FLU - The game

Project duration: Aug 2015 - June 2021

My role: Programmer and Level Designer

In collaboration with: Antti Ollikainen (Concept, artist, and animator), Gabriela Juganaru (Audio Designer)

FLU follows the attempts of a sick bird to rescue eggs from the forbidden factory. Constant sneezing could hinder the bird on its journey or perhaps serve as an asset. While sneezing in a factory may alert the monsters on patrol, sneezing directly on a monster may spread the infection and kill it.

FLU is a platform game with several puzzles in each level. The story of the game is based on the comic books by Antti Ollikainen here.

Key Design Decisions Made:

Incorporating Comic Book Essence:
The game's design and mechanics are intricately woven with the narrative essence borrowed from Antti's comic books. Notably, the protagonist's sneezing is portrayed as both a strength and a comical liability, exemplifying our commitment to narrative depth and ingenuity.
Absurdity and Humor Integration:
Our deliberate infusion of absurdity and humor aims to create an amusing gaming experience. Importantly, this comedic layer coexists harmoniously with the strategic depth of the game, ensuring players have ample space for making thoughtful decisions to overcome quests that progressively intensify in challenge.
Challenge to Platformer Norms:
Diverging from the commonplace mechanic in most platformer games, where jumping takes center stage, our idea was to depart from this norm. Our platformer breaks away from the traditional reliance on jumping, presenting a unique challenge where player progression doesn't hinge on this conventional mechanic and encourages them to explore alternative means for solving puzzles.