The 10 Year Journey

Controls:

WASD or Arrow Keys to move

E or Space to play harp

I’ve chosen to adapt Sir Orfeo to a top-down 2d adventure game.  The game starts with the disappearance of Heurodis, and spans the ten years of the king’s wanderings. This timespan allowed me to insert the game at a point of the story that was only briefly explored in the original text. It allowed for a fairly open canvas to explore the world of the story, while still keeping true to the original plot. It also allows for the written story to nicely bookend the events of the game, tying back to the original text.   

One thing that stood out to me in the original text was the importance of the harp to Orfeo during those ten years. It was the only thing left bringing joy to him. This connection to the harp, engrained within Orfeo provided a perfect mechanic to build the gameplay around. As you explore through the game as Orfeo, you find the strings of the harp, rebuilding this item that will eventually win you Heurodis back at the end of the game. The melody that closes the final level of the game,  comes from a rendition of the traditional Scottish folk ballad King Orfeo.