In the modern world, video games are no longer just a way to relax or have fun. Today, they are a real form of art. Video games combine stunning visuals, immersive storytelling, compelling music, and meaningful player interaction. Because of this, the game industry is growing very fast and becoming more creative every year. That is why we decided to dedicate our school project to creating a video game concept and its visual style.

Our main goal was to develop a unique game idea and give it a clear, consistent visual style. We believe a successful game isn't just about mechanics or controls. The visual style and the atmosphere of the world are just as important. They help the player feel emotions, understand the story, and connect with the characters. Creating such a world is not easy. It requires imagination, artistic skills, and an understanding of what players want to see and feel.

In this project, we decided to go through all the main stages of game concept development. First, we defined the main idea of the game, its genre, and the setting. Then we created a short description of the story and the world. After that, we focused on character design and important visual elements. In the end, we brought everything together in one concept artbook that shows the full idea of our game.

We chose to do this project in English because it is the main language of the game industry and makes the project look more modern and professional. Working in English also helped us improve our skills and better understand how international creative projects are presented. Throughout the process, we shared our work on our Telegram channel, where people interested in games and creativity could follow our progress. This project became our first serious step toward learning how the video game industry works.

Why a concept artbook?

Many iconic franchises — from Avatar to How to Train Your Dragon — began as simple ideas that took shape through concept art. For our project, we chose the concept artbook format: a collection of early sketches, illustrations, and visual explorations that help define the look and feel of a project before production begins.

A concept artbook acts as a visual diary. It shows the path from the first rough ideas to more finished concepts. It includes not only final images, but also sketches that were never used. This makes the creative process visible and honest. Concept art is important because almost everything around us once started as a sketch — from cars and laptops to everyday objects. A strong idea at the beginning often leads to a better final result.

We were inspired by the artbooks of projects such as The Last of Us Part II, Dungeon Meshi, and Atomic Heart. These works made a strong impression on us and motivated us to create our own world. We chose the artbook format because it fits our project perfectly. It allows us to research, experiment, and clearly show our idea in a visual way.

The development process

The development process began with choosing the genre and story. At first, we had three very different ideas: horror, action, and adventure. After discussing them, we decided that the adventure genre suited us best. Our story is about two girls, Aria and Ria, who live in a post-apocalyptic world. They grow up in an orphanage and decide to escape in search of a better place to live.

The story is shown from a child’s point of view. Because of this, even though the world is ruined, it feels calm and almost like a fairy tale. While working on the plot, we were inspired by the comic On the Way to Mom. During their journey, the characters meet different people, face challenges, and slowly discover the world around them.

Character design came next. We used ourselves as references for the girls’ appearances, personalities, and even names. We made many sketches and tried different versions before choosing the final designs. Some of these sketches were added to the artbook to show how our ideas developed over time. This stage helped us understand our characters better and make them feel more alive.

Backgrounds and locations were the most challenging and time-consuming part. We created both detailed background spreads and pixel art versions for potential gameplay scenes. Using Pinterest for visual references, we aimed to build an immersive and atmospheric world that supports the narrative.

Gameplay vision

We also thought about how the game would work. Our project is an RPG with elements of adventure, puzzles, and visual novels. The player can explore the world freely and make choices. At the beginning of the game, the player chooses one of the two main characters, which affects the experience. The gameplay is inspired by games like Undertale, where player decisions are very important.

Bringing it all together

When all the artworks were finished, we collected them into one concept artbook. We used Canva to design the pages, choose the layout, and combine text with illustrations. The final artbook consists of ten pages. During the whole process, we shared updates on our Telegram channel and received feedback from subscribers. This communication helped us improve our work and stay motivated.

Audience and teacher reactions

The audience reaction was very positive. Almost every post received kind comments and support. This showed us that people were truly interested in our idea. Our teachers also praised the project and our creative approach. We were happy to see new subscribers join the channel, which confirmed that independent game concepts can attract attention.

Many people were especially interested in the story and the lore of our world. This feedback was very important to us and gave us confidence to continue. We felt that our work was meaningful and appreciated.

What’s next?

After finishing the artbook, we decided not to stop. We want to continue developing this project. In the future, we plan to add more characters and locations and expand the story. We also want to try creating a small interactive demo using a game engine, so players can feel the atmosphere of the game themselves.

We will continue sharing our work online and growing our creative community. This topic turned out to be very important not only for us, but also for our audience. That is why we want to keep developing this world and inviting people into our creative process.

Conclusion

This project became a very valuable experience for us. We learned how to turn an idea into a complete visual concept, work with time limits, and focus on the most important elements. The positive feedback inspired us to move forward. This project showed us that a strong visual idea is the foundation of a good game and that feedback from the community plays a huge role in creative work.