Fear the Spotlight is the first game from Cozy Game Pals, the two-person studio I co-founded. I handled all the programming—building the game’s systems, tools, puzzles, setpieces, and cutscenes—while also working closely with publishing, marketing, PR, legal, accounting, and porting teams to keep everything on track.
It isn't the biggest project I’ve worked on, but bringing "my own game" to life was a dream come true.

My work focused on early gameplay systems—experimenting with movement, enemy AI, and mechanics that shaped the game’s core movement and combat. I explored ways to differentiate the two protagonists’ movement, tested how crawling could interact with detailed terrain, and refined player interactions with doors in stealth encounters. I also experimented with early versions of the player upgrades system and was a test case for new UI systems. While I wasn’t there for the final stretch, my prototypes helped lay the groundwork for the game’s design.

My work on this game took place while my primary focus was on The Last of Us Part II pre-production, so I aimed to make the most of my time while empowering others. I initially re-tuned the brawling system to fit the new characters, then extended it to allow the animator to take charge of integrating new content.

I took ownership of the brawling system, drawing inspiration from the previous three games while expanding it to fit Nathan Drake’s enhanced moveset. My goals were to create a simple, elegant system that integrated seamlessly with the rest of the combat, functioned in as many player states as possible, highlighted buddy characters, and met Naughty Dog's high animation standards. Additionally, I ensured the brawling system worked smoothly in Uncharted 4’s multiplayer mode, allowing players to brawl with both other players and enemy AI.

I inherited a handful of setups that had complex scripting needs. This included choreographing multiple companion characters in exploration scenes, scripting military vehicles for unique combat sequences, and creating a dynamic combat setpiece on horseback. My focus was on ensuring these scenes were smooth and impactful, allowing the player to take in the game’s overall narrative and gameplay experience.

With a small team, I had the freedom to explore and prototype, but everything had to serve the game’s core vision. I helped shape the co-op movement system, where traversal is enhanced near other players. And experimented with traversal setups, which led to the high-energy sliding sequence. I also contributed to creature AI, ensuring they could stand in when other players weren’t around. This project shaped my approach to design, always searching for solutions that best serve the game's overall direction.