A Village Full of Stories
The game follows a protagonist who returns to his hometown after his father reports strange occurrences: unusual behavior among the villagers, mysterious presences, and disappearances. Shortly after arriving, his father vanishes too, leaving the player to uncover the truth.
We built two main areas: the father’s house, a typical 1970s Italian home with lived-in furniture and classic wallpaper, and the surrounding village, inspired by real central Italian towns with stone houses, narrow streets, and forested outskirts.
Inside and outside, every poster, menu, flyer, and diary page tells a story. They are hand-drawn, full of cultural references, jokes, and satirical nods to Italian pop culture — from parody video game posters like “Pizz-Man” and “Italiy Invaders”, to flying pizza UFOs, fake election posters, and supermarket flyers. These details make the village feel alive and authentic while creating a humorous contrast with the horror of the alien invasion.
My Contribution
I was deeply involved in the artistic and creative side of the project:
- Illustrations & Graphics: I created all hand-drawn graphics using Procreate, including posters, menus, flyers, and diary pages.
- Story Development: I contributed to building the lore, designing the village’s characters, and shaping the strange events that drive the narrative.
- Testing & Feedback: I helped refine the gameplay, ensuring that the graphics, atmosphere, and story worked seamlessly together.
Aliens & Gameplay
When the invasion begins, the player faces three types of aliens: small and slow for beginners, larger and faster enemies, and a final boss — a huge alien requiring multiple shots to defeat. The alien models were created in ZBrush and animated with Mixamo, adding life to the extraterrestrial threat.
The player’s journey is structured around exploration, finding clues, fighting aliens, and ultimately reaching the mothership. Short lines of dialogue add ironic references to Italian culture, mixing humor with horror.
Bringing the Village to Life
All assets — from the environments to the graphics — were imported into Unity3D, and the game was coded in C#. My role in integrating the visual elements and shaping the narrative helped create a cohesive and immersive world.
The final result is a 15-minute experience that combines horror, sci-fi, and Italian identity in a unique, satirical, and unsettling way. The contrast between everyday Italian life and the chaos of an alien invasion makes the story both engaging and memorable.
Conclusion
Hollow Hometown is more than a game jam project; it’s a love letter to small Italian towns, their culture, and their everyday details — turned upside down by the extraordinary. Creating hand-drawn visuals, shaping the story, and adding playful cultural references made this project truly special for me.
