Ludum Dare 48: Deepest Sword

“Deepest Sword” by Cosmic Adventure Squad (Vu HaRose Peng & Johan Soriao).

“Venture deep into the Cavern of Longing. Plunge your sword deep into the dragon’s heart! How deep is your resolve?”

In “Deepest Sword” you will play a knight who has to free a little kitten from the clutches of a gigantic dragon. With a stab in the heart, the beast should be finished. Unfortunately, you will not be able to strike down the monster, since your only weapon is a rather short and tiny sword. Thus, your overpowered opponent not only mocks your ridiculous equipment, but chars you to death with its burning hot breath. But your adventure is not over yet, thanks to a mage.

With his spells, he could not only call you back to life, but also extend your sword. However, the magic comes at a small price: The path to the dragon’s lair has become longer and more circuitous, too. In addition, your enchanted melee weapon is both a blessing and a curse! Since you are quite a lightweight despite your armor, the sword often has a kind of leverage effect on you. This suddenly makes longer jumps possible that you could never do yourself. At the same time, there is a higher chance that you will get caught on the ceiling or block your own path.

After the first extension, you will not manage to save the beloved furball yet, but eventually you will, thanks to the “Deepest Sword” and patience. Although the platformer puzzles are incredibly well designed, they initially create strong moments of frustration that could almost encourage you to ragequit. Eventually, however, you reach the point where it just works out and you have to laugh at first, surprised by your own performance, before continuing. It is exactly this kind of balance that makes this jam submission not only great fun, but also an ideal speedrunning candidate. Plus, all lovers of mildly raunchy humor will get their kicks here. [PLAY]