Project Goal

Create a combat system that allowed deep customization without overwhelming the player, where each weapon style substantially modified the experience. At the same time, the narrative had to justify and reinforce the game mechanics.

The "Downgrades" concept emerged as a way to subvert hack & slash genre expectations, where normally the player becomes more powerful.

Initial Concept

Inspired by classic action games like Devil May Cry, but with emphasis on fluid combos between styles and a narrative that degraded along with player abilities. The initial prototype used placeholders in Unity to test technical viability of the modular combat system.

System Design

I documented key mechanics in a modular GDD, including:

• Damage and scaling tables for each weapon and ability
• Resource requirements for special abilities
• Interaction system between different combat styles
• Inverse progression curve (Downgrades)
• Integration of mechanics with narrative beats

Narrative Integration

The modular weapons were linked to the story as fragments of an ancestral relic, mechanically justifying their power and customization. As the narrative progresses, the player loses access to these abilities, reflecting the protagonist's degradation both physically and emotionally.

Dialogues and cinematics were designed to activate at specific gameplay moments, creating a cohesive narrative experience.