Marzanna · Indie Spain Jam 2022 Finalist

Escape the volcano drawing ice platforms.

The depths of the mountain whisper into your ear: ‘Stay away dead man, stay away old man’. However, you will probably ignore this warning and try to climb your way up the awakening volcano. After all, this is ‘Marzanna’ -our submission for the Indie Spain Jam 2022. This puzzle-platformer developed in just one week combines the thrill of exploring a mysterious environment with the challenge of using your frosty powers to draw ice platforms. Will your abilities melt into the lava or will you manage to break the curse?

Our game was selected as one of the 25 finalists of the game jam, among +170 games. Also, it was featured on itch.io’s official youtube channel.

What did I do?

I created a consistent and visually interesting setting for the video game. I focused on creating a color palette based on cooler tones, to emphasize the icy elements of the game in combination with orange shades selected for the lava. This mix created a captivating and mysterious atmosphere for our game. For the story elements, I was inspired by the Slavic mythology of Marzanna, the goddess of death related to the vanishing of winter.
Conceptualizing and creating the illustrations for Marzanna required me to focus on really conveying the atmosphere and the story of the game. I created all the necessary art assets to build the world of the game, such as backgrounds, characters, items, and cover art. Additionally, I created various mockups and concept art in order to develop the level design and the overall visual identity of the game.
To ensure a smooth and captivating user experience, I animated a series of frame-by-frame and vector elements for Marzanna in order to create movement within the game. I designed the animation for the character and crafted the animation for the ice platforms, thus bringing life to Marzanna’s gameplay. Moreover, I also added animation to in-game visual elements such as assets and items, enhancing the overall visual appeal of the game.

The theme for the game jam was ‘From 0 to 100’. Our approach was to introduce the idea by creating a mechanic where the platforms you create go from 0 to 100 degrees. We wanted the concept to reach all levels of the videogame, so we created an experience that escalated quickly. From ice to lava. Starting in the light but going into the shadows. Old and young combined. Funny but getting dark.