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3 Directions for the Game
The emotions that I chose for the game to evoke are tension, curiosity, and the word for “excitement of not knowing what happens next” – thrill, perhaps? The game, which takes place in a labyrinth, draws from Greek Mythology to immerse the reader into a dream-like experience where they must explore further to discover the truth about their world and themselves.
1) Discovery – It’s a beautiful place, but you shouldn’t be here
In this direction, the main character wakes up in a green and flustering maze, scattered with monuments of the Greek Gods and vines that decorate the ancient ruins the labyrinth was built upon. The MC doesn’t have any recollection of the past or who they are. It’s a beautiful place, and the urgency of escaping the maze hasn’t reached our MC yet as the story initially takes on an exploratory tone. Similar to a walking simulator yet more interactive, our MC will interact with the environment, NPCs from Greek mythology, and go on side quests (similar to the Greek Mythology island on Poptropica) to learn more about the maze, who they are, and why they’re here. After gathering clues, however, the urgency to escape soon catches up to the MC as the scenery and tone get darker and more sinister, with the maze and its inhabitants soon turning against the MC. This direction leans towards an embedded narrative and focuses the most on exploration and story discovery. Additionally, it focuses more on the artistic appeal of the game as the scenery reflects tone.
2) Challenge – A sprinkle of alchemy
Our MC once again wakes up in a labyrinth with no recollection of why they are trapped there, but the scenery of the maze is dark rather than beautiful and green. It feels like a punishment to be in the maze, and the MC realizes after speaking to a minotaur, their guide for the game, that they wronged the Gods in some way. Now, it’s up to the MC to find out why they are in the labyrinth and interact with the environment to find ways to escape, but its inhabitants are hostile. Our MC learns that they had the ability to use alchemy in the past and was given a satchel with items to make potions from the minotaur. Thus, the MC can collect droppings from mobs, bosses, and the environment (ie. a Phoenix feather, one of Medusa’s snakes) to make potions and use them during fights. Due to this direction being more intense and focusing on the aesthetic of challenge, whether it be through fights or story discovery, it would once again lean towards an embedded narrative.
3) Fantasy – You are now Daedalus, a mythical craftsman
Appealing to the elements of fantasy and evocative narratives, this direction builds upon the MC being a part of actual Greek mythology – you play as Daedalus, the master craftsman (whose son flew too close to the sun with the wings he made) and creator of the labyrinth. In this story, the Greek Gods punished Daedalus by banishing him to his own maze rather than in a high tower, and he has no memory of who he was except that he can make potions like above. However, this direction will draw a lot more from existing Greek mythology, with less action and more environmental storytelling and NPC interactions. As a result, the story will be the main focus of the game, with player choices contributing to different end games and a final plot twist that shows there is no physical escape to the maze. This means the only way out is up, in which he has to rebuild his wings and fly out.
