Synopsis
ASSIMILATION is a 2D tower defense game where players prove their skills in a series of levels that escalate in difficulty. Fight new enemies and level up your arsenal in four unique levels, all equip with new ways to test your might. Fight to the death in ASSIMILATION's horde mode, where the fighting never stops, and the only way to win is to die.
Project Details
ASSIMILATION is an individual project built off of a rudimentary programming assignment at USC. ASSIMILATION showcases my skills in combat/enemy design, player progression systems, and visual communication. The project was built in Unity with original art.
My Role
As an Individual Project, I was responsible for every part of development, including design, engineering, production, and art.
My Process
When designing ASSIMILATION, I wanted each enemy to change how the player engaged in combat. For instance, the shielded enemy requires the player to reorient themselves to hit them [1], whereas the empowerment enemy forces the player to shift their priority, lest they become overwhelmed by more powerful enemies.
Player progression inside ASSIMILATION comes in the form of player upgrades [2]. After each level, the player will unlock a new character ability that resembles the new enemy the player just fought. So after each new enemy is defeated, the player then takes their unique ability for themselves, playing into the "assimilate" theme.
The physics of enemies and the environment play a huge role in how the game "feels". When a bullet hits an enemy, they're knocked back in addition to the damage they take. This provides a "punchy" feel to the players actions that add to the satisfying gameplay.
Gameplay Clips
[1] Player adjusting themselves to hit the shielded enemy
[2] Player progression upgrades through each level
Gameplay Media
