Hi! I’m Viji, a narrative designer and 3D/VFX artist | viji.raja0994@gmail.com
Ghost of Yōtei
PS5
Shipped Games
Set 300 years after the critically acclaimed Ghost of Tsushima, Ghost of Yōtei is a standalone open world action-adventure game set in 1600s rural Japan. The story follows a haunted, lone mercenary named Atsu who hunts those who killed her family years ago.
I worked on this title as a junior technical designer, providing layout and environmental storytelling support to better enrich the setting of Northern Japan. Our team studied the history of Hokkaido in the late Edo period with depth and collaborated with cultural consultants, regularly playtesting in multiple countries and incorporating cultural feedback.
We made a cross-studio effort to not only understand Japanese history, but also the North American and European markets we were targetting. We iterated to find a balance of gameplay that was still fun and relatable without betraying the cultural core it sourced from. I also pitched and iterated on multiple quests and design concepts throughout my time at the studio.
Monument Valley 3
iOS, Android
I worked as a QA Analyst, doubling as a narrative consultant and writer for this third installment of the BAFTA award-winning Monument Valley series, a collection of evocative, Escher-inspired games.
“…old walls can find new
shapes, old ways can
find new paths…"
“…without our tower,
many would drown in
shifting waters…”
“The Hidden Fens
in which
a new friend wakes in calm
waters”
“The Torrential Parting
in which
a rescue echoes”
“Sub Rosa
in which
the verdant curtain closes”
I collaborated closely with the Game Director of the project, Jennifer Estaris, in delivering writing passes for all out title card text and character dialogue. As Ustwo Games did not have a designated in-house narrative designer, we shared those responsibilities as a team and iterated on much of the writing together. I also provided localization support for Japanese, British English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, and Traditional Chinese.
Desta: The Memories Between
Steam, Switch, iOS, Android
A surreal tactical dodgeball adventure game that follows the dreams of Desta, a non-binary person returning home after two years.
I edited and iterated on character bios, barks, ability, and memoria descriptions. I also worked closely with design to iterate on post-launch challenge content and verified narrative continuity. It released in 2022 on Steam.
Assemble With Care
Steam, iOS, Android
A game about taking things apart and putting ourselves back together. When Maria, a globe-trotting antique restorer, arrives in the sun-soaked town of Bellariva, she helps the locals restore their belongings and lives. It released in 2020 on Steam.
I provided post-launch support for Assemble With Care in 2023 with the addition of Mandarin Chinese copy and voiceover content.
Writing Samples:
Dickey’s Wheely Fun Magical Good Place is a twine adventure about a blind date in an assisted suicide theme park. Your companion is a regular, but will this first date be your last?
You can read my writing sample here.
Grand Theft Alzheimer’s is a runner/ adventure game that follows Gerald, a Vietnam War vet with dementia and a newfound affinity for petty theft.
You can read my writing sample here.
This is a collection of smaller-scale games I worked on. I was the principal writer and designer on these projects, additionally providing art support.
Gayatri’s Fall is the spiritual prequel to Mind Over Manam, pictured to the right. Embark on an evocative meditation-adventure inside the mind of a young girl suffering from a life-threatening injury and revisit her final moments.
Please see the itch page for more information.
Finding Semolina is a VR multilingual puzzle-adventure game about recovery and loss. Scour the realms of consciousness in search of long-lost mementos and sieve through half-forgotten conversations for peace of mind.
Please see the itch page for more information.
In Mind over Manam, you grow your vocabulary, and your abilities, by translating the worlds around you. But with every interpretation applied, who or what is lost along the way? f
Please see the itch page for more information.
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