old 1980s format PKZIP, but in the decades since we have moved on so the files can be smaller by a huge margin, and in the case of RAR also include a recovery record so corrupt downloads can be rebuilt. I even use Rar files with Amiga OS (a 90s computer) because it is so widely supported and used.
My solution would be make the distro as a multipart SFX-RAR, so all you have to do is double-click the exe and let it unpack itself. Or simply advise users that this is a multipart RAR archive so you need to have Winrar, Winzip or 7zip etc. installed to unpack it (all are free and small).
There is some crazy attention to detail in this 1, i rarely play lovecraft inspired games but something told me to give this a go and i am glad i did, being under the water felt so real i hated it haha, here is my gameplay i hope you enjoy:
← Return to THE SHORE
Comments
Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.
Hey, I did a little blind playthrough of your demo in 2 parts, very impressive looking game that I'm definitely looking forward to the full release of! First video is up here for anyone who cares:
If you want constructive criticism I would say the walking is a slight bit slow in the beginning, when you don't know where to go there can be a lot of time consuming hiking back and forth and also it's a bit confusing to know where you can and cannot go because the low rocks with invisible walls on top often look like you should be able to travel even in places where you can't. Oh and also that dark maze area was just a little bit too dark I thought, but other than that I thoroughly enjoyed this one and I hope you finish it! PS I also got completely stuck in the hammock in the light house so you may want to look at that too :)
Lowering the art resolution and compressing the sounds would be a good idea for reducing the file size. No one will notice the low res art if you do that because it's a 3D game.
Thanks for the feedback but is by my choise for not lowering the art res :)
Here we go guys. Managed to get it recorded in the end. Really enjoyed the demo. I felt it could use some work on the combat that was clunky and unenjoyable. It felt like a chore. The text reading was difficult, although a nice touch it really could do with a text overlay mode so you can read it in clear text rather than the faded paper with script writing.
But the plus points, absolutely stunning graphics, intriguing story from the get go, looking forwards finding out more. Brilliant voice acting considering it was done over mobile (sounded a lot like Josh Brolin. :D). Great demo guys, really pumped to play the full game now! Well done.
Ive only just got through the start of the demo but it's such a beautiful game! The look and atmosphere is stunning and it looks like itnhas so much promise. It reminds me a lot of the forest in that for an independent game, it looks incredible. I'm looking forward to seeing more!
Obviously, the game looks fantastic, and I appreciate the story, as well. My biggest ask is for a little more direction, or visual blocks for areas I'm not supposed to get to. I just asked myself over and over why I couldn't just step over the rocks and cross to the other boat, instead of taking the route through the statue. and maybe add more rocks and debris around the diving suit, because nothing really stood out to tell me which little bit of ocean I could walk into. Other than that, I expect the final product to be incredible! Good luck!
I really wanted to play your game for my YouTube channel but unfortunately it seems impossible to record on a 1 PC setup. Even on low settings it was running 100% on my 1080GTX 3700X. If I cap the frame rate at 30 frames it drops slightly but not still not enough headroom to record the game and my cam. It's a shame because the visuals looked really good. I'm hoping you can optimise the game in the future to enable me to cover the game on my channel.
hmm wierd what program do you use to record ? have you tried with obs?
I believe I solved my problem. I have no idea why but some other system resource was hogging the GPU. I have been able to record it OK now which I'm so glad of because I really wanted to play it. As expected, fantastic graphics, but I'll post my video and full comments when I've had chance to reflect. :D Thanks for replying.
i am glad you solved it, sometimes unwanted programs cause sudden GPU spikes, had to format my whole pc last year to solve it
Trying to install the game demo on Windows 10, have plenty of room for it but it freezes and crashes at halfway installed.
Sorry for the inconvenience, unfortunately you are not the first to have this problem.
By following this link you can directly download the folder withholding the demo files.
https://fil.email/GqlsXEKB
After downloading, all you gotta do is double click the shore,exe
Thank you but even that download failed. It got halfway then kept saying "file error"
game look amazing looking for full game cant wait
So I've been trying to play this for awhile. Getting a lot of lag. Audio makes odd noises, like static clicks. Anyone else have this issue? Any suggestions?
Very sorry you are have these problems.
What system specs do you have? Also do you have the game installed on an SSD or an HDD?
I'm generally not one where I concentrate on the game's aesthetics, but gosh darn, is this game pretty to look at. I can just chill out at the shore for days just watching the water and the waves. A+++ effort on graphics. The story is also very interesting, looking forward to seeing the full game!
Hi! I am contacting creators/developers on behalf of a graduate researcher studying how Lovecraft is represented in games. If you have time to complete a 10-minute survey about The Shore, please send a message to: masonsmith [at] tamu [dot] edu.
This is the most beautiful and the best game I tried in itch. I loved the vibe it gave me, where a lot of them are childhood related(but thats beside the point). There were some parts i didn't quite understand, but since it's demo, I understand why.
I am surprised by the massive effort you've done during the corona lockdown, where the result gave me a feeling I cannot desribe about this game. Some of it where the graphic, music, athmosphere, etc.
Can't wait to see how the final product will be. Good luck!!!
VERY DOPE GAME!!! Reminded me a lot of the movie The Lighthouse. Great graphics, dope storyline. Well worth the download (13GBs!!!!) lol. I hope you enjoy my reaction!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCHtRU4mqcE&t=11s
One of the most stunning games i have ever seen. Although every flawless thing has its own flaws, this game kinda pissed me off with the invisible walls. Although it is understandable in terms of how and where the creators want us to move on. But 50% of those walls are useless. Music breaks also, but that can be on my end.
Beautiful game!
Just some things I noticed that will hopefully be resolved in the final product:
It was a little difficult to rotate things to examine them.
Enemy "naruto" running seemed a little bit odd. Combat felt a little funky.
The sound effects and music I think could use a little more work. Maybe add some more intense music for the combat scenes and also for Cthulhu's appearance at the end.
It wasn't always clear where the borders were. The layout of the land made it look like you could walk over the rocks fairly easily. But when I tried to do so, I was met with a bunch of invisible walls.
The Shore is a gorgeous game. I think it's the one thing that stands out to everyone who sees the previews. And it really is a beautiful game with effects that are well done. Unfortunately, this is the only good thing the game has going for it.
The game is spooky... at times. In other instances, not so much. There was a part where I was in the lighthouse reading a piece of parchment, and the music shifted making me think the horror I had just read about was now behind me. It wasn't, however I was thoroughly spooked. Another instance was when you're in a maze or temple. It's really dark, and you can hear your heart beating with loud rising music in the background. This was definitely a moment that was meant to frighten me, but completely failed because I was inconvenienced by how dark my surroundings were.
I think the story behind the game is interesting. I would say I'm hooked, because I'm interested in where the story leads to and how it ends. However, getting there is a majority of the journey and it's a dull and boring journey. You spend way too much time just slowly walking around. Walking is slow. Sprinting isn't much better. I definitely believe an increase to the movement speed is needed to make exploring the game feel less cumbersome.
The combat in the game feels like an afterthought. In the scope of the demo, combat didn't play a large part in it, but I was left unimpressed by what I had experienced. Fighting felt awful and clunky, couple that with the monster animations and you have a mess on your hands. The monster animations aren't great, they Naruto run at you, stop and then animation lock themselves in their attack. The animations are really fluid and well done, but it all felt a bit silly considering this was a combat encounter. Ranged wasn't much better, you don't have a crosshair so aiming was difficult at times.
The music felt off. Don't get me wrong I think the music is great on its own, however I think the timing in which music is played is out of tune with the game. Let's go back to my example of me being in the lighthouse and being spooked by the music, that was really well timed, but I think that was just a coincidence. There were several other occasions where the music would pick up randomly while I'm walking or doing something minor. I'd look around to see nothing, and all I was left with was confusion. I think the music application could be done better, the music on the other hand is really good.
So would I recommend this game/demo? Not currently. I think the game has potential, it just needs some adjustments and polish. I'm definitely interested in the story, where it goes, and its conclusion. I will be checking back and following the development process. Hopefully adjustments are made, and this game can really shine.
So here's how to call cthulu!!!!
This is a must play here on itch.io. Don't miss out!!! Review at the very end.
I can definitely say this was fantastic, it was so fun to playthrough! I added a full review at the end of the video where I go through what I love about this and what i think can be improved.
Video link:
This game is really cool! The graphics are really well done and the music is great! I did notice a few shells that were missing textures but I reported it in the bug reports after I finished the game. Also came to a point where I had to restart the game in order to get passed one of the statues because the "key" I had vanished after using it on a different statue. Also reported it. Overall, good stuff! I look forward to seeing where else this game goes! :)
this is cool and all, but the download is broken
An astonishing game, I had a wonderful time playing it. the graphics choked out my computer a bit but it did not take away from the experience. The creatures, Music, and atmosphere are all 10/10 for me. Looking forward to the full release!!! Keep up the amazing work
Wow fantastic graphics.
I think Cthulhu could have a bit more drippiness to him. He did just come out of the ocean. I did find it a wee bit difficult to navigate the rocks since I naturally assume I could jump over the small boulders. The candles did help a lot in sense of direction and I think it needs more. The run function did not work at first when introduced, but it did in the black maze. I absolutely love Lovecraftian games and I hope this grows well for you guys. The inventory system is really neat visually. I am excited to see the full release in the future!Hi The Shore, your game is enthralling and I would love to be part of it, so if you happen to make it global, please count on me to localise it. I could even be the project manager for the localisation process, anyway, I'll be all ears!!!
This is extremely beautiful ! Just a little complaint, I really had a hard time in the caves maze...maybe add a subtle hint anywhere ? Otherwise you did very well !
Was impressed with scale of things. Not something you see in an indie game very often. Looks beautiful. I experienced the same issues as others but overall I enjoyed my time!
How do I get the demo? Been dying to try this out.
Really cool game i liked it a lot. it does have some issues maybe but there is a lot of potential in this good luck to you
This game was impressive, to say the least, I got confused and ended up not getting very far, judging from other people's playthroughs, I may play again soon.
Gave the game a try as I saw a lot of people playing it. I thought the game looks really good! The graphics, atmosphere, and objectives in the game are good!
Good job developer youre making really beautiful game. but i dont really like that invisible wall in your game
Thank you my friend for your feedback! invisible walls will be limited in the final version
I just played this game and loved it! I definitely can't wait for more! Here's my gameplay if you wanna check it out! My feedback is at the end! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YsnOWkwmZ4
This was honestly one of the better games I've ever seen on ItchIo. The concept is very cool, the atmosphere is great, the creatures are incredible, and I really hope this becomes a full game. I did encounter a couple of bugs which I reported, but overall this seems EXTREMELY promising.
Awesome game. I experienced one bug - inside the light house I got stuck in the hammock for 10 or 20 seconds.
This game should be featured. It’s SUPER well-made and makes my game look like trash 😂. I love it, good luck with future projects.
Watch The Shore Gameplay For Fun
This was a great demo teaser for something that hopefully will be a real gem of a game. The photorealistic setting initially reminded me of the first time I played Myst - and then the rest of the atmospheric design totally engrossed me. Very well produced with the sound editing and the sheer magnitude of things being seen (the monolithic creature, Cthulhu's halls of residence, etc) just blew me away. Highly recommended. Thought it was a bold move to introduce some of Lovecraft's beasts so early in the build, but not sure if this is just for the demo?
Pros:
Cons:
Overall, a damn fine game, sir!
I came to try and play this before finishing the Alpha Beta Gamer video because I was impressed. Unfortunately I don't have the disc space to unpack the downloaded files, but that's an issue on my end, not yours.
I'm going to repost what I wrote earlier because I'm trying to help you get your game out there. If you have a problem with the content, say so or ask questions. Deleting valid criticism (especially when it's not about the game) won't help you, and just hurts all of us. I genuinely hope I can play your game someday, but I guess I need to just wait and see, and watch the video for now.
What I posted earlier:
I wasn’t very nice in this comment, and I apologize for that. But I wasn’t mean, either, and I only wanted to help.
itch limit the size of files they will distribute via their servers, hence many devs split the archive.
You can get a bigger allowance but there is still a limit.
Rar or 7Zip is as valid a format as any if you have the apropreate software installed. Most OSs do support the old 1980s format PKZIP, but in the decades since we have moved on so the files can be smaller by a huge margin, and in the case of RAR also include a recovery record so corrupt downloads can be rebuilt.
I even use Rar files with Amiga OS (a 90s computer) because it is so widely supported and used.
My solution would be make the distro as a multipart SFX-RAR, so all you have to do is double-click the exe and let it unpack itself.
Or simply advise users that this is a multipart RAR archive so you need to have Winrar, Winzip or 7zip etc. installed to unpack it (all are free and small).
There is some crazy attention to detail in this 1, i rarely play lovecraft inspired games but something told me to give this a go and i am glad i did, being under the water felt so real i hated it haha, here is my gameplay i hope you enjoy: