In Corporeal

Category: Atmospheric Puzzle Platformer | Role: Designer, Programmer, Writer

Engine: Unity | Team Size: 1 | Duration: 7 Days | Platform: PC

Accolades

  • Ranked 11th Overall (out of 950 entrants)
  • Ranked 3rd in Mechanics (out of 950 entrants)
  • Ranked 11th in Fun (out of 950 entrants)

Play the Game

Overview

In Corporeal is a 2D Atmospheric Story-Based Puzzle Platformer created in Unity for The GameDev.tv Game Jam 2022. Players take control of an unnamed silhouetted character, exploring a mysterious world while using ghostly abilities to navigate increasingly complex puzzles.

With a unique gameplay mechanic that allows players to phase through obstacles by entering an incorporeal state, the game combines strategic challenges, engaging mechanics, and an intriguing narrative, all developed within a tight 7-day timeframe.

Core Gameplay Features:

  • Switch between corporeal and incorporeal forms to phase through walls or hover across obstacles.
  • Return to human form only through strategic use of light sources or collectible crucifixes, creating deliberate pacing and puzzle-solving moments.
  • Navigate static-screen puzzles designed for clarity, focusing on readability and clever use of mechanics.

Design Process

Theme & Conceptualization:
The game jam’s theme, “Death is Only the Beginning,” inspired the core idea: death unlocks ghostly abilities, but with deliberate constraints to maintain challenge. To balance these abilities, I limited the ghost form to horizontal movement, drawing inspiration from Demon’s Crest (SNES). For the visual aesthetic, I leaned on the minimalist, atmospheric style of Limbo, ensuring a striking appearance that was achievable within the game jam’s timeframe.

Level Design Philosophy:

  • Static Screen Levels: Levels were intentionally kept on static screens to improve readability and clarity, allowing players to focus on puzzle-solving without disorientation.
  • Iterative Complexity: Levels were designed to gradually introduce new mechanics, pushing players to think critically about how to combine abilities to overcome challenges.
  • Rapid Prototyping: I completed most levels on the final day of the jam, leveraging Unity’s tile map system to build and refine layouts efficiently.

Narrative Approach:
The game’s narrative unfolds through dialogue with a mysterious voice, creating an ominous tone and fostering player curiosity. This narrative approach added depth to the experience, tying gameplay mechanics into the story’s themes of life, death, and purpose.

My Contributions

As the sole creator, I was responsible for:

  • Game Design: Developed unique mechanics and constraints, ensuring challenging and engaging puzzles.
  • Level Design: Prototyped and implemented all levels, focusing on readability and iterative progression.
  • Narrative Development: Wrote all dialogue, crafting a tone that complemented the game’s minimalist and mysterious aesthetic.
  • Programming: Implemented core systems in Unity (C#), including ghost abilities, interactions with light sources, and collectible mechanics.
  • Art & Sound Integration: Used open-source assets and custom elements to craft the game’s visual and auditory style.

Challenges & Solutions

  • Time Constraints: With only 7 days, I prioritized mechanics and art during early development, completing level design rapidly on the final day using Unity’s tile map system.
  • Balancing Gameplay: To avoid overpowering the ghost form, I carefully limited its abilities and tied the constraints to the game’s narrative, ensuring meaningful player choices.

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