Unreal Engine 5.6 · Solo Prototype · 4 Weeks
A fast-paced top-down action prototype where a lone robot manages limited energy — tied directly to the spotlight that keeps it alive — while navigating a hostile subterranean facility.
Built for Epic’s MegaJam theme “Here We Go Again,” Battery Rush centers on resource-driven tension: every second of light spends the energy you need to survive. The focus was readable feedback and a complete start-to-finish gameplay loop under tight production constraints.
Systems Breakdown
Every system pairs an animated gameplay clip with the Unreal Blueprint behind it. Click any Blueprint to view it full size.
01 / Controller
A customized top-down controller tuned for readable navigation through tight, low-light spaces.
02 / Resource
The core system: a spotlight that consumes energy in real time, restored by battery pickups and surfaced through UI feedback.
03 / Progression
Pickup tracking, completion logic, and win-condition handling drive movement between the prototype’s two levels.
04 / Systems
A unified game-state layer ties together menus, story setup, transitions, and a shared win/lose flow.
05 / Hazards
Enemy hazards and collision-based failure create threat, with atmosphere tuned to keep danger readable.
06 / Feedback
Niagara effects, dynamic gameplay lighting, and a post-process polish pass sell the atmosphere and reinforce player feedback.
Project Overview
A four-week prototype built to prove that a single scarce resource — energy spent on sight — can drive a complete, tense gameplay loop.
Challenge
Create constant pressure from one limited resource and ship a full start-to-finish loop inside a tight four-week jam window.
Solution
Bind energy directly to the spotlight, so every second of vision spends the power that keeps the robot moving and alive.
Outcome
Two playable levels with menus, story setup, UI, FX, and dynamic lighting — a full loop integrated end to end.
Core Game Loop
Energy is the clock. The spotlight is both your only way to see and the thing draining the charge you need to survive.
Enter the subterranean facility with only the spotlight to light the way.
The spotlight burns battery every second it stays lit.
Track down pickups to recharge before the darkness closes in.
Enemies and traps mean instant failure on contact.
Gather objectives and satisfy the level completion condition.
Escape the level with charge to spare and advance to the next.
Design intent: one resource drives everything — movement, pacing, and risk. Light is both the player’s tool and their liability.
Lessons Learned
Binding a single resource to the player’s core action created tension that needed no extra rules to explain.
What Worked
Next Iteration