I set out to prototype a small, side-scrolling game experience focused on charm, clarity, and playful character interaction. The goal was not to build a fully scoped game, but to explore how strong character design, readable animation, and simple mechanics could come together to create a delightful moment-to-moment experience.

The concept centered on a lighthearted, approachable tone—simple, expressive characters placed in a readable side-scrolling space where movement, combat, and personality were immediately legible to the player. I envisioned a compact prototype that emphasized feel over complexity, using a small cast of characters to test timing, scale, and visual storytelling.

To support this vision, I created the primary playable character (“Mr. Cat Bag”) and a complementary enemy character—a modular rock golem—sculpted in ZBrush with an emphasis on bold silhouettes, exaggerated forms, and material clarity. Both characters were fully modeled, textured, and rigged, allowing me to explore animation-driven personality and gameplay readability. The rock golem was intentionally designed with separated, floating components to reinforce its character identity while also supporting clear animation and gameplay feedback.

For the prototype, I integrated the characters into Unity using a prebuilt side-scroller framework, replacing the default assets with my own characters, rigs, and animations. This allowed me to focus on validating scale, movement, and interaction in-engine while keeping the scope intentionally contained. My plan for the next phase was to re-skin the environment to match the characters’ visual style, further unifying the look and feel into a cohesive vertical slice.

While the prototype remained lightweight, the project served as a focused design and production exercise—bridging character creation, rigging, animation, and in-engine implementation. It reinforced my interest in the character side of game development while also highlighting how visual design choices directly influence gameplay feel, readability, and player engagement.

I intend to return to this in the near future and finish it.