Challenge

Create a retro-style arcade game that blends the essence of Bomberman and Pac-Man while delivering a meaningful message about the loss of ethical and creative practices in the advertising industry.

The goal was to design an interface that would guide players intuitively through fast-paced gameplay while reinforcing the game’s satirical narrative about clients, agencies, and automation.

Approach

I led the user interface design, developing a non-diegetic (extra-diegetic) system that communicates all necessary information without breaking immersion. Alongside UI design, I contributed to sprite creation, art direction, and the development of visual assets for the launch campaign.

The visual language was built on clarity, agility, and rhythm—each component supporting the player’s decision-making in real time.

Solution

The interface functions as a strategic layer—transparent yet expressive—allowing players to focus on progression and narrative flow. Players select avatars and navigate through 50 maze-like levels, rescuing clients while collecting coins and unlocking powers linked to UCEP values (ethical and creative principles represented as in-game power-ups).

Every detail—from the color palette to the iconography—was designed to enhance immersion, balance nostalgia, and communicate purpose.

Outcome

Advert Hero delivers more than gameplay—it tells a story about the recovery of creative integrity in the communication industry.

The result is a playful yet thought-provoking experience, where design, art direction, and storytelling converge to turn a simple arcade mechanic into a metaphor for professional transformation.