Shadow of a Man
09/2025
Game Desgin
Game Art
UI/UX
Software Used: Unity, After Effects, Premier, Audition, Illustrator.
01. Introduction
Shadow of a Man is a puzzle-adventure game about an amorphous creature brought to life by a sloppy lab tech. On the night of his crumbling relationship, you “shadow” him around the city to piece together a story of flaws.
Position: Producer, Designer, Artist, Animator. Programmer: Suyi Diao.
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02. Full Gameplay
02. Screenshots
Opening in Tutorial Level I.
Animation Sequence
Failed Level II.
Morphing UI in Round 02 of Level IV.
Text alerts in Level III.
Morphed near the end of Level IV.
04. Ideation
Ideation: Fascinated by human creativity, I started this project by diving into why we create. In a way, our creations are in attempts to overcome weakness; to perfect and to fantasize, revealing our flaws. However, we forget that it is the imperfections that makes us who we are.
I build a narrative centering man-made artifacts, each derived form a flaw. Players navigate the world by learning the affordances of these artifacts. Each morph brings abilities and limitations. For instance, a piece of an addictive gum would slow movementd, but bring adhesive abilities.
05. Game Design
Core loop: Collect-Morph-Advance.
Shadow’s functionality is shaped by limitations and imperfections of scavenged items, creating a gameplay of adaptive problem-solving. The metamorphic player navigates the game world by trial & error.
Gameplay Flowchart
06. Visual Design
a.Shadow
b. A Man
c. "Bae"
Shadow is a product of human error. Its head is solid, while its body is a morphing, murky substance. Its jet black with glowing eyes, like a shadow in the dark. Its very existence is a representation of our flaws.
An entry-level lab technician at a Manhattan pharmaceutical. Tonight, nerves jangling, he shows up for his date. He never shows his face, as I attempt to narrate with man-made objects in the center of attention, not men themselves.
Bae is the Man’s date and narrator. She appears via text messages on the phone which the player peeks at to understand the setting. Tonight, she has had enough and attempts to end their relationship.
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