Malus
A surrealist exploration game where a space explorer finds themselves in a surrealist land at the end of time. Inspired by Salvador Dali and Giorgio de Chirico. A 10-week study in level design and player interaction.
Overview
A surrealist exploration game where a space explorer finds themselves in a surrealist land at the end of time. Inspired by Salvador Dali and Giorgio de Chirico. A 10-week study in level design and player interaction.
Players navigate using WASD movement with Space to jump. Pink crystals reveal upcoming areas. Platforms guide players toward a golden apple — the game's endpoint.
Oversized objects create emotional impact through intimidation and surprise. The topographic map-based desert features dynamic sculpting, with focal-point structures guiding player interest. Skylights, ambient fog, and color correction reinforce the surrealist atmosphere.
My Role: Technical Producer
Managed the complete 10-week development cycle as sole creator, using level design and environmental storytelling as the primary tools for player engagement. Translated surrealist artistic references (Dali, de Chirico) into a navigable spatial experience, ensuring the technical implementation of scale, terrain, and camera guidance served the emotional design vision at every stage.
Design Philosophy
Linear with Illusion of Scale
The level design is fundamentally linear, but the open spatial layouts create an expansive, ominously surreal environment. Players feel freedom while being guided toward a singular conclusion.
Camera as Guide
Camera controls and architectural focal-point structures naturally direct player movement — no waypoints or HUD markers, just geometry and sightlines.
Scale as Emotion
Intentionally oversized objects — giant fruits, towering monuments — evoke vulnerability and surprise, making players feel physically small within the environment.
World Building
- Topographic scanning techniques created dynamic desert terrain with natural variation
- Skylights, ambient fog, and post-process color correction reinforce the surrealist atmosphere
- Architectural structures serve dual purposes — creating focal points while guiding navigation
- Pink crystals function as both collectibles and environmental storytelling devices
- The golden apple ending echoes the mythological connotations of Malus (Latin for apple)
Inspirations
Gallery
