Cicada

Game Overview

Cicada is a short horror game where player play as a kid who went in the woods to collect cicada shells.

My Work

In Cicada, I was responsible for game design, level design, game art, and animation.

This was my capstone project at George Brown College, where I focused on researching level design and player behavior, with the goal of creating a horror game like those on itch.io. For a project envisioned as small in scope, our four-person team and four-month development timeline were just right, and we were very pleased with the results the game achieved.

Gameplay by Queen faith Official

(link to Cicada on itch.io)

Level design

There are some principles while designing Cicada's level:

1. False non-linear map design: From a top-down view, the entire map is actually linear, guiding players from Area A all the way to the tunnel in Area I where they encounter the monster. However, in Areas C, D, F, and G, two loops are created so that when players return to the same place, they realize, “Wait, I’ve been here before.” This design gave a sense of exploration without making the map too big, which was important due to the limited development time.

2. Fixed third-person camera: This is to emulate the retro PlayStation 1 style, while also giving players a sense of familiarity. When they revisit a certain camera angle, they instinctively feel they’ve been in that place before.

3. Reusing the map: After reaching Area I, the monster chases the player. They break through a fence, fall off a cliff, and end up back in Area C. At this point, players can rely on their earlier familiarity with the map to decide where to go next.

4. Tricking the player: When chased back into Area C, most players intuitively try to return to the starting bus stop. However, that path is blocked. Forced to run around under pressure, they eventually discover that they must reach the shrine in Area E to complete the game.

During playtests, I observed many unexpected behaviors. For example, some players skipped exploration and went straight to the tunnel, while others couldn’t figure out they needed to head to the shrine during the chase sequence. To address this, I added more guiding elements: visually enhancing the shrine’s prominence in the environment, and introducing glowing footprints after three failed attempts during the chase. These adjustments helped reduce confusion and kept players engaged.

Art style

I wanted to emulate the retro PlayStation 1 aesthetic, making the visuals pixelated with slight color tearing. To achieve this, I used a pixel-art shader and relied on free textures and models found online to create all the assets in the game. All textures were processed in Photoshop, converted to black and white, and had their contrast increased to achieve the game’s monochrome look. I chose not to rely on shaders for this effect, as working directly with textures gave me more control over the colors and allowed me to preserve color for certain key objects.

The protagonist of the game is a ten-year-old elementary school girl named Rin. Wanting a new coat, she goes up the mountain alone to collect cicada shells, which she can exchange for money at a traditional medicine shop.

I based this character on stories my father and grandmother told me about their own childhoods—back when Taiwan was not very affluent, children often found small ways to earn pocket money after school. To keep the narrative simple and to let players focus on exploring the forest, I intentionally kept Rin’s backstory minimal in the game. This also added a layer of mystery: why is a child wandering alone in the woods?

Rin shows little expression, and players never really know what she is thinking. Her movements are also minimal—only a slow walking animation. This creates a sense of anxiety during exploration. When unusual things begin to appear, players may think, “Why are you still going forward? Just turn back!” And during chase sequences, they may feel, “Can’t you run any faster?” But players have no choice—they must progress at Rin’s pace.

Yes, this is me. I photoshop myself into the monster's face.

The development of this game went smoothly, without any major issues. When I finally uploaded it to itch.io, I saw that many players enjoyed the game’s atmosphere, which gave me a great sense of accomplishment and happiness. Although there is still room for improvement in player guidance, overall, it is a small game that I am proud of and enjoy.

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