Client: Soulbound™
Agency: Bound Studios
What if the only way to save humanity… was to confront God Himself? In Soulbound, you play as a Soulwielder ascending through Heaven to battle angels, confront God, and reopen the Gates of Heaven, sealed in response to humanity’s endless sin. This vertical slice showcases the game’s core mechanics, tone, and aesthetic.
This demo represents an early stage of development. Core systems, mechanics, and features are currently being iterated on and may evolve significantly. For the most up-to-date vision of the project, please refer to the new pitch deck.
Soulbound™ is a registered trademark. All rights reserved.
My Role
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Leading the overall creative vision of Soulbound, defining the game’s mechanics, tone, and core narrative while overseeing the integration of gameplay systems. with the use of Blender and Unreal Engine
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Developed the visual identity of the game, including the cathedralpunk aesthetic, UI concepts, and environmental design direction.
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Wrote the central storyline, character arcs, and in-game lore, shaping the emotional and mythological foundation of the player experience.
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Designed the vertical slice level layout and progression, balancing combat, traversal, and puzzle mechanics to showcase core gameplay.
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Assembled and currently lead a volunteer team of developers and designers, managing collaboration, documentation, and production milestones.
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Created the pitch deck and promotional materials to communicate the game's vision to publishers and studios.
Puzzle Integration
In this section, players face a locked door with two switches. The first one they see is a shooting switch, but it cannot be activated until the second, interactive switch is pressed manually. This directs players toward the moving platforms to reach the interactive switch.
To reach it, they must slow time with the Soul Trigger while the Soul Gauge drains, allowing them to cross the fast-moving platforms. After pressing the interactive switch, a nearby portal returns them to the start without repeating the platforming. With the interactive switch activated, the shooting switch can now be triggered, and together both switches open the door.
Implemented in Unreal Engine using Blueprint visual scripting
Boss Arena
For the boss encounter, I scaled up the angel enemy into a larger prototype version to test the feel of a boss fight. I increased its health bar, added new animations, and integrated sound design to give the boss more weight and creepiness.
This is an early prototype, focused on visual impact and presentation within the vertical slice. While the boss currently does not attack, the intent for future iterations is to expand its behavior into a full combat encounter.
Implemented in Unreal Engine using Blueprint visual scripting
Enemy AI
In this demo, I implemented the core logic for enemy behavior. When the player is detected, the angel enemy spots them and begins to chase, triggering an approach sound that warns the player of incoming danger. This adds both pressure and anticipation to encounters.
Players can also use the Soul Trigger to slow time against enemies, making it easier to attack. However, they must manage the Soul Gauge carefully, since it depletes with use and prevents continuous slowing.
I also integrated basic health and animation states to bring the enemies to life. The character model is a Fab asset that I adapted into the prototype: first tested as a simple blockout, then skinned with the final mesh for visual fidelity.
Implemented in Unreal Engine using Blueprint visual scripting
New Vertical Slice
The next vertical slice of Soulbound is currently in development. This version builds on the original demo with new mechanics, expanded story elements, and significant updates to the art direction.
I am leading a small team to bring this phase to life, focusing on refining combat, traversal, and narrative integration. The updated pitch deck highlights these changes and outlines the new direction for the game.
Behind the build
This section features a visual breakdown of Soulbound's creation, originally shared as an Instagram Story. It captures the full development journey from initial sketches to environment building, animation, and final implementation, and ends with work-in-progress concept art that will be integrated into the game.
Alongside this process, I was recognized as a top performer in the Game Design course at ELVTR.Cameron Williams (Senior Mission Designer II, Absurd Ventures) highlighted my ability to develop a unique core game concept, iterate effectively through feedback, and deliver a polished prototype in Unreal Engine 5.