ZEUS STOLE MY WIFE, & NOW I AM ANGRY
a 2D side scrolling shooter, full of dumb jokes
Here you'll find some insight into the areas I contributed towards for this game, from key mechanics to narrative design
DETAILS
"Zeus Stole My Wife" came about through a week long university game jam. As a group we decided we wanted to make a simplistic game that's packed to the brim with juice and polish.
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I was able to contribute in the area of narrative design on this project more than I usually do, which is something I enjoyed massively. It's also a key reason as to why the game leans so heavily on poor attempts at comedy. I implemented a cutscene system that takes the form of a quiz to introduce each boss, accompanied by a text to speech quizmaster who grows more and more fed up as the game goes on. Players can feel free to choose the wrong answer, but the quizmaster won't be too happy.
The main mechanics are simple; strafe from side to side, dodge obstacles, and shoot the gods with a simple point and click function. With such simplistic functionality, I suggested the inclusion of a powerup in which the player collects a "rocket salvo", which fires five rockets automatically. This adds some variety to the gameplay, as well as adding an extra element of challenge and reward for the player.
One of the key design elements that I implemented was something that was in keeping with the mythology of Greek Gods, whilst adding to the game's smooth functionality. Upon losing three lives against a boss, players won't just get a game over; instead they will be transported to the Underworld, and hop aboard the ferryman's boat in order to take on Hades' army for a second chance at life. Instead of a straight up boss fight, it was made to be a horde mode survival battle.
I also provided the soundtrack to the Hades level, creating a heavier theme that hits the player pretty hard. The underworld just needed some heavy music.
Level Flow
The Hades level in particular needed considerable thought. The game needed to flow smoothly, meaning cutscenes should only play once during the game's run time. Visualising how the player gets in and out of the underworld through this flow chart helped to nail down how the game should run.
PLAY THE GAME
The game is available to play in your browser!