Up The Stairs
A recluse man ascends his apartment building, encountering spirits on every floor. A narrative mobile game where dialogue choices shape relationships — and a final choice reveals whose journey this really is.
Play on Itch.ioOverview
Up The Stairs is a narrative-driven mobile game following a reclusive man who encounters ghost residents on each floor of his apartment building. Players use a three-directional D-pad — left, right, and up — to navigate dialogue trees and explore each spirit's story.
The twist: as players make their way up, they gradually realize they're meant to join the deceased. The final floor presents a pivotal choice that determines the ending.
Team
I served as sole programmer — integrating all 2D art assets and scripting the core mechanics including the dialogue system, D-pad controller, ghost response logic, and DOTween animations.
Mechanics & Systems
Dialogue System
Three dialogue choices per ghost encounter. Ghosts respond dynamically — characters shift color to reflect emotional reactions: negative, neutral, or positive responses each trigger distinct visual and dialogue states.
D-Pad Navigation
Intentionally three-directional (left, right, up only — no down). The absence of retreat is a mechanical statement: the only way is up.
DOTween Animations
Button feedback, scene transitions, and character emotion states all use DOTween for smooth, responsive animation — giving the mobile UI a tactile feel.
Design Philosophy
The team chose to let mechanics carry the narrative weight. The gameplay structure — ascending, meeting strangers, making choices — mirrors the emotional journey without requiring explicit exposition. The realization that the player character is a ghost is earned through play, not told through cutscene.
Gallery