Temple Raider - Level
Genre: Soul-like Action Game
Role: Level Designer
Duration: 3 weeks
Tool Used: UE4
Temple Raider is a level design prototype built in Unreal Engine 5, blending Soulslike gameplay with traversal tension inspired by Tomb Raider. Instead of traditional parkour, the level creates psychological tension through environmental design—using floating ruins and broken bridges to challenge players’ spatial awareness and sense of danger.
Player Experience Goal
The player takes on the role of a “Cursebreaker,” seeking to uncover the supernatural mysteries hidden within this forsaken land.
Tension That Feels Dangerous But Fair:
Faced with broken terrain, floating paths, and gravity-defying spaces, players instinctively feel a sense of danger. Yet through repeated attempts, they discover that every route is ultimately navigable. This contrast between perceived threat and actual solvability lies at the heart of the game’s experiential appeal.
Level Design Insights
Level Structure & Pacing Design
- Built a linear Soulslike level flow with a deliberate loop of action → exploration → combat → puzzle-solving, allowing players to experience a steady rhythm of tension and release.
- Key moments—such as collapsing bridges and teleportation device activations—were placed as pacing pivots to enhance spatial depth and create moments of surprise.
Level Structure & Pacing Design
- Used visual elements like floating debris and gravity-warped spaces to convey a post-apocalyptic world shaped by supernatural interference.
- Through composition and terrain layout, players are naturally guided forward without heavy reliance on UI prompts, enhancing immersion.
Simulated Parkour Experience
- Without using a dedicated parkour system, the level creates perceived danger through visual cues and precise platform placement—delivering a "looks risky but is doable" tension that aligns with the Souls-like philosophy of being challenging yet fair.