Emotions to Evoke
- Unease & Paranoia→ From the moment the ship is isolated, and especially as the parasite’s influence deepens.
(e.g. Emma staring coldly, whispered arguments, hidden truths.)
- Intimacy & Dependency (Twisted Love)→ Vic and Sarah’s interactions, Alex and Liam’s interaction, Evin and Emma’s interaction, etc.
(e.g. Sarah chaining Vic softly in the night.)
- Desperation & Guilt→ Liam sacrificing himself, Alex’s regret, Noah’s innocent death.
(e.g. “Tie me up and kill me later.”)
- Tragedy & Resignation→ Final endings, where the player must choose between monstrous love, death, or isolation.
(e.g. Devouring Sarah or pushing her away forever.)
- Hope (Fleeting / False)→ Repeated attempts to hold onto “things will be okay” until they finally collapse.
(e.g. cupcakes scene, Sarah smiling with tears.)
Moodboard
Playlist
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5LFqsN8NixgZtJaiuxnO5V?si=e6169e5b6f424d2d
Game directions
Direction 1 – 2D RPG (Pixel Art Narrative RPG)
- Undertale, To the Moon, Angles of Death, Ao Oni, etc.
Core Style:
- Side-scrolling pixel art exploration.
- Strong focus on dialogue and environmental storytelling.
- Character emotions shown through facial expressions and pose silhouettes.
- Key moments can be enhanced via special CG illustrations.
Pros:
- Relatively low production cost.
- Pixel aesthetic offers charm and nostalgia.
- Good balance between narrative and interaction.
Cons:
- Can lack cinematic gravitas without exceptional direction.
Direction 2 – Pixel Art Adventure
- e.x. Lion’s Song, Makoto Wakaido, etc.
Core Style:
- Static or lightly animated portraits (blinking, breathing, subtle expressions).
- Side view backgrounds with parallax and light particle FX.
- Dialogue-driven progression, emphasizing human reactions and emotions.
Pros:
- Highly emotional and intimate.
- Focuses on facial expressions and micro-emotions (ideal for tense or tragic story beats).
- Visually affordable yet artistically resonant.
Cons:
- Less “gameplay” and player agency.
- Pacing needs careful management to avoid becoming static or monotonous.
Direction 3 – Visual or Pure Text-Based Novel (Psychological Simulation)
- E.x. A Dark Room, Lifeline, etc.
Core Style:
- Text-driven gameplay.
- Focus on heavy branching narrative and meaningful player choices.
- Purely choice and dialogue based.
Pros:
- Fastest and cheapest to develop.
- Allows for complex narrative paths and emotional nuance.
- Easily scalable with additional routes and endings.
Cons:
- Very little visual “action” or spectacle.
- Requires extremely strong writing to maintain tension and immersion.
