Project Winterlight

Project Winterlight is a fast-paced stylized boomer-shooter prototype built in Unity 6, combining retro 1990s-inspired FPS aesthetics with modern realtime rendering and gameplay systems.

Fight through brutalist sci-fi arenas while the game dynamically transitions between modern and retro visual states in realtime. Environments, enemies, weapons, UI, VFX and audio all transform during gameplay, creating a shifting presentation inspired by classic shooters such as Doom, Heretic and Wolfenstein 3D alongside modern retro-inspired titles like Dusk, Prodeus and Mortal Sin.

Built as both a gameplay prototype and immersive visual experiment, Winterlight focuses heavily on atmosphere, movement and strong audiovisual feedback while maintaining mechanically consistent combat across both visual styles.

Features

• Fast-paced arena combat
• Realtime transitions between modern and retro rendering styles
• Stylized CRT-inspired post processing
• Retro billboard enemies and degraded texture workflows
• Multiple weapon and ammo types
• Keycard progression systems
• Stylized sci-fi environments inspired by brutalism and retro-futurism
• Dynamic VFX, UI and audio transitions

Development

The project was developed as a solo interdisciplinary production using:

• Unity 6 (URP)
• Blender
• Substance Painter
• Photoshop

The core style swap system was built using a modular event-driven architecture allowing gameplay systems and presentation layers to remain separated while visuals transform dynamically during gameplay.

Note

This project was originally developed as part of a university dissertation exploring how realtime stylistic transformation can influence player immersion within FPS games.