S.O.R.N - The Lab

Level Playthrough

Level Overview

S.O.R.N is the second level built around guiding the player through a high-tension environment while escalating combat encounters and narrative reveals. The goal was to create a space that felt purposeful, readable, and cinematic while still supporting strong moment-to-moment gameplay.

Level Goals

• Guide the player naturally through the environment using lighting, layout, landmarks, and readable paths.
• Create combat spaces that support intentional movement, cover usage, and clear enemy pressure.
• Use environmental storytelling to make the space feel grounded in the world of S.O.R.N.
• Build pacing through alternating exploration, tension, and enemy encounters.

Level Maps

Mapping out the levels in a grid-to-unreal scale allowed me quick flexibilty in engine to make changes, while keeping documentaion and other designers up to date with real-time map changes.

Beat Breakdown

Beat 01

Power On The Lights

Design Intent: Establish the mood of the level and introduce the player to the environment before combat escalates.

• Use lighting and composition to pull the player toward the critical path.
• Keep early enemy pressure controlled so the player can understand the space and narrative.
• Introduce visual landmarks that help the player build a mental map.

Beat 02

Bio-Bot Rooms

Design Intent: Create a readable encounter that introduces players to a new enemy combatant - the Bio-Bot. Players are in a controlled and narratively set-dressed enviornment where they can study and learn how these enemies work.

• Player pathing has a drop-down to encourage combat instead of retreat.
• Use enemy placement to encourage movement instead of passive play.
• Keep exits visible so the player always understands where progression continues.

Beat 03

The Atrium

Design Intent: Deliver the level’s most intense combat space with stronger enemy pressure, verticality, and layered objectives.

• Use larger space to allow multiple combat approaches.
• Layer enemies to create pressure from different angles.
• Design the layout so aggressive and cautious players both have viable paths.

Beat 04

Boss Fight - Q14 Encounter

Design Intent: End the level with a memorable moment that connects gameplay, environment, and story.

• Use a strong visual reveal or arena-style space to signal climax.
• Keep navigation simple so the player focuses on the encounter.
• Support cinematic pacing through composition and environmental framing.

Image Gallery

Process & Documentation

Level Design Document

Before building the level, I planned the player route, encounter beats, narrative context, and intended pacing. This helped keep the level focused and gave each section a clear design purpose.

• Defined the level’s narrative purpose and player experience goals.
• Mapped critical path, encounter zones, and points of interest.
• Used documentation to keep design decisions aligned throughout production.

Conclusion & Learnings

This project strengthened my understanding of how level layout, encounter design, and cinematic pacing work together. The biggest challenge was balancing clarity with tension: the player needed to feel pressured, but never lost.

Knowledge Gained

• Improved understanding of player routing and encounter pacing.
• Stronger use of landmarks, lighting, and spatial composition for guidance.
• More experience designing spaces around gameplay goals instead of only visuals.

Areas for Growth

• Continue improving early blockout iteration before final art pass.
• Add more annotated before/after comparisons to explain design decisions visually.
• Refine scripted/cinematic moments to better support environmental storytelling.