Rise Against Pollution

Overview

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This project was created during a Global Game Jam, where our team had 48 hours to design and develop a complete playable game based on the theme “Bubble.” I approached the theme as both a mechanical constraint and a metaphor, designing a game where the player inhabits a fragile bubble rising vertically through increasingly hostile environments. The core gameplay focuses on spatial awareness, risk management, and readability, with instant failure reinforcing the vulnerability of the player’s state.

The game uses environmental progression to communicate its themes, moving from ocean pollution to airborne industrial hazards. Satirical boss encounters act as pacing breaks and narrative anchors, translating abstract real-world issues into exaggerated, mechanically distinct challenges. The scope was carefully controlled to ensure the game could be completed, polished, and playable within the limited time frame, prioritizing a clear gameplay loop and strong thematic cohesion over complexity.

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My Role and Contributions

I served as the ideas lead and primary game designer, taking ownership of the project’s concept, mechanics, progression, and thematic direction. I defined the core gameplay loop, player rules, failure states, and boss concepts, ensuring that every mechanic reinforced the central metaphor of fragility and ascent. Alongside design responsibilities, I produced all visual assets, establishing a cohesive art style that supported clarity and tone while remaining achievable under extreme time constraints.

Throughout development, I iterated rapidly on ideas, making scope decisions and design trade-offs to keep the project focused and shippable within 48 hours. This project demonstrates my ability to generate strong concepts quickly, translate themes into mechanics, and deliver a complete, cohesive game experience under pressure.