Blue Probert
Arm Of Satan
ARM OF SATAN is a tough precision platformer designed for 2-player co-op. Featuring kick ass visuals influenced by the Hellboy comics, arcade-inspired gameplay, and a deep and captivating narrative.
CHAPTER 1 AVAILABLE NOW ON STEAM: Arm_of_Satan_Chapter_1
About The Game
Arm of Satan is an asymmetric co-op 2D platformer where one player controls Girl, who manages the primary movement, whilst player 2 controls the titular Arm of Satan, who has the ability to perform actions such as a double jump or a grab, enabling the players to have greater manoeuvrability. This unlikely duo must navigate the depths of Hell together in this character-driven narrative.
My Role
Arm of Satan was developed by the game studio Ludophoria, where I was brought on as an assistant level designer. I initially started in a playtesting capacity, speedrunning the game and finding bugs and exploits, identifying which were fun. As a level designer, I had the opportunity to take what I'd learnt from playing the game and channel it into designing levels that were short but challenging, and exactly the kind I'd want to compete for the best times on.
My Work
As an assistant level designer, I was tasked with working on and developing the arcade mode levels known as Tribulations. Tribulations are shorter, non-story levels designed for players to test themselves against and compete for the fastest time possible. Players unlock Tribulations as they progress through the main story, with each one themed around the point at which it becomes available
My Process
Since each Tribulation is themed around when it's unlocked, that was always my starting point. First, I'd play with the relevant mechanic to familiarise myself with how it functions and pick up on its smaller intricacies. From there, I'd find a set of movements I enjoyed and sketch out the shape of the level on pen and paper, using different colour pens to map the movement the player goes through. (The photo to the right shows a pen-and-paper outline of an early Tribulation themed around grabbing swinging chains). From there, I'd take it into the engine, playtesting in small segments as I built it — refining, removing, and adding sections to ensure the level flowed properly. Once the layout felt right, I'd populate it with enemies in spots where the added difficulty felt earned.
