Raven Song

You can play the game on : https://minakorii.itch.io/raven-song !

Raven Song is a 2D side scroller mixing action and reflexion where you're armed with an unique gun bullet. Taking place in London during the Victorian Era, incarnate Corvus Gunblaze, a bounty hunter looking to repair his past mistakes.
With only his courage and his strength, will he be able to eradicate the evil?

Raven Song is a single player game played with a controller.

To create this game, we drew inspiration from other games with similar gameplay to ours, such as Blasphemous, Katana Zero and Skul.
In our benchmarks given below, you’ll find the position of our game in red. On the other, you’ll see the position we’ve given to our other references based on Platform, Combat, Dynamism, Reflexion and Die & Retry aspects.

-> The main difference between "Katana Zero" and Raven Song lies in the Die & Retry principle and its dynamism.

For the first feature, the developers want the player to keep failing in order to learn certain moves, attacks and ways of playing. The second feature makes the game more dynamic, forcing them to constantly move and defeat all obstacles in their path.
In Raven Song, our goal is to retain these Die & Retry characteristics. However, we don't want the player to die over and over in order to learn an important part of our gameplay. Indeed, each death should allow the player to learn something useful and instructive by making them understanding the different mechanisms.
To sum up, Raven Song will be less dynamic as we prefer to take a more composed and reflective approach.

-> "Blasphemous" has a distinctive platforming aspect that distinguishes it from Raven Song.

Indeed, managing various platforming elements is necessary in Blasphemous' gameplay phases, including jumping, landing on different floors, dashing, attacking, and much more.
On the contrary, while Raven Song features some of the these aspects, we want to emphasize the player’s thinking and reflexion. In addition to that, the combat aspect of both games is quite similar: the player is constantly fighting enemies and must accomplish the mission and ultimate goals.

-> The difference between "Skul" and Raven Song lies in the fact that in "Skul", the player uses very little reflection due to the Level Design. Indeed, when playing the first game, the player is confronted with a long and linear path where the player has to crush various enemies.

On the contrary, we wanted to actively involve the player in our Level Design, rewarding those who call upon their thinking.
Moreover, inspired by the style of the "Hitman" Games, our main goal is to create a Level Design that can be solved in several different ways, leaving the player a certain amount of freedom.

The main question of our game is the utility and capacity of our unique bullet.
Over the course of these months, we've been constantly thinking about how it will function and, most importantly, the limitations of this object's gameplay.

This bullet is similar to a normal bullet that would be found in a regular rifle, but it has some unusual abilities. This choice was one of our main difficulties during the development of Raven Song, as we kept thinking about how to make the game playable and original with this particular feature already found in other games ("Wizard with a Gun" or "Titan Souls" for example).
In the beginning, we initiated with multiple bullets that had distinct powers. For example, one of them had a gravity ability, a bouncing ability or a grappling iron ability. After some time, we came to the conclusion that these ideas did not reflect our intention and atmosphere, and most importantly, there was no coherence between all our concepts and ideas.
After this major change, we opted for a single bullet that obeys Corvus's call and actions. It has the ability to travel through walls and other terrain, reacting to its owner's call.

To give this feature originality, we wanted to add a certain symbolism. With his trusty shotgun, Corvus ended his own life due to his past, ravaged by despair and grief. He was killed by a single bullet and his final mission cannot be accomplished without this it, his last chance.
[You can found more in the "Lore" section]

At first, our two main ideas had different time period and atmosphere.
Indeed, we weren't sure whether Raven Song would have a modern, futuristic or a dark fantasy atmosphere. In the end, we found inspiration in the dark and gloomy atmosphere, as we believed that it would best convey our main intentions.

Raven Song is heavily influenced by the harsh period of the Victorian Era, during which a portion of London became a place of death, sickness, and sadness. Our goal was to make an immersive and eerie atmosphere by employing visual effects and lighting to create a sense of mystery as the player explores different locations.
We aim to create a place that is almost theatrical, using different levels of light and a magical effect to invoke the occult in our universe.
Our graphic style was initially more realistic, but too much detail caused multiple problems with the gameplay and the player's experience. Our characters and backgrounds had a complete change in concept and perception after we gave them minimalistic aspects and easy-to-understand shapes. As a result, their silhouettes are distinct and they work well together.

In order to achieve the current result, we were inspired by some of the games for what they're known for, as well as their visual characteristics and graphic identity.
- "Blasphemous" was a significant reference due to its character designs and animations, which are both unsettling and unique, making each character very original.
The game's main inspiration came from Blasphemous' beautiful and endless horizons and environments, which were complemented by the colors and lighting, creating a spectacular yet unwholesome atmosphere.
It also had a big impact on the visualisation of the lighting and FX, as its minimalism and dynamic movement effects inspired us a lot.
- "Darkest Dungeon" was our second reference thanks to its way of shaping the characters, how they are built and how they can take part of the same world, despite being drawn by different artists.
- "Crowsworn" helped us greatly understand how to create a unique character by providing him with interesting colors, clothes, and looks. Furthermore, the grotesque nature of particular monsters, coupled with the dynamic nature of certain visual effects, encouraged us to create numerous shapes and textures that brought life to our scenes.
- The lighting was a crucial aspect of the environments' finishing touches, and "Hollow Knight" was a great help. This game has beautiful lighting effects that showcase important elements while creating an almost magical atmosphere.

Our objective is to establish a theatrical ambience with various degrees of illumination and supernatural effects that will remind us of the magic that exists in our universe.

The initial intention was to create two different levels. 
The first was the "Catacombs," located beneath the second level, which is the "Cathedral."

We aimed to add 3 to 4 types of monsters, each with its own unique gameplay mechanics.
Due to our small team and overly complex level design, we limited ourselves to 2 monsters and a single large level.

Below, you can see a video showcasing the very first prototype of our game.

Corvus Gunblaze is a family man who is loved by his wife and child. The three of them live a modest and peaceful life, aided by Corvus's work that he keeps hidden from them.

Although he was able to bring in a substantial income for his family as a bounty hunter, it was more of a negative experience than a positive one. One day, Corvus came across the horrific murder of his wife. His desire for revenge led him to sign a contract to vengeance against the responsible men, forgetting about his young son he left behind.

Upon completing his final mission, he returned with a sense of peacefulness. He decided to stop hunting bounties and focus on his child. However, upon entering his home, he found his 10-year-old son lying in a pool of blood. After having no family left, Corvus took his own life by turning his gun on himself and pulling the trigger.

As soon as he opened his eyes, he found himself in an area between life and death. A mysterious entity had summoned him with a proposition: kill "Satan" in exchange for resurrection.
Satan unleashed his demons on Earth, creating a hostile environment. Someone had to intervene and stop his actions.

Corvus initially declined the offer.

With no one left on Earth to protect, he saw no reason to accept. The entity then rephrased the offer:
"If you manage to kill Satan, I will exchange your life for your son's."
Without hesitation, Corvus accepted, hoping to give back to his child what he had taken away.

Lore in Game ?

We wanted Corvus to have a blurred memory when he returns to Earth. Throughout the game, it would be possible to collect flashbacks of his past and know what happened to him.

The goal is not to reveal the full story about the entity right away and to let players think that Corvus might be the assassin of his own child. It is only at the end of the game that players will understand that Corvus was resurrected and that they were fighting to save his son.

Before switching to a Victorian style, Corvus had a fairly classic bounty hunter look without a mask and looked like a cowboy. This concept was discarded in favor of a more captivating appearance due to a significant shift in the setting's time period.

Despite the fact that his initial designs had too many details for the game to be read, we still enjoyed the mysterious looks and vibes of our main character.
In order to meet the game's demands, we had to simplify some details and emphasize his silhouette more. If these changes had not been made, he would not have stood out from the background sufficiently.

Corvus, now dressed in a raven mask and a rebellious hood, fits into his world as a corvid welcoming death with his presence.
He is slender, menacing, and fast. Due to his backstory, Corvus possesses a demonic arm, symbolizing his connection to the demons he battles.

Our initial thoughts on Corvus' weapon were more centered around revolver designs, weapons that could better match the traits of a bounty hunter (fast, discreet, silent).
In order to avoid multiple issues, we had to make a shotgun that was both distinctive and consistent with Corvus' appearance due to our self-imposed restriction on detail.
Also, in regards to gameplay logic, a shotgun has the ability to reach its target from several meters away, whereas a revolver doesn't.
To sum it up, his weapon is distinct for its warm tones that recall wood and metal, contrasting with his blue coat, but most importantly for its pointed and curved forms that resemble Corvus' physical appearance.

Over the past few months, we've been developing our primary enemies, the "Charger" and the "Shooter". These monsters are a result of the combination of an enhanced humanoid/animal look with many mechanical accessories that correspond to the main characteristics.
The humanoid and organic aspects are present for the most part in order to conceal the demons in the crowd, as if they wanted to hide among us.

In order to design these strange creatures, we’ve been analyzing numerous animal, mythical and grotesque inspirations, making us decide that we have to exaggerate certain body parts and shapes to make them stand out in the game.
To identify them, it is possible to exaggerate certain mechanical elements, which recall their important use during the Victorian and early Industrial era.
Their designs are largely determined by their unique and distinct behavior, where their actions are influenced by their physiques.

Initially, the Charger's silhouette was not noticeable from Corvus.
Their human-like appearance could easily be confused from a distance.
The dog was much better suited for the role of the "Charger." Its head is held in a drill, which prevents it from eating or seeing. It recharges after attacking the player by plugging its tail into a power source.

The second enemy, the "Shooter", has a canon attached to its arm, which causes a distortion in its appearance. Its construction is much wider at the top than at the bottom.

To ensure consistency in our game, we color-coded the supernatural elements.
The orange color of everything associated with the demons contrasts starkly with the blue of Corvus and the relatively dark backgrounds.

For the character animations, we created 2D puppets, all animated using Spine 2.
We took on the challenge of creating three puppets for Corvus. Since we don't use frame-by-frame animation like Blasphemous, making the animations dynamic is more complex. This is why Corvus has a puppet for the front view, one of the side view, and one for "shooting mode" with movement constraints on his arms.

Adding to this, the idea of keeping his demonic arm on the correct side presents a puzzle in terms of animation setup. To achieve a smooth result, the upper and lower parts of the body were divided. This allows us to choose the desired movements at the appropriate times.

The other mobs have only one puppet each.

In the initial environment concepts, we focused on sharp, highly detailed shapes, similar to those found in Gothic churches.
It was challenging to construct a city with our initial design elements, as we faced issues with the spacing between buildings, which didn't allow the scene to breathe. There was no parallax, and everything was on the same scale and on the same plane.

Eventually, the buildings took on a slightly rounded shape, aligning more closely with the Victorian and Industrial eras.

For the catacombs level, every room was unique in appearance. The assets were created specifically for each room the player traversed and were not reused elsewhere. This design for the catacombs was abandoned due to a complete redesign of the entire level.

As Raven Song is inspired by the platformer genre, we had to create a number of visual effects to give feedback to the various actions and a certain dynamism to the environment.
Most of the time, their use is a reminder of the strange abilities Corvus possesses, linked to his demonic arm. Their visual aspects will have a magical, supernatural feel, almost like spells cast by a mage.

Although we wanted our effects to be discreet, they are entirely indicative. Indeed, our aim was to provide as much feedback as possible, so that the player would notice each of his actions.
To make them easier to achieve, but above all to implement them in our artistic direction, we used the FX system, the shader system, the particle system and the Flip Book in Unity, enabling us to vary our working methods and bring dynamism to certain animations.

The main difficulty in creating these visual effects was to manage texture consistency and respect the general style of our universe. Indeed, given the general style of our game and the restriction of detail, each element had to be sufficiently textured without being too excessive.

Our initial goal was to create distinct concepts that are distinct from one another in terms of graphic identity.
Our first step was to create concepts that had a strong graphic and narrative aspect and resembled a book filled with multiple pages of Corvus' research and memories.

During his adventures, the player can access different menus, as well as his many researches, by interacting with the notebook.
We came up with a variety of minimalist, elegant, and refined concepts to contrast this aspect and make a nod to the era we are in. Additionally, the different assets are being given an elegant look by adding some gilding and ornaments.
It is important not to overload the player's eyes by adding too much detail to the scene.

We now have a single, large level to offer as a result of the level design changes.
The player commences by entering the city. The player can test the basic mechanic of “bullet recall” in this area, which contains two types of monsters.

Following this, the player is able to enter the 'Underground' level, where they will have to use their intelligence to make it to the end. To kill enemies, they could either destroy a chandelier or recall their bullet at certain angles to safely eliminate them.
The bullet will be lost by the player halfway through the level. The player is required to flee from a horde of "Chargers" due to an intentional act. Once again, the character needs to be in close proximity to retrieve the bullet.
The need for strategic thinking is highlighted by the reappearance of the "Shooters" at the end of the level.
At the end of the prototype, we have the cathedral room and a key art that teases the upcoming sequel to the game, namely the Boss Battle.

During the development of Raven Song, we had to clarify and correctly name all the different actions once again. Due to our diverse programming styles and organizational methods, it became a more significant issue than anticipated.

We have been testing and adapting to each other relentlessly during the production phase, while taking into account the student's levels and needs.
We quickly communicated about all the problems we encountered and put a lot of effort into organizing ourselves to fix major conflicts and bugs.

As stated earlier in the "Lore" section, memory fragments are present in certain parts of the game. These are made to show either an ongoing event or the history of Corvus' past.
These animations were created using the cutscenes from "Alice: Madness Returns" and "Darkest Dungeon" as inspiration.

There are two cutscenes in the prototype:
- "The Cathedral": This scene aims to explain the existence of a hole and guide the player on the path to continue the adventure.

- "The Baptism": We see Corvus entering the Cathedral. At this point, he recalls the memory of his son's baptism. As he approaches the baptismal font, Corvus finds himself immersed in his past, replaying the images of this event. He sees his son dead, echoing the trauma he experienced.

In order to save time during production, the environments changed to modular designs. Each asset has up to 6 variations of the same type, and the walls are identical throughout.
We changed the term "Catacombs" to "Underground" because we were looking for a more unique and enthralling space instead of a level that consisted solely of bones.

In these levels, players are able to discover "secret rooms" that allow them to collect collectibles.
By collecting these books, the player can obtain a bestiary page. These pages give additional information about the monsters encountered by the player, including their attack patterns, movements, and characteristics.