HELLALUJAH
ROLE
Gameplay & AI Programmer, Level Designer
DESCRIPTION
HELLaluJAH is a 2.5D platformer where you make noise to go undetected.
Hell hasn't affected you at all. You aren't suffering as much as other sinners so you decide to sneak out as imps patrol the nightmarish landscapes—utilize your microphone to deceive them by acting like you are suffering by speaking into your mic. Avoid being discovered, solve devilish puzzles by using the power of your screams, and escape Hell.
YEAR
2024
GENRE
Platformer
PLATFORM
PC
DURATION
48 hours
TEAM SIZE
6 developers
HELLaluJAH is a game I worked on during the Global Game Jam 2024 in the Netherlands. Our team consisted of 6 people: 3 programmers, 2 designers, and 1 artist. The theme was "Make me laugh," and after brainstorming for several hours, I came up with the main idea for our game: "Let's make the player scream to get through the level." The entire game revolves around speaking/screaming mechanics. During playtesting, seeing the game bring smiles to many people's faces made me incredibly happy.
My Contributions:
AI Development:
I focused on developing the AI for the game. There are two AI characters that will kill the player if they don’t scream. The game is set in hell, and the AIs represent devils tormenting the player. The player needs to scream to convince the devils they are being tormented, while secretly trying to escape hell.
Level Design:
Due to the nature of the game jam, I took on multiple roles, including level design. I designed and created half of our level, ensuring it was engaging and aligned with the game’s core mechanics.
Working on HELLaluJAH was a rewarding experience, allowing me to contribute to both programming and level design. It was gratifying to see our game bring joy and laughter to players, fulfilling the theme of the game jam.
Gameplay Mechanics:
The game features moving platforms and spikes that are activated by the player's voice. At the beginning of the game, players record voice lines for "Boink," "Death Noise," and "Celebration Noise." These recordings are integrated into the game: the "Boink" sound plays when the player jumps, the "Death Noise" plays when the player dies, and the "Celebration Noise" is heard when the player completes a level.