DESCRIPTION
Gravebound was created for my 4th-year Game Design course, the brief was to create a game based on aesthetic design over mechanical design. As such I focused on documenting and visualizing the system rather than developing it as an application.
SKILLS & Software
Illustration | Game Design | Character Design | Concept Art | Clip Studio
When a soul can't move on, there's always a reason. But what if there isn't? Gravebound explores this concept with a touch of dark humor, blending Rogue and Souls-lite mechanics, focusing more on interactions and dialogue than combat. While combat is still present, not every soul seeks a glorious battle as their passage to the afterlife. Your mission is to help these lost souls find their purpose, the project is purely conceptual at the moment and is made up of some character art and a GDD.
Gravebound is a narrative-driven 2.5D souls-like game, drawing inspiration from rogue-lites, and offering a soft reset upon death. It features a Wide-Linear series of interconnected levels, reminiscent of Dark Souls, and embraces a visual style inspired by artists like Klei Interactive, Mike Mignola, Alex Vede, and Gareth Davies. The game incorporates base and hub area construction, prioritizing interaction over combat. It caters to fans of Souls-likes and Rogue-Lites looking for a fresh experience.
You can explore the visual inspirations mentioned in this document on our Pinterest mood board: https://pin.it/5Z9H84o.
To see the design approach and to learn more the Game Design Document (GDD) can be accessed via this link
CHARACTER DESIGN
VALDE
THE TWICE DEFEATED
When Valde walked among the living he was a revered general, but one has to live to lead troops. His first defeat? At the hands of a Mur Berserker. But the true agony of his existence is his second defeat – the failure to embrace death. He yearns for its release, but in a realm where life and death blur, he's trapped in an unending battle against mortality.
ØNIC
THE SHUNNED
Ønic, hidden within the ancient iron caves to the north, resides in a cavern, a gentle giant waiting for his bones to crumble to dust and set his soul free. His arrival in Sermourn led to an ill-fated encounter with the church, to whom he tried to offer his help. Instead, they tied him down and tried to burn him, but giant's bones don't burn that easily and he escaped off into the hills.
Though evidence is scarce, whispers speak of Ønic's lost warrior spirit. Whether he willingly relinquished it or it was forcibly taken remains shrouded in mystery. Yet, should the day come when he reclaims this fire, he could become a formidable force, a potential ally, or a fearsome adversary in equal measure.
Grave warden
SPECTRAL GUARDIAN OF THE GRAVES
One will often hear the thudding of a shovel, the sound of a scythe slicing through hair and grass alike or the sound humming of the spectre as they tirelessly tend to the many graves outside of Sermourn.
They're not one to sit idly by and chat the day away, they're happy to have company but if you are looking for conversation they're willing to talk as long as you assist them in tending to graves and their surroundings.
They are known to be the oldest of all the dead in Sermourn, why they haven't moved on is a mystery to many but no one dares ask for fear of upsetting or offending this mysterious denizen, although once you get to know them they're quite affable and
Tajir of the seven sands
It's not an uncommon sight to see the Tajir wandering around Sermourn, always with new wares to trade and sell, always with a new story to tell.
The Traveller is something of an oddity in Sermourn, they have no problem coming and going whereas the other dead are inexplicably drawn to this place, forced almost to make this their home until they manage to move on... But that is not the case for this merchant of many mysteries for they come and go as they please, but they are not envied by the others for they can see the toll it has taken on the traveller; they may claim it to be untrue but their soul is drawn like the rest of us to Sermourn.
The traveller
THE WATCHER
Thrush might be the most eccentric, only slightly insane, undead in Sermourn, for instead of trying to pass on like the majority of the townfolk, they are instead doing all they can to remain affixed to this mortal (undead) coil.
Thrush is a historian, avid researcher and magician, they earned the title of The Watcher as they are always watching and recording the going ons of the town, waiting for a new face to appear so they can be grilled about the state of the world outside of the walls of Sermourn.
Thrush's bird mask, inlaid with gold, is one of the few reminders they have of their past life. The mask was only given to those sorcerers who had exemplified themselves at a now long-forgotten school of magic.