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A Closing Word on Moon River
So... I finished my first game. It's out now. Doesn't really feel like it is, but lo and behold! A hardly mid game! I uploaded it at about 11pm and started feeling strange. I felt some off derealization, as my center vision started going out. I was struggling to read and my fingertips were going numb. I didn't feel real. So, I went into a long slumber of 12 hours. Quite a release!
This took over 2 years of my life to make, but that's just because I rarely ever worked on it. I'd say this could've taken only 4 months if I worked on it at least three times a week. I hit a lot of creative blocks, struggling to find ways to make the experience interesting. Also lots of typos. So many typos.
I created Moon River from a desire to begin with a small-scale project. A simple premise, a short story and a basic graphical style. However, things complicated themselves. I ended up developing before I really had the full picture. I think most of the game's flaws stem out from that.
There is a lot to criticize about Moon River. The objectives for game progression are weird and don't feel organic. The characters are very shallow, and only a small handful actually have any meaning to the plot. The plot in question is also unnecessarily complex for an idea so simple. The actual gameplay is very boring, and the extreme linearity of it all really stifles any chance of legitimate exploration. By the end of it all, this whole thing feels like its held together with elmer's glue, yarn and used stickers. Regardless, criticism is welcome! I'm open to any negative feedback, there is a lot to learn from this project's failures.

Also, to get it out of the way: There are absolutely certainly some aspects that parallel other existing games. Just today I was thinking about the ending, and realized Moon River's story closely resembles Dark Souls 3, particularly the Ringed City DLC ending. I hadn't thought of Dark Souls at all when writing the plot/ending. I just wanted to have a story about leaving a better world for those after you, no matter the amount. But I essentially did a weird version of the Painter's story arc. Also now that I think about it, something about the Dimming kinda mirrors the Age of Fire... oh no...
After what I realized today, I'd rewrite it all, but it's too late now! lol.

(Also, I still haven't played OneShot and don't know the story really, but I bet 10000% there are some similarities too. Somewhere. I can feel it.)
It's janky, it's unintuitive, nothing flows organically, but it's my first completed thing. This is my first finished story, my first finished game and all that. I suppose I can forgive this game's errors because I don't think I could have made it any better, with the lack of experience I had.
Despite all its flaws, there was a lot I learned from this project: way too many things that are all too abstract to write about. I feel empowered, knowing that this is how it is, and that there's only more to create. I intend to outdo myself and create something bigger, better, and much less boring. Completion of this project, from start to finish, has enabled me to embark on the journey that awaits me. I needed to make Moon River in order to handle this next project. The next concept is actually older than Moon River. I cannot wait to get started on it. :D
Thank you to anyone who plays this game. I want to show my work and ideas to everyone, so that they may find enjoyment in it, and so I may learn from them and become a better artist in the future. Also thank you to whoever reads this. There's more to come (eventually), and it'll be much more worthwhile!