Hietaniemi’s Beach, Helsinki (Finland)
My main inspiration was Helsinki’s Hietaniemi’s coastal graveyard for its soothing and inner serenity. Due to Fins’ strong traditional connection with forests, Finnishs graveyards are designed as parcs, with majestics trees and wild animals roaming around. I wanted to keep this tranquil essence, and inject it into my project with a melancholic, wintery touch.
I decided to think about a main character that needs to go through a mystical graveyard to a sunken tower. As water was a fundamental part in Hietaniemi, I wanted the player to venture further into the sea as they progress in the level.
The level is designed around 3 parts :
-The Upper Graveyard (1) : a simple linear zone where the player learns to hide behind tombs and statues.
(challenge: positionning, avoidance)
-The Lower Graveyard (2) : a cross-designed zone that keeps the avoidance principle, introducing a final puzzle-jump challenge on tombs in order to proceed to the end.
(challenge: positionning, avoidance, dexterity with the puzzle-jumps)
-The Broken Bridge (3) : blending puzzle jump mecanics and will-o-wisps avoidance, the player needs to be precise and swift to access the sunken tower without falling in the water.
(challenge : all above, with an increased difficulty due to the deadly freezing water players can fall into)
The level ends with the Sunken Tower (3’) full of will-o-wisps where the avatar falls accidently into after the ground crumbles under their feets. It is the motivational and dramatic standing point of this level.