Cool game! My first run I started with leveling speed up and totally floundered haha. My second run though I tried starting with damage and then added cooldown and knockback and was able to level the tree up much more! I ended up successfully completing the game with a sliver of tree health left which demonstrates that the difficulty was well-calibrated (at least for my build). Main feedback I have is that the enemies were hard to see at times and that there was a way to undo upgrade allocation (as I misclicked once). But overall had a fun time with this, great job!

Wow! Game is really great! I like your design

I like upgrade and shooting mechanics, the game feels right!

Good job and congratulations on your submission!

Really awesome game :) Got my arrow damage up to 2.5 to two-shot the ground enemies then exploding brought it to a one-shot! Loved the pixel art -- hoping you can expand on this with more enemies and abilities!

I declare the my Knockback + Piercing + Exploding build to be the definitive meta build! It has great clear speed but may require running for loot at the edges of the screen. Which I ignore to intentionally extend the game. The one thing I'd personally like is the ability to hold down the mouse button and have the arrows fire when off CD. Audio, visuals, and gameplay were very cohesive. Felt like a solid experience. Great work.

A highly satisfying game loop with simple mechanics well executed. I think you should continue to develop this after the jam had finished, I think this game would attract many players. 

Good job and solo 👍👍👍

This was very fun and very satisfying to play.  Player choices felt like they mattered and it was easy to feel the power increases from every upgrade investment.  Combat felt great, and it was nice to just melt into the game and zen to it.  The art was really well done and cohesive as well.

A few extra observations:

1. The arrow shooting sound is a very deep bass.  It doesn't sound loud but still feels strong, which makes me worry a little about it.  Just double check the peaks in your DAW or Synth
2. The Effects Volume doesn't have any feedback for it, it would be nice to have a sample effect as the slider is either released or moved.

The VOD is linked below, and will be available for 60 days:
https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2574331467?t=0h43m31s

This game is really enjoyable to play, the combat is fun and the loop of growing the tree and getting upgrades is so satisfying. I love the music, it just fits the art and the gameplay so well! Great work!

damn!!!, One of my favourites for sure. I've seen the comments and there is no much more I could say about it, really, great job. Bowman vibes are always welcome.

I just wish it was longer, or kind of infinite untill you get inevitably killed or something?, and maybe I miss a big-ass enemy that goes reeeeeally slow but have like a million life points? I don't know it's just to say something xD.

inmaculate game, really!

This submission really captured me with its simple charm and strong sense of atmosphere. There is something very grounding about the monochrome palette with soft pink accents, and the visuals do a lovely job of drawing you into the grove without overcomplicating the screen. The UI is super clean and the resource tabs are quick to parse at a glance, which makes the loop feel immediate and satisfying. I also quite liked the dark forest framing for the action, it really highlights your role as the last line of defence. A few subtle visual bobs or animation flourishes would have gone a long way in adding texture to the moment to moment but as a jam piece this already feels thoughtful and complete.

The theme of Expansion fits perfectly here, both narratively and mechanically. Nurturing that lone tree and defending it as it grows is a neat metaphor in itself, and the upgrades feel like a natural progression of that. There is also something vaguely autumnal in the tone and colour choice, which leans into the quieter seasonal theme quite nicely. It shares a similar thread with my own jam project (utilising rhythm), but I promise that doesn’t make me biased!

Very cool and addictive game. Taking the piercing + exploding arrow at a later stage was crucial. I got caught by the enemies, though. Just didn’t notice their dark figures approaching from behind while concentrating on the other part of the screen. I like how this works, utilizing the visual aspect as a tool in the mechanics.

Loving the game, ambiance is amazing, sfx and visuals effects are really nice and it's fun to play ! Well done :D

I make a build with speed + damage and the end was maybe too easy, but as a "not very well-balanced" game you did great 👏

Visuals and sound are excellent, really polished presentation. The upgrade system is compelling; I kept wanting to try every upgrade, and picking between them was genuinely difficult. Overall, the game feels cohesive and well-made. Nice work!

This was quite fun! The growing of the tree and expansion of the area was made to feel really rewarding!

Reminds me a bit of Forbidden Forest on my C64 back in the 80s. Terrific game. I liked the expansion mechanic, arrow gravity, upgrade system, and music. I hope someday to be able to make a game as high quality as this.

Very fun and addictive game. The art, the sounds, the music just perfect. Love the progressions system. Excellent work. Good luck

Loved the atmosphere, tone, and character design. Really bought into the story and found myself focusing throughout. Also enjoyed the subtle visual effects like the animation on the bowstring and the change in environment as the tree expanded.

While I agree I did feel a bit overpowered towards the end, it almost felt necessary with how many shadows were coming after the poor tree haha. Super fun, and awesome job!