Look Back is a solo-developed 2D side-scrolling platformer that takes place inside the mind of Kent, a man facing depression, loneliness, and emotional trauma. During a therapy session, the player explores Kent’s memories and inner demons through metaphorical levels and boss encounters. Each level is themed around an emotion he struggles with, such as sadness, anger, or emptiness.

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Although I’m developing Look Back solo, handling:

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• Game Design and Level Design

• Narrative and Dialogue Writing

• Programming (Unity C#)

• Pixel Art and Visual Design

• Sound Design and Music Composition

• UI/UX Design

• Marketing and Documentation

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My primary focus has been on Game Design. Every system, mechanic, and level was carefully designed to reflect Kent’s emotional journey, using gameplay as the main vehicle for storytelling.

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I designed the game around a central question:

"How can mechanics communicate internal struggles?"

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​The game is built around the concept of emotional exploration. Each level represents a specific emotional state that Kent is processing during therapy. Instead of traditional storytelling, the game communicates through level design, pacing, and symbolic visuals.

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Each emotion Kent faces is translated into a distinct gameplay experience. For example:

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• Sadness: Slows down movement and adds heavy physics, creating a literal drag on the player.

• Anger: Introduces erratic enemies and forces fast, reactive play, increasing tension.

• The Void: Uses fading visuals and level disintegration to simulate numbness and detachment.

 

These mechanics are not just aesthetic, they’re core to level design and pacing. As a designer, I prioritized consistency between what the player feels and what the character experiences.

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Each boss fight ends with Kent unlocking a new ability, such as dash, double jump, or glide, which represents emotional growth. These upgrades were chosen to:

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• Expand mechanical possibilities gradually

• Reward the player both narratively and systemically

• Enable better flow and player expression in later levels

 

The ability progression is tied to narrative beats, giving players a sense of empowerment as Kent regains control over his inner world.

 

 

 

 

 

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I start by mapping ideas in FigJam, sketching level flows, and writing dialogue. I make some documents too, the GDD, bosses mechanics and the script. Music and sound effects are composed using digital tools, designed to match each level’s emotional tone. 

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My biggest challenge was balancing the emotion I wanted the player to feel with the gameplay, to avoid making it monotonous. So I created various challenges for the player while exploring the same feeling.

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Since I’m handling all areas of development, I often cycle between design, code, art, and music, constantly refining things based on playtests and feedback. For example, in early sessions, players found the character's movement too difficult, so I redesigned it to be more responsive and dynamic with inputs, allowing gradual jumps based on button press duration and canceling animations to trigger new ones instead.

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If I had more time and resources, I’d love to expand the narrative with player-driven choices, add more complex enemy patterns, and implement dynamic audio layers that evolve based on the player’s emotional progress.​​​​​​​​