Yo. I made a game.

Idk how to review my own work so like, this is more a devlog/retrospective.

-I wrote 90% of the soundtrack multiple months before I started programming anything and I am glad I did. It Just Felt Right. You can do all the concept art in the world to nail a tone, but writing the music and programming while listening to it was a seamlessness I vibed with.
-Metal Black was probably my biggest inspiration, even without realizing it. I think that hook of escaping earth and drifting into space, converting decayed energy into power, and all the somber chaos that swims between it was something I wanted to channel. But like, it's no secret Metal Black plays like crap; biggest millstone around an otherwise visionary game. This isn't me saying CCH5 is 'metal black but good' - I can't compete with T. Senba and Taito's production staff, - but I hope people who wanted more from that style of game find something resonant here.
-Pacing was SUPER important to me - nothing puts me off of a shmup more than a sluggish moment in an otherwise smooth run. The tradeoff is that making everything equally dense on content means it's hard to make time for 'big' moments. A couple ppl have told me the game didn't feel like it really started until the last 2 stages when the big setpieces happen, and I feel that.
-I love boss fights! I wish I made more boss fights for this game! My next game is gonna have even more boss fights!
-Construct 3 was an amazing engine for getting my foot in the door on gamedev but I think I'm ready to ditch it. It is flat-out bad for production-level gamedev and has really mediocre export options. More than anything, the event sheet structure makes it hard to optimize things on an object-by-object basis, and it came back to haunt me when performance became unreasonably bad for a 2D shmup.
-A consistent thing I've heard from playtesters and reviewers is it's too easy for shmup veterans, and I agree. Even with some harder sections throughout, I chickened out on making something with a real 'bite'.
-I love short-and-replayable games, but I think I maybe went 'too' short on overall content. I want to add more weapons and an extra difficulty mode when I get the chance. I went through a bunch of trouble to make a chronological scorekeeping menu and I doubt anyone's gonna use it 'cause like, there really isn't enough meat to the scoring loop to justify more than 3-5 plays.

Overall, I'm happy with CCH5 for being my first game developed apart of educational work. I got to flex my creative veins, figure out what I'm good at, and my struggle points. My biggest self-critique is that I tried too hard to make something equally-valuable for casuals and veterans, and I don't think it perfectly satisfies either.

I can only say so much about my own work without being biased, but like, I love playing this even besides its attachment to me. I would sit down to playtest something and run through the whole game just for fun. I've played this game nearly 70 times by now. Gamedev is psychotic.

CCH5 wouldn't be here w/o the morale and support from BL friends, but also I gotta give a shout-out to my head professor from college. He's the one who got me on board with a part-time gamedev gig and gave me the chance to start learning things I never would've had the motivation to pursue on my own.

I hope everyone gives CCH5 a try!

I LOST THE CUSTODY CASE! TIME FOR CONCRETE REVENGE!

HOW TO PLAY

When the ex-wife isn't looking, press ( )( )( ) to pour concrete through the windows

When you finish, press ( ) to drive away

MISSION - - TOTAL SCORE OF ALL PLAYERS GET 420 POINTS