As far back as I can remember, I’ve been passionate about creating fictional worlds. Whether through drawing, writing stories, or simply imagining intricate settings, worldbuilding has always been one of my favorite activities.
On New Year’s Eve 2023, some friends and I decided to start a role-playing campaign. We voted on different themes for the game’s universe, and on a whim, I suggested a glacial apocalypse. I had a strong argument for it—I had already been exploring that exact theme for a couple of weeks as part of a personal worldbuilding project. The idea resonated with the group, and the theme was chosen. That’s how I became the Game Master (GM) for the campaign, which lasted until the summer of 2023. However, for me, the journey didn’t stop there—I never stopped expanding and refining the universe.
Initially, it was just a simple concept: a world trapped in an eternal ice age. Surprisingly, there aren’t many works that explore this setting, despite its immense narrative and visual potential. In film, there’s The Day After Tomorrow (2004) by Roland Emmerich and Snowpiercer (2013) by Bong Joon-ho. Speaking of Snowpiercer, the story has also been adapted into a TV series and originates from the French comic Le Transperceneige by Jacques Lob (script) and Jean-Marc Rochette (art). Other comics in the genre include Neige by Didier Convard and Christian Gine, which depicts a Europe frozen in endless winter after a climate disaster.
In video games, a few notable examples stand out: Frostpunk by 11 Bit Studios (2018) and its sequel (2024), the Metro series (though the eternal winter is only present in some installments), and The Long Dark (2017). Beyond these, the genre remains incredibly niche. To my knowledge, fewer than fifty “public” projects have made a glacial apocalypse a core element of their world.
Inspired by these different works, I started compiling a moodboard filled with imagery that helped define my universe—its frozen landscapes, mutated fauna, makeshift vehicles, scattered factions, and remnants of a world lost to ice.
At first, I developed the setting primarily to support the role-playing campaign, but as the story progressed, I realized I was building something much larger. To keep track of my ideas, I created a Lore Document where I detailed key locations, histories, and characters—anything that could help bring the world to life.
By the time the campaign ended, I had more than just notes and concepts—I had a fully realized world, rich with history, complex societies, and a harsh, unforgiving ecosystem. And that’s when I had the thought: This could make an pretty cool game.
So, let me present the concept:
Kold Vendetta is an RPG action-adventure sandbox (meaning there’s no fixed objective and the player can choose whether or not to follow the story). It is aimed primarily at PC and console gamers.
Here’s a summary of the different aspects I’ve developed:
• Story
The universe of Kold Vendetta is a post-apocalyptic world, ravaged by a new glacial age following the impact of a meteorite. It stands out for its dark and cold visual style—with dust clouds blocking out the sunlight.
After the meteor impact, new societies emerged, and the world is now divided into several communities in constant conflict. The player assumes the role of a “Bione” (a lab-created human) originally from one of the underground bases where some humans live: The Anthill. Their primary mission is to explore and document “the Surface” so that one day, the people of The Anthill can reconquer the Earth.
• Geography
The new glacial age has upended the geography of the Earth. Nearly all oceans have turned into frozen lakes. Numerous mountain ranges have appeared, notably the Oila and Troïzato chains. The main new biomes in the “known world” include the polar desert, tundra, pack ice, glaciers, mountains, fields of ice spikes, and cliffs. The “unknown world” is surrounded by an impenetrable wall of turbulence.
• Fauna and Flora
The glacial age has led to the disappearance of a large portion of Earth’s fauna and nearly all of its terrestrial flora. The few remaining animals have mutated and reverted to a wild state: woolly rhinoceroses, seals, snow sharks, snow worms, horses, auhoyalok, horauk…
A new, mineral form of life has emerged: the ice spikes.
• Characters
Throughout their adventure, the player encounters numerous characters, each more colorful than the last. Some belong to groups—such as the mafias of New-Vom, the Salty Faces, various brigands, and pirates. Others are part of paramilitary groups like the members of the Union. Many are independents: travelers, other biones… Some will be friends, others foes. The gameplay experience relies on complex characters with diverse interactions and realistic reactions.
• Core Gameplay
Kold Vendetta offers gameplay that strikes a balance between realism and dynamism. The default perspective is third-person, although players can switch to a first-person view. The core gameplay is organized around two modes: movement and combat. The movement mechanics are inspired by exploration games like The Last Of Us, while the combat phases draw inspiration from titles like Ghost Runner or Cyberpunk 2077.
• Movement Mode
- On Foot: The player can walk, run, climb, and slide. Movement is limited by endurance and breathing capacity. Wall-running is available in urban areas.
- In Vehicles: There are three types of vehicles: cars/two-wheelers, levitating (flying) vehicles, and armored vehicles. Vehicle gameplay strives for realism, featuring controls such as the accelerator, brake, handbrake, etc.
- Combat While Driving: In some vehicles (like two-wheelers and armored vehicles), players can engage in combat while driving using firearms.
- On Mounts: Players can ride various animals that they find, buy, or rent. These animals can be equipped with saddles for riding. Mount gameplay is similar to that of two-wheelers—sensitive and complex—as players must also manage the health and endurance of their mount.
• Combat Mode
- Kold Vendetta is an adventure game where combat plays a central role. It is essential for quest progression and obtaining certain items, making combat a core aspect of the Kold Vendetta experience.
- In single-player mode, many characters are armed and will defend themselves when attacked. Some fight in groups (brigands, pirates), while others will engage solo (hitmen, mercenaries). Only bosses attack without provocation.
- Combat is designed to be very dynamic: players can dodge, parry, or attack. These actions are quick, and battles are generally short (with the exception of boss fights).
- Players have access to a vast array of customizable weapons, ranging from melee weapons to long-range firearms.
• AMS Monitor
The AMS (Advanced Medical Support) monitor is a crucial UI element in Kold Vendetta. It displays the player’s vital signs:
- BPM
- Breathing (inspirations per minute)
- Hunger
- Thirst
- Temperature
- Endurance
- Immunity
Although these stats do not dominate the gameplay, they are vital for the character’s progression.
• Other Mechanics
- RPG Mechanics:
- Skill Tree: When players complete quests, kill enemies or animals, or build/destroy objects, they earn experience points (XP) that allow them to level up. With each level, players receive skill points to allocate within their skill tree. This tree is divided into 7 branches: Intelligence, Strength, Charisma, Wisdom, Dexterity, Constitution, and Technology. These points act as multipliers for actions such as combat, construction, or conversation.
- Multiplayer-Specific Mechanics:
- RP: The multiplayer mode encourages players to interact, organize, or wage war with one another, using advanced RP tools such as an economic system, a customizable hierarchy, and a framework for establishing legal or illegal organizations (businesses).
- Multiplayer Quests: To be more efficient and earn greater rewards at the end of a quest, players can choose to team up with one or two others when starting a quest.
- Construction System: Players have access to a building/repair system that allows them to upgrade items using repair kits or a workbench, as well as construct walls, floors, roofs, and stairs from various raw materials found in the environment.
- It is also possible to construct certain very rare items and computer/vehicle components.
And here’s a short video I made to illustrate the art direction:
