Explore the vast, long-lost ruins of Rio de Janeiro and unravel humanity’s destiny. Slash and dash your way through monster-infested tropical biomes, unearth the stories of its inhabitants and discover the secret behind the Terra Pulse, in a handcrafted and hand-drawn 2D adventure.
My Role#
Director, Game Designer, Narrative Designer, Writer, Additional Programming, Composer, Sound Designer & Business Developer
Technical Details#
- Developed in Unity
- Audio created in Logic Pro X, implemented with FMOD
Development Notes#
Terra Pulse marked Studio Bravarda’s inaugural venture back in early 2020. It was a game that intertwined our team’s complex relationship with Rio de Janeiro (the city we grew up in), my personal journey with Capoeira—a significant part of my childhood—and our collective passion for the intricate combat of metroidvanias like Hollow Knight, coupled with the exploration elements reminiscent of 2D Zeldas.
As is typical with most indie projects, the scope expanded far beyond our initial expectations. Participating in Steam Autumn Festival (before it became Steam Next Fast) garnered a surprisingly positive response, despite the game’s still raw, unpolished state. This served as a catalyst for us to seek out a publishing deal, with hopes of fully realizing Terra Pulse’s potential. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to sign a publisher and, consequently, secure funding, leading us to pivot towards a smaller project, eventually culminating in Sky Caravan.
It still breaks my heart that we weren’t able to see Terra Pulse through to completion, especially considering my role as the project’s director. I intend to write about it in more detail eventually. Our experience holds some necessary insights into the challenges of seeking publishers and everything it entails.
Looking at the material I’ve compiled, i need to admit that it brings mixed feelings, of course. I mean, how many game devs put cancelled projects in their portfolios? Still, I somehow can’t help but feel proud about having attemped this with my team. A metroidvania in the ruins of Rio de Janeiro? This is the stuff I dreamed about making games for. I learned so much. I’m grateful.
I remain hopeful that one day, armed with greater experience, I’ll be able to fulfill the promise of Terra Pulse.