Player Comments on Stranded: On Familiar Shores

This is an excellent story BURIED beneath severely grindy and simple game mechanics. Every major battle requires you make a supply run for the four basic ingredients and most likely one or two more. The act of travelling is not enjoyable, the text is the same each time, you're just going through the motions for the sake of going through the motions. If there were an element of puzzle games here (such as not knowing the recipes beforehand), then there would atleast be a sense of exploration in the journey. However, the entire list of which parts will be needed is available to see the moment you start the game and go to the crafting station. It's pretty much just a question of how much are you willing to repetitively grind to get to the end as soon as you finish the first fight. Combat is mechanically clumsy, every time an attack is made you get a result, then have to click attack again BEFORE you are able to make the next attack, effectively slowing down the speed of all actions by half. All the battles are pre-scripted, there is no element of skill here, only of repetition. After maybe 40 minutes (and getting up to the wolf spider fight), I'd had enough. The story parts - the writing - while few and far between are genuinely nice and the only carrot to keep me going on this otherwise tiring game. It hurts to play the game, because you know there's a really good idea buried behind extremely painful mechanics.

I liked it. It gave me major 'Honey, I Shrunk The Kids' vibes, and was interesting enough to keep me engaged without making advancement difficult.

Totally original, a colourful bestiary, a trial of survival and cunning... and entomology. I loved flying the dragonfly!
But I can't best the preying mantis... yet. It seems that many of the weapons you can only craft once. Isn't there another spider or beetle I can slay??

One word: WOW

I was completely immersed in this game, I've been playing it for a couple hours now... some of the actions are really tedious but what kept me going was the story. I've wanted to do something similar to this for a long time (a shrunken human in a bug's world seems so fun). I couldn't wait to get to the end game... and then the most disappointing thing happened; I had to use the bomb on the praying mantis because I was dying and now I can't defeat the wolf spider. My health potions don't work so I assume I need a big health potion... which I can't make because I need to kill the wolf spider, leaving me unable to finish the game. I saved past the bomb and I'm sorry but I just can't go through it all again- I hope the ending was awesome.

Cool idea, but it seemed like a lot of grinding. The battles feel kind of predetermined, by the text descriptions of the action are cool. Would have liked some more variance in ththe battles and item acquisition. There is a lot, by it feels more like different ways of doing the same thing. But it is a very cool worod you have made.

Very good story and a creative way of presenting it. I would agree that it was a little tedious to do the back and forth but keep writing and evolving your style. Other choices for endings would be fun too!

Very immersive story that was much better than I expected. But thee were some parts that I really did not like.
First, the text did not change and was the same each time you did the action. For gathering items that was understandable, but during battles it got annoying.
Second, is how there is really only one way to play the game; there are no choices, just an extremely complicated way to beat it. It's like a puzzle; the pieces have to go where they are supposed to go or you can't complete it. I used the bomb on the mantis but couldn't defeat the wolf spider because of that, which was very disappointing. Unless there is another way (but I could not find one)?
Otherwise, this game was not a complete waste of time and it kept me interested.

Difficult and Awesome. However, There are some minor technical improvements that could be made. Instead of having to have a page after you select a weapon (The stab, shoot, _______ [monster] page), why not just leave out that page and have an equipping system (select an item to equip beforehand, it makes it more realistic). I noticed a lack of pictures as well, trust me visuals will tie your monster descriptions well and will get the reader's attention, plus it will show the reader why the damage dealt to the player is fair. (A beetle and a spider takes out 40% of my health in one blow, what do these creatures look like?) Other than that, well done!
7/8

It's amazing, but one thing is missing, I want a choice... I want a choice of staying with them, of building my world, of living in that world. I want a choice, please give it to me.

Wow, just wow... it's amazing! I died, but I'm sure if I would've made it longer I would've been able to see more of this extrordinary game. It's an amazing survival game with a great concept. It's nicely written too.

This truly does bring one enlightenment. Had to spend three hours on this thing, but then in the end it was all worth it.

I can clearly see how much work had been put into this story, because without such work this would not have been as immersive, as rich of detail, as action-packed, and as fascinating as it is right now. Never expected to be this intrigued to arthropods and rodents fighting it out in the backyard.

In short, this was one of the not-many stories which fulfilled almost all if not absolutely all of what I demand to experience when I read. A story with a capital S.

8/8.

Fun, but the health tonic would not work... couldn't beat the wolf spider to get to the end game. Very disappointing.

I forgot to say this in my previous comment. You do have to play this game nearly perfectly, but the experience is definitely worth it. The only two things that I wish were changed are being able to have an ending where I don't press the button and remain with my new friends and for there to be an extension to the existing ending, where I get to see what happens after I come back, especially what happens to the insects.

At times tedious, at others moving, this is truly a piece of literary genius. The story creates emotional bonds to the characters so strong that they're second to none other than Endmaster's masterpiece, Eternal. This story WILL bring you enlightenment. 8/8

Awesome!

This was very awesome hope to read more

Unfortunately I didn't get a good ending yet. I'm far from done.

So far, this is an awesome game! I find the crafting and taming systems very interesting. There's a lot of replay value in this storygame.

6/8. I'm going to restart the game and try to not die this time!

This took me forever to finish, and it was worth it to read it all, I can't imagine how long it took to make this. I never though that I'd actually develop a relationship with bugs, loved this story. Thank you for this piece, good read.

Spoiler: Use the bomb against the wolf spider and kill the mantas with a stone spear and spam it with your bow

I seem to be stuck. Used the bomb on the mantis and killed it but now I can't kill the wolfspider. Health pots don't work. Too bad.

Oh. My. God. It was amazing. Especially when you are really bored. Anyways, i think i encountered a bug (pun intended). I don't know if it's my computer or not, but the problem is that during the Shrew battle, the only weapon or item that I can use are the Throwing Spear and the Praying Mantis. Any other item doesn't work, and I tried everything, including the Trophies. Anyways, amazing game. A sequel might be good, but I'm looking forward to more of your storygames. Welp, now that I'm done, time to find more storygames. Bye!

And hope your story gets featured!

Wow... just wow it was SOO!!! Fun and it was amazing the ending was amazing and it only took me about 30000000000 Hours but I finally finished it and I was surprised how................. and the crafting was soo cool. The ending was so amazing. Just wow good job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Health stuff dont work

I like this game! :D
I haven't finished it yet, but I can see you've put a lot of work into this. Besides, I really like survival and crafting games, and this one is a much better example of that than the "Crafty Tap" one from before. :)
I'll be leaving another comment when I finish this.
Keep up the good work ^-^