“Kyomen is a fast-paced isometric action game centred around dynamic combat and player-driven mechanics. Players control an Oni empowered by different masks, each altering the player’s abilities, combat style, and visual identity.”
Role: Game Designer, Art Direction, 3D Artist, VFX
Engine: Unity
Team Size: 6
Project Type: Student Project
Kyomen began as a prototype developed for the Global Game Jam 2026 and was later expanded into a more complete combat-focused action experience. The project explores how visual identity and gameplay mechanics can work together through a mask-based combat system, where each mask changes the player’s abilities, combat style, and visual presentation.
Art Direction
In addition to gameplay design, I was responsible for the game's art direction and visual identity. This included modelling characters and assets, as well as creating visual effects that communicate combat feedback and reinforce the personality of each mask.
My responsibilities included:
Combat system design
Enemy behaviour and attack design
Player abilities and talent mechanics
Art direction and visual identity
Combat & Mask Design
The design goal behind Kyomen was to create a combat system where gameplay mechanics and visual identity were tightly linked. Each mask represents a different combat philosophy, altering player abilities, enemy interactions, and visual effects to encourage experimentation and varied playstyles.
This approach allowed gameplay mechanics and visual design to reinforce each other, making each combat style feel unique and readable to the player.
3D modelling of characters and assets
VFX design for abilities and combat feedback
balancing combat encounters
designing mask identities
You can play Kyomen here on Itch:
