Juunishi Zodiacs - Cover & CGs

About:
Juunishi Zodiacs was one of the finalist projects in the PlayStation Talents Portugal 2022 contest, nominated for "Best Game", "Best Art" and "Best Storytelling". This was a project that started as my final project for my 2nd year at ETIC Algarve.
Is a fantasy adventure Visual Novel with combat and exploration elements for PC and PlayStation 4/5. The player follows the story, divided into 7 chapters and inspired by the Chinese-Japanese Zodiac and Japanese mythology, from the eyes of the protagonist Akira Nishida.

Synopsis:
"After the Fourth World War, in a devastated world, off the coast of Japan, the microstate of Aoishima is born, led by the governmental megacorporation GenBase, which exploits a powerful and mysterious magic called Etheria as an energy source.
The story follows Akira Nishida (he/they), a young writer who loses the mobility of his hands and becomes part of his family in an accident caused by monsters generated from Etheria, the Variants. When trying to take his own life, he is visited by the Animal Spirit of the Rat, who offers him a contract: in exchange for healing from his hands and supernatural powers that will give him a purpose, Akira will give it his soul and he will have to help it find the God of Moon and Shadows, who is missing in Aoishima."

The key ideas to the concept of Juunishi Zodiacs (in storytelling requirements) were the themes:
- LGBTQIA+ representation (with all characters being part of the community);
- Mental health and human connection (issues related to depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress, and eating disorders);
- And climate changes and human influences on the environment.
Also, in more mechanical requirements, Juunishi Zodiacs brings some unusual elements of the Visual Novel genre:
- Turn-based combat with creatures from Japanese mythology;
- Exploration and free interaction with characters and environments;
- Choices that affect the ending;
- And enters the genres of adventure, fantasy and human union.