A downloadable game for Windows and macOS

Pendulum is an unfinished prototype for a boss-rush brawler with a unique leveling system.

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- HOW TO PLAY -

MOVEMENT:
WASD

ACTIONS:
Punch - J / Kick - K / Dodge - L / Interact - SPACE

RULES:
Your character starts out weak and powerless. Only through death can you grow strong enough and fast enough to win the encounter. When you die, you can gain SPIRIT points to spend on four different stats. Use your SPIRIT wisely to build your character into a badass. But keep an eye on the DOUBT meter! Every time you die, one DOUBT point is added to the character, making it weaker and weaker. If you die with four DOUBT points, the game is over. Good luck!

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Pendulum started as a project for the #NewJamCity game jam, organized by the Waypoint community forum in July 2017. The concept came from its original title, A Lil' Murder Never Hurt Nobody, which was selected and used for inspiration as part of #NewJamCity's rules.

Pendulum is a short but complete prototype, currently with no concrete plans to develop it further. Regardless, any and all feedback would be greatly appreciated.

More information
StatusReleased
PlatformsWindows, macOS
Rating
Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars
(3 total ratings)
Authorpfail
GenreAction, Fighting
TagsAction RPG, Beat 'em up, Boss battle, deathmatch, Difficult, Experimental, Roguelike, Short, Surreal

Download

Download
Pendulum_Mac_V2 61 MB
Download
Pendulum_Windows_V2 43 MB

Comments

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Eelstork7 years ago

Hello here. A quick note to let you know FTR jam is over results out, and please reply to the announcement email (do not reply here thanks).

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Eelstork7 years ago

Very unique visuals and well presented. A small thing is it would be great to introduce the concept on the home screen (on my first plays, felt like 1 hit kill which is a bit demotivating). Will play again.

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pfail7 years ago

Not a bad point at all. I think I took for granted that people would come to the front page first and read the "HOW TO PLAY" section before downloading. You're right, though. Something in-game would be helpful.

Reply
pfail7 years ago (1 edit)

Just a quick note about what's in the most recent (and likely final) update:

  1. Both player and enemy character stats beefed up and balanced for faster gameplay. 
  2. Enemy AI slightly altered for more dynamic responses.
  3. Leveling system tightened to make each death and SPIRIT point more impactful.
  4. New graphic and audio elements added, as well as subtle camera FX.
  5. A few more little bugs squashed.

I think the game is in a pretty solid place now, offering enough of a challenge while also not feeling impossible to beat. That said, I've already set my sights on a couple new projects, so I think it's time to let this one sit while I start building something new. Thanks to everyone who has checked out Pendulum, and keep an eye peeled for what's coming next!

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pfail7 years ago

Updates are now live! Here's what's different in this current version:

  1. All character stats finely tuned and rebalanced.
  2. Leveling system recalibrated.
  3. New achievement system added, with 13 unlockable achievements.
  4. Added UI capabilities.
  5. Assorted bug fixes.

That just about covers it. Hopefully now the game is more fun to play and doesn't feel unfair (even if you lose). I'm especially looking forward to seeing what achievements everyone is able to unlock. Enjoy!

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pfail7 years ago

Hey everyone! Just a heads up that there will be some balance updates coming this week for this prototype. Feel free to play the game as-is, but it's probably going to seem unbeatable at this point. 

PS. It's totally not unbeatable right now, but it is a bit unfair. I'll be fixing that ASAP.

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