Castle of Blackwater
Castle of Blackwater
Overview
Castle of Blackwater is a 2D multiplayer social deduction game where up to 10 players must complete tasks while identifying hidden enemies within the castle. Inspired by classic deception games, the experience blends strategic teamwork, hidden roles, and fast-paced gameplay.
The project was developed by a small independent team with the goal of delivering a polished multiplayer experience with strong visual identity and clear gameplay communication.
Project Details
STUDIO: Castle of Blackwater
ROLE: Art Director / UI & UX Design
TEAM SIZE: 3 Internal Artists, 2 External Spot Work Artists + Developers
ENGINE: Unity
PLATFORM: PC / Steam (designed for future mobile implementation)
RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Art Direction
• UI / UX Design
• Visual Systems
• Game Assets & Marketing Visuals
My Role
Goals
Challenges
As Art Director, I was responsible for establishing the visual identity of the game and ensuring consistency across gameplay, interface design, and marketing materials.
Working within a small team of three artists, I helped guide the artistic vision while also contributing directly to UI/UX design, game assets, level visuals, and promotional materials.
My work spanned multiple areas of production, including concept development, interface design, gameplay visuals, and storyboarding for trailers and marketing assets.
The visual direction for Castle of Blackwater focused on three key goals:
• Create a strong visual identity that supports the game's medieval fantasy theme
• Design gameplay interfaces that communicate player roles and actions clearly
• Ensure UI and visual elements feel integrated into the game world rather than separate overlays
These goals helped guide both the artistic direction and the design of gameplay interfaces.
Developing Castle of Blackwater presented several challenges due to the small team size and limited production resources.
Because the project required both strong visual identity and clear gameplay communication, the art direction needed to balance style with usability. Multiplayer deception mechanics also required UI elements that could communicate information quickly without overwhelming the player.
Additionally, working with a small team meant establishing efficient workflows and ensuring visual consistency across many different areas of the game.
Design Process
To establish the visual identity of the game, I began by exploring concept directions that balanced a stylized medieval aesthetic with clear gameplay readability.
From there I developed a visual language that extended across environments, UI elements, character design, and marketing materials.
The UI design focused heavily on clarity and readability. Interface elements were designed to feel integrated into the game’s world while still communicating gameplay information efficiently.
Throughout development, I collaborated closely with designers and developers to iterate on UI layouts and gameplay elements based on testing and feedback.
Examples of the interface design used throughout the game, focusing on clarity, role communication, and maintaining the medieval fantasy aesthetic.
Key Contributions
ART DIRECTION
Established the visual identity and artistic style of the game.
UI / UX DESIGN
Designed gameplay interfaces, menus, and HUD elements to support player communication and role-based mechanics.
GAME ASSETS
Created visual assets including environments, props, and supporting gameplay elements.
LEVEL DESIGN
Contributed to the visual layout and design of gameplay areas.
MARKETING MATERIALS
Created marketing assets including website visuals, promotional graphics, and trailer storyboards.
Results
The project successfully delivered a cohesive visual experience despite a small team size and limited production resources.
The unified visual direction helped reinforce the game’s theme and gameplay systems, while clear UI design supported player communication and decision-making during matches.
The project continues to grow its player base on Steam while demonstrating the impact of strong visual direction and cohesive design systems in small team development.
More images from the game showing map design and day / night elements