Ascension: Teela’s Journey
These are different renders of my blockout from Nomad Sculpt. I wanted to explore the different angles to see what I could do for my final composition.
This is a project created over 3 weeks for IntoGames’ Worldbuilding Concept Art Sprint Course by Anna Hollinrake. It was a tonne of fun to work on and below is a summary of my thoughts!
In Ascension: Teela’s Journey, you play as the titular character Teela. She’s a curious Axili from a family of shamans who are the bridge between the Axil (her people) and the ocean around them. Be it conversing with marine life or reading the water’s currents to tell fortunes, these practices are passed down from generation to generation. With her talent for magic, Teela is suddenly thrust into a role of responsibility as the threat of a Withering curse spreads across the vast ocean. To reverse its effects and keep her home safe, Teela volunteers to undergo a pilgrimage to overcome the trials that lead to learning the ancient magic of her ancestors; the Sirensong. This concept is for a platform adventure Metroidvania where you play as Teela the Axili. Join her as she solves puzzles, unlocks new abilities and races against time to learn the ultimate spell to reverse the effects of spreading degradation across the ecosystem.
I was heavily inspired by the Legend of Zelda, Honkai Star Rail and Bioshock when it came to thinking about my setting. For the gameplay I imagined something similar to Hollow Knight and Ori and the Blind Forest. My initial inspiration came from pictures I had taken at Gamcheon Cultural Village in Busan when I had the chance to visit back in 2018. I love the vibrant colours of all the buildings and the layout seemed perfect for a game with elements of platforming or parkour. From there I looked at colour palettes, pieces that inspire me and aspects of games that I like. The idea of something threatening the lively vibrancy of a culture rich home is how I thought of the Withering curse.