The Idea

We began by brainstorming story ideas rather than focusing on gameplay, which felt like a natural starting point. For us, the priority was to tell a compelling story in an unconventional way, rather than relying on unique gameplay mechanics to shape the narrative. Ultimately, we developed the story of a child who loses their sibling in a tragic accident while the parents were away.

From the outset, we intended for sound to play a crucial role in the storytelling. This idea evolved into making sound the core mechanic of the gameplay. Players solve sound-based puzzles, uncovering pieces of the backstory as they piece together what happened.

The Production

As the lead programmer and sound designer, I oversaw all aspects of the game’s technical implementation while collaborating closely with the team to craft an engaging and immersive game environment. Designing and balancing the intricate sound-based puzzles with a seamless gameplay experience demanded both creative problem-solving and meticulous attention to detail.

Given the pivotal role of sound in gameplay, we approached its design with care and precision. To heighten players‘ sensitivity to audio cues, we adopted a minimalist sound design, ensuring that each sound was purposeful and integral to the narrative. Despite the pressure of tight deadlines, our team worked cohesively, with every member bringing their unique expertise to realize the shared vision.

The Result

The result of our efforts was a fully completed game set in a stunning and immersive environment. Even if it wasn’t perfect, we were proud of how we successfully blended audio-driven mechanics with a richly atmospheric world.

During playtesting, we noticed an interesting trend: some players were more adept at picking up on the audio cues than others. While we couldn’t know for sure, our guess was that familiarity with puzzle games or similar mechanics might have played a role in this difference.

This insight not only gave us a new perspective on player interactions but also helped us better understand the challenges and opportunities of working with unconventional sound design approaches.