portrait of die hardman

    "Sam, this is Die-Hardman, let me introduce you to the Strand Boy: this device will allow you to practice making deliveries while you're resting.

    "Use the D-Pad to direct your virtual avatar. Hold the B button to run. But be careful, when maneuvering over rocky terrain your balance will be depleted causing you to stumble and lose precious time.

    "If you do lose your balance, you'll still have a chance to recover by focusing on your balance meter with the Left and Right buttons on the D-Pad."


Controls

D-Pad B Button
WASD / IJKL / Arrows X / N

Credits

Game by me: Twitter
Music by KNFLD: SoundCloud, Bandcamp
Modified character sprite from Metal Gear: Ghost Babel
Various background sprites from OpenGameArt

Made for GBJam 10, 2022

StatusReleased
PlatformsHTML5
Rating
Rated 4.2 out of 5 stars
(12 total ratings)
AuthorRyan Trawick
GenreSimulation
Made withPixiJS
Tags2D, Atmospheric, Exploration, Game Boy, GBJam, Pixel Art, Retro, Short, Singleplayer, Top-Down
Average sessionA few minutes
InputsKeyboard
AccessibilityColor-blind friendly, High-contrast, Textless
LinksTwitter/X, Soundtrack

Comments

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is there a way to download it?

(+1)

it doesnt have a.gb rom? ty!

interesting

lmfao good

Not gonna lie, had some fun. Good stuff

Hey this is a cool little game! I'm a major fan of how when you stumble, you emulate that time-slow kind of feeling that you get just like in the game. I also love the way you did the balance meter. If you expand on this, maybe make an update for the game boy color! lol

(1 edit) (+2)

I was a little skeptical when I saw this on itch.io's YouTube but playing it myself, you really got this thing of "conscious movement" down, probably the best possible emulation of that gameplay mechanic in a 2D game!

This is great for a jam game but I think there's even more potential here. I imagine the game boy environment lends itself well for other aspects of DS. Not the cinematic stuff and extensive lore, and definitely not the online aspect either, but the rest of it: Travelling from A to B. Hiking, all by yourself through varying environments, all with their own mood. Stopping for little highlights on the way, no matter if it's a hot spring that replenishes your stamina or just something interesting to look at. Delivering cargo and feeling the satisfaction of taking it from one point to the other, potentially even with little story tidbits around it to make it all more real. And of course, clocking it all in in Private Rooms. 

I'm saying the game boy would work for this because imagining myself playing a game like this on a game boy on a rainy autumn day feels really cozy and melancholic. I think that it would make for a great experience.

So if you ever feel even slightly compelled to come back to this, remove the Death-Stranding-label from it and flesh it out to make it your own thing, even more than it already is? Godspeed, you got my blessings and I'd totally be here for it!

(+7)(-1)

dude you can't just post the original death stranding that's against the rules

(+5)

very fond of the rock knocking me over feature. just like the original game.