Solo project
Unity
Demimonde
A narrative-driven, top-down RPG with visual novel elements.
The design
Demimonde is my newest game project, a narrative-driven, top-down RPG that I’m hoping to combine with visual novel elements and a unique take on the traditional combat mechanics of older Pokémon games. The story follows a mysterious cloaked figure with an insatiable desire to seek out and apprehend malevolent spirits. After trekking for miles, they stumble upon a secluded cliffside town plagued by death, superstition and sinister omens. Its deeply God-fearing inhabitants believe demonic entities are hunting and devouring townspeople as punishment for their sins, leading them to strip their lives of every ounce of pleasure in pursuit of purity. However, as humans so often do, they ‘sin’ again and again in secret, attracting the attention of ‘spirits’ with their own sinister intentions. With the help of Dodie, a somewhat outsider to the town, and her trusty steed, Ludan, players must uncover the truth behind these hauntings and discover whether the town can be saved.
Future development
Demimonde originally began as part of a university module called Create Worlds, where I designed a cast of characters and the world they inhabited for a video game concept. Taking inspiration from the Dark Souls and Skyrim series, I wanted to combine grim, decaying environments with gothic horror themes and my own particular love for evil female villains.
I’ve got plenty of ideas for where I’d like to take the narrative, and I’m hoping to translate as many of them as possible into gameplay as I continue developing my (currently rather limited!) Unity programming skills. I’m particularly interested in creating a world that rewards curiosity, where interacting with NPCs, uncovering clues and exploring smaller side stories gradually helps players piece together the bigger picture. While the main objective is to seek out and apprehend the spirits responsible for the town’s misfortune, players may begin to question why these particular townspeople are being targeted in the first place… and whether there’s something far more sinister lurking beneath the surface.
