H2O
A vibrant 2.5D game where players must simply get from point A to B. The character is a droplet of water and risks collecting so many droplets it is too big to travel, or is heated to the point of evaporation. This level focuses on minor problem solving and avoiding obstacles while keeping an eye out for enemy ants.
The level begins with a simple setup featuring a dog bed, food and water dish, and a few toys and treats. This area serves as a tutorial, introducing the player to the basic movement mechanics—using 'A' to move left, 'D' to move right, and 'Space' to jump.
At the end of this introductory phase, the player is introduced to the drain mechanic, which transitions them to Level 2.
Traveling through the floor drain leads the player to the sink. At first glance, there appears to be no escape, as jumping onto the sponge doesn’t provide enough height to reach the counter. This setup encourages exploration, leading the player to discover the spilled water. Absorbing the water allows the player to grow in size, enabling them to jump out of the sink—introducing the core 'grow and shrink' mechanic.
To break up the linear path, small environmental obstacles such as cut carrots and watermelon slices have been added. The player must jump over these objects to progress, providing minor platforming challenges and visual variety.
The stove is where the player encounters their first enemy. While inactive in the playthrough video below, these enemy AI ants navigate using a nav mesh volume. Once the player enters their detection range, the ants will turn and attack. Only one enemy is introduced at this stage, serving as a tutorial for the shoot mechanic, which allows the player to spend their own water to attack.
The stove also provides a second opportunity to use the grow and shrink mechanic. A dripping kettle offers additional water, ensuring the player has enough resources in case they used too much during the first enemy encounter.
This moment also introduces environmental hazards—if the player touches the hot burner, they will begin to evaporate, leading to a game over. The color red is intentionally used here to visually communicate danger.
To reinforce platforming mechanics, a second cutting board is added, featuring bread and butter. This section requires more vertical movement and jumping over obstacles, further diversifying the level’s layout and enhancing visual appeal.
After defeating two more enemies, the player encounters taller obstacles. These sections are more challenging, as failing a jump can result in falling between platforms. To progress, the player must master the double jump mechanic.
The final section of the level features a swarm of enemies surrounding food on the table. The player must defeat all the ants to proceed. To prevent resource depletion, collectible water is placed strategically, ensuring the player has enough ammo to handle the fight.
Reaching the end of the level, the little droplet moves off the table, across a chair, and into the mop bucket, signaling victory.
Blockmesh Playthrough
This short level remained in blockmesh, as it was not intended to progress beyond testing basic mechanics and player progression. The focus was on refining core gameplay elements, such as movement, combat, and the grow/shrink mechanic, rather than full environmental detailing or asset implementation.
Additionally, enemy AI was turned off for this preview to allow for a clearer demonstration of level flow and mechanics without combat interference.
Content from Youtube can't be displayed due to your current cookie settings. To show this content, please click "Consent & Show" to confirm that necessary data will be transferred to Youtube to enable this service. Further information can be found in our Privacy Policy. Changed your mind? You can revoke your consent at any time via your cookie settings.