Programming

  Oblation

The Video Game where you need to die to proceed

  Overview

Theme / Setting / Genre
  Puzzle, Exploration

Core Gameplay Mechanics
  Kill Self (Player Character)
  Restart/Reset Level
  Move
  Interact with Game Objects
  Interact with terrain

Target Audience
More mature audiences
Such as late teens and adults because younger players might not be able to understand references or the sardonic/satirical sense of humor.

Team Size
  Core team: 2 members
    William L’Eriger
   Joe Kirelos

Gameplay
  Player needs to figure out the puzzle by solving the riddle and dying while fulfilling the requirements provided at the start of each level. They progress through the purgatorial dungeon while trying to meet these various conditions. Each level has it’s own conditions (in the opening riddle) and level layout.

Influences

 Influence #1
  The Binding of Isaac
    An indie game with religious and grotesque themes. The style inspired the die-to-win idea because it is also a weird and disturbing twist on common types of games. The idea of the player character transforming as it interacts with the game was also inspired by this.

 Influence #2
  Darkest Dungeon
  For the gritty atmosphere and narrative technique.
After completing missions, the narrator (ancestor) gives a line or two of dialogues, such as: “In time, you will know the tragic extent of my failings…” which offers the player a lot of room to interpret the narrative.

Here's a gameplay example