Whose will? by Sijie Zhang &Edith Li

Core Concept

Blake’s shadow possesses an independent will. By altering its projected area, it influences his psychological state and thereby manipulates his behavior, ultimately steering his fate toward a path in aerospace. Beneath the appearance of “reconciliation,” however, Blake chooses to enter the sun, using mutual destruction as a way to completely free himself from the shadow. 

The shadow seeks to expand its own existence, gradually stripping Blake of his subjectivity and taking control of his life. As the one being controlled, Blake spends his entire life complying with a will that is not his own—aware, yet powerless to resist—until he ultimately chooses an extreme method to obtain freedom.

Inspiration

This project originates from a question: are the choices we make in life truly determined by our own will, or are they guided over time by some non-self-driven force, such as external expectations, social conditioning, or fate?

I chose the “shadow” as the core concept because it naturally carries several eerie properties:

• It always follows a person
• Its shape is determined by external conditions
• It exists in light, yet disappears within it

These characteristics easily lead to a deeper question: Could humans, like shadows, also be shaped—or even controlled—by invisible “conditions”? Thus, the story’s “supernatural premise” becomes a natural entry point to explore the boundary between the self and the will of others.

The inspiration for this story combines several elements:

• Psychological horror

The unease humans feel when confronted with a loss of self-control and an existence they cannot resist.

• Existential themes

A disconnection between inner self and outward behavior; one’s preferences and achievements no longer feel like one’s own, resulting in a loss of identity and belonging.

• Defamiliarization of everyday experience

Transforming the ordinary, ever-present “shadow” into an anomalous entity capable of affecting reality.

• Science fiction context

The rational, grand backdrop of space exploration contrasts with the individual’s alienation and loneliness.

Goals

This project aims to tell the story of a person whose life is controlled by a will that is not his own, and his attempt to reclaim the “final right to choose.” It invites players to reflect: are human actions truly self-driven? If life is shaped—or even controlled—do achievements still hold meaning? If most actions are guided, does “freedom” still exist?

The project is designed to guide players through layered emotional experiences:

1. Early Stage: Memories of Student Life

Blake enjoys shadow puppets, twilight, and nighttime, while disliking intense sunlight—essentially reflecting the shadow’s pursuit of a “larger range of existence.” His first encounter with a strong anomaly occurs when the lighting for an ID photo causes him to hear a “desperate scream,” making him faint. As Blake enters university, he gradually realizes in the library that his shadow has its own will; even his urge to read is not truly his own.

Player emotional experience: mild discomfort, confusion, and an intuitive sense of unease toward the shadow’s abnormality.

2. Middle Stage: The Source of Present Achievements

Blake is forced to study aerospace subjects he has no interest in, compelled to change his major, undergo training, and become an astronaut. During a lunar mission, he comes to understand the shadow’s ultimate desire: maximum expansion of its existence. But what about his own desires? No one can understand the state of having one’s true self stripped away. Even his success fails to bring a sense of identity or belonging.

Player emotional experience: oppression, helplessness, a gradual loss of control over life, and fear of the self being replaced.

3. Ending: An Unexpected Incident During the Mission

In earlier interviews, Blake expresses reconciliation with his shadow, accepting it and voluntarily applying for the mission. In truth, his real plan is to detach from the spacecraft and fall toward the sun—choosing the most painful possible method for the shadow in order to achieve his only form of liberation.

Player emotional experience: the realization that “reconciliation” was a lie, accompanied by a sense of sorrow and loneliness.

Pictures of game play in development

This is the scenes in Unity, I programmed a player controller allows the player to click the ground and move the character. A 1-bit shader is also used on the main camera to create the retro atmosphere.