The Bunker
In collaboration with the Supermassive Games team, my colleague and I created a 4-minute vertical slice inspired by the cinematic style of the Dark Pictures Anthology series. With guidance from Supermassive, we developed an experience derived from the psychological horror of Little Hope, a sequel where Andrew is thrust into a nightmarish fight for survival.
Information:
Type: Third-Person Thriller
Genre: Survival Horror, Atmospheric, Psychological
Platform: PC
Trailer:
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Psychological horror with immersive environmental storytelling
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Claustrophobic level design and memory-based exploration
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A narrative experience focused on tension, atmosphere, and mental unraveling
Image Gallery
The Bunker is a continuation of Little Hope, where Alex is the last surviving member of his group after the events of the game.
This third-person horror experience immerses players in the psychological unraveling of Alex as he finds himself trapped in a dark, isolated bunker.
As the environment becomes increasingly distorted, players must navigate the bunker and uncover fragments of Alex's memories.
Here’s a selection of images from the Bunker project. This game was a team effort in replicating the essence of Supermassive Games, while keeping our original thoughts on what Little Hope's sequel could look like.
Mechanics
The mechanics of the game were fleshed out in a team effort to convey the story of Alex's deteriorating mental health. Implemented by Theo Stamatis, the minigames added depth and challenge to the bunker setting, ensuring smooth gameplay in accordance to the story. Key mechanics include: -Fusebox Minigame Puzzle: Players must turn levers in the correct combination to lure the enemy into the bunker. -Making the Bed: Players create a decoy by making the bed appear as though the character is sleeping. -Quicktime Events: Timed choices were used to give the player agency, as well as build rapport with the player, allowing them to shape their own fate.
UI
The UI design was created by myself, with the purpose of facilitating interaction within the game world. As to follow the guidelines that Little Hope had already established, the UI was simple and was used as a means to guide the player into the right direction and push the plot forward. Key elements include: -Interactive Item Prompts: Players can click on specific objects, like books, to read them and uncover additional lore and story details. -“E to Interact” Popup: A subtle interactive prompt appears when players approach objects or areas of interest, guiding them to interact without disrupting the experience. -Minimalist Design: The interface is designed with simplicity in mind, ensuring it doesn't distract from the game’s atmospheric environment while still providing essential information.
Design
The level design for the bunker was created by myself, focusing on crafting an environment that reflects the psychological struggle of the protagonist. While creating the level, I kept in mind the limitations of time constraints, and created an isolated bunker with multiple rooms to explore, as well as a larger resting area. Key design elements include: -Maze-Like Corners: The bunker is shaped to include sharp corners and tight spaces to create a claustrophobic atmosphere, keeping players on edge to be able to solidify the feeling of lack of control. -Symbolic Layout: The environment reflects the protagonist's fractured mental state, with scattered objects and fragmented areas symbolizing his inner turmoil. -Dynamic Lighting: The light sources were designed to attract attention to specific areas of interest, while keeping less important areas/jump scare areas darker. -Family-Oriented Design: The bunker was specifically designed to resemble a lived-in family space, with personal items scattered throughout.
Created a widget that displays additional item information when the player presses 'E'. Developed an animation to show the widget and used a flip-flop animation to close it.
Created a fixed camera blueprint that switches perspectives when the player enters a trigger box. Instances of the blueprint were used in various areas of the bunker for better reusability.