Capturing Souls on the River of The Dead

Capturing Souls on the River of The Dead is a game built for js13kGames 2022 (theme: "Death") with a premise as specific as its title: your job is to capture souls floating on the River of the Dead, and you are rewarded for each one. The developer describes it as "not completely finished but good enough" — a candid admission that speaks to the jam's time pressure, yet it still earned top recognition in the competition.

The game offers two tools for soul-capturing: a paddle (click and drag to row the boat) and a grabber (click to take a ghost). You switch tools with right-click or spacebar. This tool-switching adds a layer of tactical choice — some souls are easier to reach by rowing into position, others by grabbing directly. The soul-power economy (white ghosts give energy, colored ghosts behave differently) means you are managing a resource, not just collecting.

For players who enjoy atmospheric games with a unique mechanic, the River of the Dead setting and the paddle/grabber tool system make this a distinctive jam entry worth trying.

Capturing Souls on the River of the Dead offers two capture tools:

• Paddle: click and drag to row the boat across the river • Grabber: click to take a ghost directly • Right-click or Spacebar: switch between tools

White ghosts give you "soul power" energy; colored ghosts behave differently (consult in-game for specifics). Manage your soul power as a resource — you need it to sustain your capture operations.

Strategy: choose your tool based on the soul's position. Souls near the boat are faster to grab; souls across the river require rowing, which costs time. Prioritize white ghosts for energy sustain, and switch tools fluidly rather than committing to one approach.