3D Puzzle Adventure Game
Diegetic puzzle experience with environmental storytelling (Team Lead)
Moody forest environment with atmospheric lighting
Project Overview
One-liner: Explore a moody forest, decode Viking runes, brave a trap-filled labyrinth, and solve a hallucinated ceiling-chess checkmate to escape.
I led a three-person team to build a two-level puzzle experience focused on diegetic interactions and environmental clueing. Players are dropped into a compact 3D forest map where every clue is embedded in the world—no HUDs, just objects you can discover, read, and manipulate to progress.
Game Levels
Level 1 — Runestone Gate
- Open monolithic stone gate with three concentric rune rings
- Tree glyph leads to canopy parkour for outer ring rune
- Rock marker reveals middle ring rune behind boulder
- Cave of skulls requires skull rotation for inner ring rune
- Align glowing Viking letters to trigger gate opening
Level 2 — Labyrinth & Reverie
- Hub split: labyrinth on right, locked jail-room on left
- Bed interaction reveals fetch objective for blue "Sleep Pill"
- Navigate labyrinth with lethal slicing traps
- Solve puzzle box at labyrinth end to obtain pill
- Sleep triggers ceiling chessboard hallucination
- Solve mate-in-one chess puzzle to unlock exit
Key Features
Diegetic Design
- Clues and interfaces are physical props
- No UI overlays or HUD elements
- Environmental storytelling throughout
- Readable feedback through world objects
- Immersive interaction system
Puzzle Mechanics
- Explore → Clue → Act gameplay loop
- Ring rotations and skull alignment
- Chess puzzle solving
- Risk & reward labyrinth navigation
- Scalable design for future expansion
Team Leadership
- Led 3-person development team
- Drove puzzle design and world layout
- Implemented progression/state flow
- Coordinated art and effects integration
- Managed project scope and timeline
Visual Results
Moody forest environment with atmospheric lighting
Runestone gate with concentric ring puzzle
Trap-filled labyrinth navigation
Hallucinated ceiling chess puzzle
Interactive puzzle box mechanism
Sleep pill quest item for dream sequence
Development Video
Development process and debugging challenges
Technical Implementation
Built with Unreal Engine 5, the game leverages advanced lighting systems for atmospheric forest environments and sophisticated interaction systems for diegetic puzzle mechanics. The team used Blender for 3D modeling, Inkscape for UI design, and GIMP for texture work. The project demonstrates expertise in game design, environmental storytelling, and team leadership in a collaborative development environment.
Project Leadership
As Project Lead & Designer/Developer, I drove puzzle design, world layout, and interaction logic. I implemented the progression/state flow system (clue discovery → ring alignment → gate open; pill gate → sleep → chess unlock) and coordinated team tasks while integrating art, level dressing, and effects. The project successfully managed a team of 3 people total, demonstrating effective leadership and project management skills.
Applications & Impact
This project showcases innovative approaches to environmental storytelling and diegetic interface design. The techniques developed for embedding narrative clues in the game world can be applied to other immersive experiences, making it valuable for developers working on narrative-driven games. The leadership experience gained from managing a multi-disciplinary team demonstrates project management skills essential for game development.