MERCY DESIGN DOCUMENT
Game Overview
Title: Mercy
Genre: 3D Narrative Exploration
Platform: Windows, Mac
Engine: Unity
Game Mode: Single-player
Technical Details
Development Tools: Unity, Unity Pro-Builder, Photoshop
Timeframe: 4 weeks
Completion Date: December 2022
Team Size: 2
Role: Game Design, Environmental Design, Level Design, Narrative Design, Sound Programming
Concept
Mercy is a 3D narrative game that immerses the player in a mother's life grappling with the repercussions of her past actions. Set within the confines of a seemingly ordinary suburban home, the game unravels the emotional complexity of a woman who has lost her family due to her rigid religious beliefs. Through environmental storytelling, Mercy explores how these beliefs have shaped, and ultimately shattered her life.
Gameplay
Core Mechanic: Players explore the mother’s home, uncovering pieces of her history and the emotional weight she carries. By interacting with symbolic objects and listening to scattered fragments of dialogue, players are led through a powerful narrative journey that elicits empathy for the mother, even as they come to question her decisions.
Narrative Themes: The game centers on the theme of religious trauma, specifically how deeply ingrained beliefs can fracture a family. Mercy uses common religious symbols such as crosses, rosaries, and religious texts to present an accessible and familiar narrative that will resonate with many players.
Emotional Engagement: As the player explores, they develop a sense of empathy for the protagonist. Despite uncovering details that paint the mother in an unfavorable light, the player is drawn into her emotional turmoil, resulting in a powerful and complex connection with the character. This game challenges the player’s moral judgment by showing the consequences of her rigid beliefs without outright condemning or justifying them.
Exploration Mechanics: The game encourages non-linear exploration within a confined space, allowing the player to piece together the narrative at their own pace. Recognizable household items provide context, while significant props hold narrative weight, guiding the player’s understanding of the story.
Level Design
Setting: The game takes place within a middle-class American home, chosen deliberately to reflect a demographic strongly associated with Christian beliefs in the United States. The layout of the house is designed to feel familiar, with rooms and decor that evoke a sense of normalcy and comfort contrasting sharply with the emotional gravity of the narrative.
Room Layout: The game’s exploration is paced so that the heaviest narrative points are discovered last. Players start near the entrance of the home and gradually work their way toward the more emotionally charged areas.
Narrative-Driven Prop Placement: Interactable objects are placed deliberately to ensure players naturally engage with the key narrative elements. Non-essential objects are strategically positioned to create a lived-in environment without distracting from the main story. This careful arrangement ensures that players understand which elements contribute to the story and which are simply part of the background.
Sound & Music
Minimalist Sound Design: The game employs minimal sound and music, using each auditory cue to heighten the emotional and atmospheric impact. Sounds such as a record player, a ringing phone, and the faint murmur of the daughter’s voice are placed strategically to encourage exploration and enhance the emotional weight of key moments.
Art Style & Aesthetic
Visual Design: The art style of Mercy is grounded in realism, with an emphasis on creating a believable, middle-class suburban home. The design of the household—its size, layout, and decor—mirrors the homes of many American families, adding to the relatability and emotional impact of the game.
Symbolic Use of Religious Imagery: Throughout the home, Christian symbols are present, serving as reminders of the religious trauma at the heart of the game. Crosses, bibles, and religious texts are placed prominently to reinforce the theme and provide visual context for the unfolding story.
Contradictory Atmosphere: While the home initially appears well-maintained and comforting, the underlying narrative quickly reveals the deep emotional scars that have affected its inhabitants. This contrast between appearance and reality is a central element of the game’s aesthetic, heightening the emotional tension as the player progresses through the space.
Unique Selling Points
Unlikable Protagonist: Mercy presents a protagonist who becomes increasingly difficult to sympathize with as the player uncovers more about her past. This creates a unique emotional tension, as the player is compelled to understand her actions while simultaneously questioning them.
Exploration of Religious Trauma: Few games bluntly tackle the topic of religious trauma. By focusing on the personal story of a mother affected by her rigid beliefs, the game provides a fresh and thought-provoking exploration of how religious doctrine can shape, and ultimately destroy, family relationships.