Here’s a little preview of three core game mechanics/systems I’ve prototyped for my first-person stealth/survival horror game VOID HEALING:
“Partner Zapping”
“Sight Jacking”
Telekinesis
Fans of the genre will recognize two of them since they previously appeared in titles such as the Siren series, Resident Evil Ø & Revelations 2, and even Keiichiro Toyama’s latest opus Slitterhead. One of my goals for the full game is to expand these concepts to bring new intriguing gameplay dynamics, open-ended branching levels and strong story events, all within the thematic framework of empathy, morality, human/mechanical connections and creativity.
Please note that this prototype is aimed at functionality rather than audiovisual components and intricate details, and that this project—which is currently in pre-production—is solely designed + programmed by myself at the moment, with no budget. So the shared footage is inevitably rough on multiple aspects, but I hope you’ll see some kind of potential in it. Thank you!
The video:
If you have any questions and/or feedback, please don’t hesitate!
I was not expecting a morality story-driven horror game to be in the mix this year but this is genuinely such a fascinating concept. I’m absolutely going to need more gameplay footage
Thank you, this week has been pretty good so far, I hope it’s also the case for you!
I’m trying to achieve creative experiments that are similar to what we could find during the PS2 era (especially the titles I grew up with), so I’m really glad that you find the game conceptually fascinating. This means a lot to me! I don’t know when I’ll have the possibility to show more of it as the road is very long, but I hope it’ll be sooner than expected!
This makes up a wonderful proof of concept and I love that even the blocky style has me getting into the spooky mindset. Your atmosphere is already impressive.
Out of curiosity, is this going to be separate individuals interacting with the same environment or will it be one person interacting with the environment through other mediums?
Thank you! It’s interesting you mention the atmosphere this way since it’s also the feedback I’ve received from close friends, which I didn’t expect. Let’s say I’m always trying to do my best with what I have!
To answer your question, in this sequence, the player controls and switches between three distinct individuals—including the protagonist—with each their own advantages and weaknesses, in order to progress within one shared environment. This formula is planned to have different variations throughout the game.
I hope I’ve answered correctly! In any case, feel free to ask if you need more clarity!
That’s totally understandable! While the ambiguity is volontary as the game tackles human connections in every form, I wouldn’t say that’s what the story is about, but to be honest, there’s no definitive answer to that imagery either, so feel free to interpret it the way you want to!
(plus, it would be pretty much in line with the themes I could write about)
I enjoy the aspect of it being three separate characters that one person does control. Will there be prolonged puzzling or anything where it may be only one person going through and the others have to support or perhaps vice versa? Let me know if you’d like for me to elaborate on that question, I know it may come off a bit odd.
I think I see what you mean! To answer your question, while I have some ideas regarding this kind of puzzle sequences, it’s too soon for me to say if those would be part of the game. It depends on a lot of factors: game structure, pacing, narrative, thematic meaning, etc. But I’m not closed to the idea either! Let me also add that the number of three characters isn’t definitive; it is planned to be more or less depending on the scene (such as “interludes” where you play as the protagonist only).
As always, if you need me to elaborate, feel free to ask!
Thank you for explaining to me. It makes perfect sense. I’m very eager to see how the game continues to progress and what future updates hold. If I have any other questions, I’ll be sure to pop back up and ask as many as I can!
No worries! I’m glad that it makes sense. Thank you for the questions you’ve asked and for your support! It helps me to evaluate how the game is perceived on the outside, plus it’s motivating. And yes, don’t hesitate if you have any other questions!
