This is my concept. I got thrilled by the idea, and now I’m starting to execute it.

1.    Game Name: “Ira, Chaos first-born”.

.1.      Game Mechanics

The player is some human entity who kills everything in his way to escape a frozen forest. Everything is a weapon. The core mechanic is the combat that should be fluid. If the player is not engaged in combat, he is dying.

.2.      Genre

2d roguelike action platformer with an inverted life system.

.3.      Player Fantasy

The player is the rage itself: Ira. Anyhow got imprisoned in an ancient forest of solitude and peace. (The story begins in a forgotten in a well of liquid silence.) Nevertheless, something or someone has woken the player and is helping the player to escape.

.4.      Platform and Controls

As a 2D action platformer, the player moves an avatar horizontally and jumps vertically.

Other main movements are the combat actions; the avatar has two primary attacks: chains, repetition light and faster, and more robust but slower.

This life is the main gauge; if the player is in combat, each attack generates damage to enemies and generates life to the player as long as it is in contact. If the player is not in combat, his life goes away, and he dies. The player goes weaker as his life fades, so his character speed and attack power also are impacted. It stimulates the player to be always moving and seeking combat.

The player uses the directional and three mains buttons to move.

.5.      Spatial Abstraction

2D view in a horizontal scenario, the transition between the levels must have to be fast.

.6.      Avatar

The avatar is a red humanoid with a small flame on the top of his head.

.7.      Camera Perspective

2D with a variable distance between the player and the scenario. It should get away as the player goes strong and closer as it becomes weak.

.8.      Goals and Scores

The game’s primary goal is to find who locked the avatar on this forest and escape from it. At the end of each scenario, the player faces a “boss” to pass through a seal.

.9.      Progression and Variety

The player can find two merchants: the fool and the dreamer. The fool trades rage to items, and the dreamer trades rage to permanent improvements.

The items traded are lost if the player dies, but they improve the player damage or give the player some protection level.

The permanent improvements affect the game’s difficulty level(e.g., it can decrease life modificators speed or movement speed).

.10.  Tension and Rest

Each level is a search quest for combat and enemies. If the player does not find then his avatar’s life decrease continuously, and he dies. All the mechanics should influence the player to stay constantly tense.

In between scenes/levels, the player will find some character/NPC to interact in short dialogues. It will provide a little bit of rest.

.11.  Obstacles and Penalties

If the player is not in combat, he is dying.

The weather and some parts of the scenario will also inflict penalties on the player.

• If it snows slowly, the avatar becomes more letargic, and it takes more time to start the movements.
• If the avatar is in a storm, the avatar moves faster.
• If the environment is burning, then it moves even faster and also does more damage.

.12.  Resources

Stones, sticks, weapons, any item in the scene is a potential weapon to the player.

The life of the player is also his currency to trade for new perks or items.

.13.  Decisions

Not much, in the end, you can decide if you go away or if you go back to you well.

.14.  Simulation and Chance

The enemies dodge from the player attacks. The easiest enemies have slow response time and speed. Harder enemies are faster.

.15.  Storytelling

This is the journey of Ira seeking freedom from this forest. Each seal is protected by a boss who resembles Ira itself. And each spirit tells a little bit of the own story of Ira and how it affected his previous life. The story is told by fragments.

.16.  Art Direction and Style

It should follow a minimalist style with few usages of line art. When a line is necessary, it should use middle tones and with less contrast.

Three primary colors compose the pallet:

• predominant white to the scenario;
• black to scenario elements like trees, houses, caves;
• red to the main character.

The enemies are part of the scenes and are middle tones of the predominant color.

The pause spots (NPCs) should have different additional colors: yellow and blue

If possible, apply an illumination to project like the sun over trees.

Furthermore, have usage of particle effects and, if possible, some watercolor texture.

.17.  Animation and Visual Effects

Particles and screen shake to combat. Without combat, they were dropping particles constantly. If possible, animation to represent the wind which should also be constant.

.18.  Sound Design

The music genre is mainly something like blues rock or rock with a heavy beat if possible with some country tones. (fire, Barns Courtney)

Footsteps over snow, if the character is alone, no sound wind.