Cherokee
Cherokee was a university project created to explore the design and implementation of a Souls-inspired boss encounter within Unreal Engine. Inspired by games such as Dark Souls, Bloodborne, Sekiro, and God of War, the project focused on creating a challenging two-phase boss fight designed to test the player's understanding of the combat systems introduced throughout the experience.
To support the encounter, I designed and implemented a range of combat mechanics including ray-cast melee combat, directional dodging, stamina management, targeting systems, combo chains, guarding, and weapon transformation mechanics. Particular attention was given to player positioning and timing, with the combat system rewarding precise spacing and deliberate decision-making rather than simple button inputs.
Alongside gameplay implementation, I researched combat design approaches used by several action RPGs, conducted playtesting sessions to refine balance and difficulty, and developed a boss AI capable of responding to player actions through dodges, counter-attacks, and phase transitions. The project provided an opportunity to explore both combat design theory and technical implementation while creating a complete gameplay experience centred around a single memorable encounter.
CTRL-Z
CTRL-Z was a university group project centred around a typing-based combat system inspired by The Typing of the Dead. Set in the town of Typesylvania, players progress through enemy-filled environments by typing words and phrases to defeat enemies, interact with objects, and navigate the world.
As the project's Game and Mechanic Designer, my primary responsibility was designing and implementing the core typing gameplay. Using Unreal Engine's UMG framework and Blueprint scripting, I developed the systems responsible for word generation, input validation, enemy targeting, and player interaction. The challenge was creating a mechanic that remained intuitive and responsive while supporting a variety of gameplay scenarios beyond simple enemy elimination.
The project provided an opportunity to explore alternative control schemes and player interaction methods, demonstrating how a single core mechanic can drive combat, progression, and navigation throughout an entire game experience. Working within a multidisciplinary team also gave me valuable experience collaborating across design, art, and audio disciplines to deliver a complete playable prototype.
Marvel Showcase
The Marvel Showcase was a second-year university project created to explore the design and implementation of character movement, traversal, and gameplay mechanics inspired by Marvel superheroes. Rather than focusing on a complete game experience, the project served as a technical and design showcase for a collection of interconnected gameplay systems.
The prototype featured four core mechanics: a Spider-Man-inspired physical grappling system, ledge traversal, animation-driven environmental interaction, and a controllable projectile weapon. Each mechanic was designed and implemented independently before being integrated into a single playable environment, allowing me to investigate how different movement and interaction systems could complement one another.
Through this project, I gained experience prototyping traversal mechanics, working with physics-based movement, blending character animations with gameplay systems, and designing mechanics intended to create a sense of speed, freedom, and player expression. The showcase also provided an opportunity to explore how iconic superhero abilities can be translated into engaging gameplay systems within Unreal Engine.