WRITER - RECKONER (2024)

I was tasked with conveying a protagonist’s emotional journey without any dialogue or text. The challenge: tell a deeply human story about religious and familial trauma using only visual storytelling and item interactions.

I pitched and designed symbolic pickup items that would evolve across gameplay, subtly reflecting the player's internal arc. One example: a battered stuffed lamb, chewed and matted when first discovered, that gradually becomes cleaner and more intact as the player progresses—mirroring the character’s personal healing.

To support the game's story, I created a mock physical game case using the core gameplay loop as the inspiration for the back-of-the-box description: explore, collect, hide, and burn. I brought in-game assets into Photoshop to visually align the case design with the world’s aesthetic. This piece was used during our final showcase to set player expectations and immerse them in the world before they ever picked up the controller.

This project deepened my approach to narrative design, pushing me to consider player perception, subtle symbolism, and how to tell stories without relying on words at all.