A narrative project exploring the unraveling of a family bound by cult-like devotion and hidden motives. Created in collaboration with an artist, Family Dinner introduces the story's characters, themes, and tone through worldbuilding and media concepts, with an accompanying game idea built around exploration, secrecy, and discovery.
A TikTok account created to promote and gauge interest in the story behind this game. View lighthearted videos introducing the cast and tone of the project!
Note: The character art was a collaborative effort. I handled full character design and initial sketches, while my collaborator brought them to life with polished versions featured in the posts.
View TikTokAt its heart, this project explores the unraveling of a family bound by cult-like devotion and generations of manipulation. The protagonist's life has been marked by a string of suspicious tragedies, a father, mother, and brother lost to overdoses, suicides, or unexplained accidents.
At the center of it all looms the extended family, each member bound to the events by hidden motives, rivalries, or blind loyalty. Drawn back into their estate, you're thrust into a world where nothing is said plainly and every interaction carries undertones of secrecy and control.
Each family member, whether ambitious, broken, or complicit, becomes a piece of the puzzle behind the deaths and the system that allowed them. The story builds toward a confrontation with both the truth and its price, where the deeper you dig, the more dangerous your own family becomes.
Exploration & Interactables: The experience centers on exploring the family mansion: rooms, basements, backyards, and more. Many objects can be examined, but not everything is a clue. Interacting always carries risk, as the household is active around you.
Gated Discovery: Clues unlock in tiers. Certain discoveries only appear after you've found an initial set, ensuring a baseline understanding before the story advances.
Moving Characters: Family members and staff follow time-of-day schedules with semi-randomized paths. If you're seen snooping in a sensitive spot, they'll stop you and ask questions.
Confrontations: Being caught triggers a short exchange. Outcomes depend on the character's personality, where you were, how incriminating the context is, and your dialogue choices. Negative outcomes raise household awareness.
Suspicion: Suspicion builds as “strikes.” Stack too many, and the next time you're caught snooping, you die. This creates pressure to act carefully instead of brute-forcing every interaction.
Difficulty & Respawns: On death, you respawn. Difficulty settings determine whether you keep discovered clues or must re-establish them, balancing accessibility with real stakes.
Restricted Areas: Private spaces (bedrooms, offices) are restricted: being there, even without snooping, triggers immediate confrontation if you're seen. Some rooms have hiding spots, but they aren't one button escapes, you need to spot them early and reach them quickly to avoid being caught.
Sound Cues: Footsteps, voices, and doors provide directional audio. Reading the soundscape helps you decide when to end a search, relocate, or hide.
Day/Night Cycle: The investigation spans multiple days. Day/night shifts change who is present and where they can be found, opening and closing windows of access.
Progression & Ending: As days pass, you piece together the truth and uncover the bodies of your mother, father, and brother. You're then prompted to escape. After tense, quiet maneuvers, a final chase erupts; you narrowly break free as the house burns with the family trapped inside, a tragic ending, as not everyone deserved it.