Drowned
ENJAM 2017
Team : 11
Position : Game/level designer
Duration : 3 days (2017)
Available here
A nerve-racking submarine FPS where you need to find your way up to the surface. Every shot fired can stun your target, but gathers more abyssal horrors…
A horror game with a gun
We wanted to make a horror game taking place in the abyss, using the primal human fear of not knowing what is hiding in the deepest waters. Creatures are hunting, but are blind and don’t hear you if you don’t move.
Having a gun is usually counter-intuitive when thinking about a horror-game but as the flashgun can stun the monsters in the level, every shot gathers more other creature. They also have a cooldown, and blinds the player for a few seconds, hiding potential additional dangers.
Therefore, the player’s weapon can indeed save their life in a short-term gameloop, but they better be prepared for an exponential rush of adrenaline in a long-term perspective.
Playing with surprise
Because the player is armed and every shot costly, I wanted to play on surprise to force the player’s shooting-reflexe: the map is narrow, with multiple bends, and decieving seaweeds bushs.
The only thing to do is stop moving if a monster comes too close: obviously, this is countradictory with the FPS’ camera and weapon holding, and this point of tension is the core element of the game’s level design.