Project
Essence is a narrative-driven game set in a technologically advanced city
Essence is a narrative-driven game set in a technologically advanced city where surveillance, data extraction, and algorithmic manipulation shape every aspect of daily life. The project explores how invisible systems—government monitoring, AI-driven decision-making, and information control—quietly influence individual consciousness and social behaviour. Through the story of Scarlett Cipher and her team, the game examines what it means to retain autonomy in a world where privacy no longer exists.
The concept began with a deep investigation into topics such as personal privacy, government surveillance, data collection, and the psychological impact of AI. Research uncovered how the rapid expansion of digital infrastructure—facial recognition, smart-city systems, data-driven profiling—has strengthened institutional power while reducing the space for personal freedom. Public datasets on China’s internet usage, cybersecurity incidents, and the integration of AI in education and healthcare helped shape the socio-political background of the game world.
These insights provided the foundation for building a believable near-future setting where technology is omnipresent yet increasingly untrustworthy.
The story follows a timeline in which the city’s governing system evolves from basic digital monitoring to total algorithmic control. Scarlett, a member of a resistance group, uncovers evidence of large-scale behavioural programming—an operation designed to standardise thoughts and erase dissent.
Her journey reveals:
The narrative branches into multiple endings based on the player’s choices, highlighting the tension between conformity and self-awareness.
graphic design, development
