Ruya attempts to re-imagine match puzzle games with an emphasis on benefiting the individual’s well-being. We define it as Tetris meets Connect Four, with a twist of spirituality. We want players to think deeply while they’re having fun. It features a hand illustrated visual narrative that subtly normalises adoption and same sex marriage. We leave elements of the narrative deliberately open ended for individuals to create their own interpretations about its meaning allowing players to creatively and freely introspect. The game is deeply personal but accessible. We strive for that sense of balance in our work. A subtle blend of scientific logic and heartfelt artistic honesty.
A game of tranquility through the art of matching cute characters in Ruya's world of dreams.
Visit surrealist landscapes, decorate yourself in flowers and introspect. A calming minimal experience with juicy interactions and cool colour combinations to make you feel at ease.
The ethereal dreamlike soundtrack will tickle your senses and pull you into a state of peaceful flow.
What makes my game unique?
Ruya has a strong emphasis on its mood, tone and atmosphere. We strive to calm players and lower heart rate in a passive play experience rather than the opposite. It features binaural beats that alter your state of consciousness into a deep relaxation. Players can tweak the intensity to their liking. You normally find these kinds of features within sleep apps. Each world has its own unique audio carefully composed to suit it.
Ruya emotes based on what is happening on screen. When you win; she jumps for joy. When you lose; she weeps. When you touch her; her hair flops down and she blushes. We push to communicate usability through semiotics and subtle gesture. As well as strive for a diegetic user interface.
Why could my game win an award?
Themes of spirituality are very close to our hearts us as a team. Each visual component in Ruya is carefully selected. One of the intentions on a deeper level was to make the game resonate with outsiders, the disenfranchised shy individuals and an alternative subculture. Ruya is a game that is set in an illusionary dream world of her own quiet mind. She is meditating and imagining everything but ultimately, she is alone on her path.
Our outlook is to try and solve real world social problems through game design. An ambitious but an important goal to have. We want to attempt to push more games designers to question their ethics and set a more positive example for the generations below. With Ruya, we wanted it to be the kind of game you can relax into, unwind and aid your sleep. Insomnia is big problem with our generation and especially among developers. We wanted to play on those themes as an outlet to better understand what insomnia is.
The inspiration and reason for creating Ruya will vary from each team member. Though collectively there’s a non-verbal understanding where we see Ruya as a kind of love letter game to each of the important women in our lives. As a team we wouldn’t necessarily play this genre of game, so in many ways we’ve made it for our sisters, partners, mothers and grandmothers in the hope to bring more women into the game industry. Though, we hope Ruya is relatable to a special kind of person no matter who they are and resonates deeply with them at a certain time in their life. The emotional response is the most important thing to us.
