Since I was struggling with an overall story idea for my game, which I knew would be the centre focus of my game, with the help of my friend and some random option pickers I started to create story prompts. The one that ended up inspiring me the most was one with an elderly protagonist who was running away from something. In my brainstorming, I took this and interpreted it in many different ways.
As the protagonist was elderly the first interpretation of the prompt I came up with was that they were not running from something physical, as that wouldn't work well with an elderly character. Instead, they were trying to escape something in their life, more likely mentally than physically. Perhaps this happens due to a life-changing realisation or event in their life and so they must somehow work through it.
Going off those first thoughts, I refined that idea further by considering that maybe this elderly person was "running away" from the inevitability of death after they have realised they don't have much time left. I thought I could show this by having the protagonist relive memories of the past, gradually regressing until they are a child again. Similar to the concept of someone's life "flashing before their eyes" in their last moments of life.
Continuing on with this idea the game could have a very sad and dark or happy and peaceful tone depending on the specific memories shown. If the protagonist had a difficult life then perhaps the concept of death is approached in a way that is bringing a bittersweet relief to the character. Or perhaps to escape the terrifying concept of the end, the character is escaping back to a happier, more innocent time in their life when they were much younger.
With this story, I realised it was very similar to a game I was originally taking inspiration from, Limbo. With the overall theme of death being the same, the black and white design choice of Limbo seems like it would fit well with my own idea as death is usually depicted as such a dark and dreary concept. However, I would want to put my own spin on it to match with my story.
Focusing mainly on the idea that the protagonist is running from death to their much more innocent childhood, I considered having a shifting colour palette throughout the game. My idea was to have the game start out in black and white with the elderly person coming to terms with their own death. Then as the game progresses and the protagonist slowly regresses the game becomes brighter and more colourful to symbolise the more ignorant and peaceful perspective of a child.
To visually show off my idea I did this brief art piece in a similar style to Limbo as that became my main inspiration for my idea.
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