Margherita Orlando
Game Designer
"Play as a survivor in an open world set after Judgment Day where you, alone or in co-op, scavenge resources to build a base of operations for mankind. But you’re not alone. Skynet’s machines hunt you down as well as rival human factions."
Working on this major IP allowed me to develop quests within a globally recognized franchise, addressing the technical challenges of implementing narrative content in an expansive open-world environment.
Quest Designer
"Within a world dominated by Artificial Intelligences, you will step into the shoes of a detective and investigate to solve the mystery hidden within a jazz bar, the Proxy Bar.
Choose from 5 different languages: English, Italian, Spanish, French, and German, and interact with characters by typing or recording your voice.
You can ask the characters ANYTHING, but will you be able to ask the right questions to solve the mystery?"
This project was originally developed as a master's thesis to research and explore the integration of generative text AI within video game development, studying the potential and challenges of implementing AI-driven characters in interactive narratives.
Design
Development
Noisy Mall is a stealth game in which you have to escape from a mall without being detected by the guard, taking advantage of the spatial audio of objects to orient yourself within the map.
In this 3D stealth game, players must navigate a shopping mall using spatial audio as their primary guide. Players will create sounds by colliding with objects to orient themselves, while also strategically generating noise to distract patrolling guards.
The periodic thunder from a raging storm outside provides crucial moments to mask player-generated sounds.
The project includes a paper on how sound effects impact player emotional states and spatial orientation, creating an immersive audio experience that enhances both tension and navigational awareness.
Design
Development
"Reya, the Lady of Light, fell. The White Light which once shone over the Yule realm faded, leaving the world in a dark era. The reason for her disappearance, if ever known, is now a lost knowledge, of which no one retains memory. But the Light did not completely vanish! Years later, contenders rose from the darkness,
the "Lightbringers", eager to enforce their light over the Yule realm. Bringers of the Emerald, Larimar and Ruby lights, but only one could prevail over the others, obtaining... the White Light!"
This prototype version features 4 out of the 9 designed characters, supports up to 3 distinct teams, and allows for gameplay with up to 9 players simultaneously across 2 maps - one small and one large.
Design
Art
3rd place winner in the Online Games category.
"Help Felux, a supernatural space cat, in its journey to reach a dying star. To get to its destination, Felux must walk on little asteroids scattered across space,
but to move from one asteroid to another, he needs a light ray connecting the two on which it can walk, exploiting his feline equilibrium.
Felux can generate light at will, but only you have the power to rotate the asteroids..."
Felux is a 3D puzzle game where players rotate asteroids to create light paths, helping the cat Felux navigate through space on its journey.
The game includes an emotional storyline that adds depth to the cosmic puzzle-solving adventure.
Design
"The story begins in 1999, almost a year after Lord Voldemort's defeat. Helena Hemlock, a Death Eater, luckily survived the war and gained possession of a time-turner.
She uses it to go back to the times when herself and the brilliant Minerva McGonagall were students in Hogwarts, and friends.
Will she be able to influence young Minerva to become a dark magician, turning the tides of the upcoming wizarding wars?"
An adventure RPG based on D&D 5th edition rules where players control young Minerva McGonagall alongside magical companions from her school years.
Experience challenging adventures that test your beliefs through combat, puzzles, and meaningful choices.
Design
Development
Two very different brothers, Leaf and Drop, are forced to move house and share their bedroom. The two brothers, always used to being separate, want to compete for territory.
Who will manage to conquer the new bedroom?
A local multiplayer battle where two siblings compete for bedroom territory. Players color squares to gain energy, place objects to block opponents, and claim the most space before time runs out.
The player who controls the most squares wins the bedroom. Multiple game modes with different match durations are available to make the challenge even more difficult.
All game assets were custom-designed and created entirely by our team, with no pre-made elements used.
Game Designer
Game Programmer
2D Artist
July 16, 1969, during the broadcast of the first moon landing, little Jimmy is overwhelmed by an unexpected event...
In this 2D puzzle platformer, players will control Jimmy and his special remote. By typing numbers on their keyboard, players will "change channels,"
instantly transforming the game level. Each channel offers different environments and obstacles,
requiring strategic switching between realities to solve puzzles and advance through this brief but engaging adventure.
All game assets were custom-designed and created entirely by our team, with no pre-made elements used.
Game Designer
Game Programmer
2D Artist
I'm Margherita Orlando, Game Designer from Crotone, Italy. My passion for video games began in childhood as I watched my sister play, with Tomb Raider becoming the formative series that shaped my love for gaming. What has always fascinated me about video games, beyond their immersive and profound stories, are the underlying mechanics that guide players and enhance their gaming experience.
I've always been creative, and during my final year of humanities high school, I made the decision to transform my creativity and passions into a career. Despite having no background in scientific subjects, I challenged myself by pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, followed by a Master's in Computer Science with a specialization in Game Design to fulfill my dream.
Over the years, I've participated in several Global Game Jam events, winning awards on two occasions. My specialization in Game Design, combined with my technical background, gives me a broader perspective on development processes, allowing me to collaborate effectively across different aspects of game creation.
I worked as a Quest Designer on the Narrative Team at Nacon Studio Milan on Terminator: Survivors, an AA open-world co-op FPS based on the iconic Terminator universe, handling the full quest development pipeline. My professional experience spans solo projects, small teams, and AA development, and I'm proficient in both Unity and Unreal Engine 5 development environments.
As a Game Designer, I draw inspiration from a wide range of genres and titles. The Witcher 3, The Last of Us, and Red Dead Redemption 2 exemplify the narrative depth and player-driven mechanics I strive to incorporate in my own work. Life Is Strange and Baldur's Gate 3 shape my approach to meaningful choices and branching, reactive storytelling. Monkey Island reminds me of the power of wit and comedic writing in game narratives. And over 10 years playing League of Legends has shaped my understanding of deep systems design and competitive balance. Together, these influences drive my passion for crafting stories and systems that resonate with players on both an emotional and mechanical level.
University of Milan, Italy
2023
University of Calabria, Rende, Italy
2019
Benedetto XVI Institute, Crotone, Italy
2014