- PROJECT: A short horror game with emphasis on storytelling and emerging technologies.
- ROLE: Developed story, characters, and theme; co-wrote dialogue and shooting script; created quests and narrative game structure.
- SKILLS: Narrative horror design; collaborative screenwriting; character-devising.
Cathedral of Sorrow is an experimental first-person horror game about trauma, technology, and the pain of letting go. The game is slated to release later this year and can currently be wishlisted on Steam. You can watch a rough demonstration of certain aspects of the game here:
“When a rogue AI turns a place of mourning into a waking nightmare, Thomas Ward – played by Magnus Bruun (Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, The Last Kingdom) – must brave the twisting corridors of the sinister cathedral to learn the truth about his missing girlfriend.”
Created using Unreal Engine 4 (later 5), the game combines procedural content generation, machine learning, and motion capture technology to create a unique blend of psychological character drama and adaptive techno-horror, drawing on such literary and ludic references as Silent Hill 2, the Divine Comedy, and I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream.
The game was developed over the course of a year at the National Film School of Denmark, with contributions from more than 25 individuals, including designers, programmers, composers, actors, artists – and me! Assigned to the project as narrative designer, I helped develop central parts of the story, fleshing out the characters and themes of the game, as well as designing the quests and mission structure that drive and inform the gameplay.
A professional milestone of sorts, I was also given the opportunity to co-write parts of the shooting script with director Alexander Tange, working closely with actors on set to devise dialogue, scenes, prop use, and character moments. Bringing together the myriad ideas, influences, and lived experiences of all creative contributors into a coherent, meaningful, and sensitive narrative was a challenging, rewarding, and – at times – deeply moving experience.
