• Founding member of a 20-person indie studio (Placebo Entertainment LLC) and shipped a 3D puzzle-adventure game in a 4-month production cycle

• Developed alongside a full-time internship, balancing production timelines with real-world constraints

• Designed a time-loop puzzle experience focused on exploration, character-driven storytelling, and trial-and-error gameplay

As UX Lead, I owned the direction of the game’s UI while also contributing to narrative and visual development across the project.

• Led UI/UX design, from early concepts to in-engine implementation in Unity

• Wrote and developed narrative content, including lore, characters, and dialogue

• Storyboarded and edited in-game cutscenes, collaborating with artists to bring them to life

• Contributed 2D UI and game assets, supporting visual cohesion across the experience

• Collaborated cross-functionally with designers, engineers, and artists in a fast-paced indie environment

• Deliver a complete, engaging game in 4 months while balancing full-time internships

• Align gameplay, narrative, and UI into a cohesive experience under tight time constraints

• Create meaningful player engagement through puzzle design and character-driven storytelling

The goal was to create a short but memorable single-player experience that combined curiosity, challenge, and charm.

• Design intuitive UI systems that support trial-and-error gameplay

• Build an engaging narrative layer with memorable characters and story moments

• Balance scope and quality to deliver a polished, complete experience within a constrained timeline

• Casual to mid-core players (10+) looking for a short, story-driven puzzle experience

• Players who enjoy exploration, character interaction, and experimental gameplay loops

• Designed for quick engagement with lasting impression, rather than long-form play

This project pushed me to expand beyond traditional UX and think holistically about the player experience.

• Explored UI, narrative, and gameplay in parallel, ensuring all systems supported one another

• Collaborated closely with a co-UX designer to iterate on layouts, visuals, and interaction patterns

• Integrated feedback continuously, refining both UI usability and narrative delivery

• Bridged disciplines, aligning UX decisions with story, art direction, and gameplay systems

This approach allowed the UI to feel deeply connected to the world and characters, rather than existing as a separate layer.

Early design focused on building the foundation of both the interface and the narrative.

• Created low-fidelity UI mockups and grey-box layouts to explore structure and flow

• Developed the game’s story, lore bible, and character concepts to guide tone and experience

• Aligned UI direction with narrative goals, ensuring the interface supported immersion from the start

• Used early concepts as a shared reference point for designers, writers, and artists

This phase established a clear connection between story and UX, which guided decisions throughout development.

As development progressed, I worked across disciplines to bring the experience to life and refine it through collaboration.

• Designed high-fidelity UI with a co-UX designer, including layout systems and a custom font

• Collaborated with artists and engineers to implement UI and gameplay elements in Unity

• Created 2D assets to integrate tutorials and mechanics directly into the game world

• Wrote dialogue and storyboarded cutscenes, then worked with artists to visually realize them

• Edited and finalized cutscenes for in-engine implementation, ensuring narrative clarity and pacing

This phase required balancing multiple roles simultaneously, allowing me to contribute across UX, narrative, and visual design while maintaining a cohesive experience.

With our work developing thought the summer, I had the honor to work with fabulous artist and engineers who were able to take my concepts and mockups, and bring them to life in Unity.

The final UI and narrative systems came together as a cohesive, polished experience.

• Delivered a stylized, character-driven interface that matched the tone of the game

• Successfully integrated UI, narrative, and gameplay systems into a unified player experience

• Collaborated across disciplines to translate concepts into fully realized in-game assets

• Balanced visual personality with usability, ensuring clarity without losing charm

The final product reflected the strength of collaboration across disciplines, elevating the overall quality of the game.

The project successfully shipped and resonated strongly with players.

• Reached gold master within 4 months, launching on Steam shortly after

• Achieved “Positive” user ratings, with strong feedback on characters, story, and overall experience

• Players highlighted the game’s charm, narrative moments, and visual style

• Generated community interest in future expansions, demonstrating lasting engagement

"Cool game! I thought it was a great experience and I enjoyed it thoroughly. The character art was sooooo cute, and I thought that some of the dialogue was nice too. No spoilers, but that ending sequence was AWESOME! Nice work!" - PeachieDotZip