Aditya Shah Portfolio > Game Projects > Haruki - The game
Windows PC
Unreal Engine 5.5
Blueprint system
1 week
2025
1 (Indie)
Level designer, Combat designer, concept artist, gameplay programmer, AI programmer, lightning artist, Event programmer.
In Haruki, inspired from “Haruki”, an animated short film by “Bad Decisions Studio”, you play as a samurai lord returning to his former castle, now seized by his brother Getsuro. The clan’s banners have been torn down, and the castle grounds are guarded by enemy soldiers loyal to him. You battle through three stages of resistance outside the fortress, fighting your way to the main gates. The journey ends in a final duel against Getsuro in front of the castle, where the fate of your clan and honor is decided.
Developed in Unreal Engine 5 using Blueprints, the game establishes Haruki as a third-person action RPG with souls-like mechanics, featuring stamina-based movement and dodging, katana combat with light/heavy combos, enemy AI driven by Behavior Trees, and a cinematic boss fight against Getsuro with unique attack patterns. Core systems are listed further.
Version 2 in development.
https://adiiiart.itch.io/haruki-the-game
https://youtu.be/T_5pEfj7tPI?si=uJ6Q1M1-a8jUdZ7l
Top view: Haruki gameplay ; (P)layer, (E)nemy, (B)oss
Haruki is a cinematic third-person action RPG built in Unreal Engine 5 entirely with Blueprints. Players control Haruki, a samurai fighting to reclaim his clan's castle from his brother Getsuro. Version 1 delivers a complete gameplay loop — exploration, melee combat, and a climactic boss fight.
The level opens on a forest path, showcasing game’s atmospheric mood-building. After passing beneath a massive torii gate, player encounters two enemy soldiers who introduce the stamina-based movement system, dodging mechanics, and katana combat. The fighting system relies on Blueprint-driven combos, light/heavy attack montages, and hit detection through box traces tied to animation notifies.
The action intensifies with a battle against five warriors. Enemy AI operates through a Behavior Tree with idle, chase, and attack states, using AI Perception for sight-based detection. Each opponent includes damage systems, death logic, and flinch reactions that add weight to combat. After this encounter, Haruki climbs a stone stairway, defeating additional guards strategically placed to maintain pacing and guide players toward the fortress.
At the summit, player enters a courtyard arena for the boss fight against Getsuro. During the duel, a custom Niagara particle system creates a glowing purple floor design that pulses and emits sparks, enhancing the cinematic atmosphere. With mechanics like stamina management, dodge rolls, timed attacks, and enemy lock-on all at play, the fight delivers both technical challenge and visual impact.
The demo concludes with Getsuro's defeat, validating the core gameplay systems and establishing a foundation for future expansion.