Shadows of the Sanatorium Game
Immersive mystery-horror game design with narrative development and UX/UI through collaborative design sprint.
Shadows of the Sanitorium is a collaborative mystery-horror game concept developed through a comprehensive design sprint. Set in a long-abandoned medical facility, the game immerses players in an atmospheric world filled with spectral memories, unsettling discoveries, and emotionally-driven narrative puzzles. Our team conducted extensive research into horror game design patterns, user experience analysis, and narrative mechanics. I led the UX/UI design and character development, ensuring smooth navigation, an intuitive interface, and immersive player flow. The project demonstrates our ability to blend research, storytelling, and user-centered design into a cohesive and emotionally compelling game concept.
Design Sprint Overview
Our collaborative design sprint brought together designers and developers to create an immersive horror game experience. The project focused on user research, iterative design, and technical implementation.
Design Sprint Team & Process
Our multidisciplinary team included designers Courtney Beka, Nawaal Ramadan, Marco Tse and developers Jehdi Aizon, Joseph Latina, Josh Coss. We followed a structured design sprint methodology with research, ideation, prototyping, and testing phases.
Product Statement & Vision
Shadows of the Sanitorium is a 2D roguelike PC game designed for gamers seeking endless exploration in a procedurally generated world. Our game offers players endless replayability for those who crave unpredictability and challenge.
Research & User Analysis
We conducted comprehensive research into user preferences, game mechanics, and design patterns to inform our development decisions.
2D Roguelike Moodboard & Research
Extensive research into 2D roguelike games, analyzing visual styles, gameplay mechanics, and user experience patterns to inform our design decisions.
Dead Cells Analysis & Precedent Study
In-depth analysis of Dead Cells as a successful precedent, studying its user interface, gameplay mechanics, and user satisfaction factors to understand what makes a roguelike engaging.
User Research & Audience Analysis
Comprehensive user research identifying our target audience: young adults to middle-aged individuals (18-40) with gaming experience, interests in horror/fantasy genres, and preference for challenging gameplay with complex narratives.
Design Development & Features
Our design process focused on creating engaging gameplay mechanics, intuitive interfaces, and compelling visual elements.
Visual Style Guide & Design System
Comprehensive style tile establishing the game's visual identity, color palette, typography, and design elements to ensure consistency across all game assets.
Character Design Process - Initial Concepts
Early character design explorations focusing on the main protagonist, developing visual concepts that align with the game's horror atmosphere and narrative themes.
Character Refinement & Development
Iterative character design process, refining the main character's appearance, proportions, and visual details to create a compelling and recognizable protagonist.
Final Character Design & Implementation
Completed character design with final details, animations, and integration into the game environment, ensuring the character fits seamlessly with the overall visual style.
Character Animation & Movement
Character animation frames showing movement patterns, idle states, and action sequences to create fluid and responsive gameplay experience.
Game Interface & UI Elements
User interface design showing game menus, HUD elements, and interactive components designed for intuitive navigation and clear information display.
Technical Implementation & Challenges
Our development process involved overcoming technical challenges while maintaining design integrity and user experience quality.
Key Features Implemented
- Game Areas: The Morgue & Surgery rooms with unique environmental challenges
- Enemy Types: Shooter, Thumper, Bomber, & Parasitic Infestation enemies
- NPC System: Doctor & Nurse characters with interactive dialogue
- Map System: Interactive map of playable areas for navigation
- Win Conditions: Clear objectives and requirements to complete the game
- Item System: Weapons & Consumables for player progression
- Screen Flow: Home, Settings, Gameplay, Inventory, Pause, Death, End, Upgrade, Shop, & Dialogue screens
- Character Progression: The Patient as main character with upgradeable abilities
Design Challenges Overcome
- Time Constraints: Efficient project management and task prioritization
- Pixel Art & Aesthetics: Crafting engaging pixel art while retaining classic dungeon crawler charm
- Technical Integration: Merging procedural generation with game development tools
- Knowledge Gaps: Learning advanced design techniques and unfamiliar software
- Communication: Maintaining clear coordination between design and development teams
Sprint Outcomes
- What Worked: Taking multiple breaks, playing genre-related games, reading game mechanics, sharing individual ideas from crazy 8 sketches
- What Didn't: Finding time that works for everyone, ideally should have been in person for more interaction
- MVP Achieved: Minimum viable product with core gameplay mechanics and visual design
- User Research: Comprehensive analysis of target audience and gaming preferences
- Technical Foundation: Established development pipeline and asset creation workflow
Interactive Prototype
Figma prototype showcasing the complete game interface and user flow, demonstrating the interactive elements and navigation structure.
Play the Game
Experience the complete Shadows of the Sanatorium game with all implemented features, enemies, and gameplay mechanics.
Project Details
Client
Team Project
Role
UX/UI Designer, Character Design
Year
2024
Category
UX/UI