Personal Space
Searching Game
2025 Global Game 48 Hour
Personal Space is a surreal exploration and survival game created in Unreal Engine 5 for the 2025 Global Game Jam using the theme Bubble. Players embody a fragile wisp of light navigating a dark, liminal world filled with hostile and nurturing entities. The core mechanic revolves around maintaining and expanding the player’s personal “bubble” of space by staying near glowing, benevolent objects and creatures, while avoiding shadowy red predators that shrink the bubble and limit vision. Camera perspective dynamically shifts with the player’s state, zooming in when weakened and pulling back when strengthened, balancing risk and mobility. Victory requires collecting all positive entities scattered across the environment before making a desperate sprint back to safety.
Role
Gameplay Designer
Engine
Unreal Engine 5
Platform
PC / Windows
On Personal Space, I led the project while focusing heavily on development and core gameplay systems under the tight 48-hour jam deadline. I designed and implemented the functionality of the player wisp, including movement, growth and shrink mechanics, dynamic lighting, and interaction with environmental elements. I also built the systems that linked the orb’s size to camera behavior. Beyond using blueprints, I reinforced the overall theme by tying mechanics to the liminal atmosphere, ensuring the experience felt cohesive and immersive. My leadership role ensured the team prioritized scope and execution, allowing us to deliver a polished, playable concept within the jam’s constraints.
