THE DREAM
The Dream is an explorative, non-combat prototype designed to immerse players in an irrational world structured around two distinct levels: a beach and a mansion. Each reflects a different aspect of the player's psyche and emotional journey. The primary goal is to create an atmospheric experience where players roam and engage with the environment, uncovering a narrative through visual storytelling and interactive elements.
The Mansion (wip)
A dark place where the player confronts trauma, surrounded by enemies with no means of resistance.
A dark place where the player confronts trauma, surrounded by enemies with no means of resistance.
A dark place where the player confronts trauma, surrounded by enemies with no means of resistance.
Always ring the bells
DESIGN - Behind the scenes: Explaining the why’s
Repurposing a prototype from an earlier game jam using Unreal Engine 5.01, I reintroduced a mechanic I previously developed: the "vision." Functioning similarly to a flashlight, this mechanic now allows players to make objects appear or disappear by illuminating the environment.
Inspired by the use of light in Alan Wake, the core interaction revolves around inspection; the world reacts dynamically to the player's focus, enhancing immersion and interactivity.
Narrative Structure
The Mansion represents reminiscence, a surreal space where players confront their past through light platforming, classic puzzles, and layered storytelling.
The flashlight mechanic takes centre stage, revealing hidden elements in the darkness and heightening the sense of mystery. Rich sound design enhances the atmosphere, building tension throughout.
The mansion’s fragmented layout and incoherent décor reflect the disjointed nature of memory and dreams. A central flow puzzle anchors the level, with clues hidden in cryptic notes scattered across the space.
Design Highlights
- ● Linear open progression
- ● Soft-gated interactions
- ● Atmospheric storytelling through environment
- ● Puzzles and cerebral challenges
- ● Presence of non-killable enemies and bosses
- ● Narrative storytelling through notes and visual cues
- ● Sound design for all interactive elements
- ● Flashlight mechanic
The brain erases memories, for safety...
Screens
Layout and map sketches
Gameplay Showcase
Do not steal her heart - she waits for it ‘‘Boss Encounter’’
Never alone, never at ease. Always being watched
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
Part of the design is a feeling of persecution. Eyes that follow the player's movement are placed throughout the level to enhance this sense of unease a presence that is always watching, a constant reminder of surveillance and vulnerability.
Never alone, never at ease. Always being watched.
Never alone, never at ease. Always being watched.
The design for this sequence draws partly from EMDR therapy, which uses guided eye movements to help process traumatic memories. I adapted that concept into the level by introducing a slow-moving eye in the first room. It establishes a subconscious rhythm of focus and surveillance. The goal was to make the player feel both observed and exposed, mirroring the uneasy tension between introspection and control.
Light brings news sights
Worms feed the body, but the mind needs something more. Light reveals what’s hidden, opening up the world with each flicker. You never know what’s behind a wall... until it’s lit.
Inspired by Alice in Wonderland, the “Gobble Me” worm distorts the ‘eat me’ motif into something uncanny, a fleshy lure that fuels the light and tempts players toward the unseen.
They play with your nerves
Being trapped in a corridor with a flying painting?
Paintings belong on walls. They are meant to be still, silent, and observed. In this corridor, they do none of that. Instead, they float. They pursue. Something decorative becomes something dangerous. The way out is unclear, nothing is normal.
The sound is not random… it’s a voice, a tormented soul trapped inside the frame.