Project
Yet Another Killing Game is a mystery-thriller visual novel where players participate in a deadly game to decide which of the three captives can escape of the house alive.
Team
Timeline
January 2024 – January 2025 (1 year)
Tools
- Clip Studio Paint
Context
Yet Another Killing Game is an indie game developed by a team of ten. In the game, the player takes the role of an amnesiac who wakes up in a mysterious mansion along with two other characters, and the only way to escape is for one of them to die. As a character artist, I was responsible for designing two side characters and several scenes featuring them.
The game is available on Steam with with a 96% positive rating and Itch.io with a rating of 5/5.
Process
01 Dog
The first character I designed is a mysterious black dog wearing a metal shackle as a collar. The dog was based off black poodle breeds and I drew several sketches about the role the dog plays in the story.
My first challenge was depicting a balance between cute and creepiness for the dog. As a creature associated with the supernatural elements of the story, I chose to give it tangled and matted fur that shows its living conditions, and hollow eye sockets.
The shackle around the dog’s neck also went through several iterations, going from a delicate metal band to an ornate shackle with glowing runes inscribed around it. By increasing the thickness of the ridges, the shackle appeared sturdier and more likely to fit around both the player’s wrist and the dog’s neck.
02 The Professor
The Professor is a central figure to the mystery inside the mansion and why the three main characters are trapped there. His design comes from a blend of magic and science, combining the hooded robe that leans towards a cultish theme contrasts with the academic suit he wears underneath.
For both the Professor and the dog, I used my own crosshatching style to set the tone apart from the art style of other characters and emphasize the horror and ‘offness’ about them.
03 Graphics
My favorite part of the development was placing the characters I designed into cutscenes and making them interact in engaging ways with the environment. From the moonlight reflecting a bloody murder scene to an eerie yet child-like depiction of a flashback sequence, I had fun experimenting with different art styles and different emotions invoked in each scene.
04 Successes + Insights
Yet Another Killing Game was a year-long endeavor that I feel is a significant success. I collaborated closely with the YAKG team and gained valuable insights about the game development process. Throughout the year, I effectively estimated my deadlines and consistently met them. I communicated with the lead developer to clarify details and enjoyed the creative process while developing depth to the lore. This project is a major step in my career and I am proud of what we have achieved.