Extrication - Game Concept Devlog

Concept Statement

Extrication is a hostage-rescue top-down shooter that pits you alone against a global crime syndicate.

Genre(s)

Top-down-shooter, action, real-time

Influences

Games that have influenced this project:

-Door Kickers: Action Squad (hostage rescue game)

-Door Kickers (tactical top down shooter)

-Hotline Miami (top down shooter - inspired the one-hit kill design)

-Clive vs Hives (one of my old games - top down shooter - birthed my quasi-obsession with making games in the genre - inspired the very simple design of this project)

I have subtracted the ideas from these games down to a very simple gameplay loop:

-Move around / explore

-Avoid enemies (possibly collisions with them - they will shoot too if I can figure that out - enemies kill you in one hit)

-Shoot enemies (only one weapon type - probably a pistol - no reloading or ammo mechanics - enemies die in one hit)

-Find hostages (they will immediately disappear upon touching player - they are stationary and play an idle animation)

-Avoid accidentally killing hostages (this will end the game)

-Win game/level (when all hostages are saved and all enemies are dead)

Audience and Competitive Analysis

I am aiming this game towards those who enjoy a fast-paced action game experience with a moderate level of difficulty. Some games in this genre are more tactical and strategic but I plan for Extrication to be a pure action game. It will be very simple and intuitive which will make it appeal to many demographics.  This game will be age- and gender-agnostic. It won't be too violent/confronting, hard, or niche.

Game Treatment and Concept Art

You play as agent Sam Mercan, a man with a vendetta against a violent crime family known as the Harlings. They have recently begun taking civilian hostages with the intention of making obscene ransom demands. You are the only person who can stop them and save the hostages.

Key Features

-Terminate the criminals

-Save the hostages (without killing them in the crossfire)

-Everyone dies in one hit

-Action-packed gunplay

-Dangerous enemies

-Minimalistic art style

-Characters have a body sprite that slides across the floor on death

(Rough gameplay/objects mockup - made in Aseprite using AAP-64 colour palette)

(Very rough sketch of the protagonist)

(Sketch of the generic enemy character)