War Drawings
A 2.5D narrative game in which a girl's drawings overlay the violence of a war-torn city, slowly fading as her innocence and sense of safety deteriorate.
Category — Games
Year — In development
Status — Early playable prototype
Role — Solo Developer · Game Design · Programming · Art Direction · 3D Art
Client — Independent project
Technology — Unity, C#, URP, Blender, Custom shaders
Platform — PC
Location — Fictional war-torn city
Overview
War Drawings follows a young girl through a city devastated by conflict as she searches for supplies for her mother. Her drawings reinterpret the violence around her: frightening objects become innocent images superimposed on the world. As her mental state deteriorates, the illustrations diminish, revealing the reality she has struggled to comprehend.
Challenge
The central challenge is communicating a child's psychological perception through the environment rather than explanatory dialogue. The real and imagined scenes must coexist, while the fading artwork must carry emotional and narrative meaning rather than functioning as decoration.
Development
Developed as a 2.5D side-scrolling experience mixing 3D environments with expressive illustrated overlays. A custom shader-based reveal system places drawings in world space around the protagonist, accounting for movement and depth. The project prioritises environmental storytelling, interaction and carefully paced transitions.
Outcome
An ongoing independent project with several environments and an early playable prototype demonstrating the relationship between illustration and reality. Current work focuses on narrative pacing, visual transitions and environmental interactions.