Shifting Strength (Unfinished)

I finished the game :D

You can play the finished version here, or search for Blade and Bond on my itch.io page

Old Description, I'll keep it here in case anyone wants to see:

For Kenney Game Jam 2025

I haven't finished the game yet and it's only about 3 minutes left so I published it anyway :(

Here is the gameplay I had planned:

• Shifting Strength is a co-op game where one player is the hero and the other the sidekick, battling hordes of enemies. The hero can lose grip and drop the sword. The sidekick can then pick it up, swapping their roles.
• The hero can attack but cannot pick up items or power up.
• The sidekick is defenseless but can collect items and power-ups to heal and strengthen the hero.
• There are two bars: health and sword grip. If the hero loses grip on the sword, it is dropped and cannot be picked up by the former hero for the next 25 seconds. Grip is lost by taking damage or encountering environmental hazards.
• The sidekick can pick up the sword to become the hero, reversing their roles and power dynamics.
• The game ends when both players die.

Control:

• Player 1 (Keyboard):
  • Move: WASD
  • Interact: Space
• Player 2 (Controller):
  • Move: Left Joystick
  • Interact: Sonny Square / XBox X / Nintendo Y

• Hero:
  • Stop moving to attack
  • When charged (the sidekick brings you the star item), press Interact to use the Super Move
• Sidekick:
  • Get close to an item to pick it up
    
  • Press Interact to use an item on yourself (only works with the heart item to heal)
    
  • Double-tap Interact to drop an item
    
  • Bring items to the Hero to apply their effects on the Hero
    
  • If the Hero drops the sword, the Sidekick can pick it up to become the new Hero

The vision I was going for is constantly changing power dynamic, taking inspiration from Princess Paladin, one of the winners of GMTK Game Jam 2023 .

It's sad that I couldn't finished the game in time. But if enough people are interested in my vision, I will continue developing it :D