Guiding Light - Joe Straker (17), Swanley
A puzzle game focusing on memory and coordination through darkness.
A top-down puzzle game about guiding characters through darkness and into the light. The game has you control a spirit, which provides light in a dark environment, with this spirit, you are able to lead your body and other bodies, but you either move all afflicted bodies together or none at all. This makes you must scout the level and decide on a plan through your memory of the level and character locations as when you first take control of a character is essential, as you risk losing them if you go down a wrong path.
The game is a simple top-down game, with low-poly textures, the main character is represented by a person wearing a green shirt. The characters you have to direct to light and therefore save, are silhouetted figures, that can only be seen when the ‘soul’ is near them. Character interactable objects are highlighted blue and main character interactable objects are green.
The game takes place mostly within caves that have ritualistic markings and hieroglyphs, representing a foregone age of a prospering civilisation before they were plunged into isolation. There are also over ground sections, which allow you to save and upgrade items and acts as a respite, these over ground sections are bright and green, filled with life and grass, contrasting the anxiety and darkness of the underground levels.
The target audience is people looking for a puzzle game that challenges both their memory and tactical ability. However, the game is also accessible to people that are novices to puzzle games, but the main audience are those who enjoy games of strategy and skill.
