Fall Up is an indie-game developed by Unicellular Games that promises to captivate players with its unique gameplay and profound message. The game has been received positively with being chosen to be part of the London Games Festival 2024 Official Selection and the Game Devs of Color Expo 2024 and 2023.
In an exclusive interview, Filipino artist and programmer Patrick Reyes, the creative mind behind the game, shared insights into the development and inspiration of Fall Up.
A Unique Platformer Experience
Fall Up is a 2.5D level-based platformer where players must outsmart their enemies to overcome obstacles. The twist? The very things that threaten the player are the tools they use to advance.
“To succeed, players need to lure, outmaneuver, and even rescue their enemies,” explained Reyes. “They feel unconquerable as desperate attempts by enemies to attack them constantly backfire.”
A Metaphor for Life
The game’s title, Fall Up, is a metaphor for transforming adversity into opportunity. Reyes elaborated, “The title means literally falling to go up, or converting negative energy to positive energy. In life, challenges are actually opportunities to become a stronger, wiser, happier version of oneself. This age-old wisdom is desperately needed in today’s world.”
Fall Up aims to teach this wisdom through gameplay, allowing players to learn through their actions rather than words.
Inspiration from Classic Platformers
Reyes drew inspiration from a variety of sources, particularly classic platformer games. “I grew up playing many platformer games, so many games subconsciously influenced me throughout the development of Fall Up. The most significant ones are Celeste, Mario vs. Donkey Kong, and Rayman Origins,” he shared.
Positive Reception at Expos
The game has been well-received by expo attendees, with many players enjoying the unique gameplay and concept. “The game has undergone many refinements and iterations in response to feedback from players, so the reception now is more positive than it was before,” Reyes noted.
Fall Up is currently available to wishlist on Steam with release slated for this year.
