Game: tHrust

Link to the Itch.io page : https://uriel-agbe.itch.io/thrust
Solo Project made in 5 months.

A 20-minute narrative experience which story unfolds each time the player dies with phases of rythmn game gameplay and themes of isolation, suicide, divinity and feeling special.

Talos is divine being with a world made from his psyche, although he could only perceive tiny figments of it in the Void where he was.
He decided to incarnate himself there, to live among his people and explore this world.
Yet, he spawn in an isolated island, being only able to see others from afar.
The player character cannot speak and its only interactions with the isolated Talos are though fighting.
Talos lived in self-loathing for eons until the player came.

The game is around that idea that no one is truly special, completely different and superior to others. We need to accept it and move on, continue living.

As it was a solo project and I wanted to make a finished game, the big narrative and gameplay elements had to be thought to have multiple applications possible.

For instance, for the theme of the Feeling of being Unique and Special, I thought of the White Episode: the whole world becomes white and all beings are moving as intended by fate, without free will. In reality, it's a simple effect but the way Talos reacts to it make us understand the dread it represents. And then, players can understand their character is always white because he's always a puppet.
And after the Epilogue, when Talos finally accepts and make peace with the fact that he is not entirely special yet chosses life, the world becomes white and colorful: it's an again simple effect but one that has huge narrative value.
And so, I had to not use the white anywhere else in the game.

I really wanted a focus on characterization.

I made a new language specifically for Talos (it's not random words).
I made it so that players could understand his feelings by ear though acting but also with the sounds used (Bouba/kiki effect). One of the basis of this language being that others (not self) are what's most important. For instance, "moë" means "others" and "möen" means "the world".

The island reflects the obsession Talos has for the Outside which he can only see through the Window, the huge beam of light that we see.
The island's whole color scheme is just taking colors from the Window, and It is also the only light source. Trees are bent away from it.

Also, players have few possible interactions: they can move only in a straight line and when they're in the boss' area, they enter combat mode in which they can attack in 6 different directions. Though they cannot attack while the boss is talking. Players can hear Talos (boss) talk to himself while they go towards him.

The story unfolds each time the player dies and go back to spawn.
So I made the battle with the boss really hard. So that players cannot beat the boss before the epilogue although its technically possible. After the Epilogue, players enter an Infinite Mode where they move much quicker to the boss and so try to beat as many times as they want.
The gameplay is one of a rythmn game as players need to understand the boss, his melody.
It's a game between Talos and the player character.

The most important interaction in the game happens in its epilogue where (spoilers) Talos asks the player to kill him as he offers himself. The player can do it, making the game end. Though, if he waits long enough, Talos will change his mind and prevent it.