design Intentions
Metroidvania Level - BIOMORPH
BIOMORPH
Type of game : BIOMORPH is a 2D metroidvania game where the player takes on the form of the monsters they defeat using their biomorph ability.
Plot : Fight terrifying monsters and steal their shape and powers! Solve ingenious puzzles and navigate a stunning 2D world. Meet quirky characters, rebuild a city, and uncover the secrets of a sprawling, fallen civilization… and of your own mysterious origins.
I was also involved in the Game Design.
Constraints
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Difficulty: Ensure that the difficulty curve is consistent and representative of the early-game levels.
Level Order: Advanced levels can be completed in a non-linear order.
Backtracking: Design for a lots of backtrack between levels, with numerous hidden secrets to discover.
Camera: Respect the predefined camera size to prevent important elements from going off-screen.
Levels I designed
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The Core
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First level and tutorial stage.
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Introduces the game’s narrative context and core mechanics.
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A short level featuring multiple tutorial sections.
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Blightmoor
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Second level.
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A town gradually rebuilt throughout the game, featuring progressive transformation and the arrival of new NPCs.
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No enemies or dangers present.
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Mezzo Skyway
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Third level, heavily interconnected with other zones.
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Only the first section is accessible at the start. The player must return later to explore the second half.
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Dunes of Time, Athenaeum, Badlands
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Subsequent levels featuring bosses, new mechanics, and numerous secrets.
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Each zone has its own distinct universe, but all areas are interconnected.
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design INtention
Highlight the biomorph ability
Featuring diverse monsters, ingredients, gameplay mechanics, puzzles, quests, and more.
Feeling of freedom
From a specific moment, the player is free to choose the order of the levels they want to explore.
Secrets and exploration
Numerous secrets and features unlocked only later in the game.
Creative and iterative process
Each zone introduced new monsters or mechanics, discovered in a variable order based on the player’s chosen path. As a result, levels had to teach these mechanics through multiple possible entry points.
Version 1 : Global Plan
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Delimitation of zones by rooms.
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Integration of key level elements: monsters, tutorials, ingredients, narrative components.
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Inclusion of preliminary design intentions.
Version 2 : Iteration with Sketchup
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Creation of the different rooms in Sketchup.
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Integration of ingredients and gameplay sequences.
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Precise definition of platforming, puzzle, and combat zones.
Version 3 : Iteration with Unity
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Level creation in Unity using a tile palette.
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Revision of gameplay sequences, removal of unnecessary areas, and addition of missing elements.
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Placement of enemies, ingredients, and secrets.
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Playtesting and level balancing.
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Addition of NPCs and quests.
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Final review of the level once the visual pass is completed.
