Jera is a 2d platformer game in which we use powers gained progressively to defeat the evil force that tries to destroy our village.
In Jera, there is a progressive evolution of the things you can do throughout the game. First, the basic mechanics of walking and jumping are given to the player on the first area, the Village. There is where you will be able to talk with the different NPCs making use of a dialog system. There is also where the player is given the first power, the Earth, granting you the ability to swim in mud, being able to reach places you couldn’t otherwise. With this, the gameplay becomes more agile and dynamic, but not as much as when you are granted with the Fire power a bit later, a fire dash.
That is the moment in which the gameplay becomes the fastest and funniest. Then, the player gets the Water Power, and a bit of control and maneuverability is added to the gameplay, being it a gliding mist that makes you hover in the air. The game is fast, but more importantly, dynamic. The enemies and level design of the areas create interesting situations, and the art always stands as something pleasing to see while playing the game. There are some cinematics in the most important parts, and at the end, there is a final boss battle in which the player will need to use all its abilities and everything that has learnt, but this time, from a different perspective, creating a new and final challenge.
Meet the villagers:
Explore the forest:
Master your abilities:
Avoid enemies:
Be the saviour:
The game was developed by 2nd Year students at DigiPen Institute of Technology Europe - Bilbao, in an 8-month project as part of their academic curriculum. The game was made without the usage of a premade engine in C++.
