Test Save Points Before You Expand the Map
A bigger map will not fix a prototype that forgets what the player earned. Test save points while the world is still small enough to break on purpose.
Test Enemy Telegraphs Before You Add Smarter AI
Before you ask AI for smarter enemies, test whether players can read one attack. A readable telegraph does more for early combat than another behavior tree.
Build a 30-Second Tutorial Room Before You Add More Mechanics
A tutorial room is not a lesson plan. It is a stress test for whether your first playable teaches one action, one risk, and one goal without extra explanation.