TFS Video Game Students Unveil Dark Fantasy Game “Project Soul”

Toronto Film School’s graduating class of Video Game students recently celebrated the launch of their capstone game Project Soul – an ambitious action platformer that showcases the culmination of more than a year’s worth of collaborative development.

In Project Soul, TFS’s Video Game Design & Animation and Video Game Design & Development students have created a game in which players step into the worn boots of underdog hero Corvus Jay. As the lowest-ranked member of the Crow Conclave – a mystical order practicing the ancient art of Soul Mirroring – Corvus has never quite measured up to his peers. When a demonic force overruns his village and the Conclave writes it off as a lost cause, he decides to venture into the fight alone.

Guided by a mysterious Mentor who once served the Conclave himself, Corvus must finally master the Soul Mirroring abilities that have always eluded him, unlocking new powers to combat the demonic invasion threatening everything he holds dear.

From Concept to Creation

For the game’s Co-producer and Lead Level Designer Taylor Sprentz and her classmates, the process of developing Project Soul proved to be just as transformative as its protagonist’s arc.

Originally envisioned with a reputation system with multiple questlines for villagers, Sprentz said the team decided to make strategic cuts to Project Soul’s initial Game Design Document (GDD) to focus on their strongest mechanics.

“Once we did move away from (GDD), we actually started getting more ideas for the game, and in my opinion, better ideas than what was originally created, because we were all able to collaborate together to make something that wasn’t just one person’s idea, it was a collection of everybody’s ideas,” she explained.

While the game took its genre, aesthetic and thematic inspiration from the “OG Metroidvanias” like Castlevania, Trine and Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree, it took its platforming cues from Blasphemous and Hollow Knight.

A World Between Realms

The game’s signature feature – Soul Mirroring – emerged as a defining element partway through development.

Project Soul’s co-producer Ralph Ghnatios shared the philosophical foundations of Soul Mirroring: “Inspired by near-death experience stories, people often describe near-death experiences as a moment of leaving the body, then returning with intense, vivid memories.”

This mechanic transforms gameplay by allowing players to phase between the physical world and the soul realm. Players can unlock ethereal platforms, reveal hidden pathways, dispel demonic barriers, and communicate with spirits who hold secrets about the world’s dark transformation. The interplay between realms creates puzzles that challenge players to think beyond traditional platforming.

Combat and Exploration

In Project Soul, players face two primary threats: aggressive Demon enemies that charge into close combat, and elusive Fodder enemies that attack from range. The combat includes a precision-based three-hit combo system, heavy attacks, and a poise mechanic that rewards tactical play.

Beyond combat, players utilize a versatile grapple hook for traversal and enemy manipulation, Ghnatios said.

“The grapple hook is our multi-purpose mobility tool, and it doubles as a combat utility. First, we can pull in enemies. When we hook a target, we can wheel them into controlling space and set up close-range attacks,” he explained.

“Second, it’s a platforming mechanic: We fire our arrow that latches onto specific targets, letting us traverse gaps in each areas we couldn’t access with standard jumping. And finally, it supports swinging, so instead of just moving in a straight line, you can build momentum and swing between platforms for faster, more dynamic traversal.”

Darkness and Design

Art Director David Rae and his team crafted a visual identity that merges gothic atmosphere with stylized character design. The aesthetic choices were deliberate and purposeful, he said.

“We were focusing on strong silhouettes in the background, big, exaggerated features on the characters… the Mentor has this giant head and big, huge, hulking figure, and this huge battle axe,” he said.

The color palette uses striking contrasts, with neon purples and pinks representing demonic corruption against darker environments. Rae noted the visual impact: “I thought that looked really cool against the really dark background, so we went in that direction.”

Environmental design drew from medieval French architecture, particularly structures like those on Mont-Saint-Michel – a tidal island and mainland commune in Normandy, France. The team employed modular building techniques using what Rae described as pieces that “could snap together like Lego to build these buildings,” allowing for efficient level construction while maintaining visual variety.

Hard-Won Wisdom

Reflecting on their year-long journey, the team shared some of the challenges they faced along the way – including scope management and timeline adjustments – and offered insights for future developers.

Rae stressed the importance of early narrative development, noting: “Early on, find the voice for the game, find out what you want it to be in terms of theme or story…because there’s a lot of design elements that come a lot easier when you had that theme, that narrative.”

For Sprentz, a key recommendation she had for current students working on their own capstones was to figure out early on what you want to get out of the experience and choose your role on the game accordingly:

“Tell your capstone team what you want to work on as opposed to just saying ‘Oh, I’ll do whatever,’ because it really does help put you in the best role possible,” she urged. “That way, everybody’s making the best stuff that they can, using their highest strengths.”

And, perhaps most importantly, Rae said it’s important to bond with your capstone teammates.

“Finding the fun early is a very important thing,” he said. “Early on into the project, you really want to get to know your fellow team members, hang out with them on Discord, or, if you live close, get together and have a game night or something… It just would help the whole process go a lot smoother.”

A Team Effort

Closing out the showcase event, the Soul State Studio team behind Project Soul stressed that the final game represented the combined efforts of all involved – from the artists, programmers, designers, and audio specialists, to the TFS acting students who lent their voices to the project.

“Our whole team pulled a lot of all-nighters towards the end. There were a few critical bugs that were happening within the last couple of weeks, so props to the entire team for doing their due diligence and nipping them in the bud,” Sprentz said. “Now, we have a very stable final build that we’re presenting with, which I’m really proud of.”

They also expressed gratitude to their instructors, families, and “emotional support pets” who sustained them through late-night development sessions.

Learn more about Project Soul and play the game HERE!