Herakles

Context

As part of my studies at Gamagora, one of the game design courses asked us to create a paper prototype for a video game. The main challenge was that we had to create a new genre that could be adapted to other genres (RPG, racing, FPS, etc.). We started with existing games and explored how, by modifying a key feature, we could create a new genre. That’s how “reverse progression” was born.

Reverse Progression Concept

Definition

Reverse progression is a reversal of the traditional progression model. It is defined by a gradual, controlled loss of key elements, which progressively alters the gameplay.

Origin

It stems from a desire to reverse the gameplay loop where losing is an full part of the experience. It draws inspiration from souls-like and rogue-like games.

Intended player experience

Reverse progression aims to provide a challenging experience where mastery takes precedence over skill, and where the goal is to win while losing as little as possible.

Accessibility

To ensure accessibility and make the experience available to as many people as possible, we may offer variations that include the ability to rewind to a previous state in order to develop a more effective strategy, as well as a random mode where the player has no control over the loss of skills.

Must have

Essential elements include gameplay that is 100% available from the start, all features must be accessible to the player, as well as a gradually increasing difficulty, highlighted by frequent losses, which makes adaptation and strategy essential.

What's prohibited ?

And to ensure an authentic, balanced, and fair experience, any progression or leveling-up system is prohibited. Balancing the enemy AI is also important. The difficulty curve must remain consistent without making the game impossible for the player.

Constraints

Reverse progression also comes with its own set of challenges, whether technical or creative. Key considerations include the critical need for balance, an adaptive interface, and the dynamic nature of loss.

It is also important to ensure consistency between the game world and the regression, as well as between the visuals and the feedback, so that the player understands what they have lost and why they lost it.

Herakles Concept

Based on this concept of reverse progression, we decided to create Herakles. It is a boss rush game that leverages the core ideas of reverse progression. It reimagines the Twelve Labors of Hercules, in which the player must face 12 bosses.

At the end of each battle, the player must choose one skill to remove from his initial set of 13 skills. These skills include active skills that the player can use at will (summoning a pet, healing, dashing), passive skills (speed boost, damage over time), and skills tied to the player’s weapon. Other skills are also present but cannot be removed (basic jump, dodge, basic attack).

This loss of ability after each victory is truly the game's core mechanic. It's a game with challenging battles designed to give players an adrenaline rush and a sense of tension, sometimes causing frustration but balanced by a feeling of satisfaction if they manage to defeat a boss.

If the player dies, he can choose to restart the stage where he lost or restart the boss sequence by trying a different strategy.

To add variety to the gameplay, the game features a classic mode where the player chooses which skill to lose, and a random mode where the skill lost is determined at random.

Finally, the player can choose between several difficulty levels that affect the number of starting skills and the number of remaining skills during the final battle.

Video Game Adaptation

Recognizing the potential of our genre and our game, I wanted to create a prototype in Unreal Engine 5 so I could experience the concept hands-on.

Currently, the skills, progression system and boss AI are fully functional.

Bringing the paper prototype to life as a video game also allowed me to identify omissions in the paper prototype and refine the skill values to best balance the gameplay experience.