This is the most ambitious project I've taken on — a full-scale 2D Metroidvania being developed as the debut title for Siphon Games, the indie studio I founded in 2024.
The Vision
The game focuses on tight, responsive combat, interconnected exploration, and a world that rewards curiosity. Every system is designed around the idea that the player should always feel in control — whether they're chaining attacks, wall-jumping through a gauntlet, or discovering a hidden path.
Core Systems
Movement & Combat
The movement system is built on a state machine architecture that handles grounded movement, aerial control, dashing, wall interactions, and combat transitions. Each state is self-contained but can be composed with others, making it straightforward to add new abilities without breaking existing ones.
Combat uses a hit-response system with frame-accurate hitboxes, knockback curves, and a combo graph that lets designers chain attacks without touching code.
Level Logic & Progression
Levels are built using a modular room system with gates, triggers, and persistent state. The progression layer tracks abilities, collectibles, and world events, allowing the map to evolve as the player advances.
In-House Content Tools
I built custom editor tooling in Unity to accelerate content creation — including a room painter, enemy placement system, and a visual scripting layer for cutscenes and events. These tools let non-programmers on the team contribute directly to level design.
Technical Decisions
- Unity with C# for rapid iteration and a mature 2D pipeline
- Scriptable Object architecture for data-driven design across items, enemies, and abilities
- Git with LFS for version control across a mixed team of programmers and artists
- Custom CI pipeline for automated builds and playtesting
What I've Learned
Leading both the technical and creative sides of a project this size has sharpened my ability to architect systems that scale, communicate across disciplines, and make hard tradeoffs between scope and quality. It's the kind of work that makes me a better engineer every day.