Devlog #1 – Bringing Life to IsleDrift

Documenting the journey of a small island… and a drifting piston.

Welcome to the very first IsleDrift devlog! This marks the beginning of a long adventure where I’ll share the game’s evolution — from gameplay tweaks to artistic touches, and everything in between.

You can play the current build for free, directly in your browser here: https://lezellus.itch.io/isledrift

A focus on feel

This update is all about making the game feel better — visually, audibly, and mechanically. A lot of polish to give more personality to your lonely little piston wandering through fragmented islands.

Dynamic lighting on the player

The character now emits a soft dynamic light, helping shape the environment and adding a subtle atmospheric layer. It makes exploration more immersive, especially in darker zones.

Platform reset after death

Previously, platforms stayed in the state you left them. Now, when you die, everything resets cleanly, keeping each attempt consistent and fair.

Iris-style death animation

A new Iris transition closes in when the character dies, improving flow and softening restarts.

Death sound feedback

A dedicated sound now plays when the player dies, adding clarity and reinforcing the feedback loop.

Collectable coins

Coins are now scattered around levels, giving players optional challenges and extra exploration incentives.

New end-of-level screen

Completing a level displays a new results panel showing:

• Time spent
• Number of movements
• Coins collected

This adds replayability and better progression tracking.

Level selection menu

You can now navigate through levels with a simple and clean selection menu.

Menu system improvements

Menu structure has been reorganized for a smoother, more intuitive experience.

Sound design pass

Overall audio has been polished to create a more coherent and atmospheric soundscape.

Save system upgrade

The save system is now more reliable and ready for future progression features.

Wrapping up

This update put a strong emphasis on polish and feedback, helping IsleDrift gain identity and coherence. Thanks for reading this first devlog — more updates are on the way, and the next one will push the gameplay even further.

Play IsleDrift on itch.io