HANJUN SHI
MA Games Design Graduate, LCC
Rent, 2023
2D Computer Game
I tried to explore the nowadays British life in the Stardew-Valley style game, telling how an ordinary person tries to earn enough money to survive and pay the rent. This 2D top-down pixel narrative and puzzle game based on my personal experience in London for the previous year, hopes to recreate the hardship and difficulties both immigrants and locals face in present Britain. In this game, I try to create a safe and comfortable playing environment for, so players can feel the rental life in an ideal environment, rather than the reality of struggling with money.
Since 2021, the combination of Covid and armed conflict has led to a significant increase in the cost-of-living problem in the UK, resulting in growing pressure on ordinary people. Facing expensive rent fees, many people have no choice but to reduce their daily costs to pay the rent fee. Those bitter experiences gave me a strong idea to reflect them in a game. Deriving inspiration from Russian author Yevgeny Zamyatin, ‘Instead of lamenting bitterly in the face of everyday suffering, we should learn to laugh at it.’
Artist Bio
I am a lucky kitten lover who lived in a community with twenty-one adorable cats, and a game designer focused on using entertainment to reflect modern-day issues. With a background in game design and medieval history, I am advancing my academic pursuits and game design career.