Game Designer — Systems & Gameplay

Ember Crows is an independent game studio based in London. They create original, story-driven games with distinctive worlds and strong artistic direction. The studio is small and ambitious, working on 'Names Go Dark', a dark, narrative-driven third-person action RPG for PC and consoles, built in Unreal Engine 5.

• At least 3 years of professional experience in Game Design, Gameplay Design, Systems Design or a closely related role.
• At least one commercially shipped game or equivalent substantial production credit.
• Strong experience designing and owning interconnected gameplay systems.
• Experience creating and maintaining practical GDDs and system documentation used by a development team.
• Experience taking gameplay systems from concept through implementation, balancing, playtesting and iteration.
• Strong understanding of gameplay loops, progression, player feedback, risk/reward and balancing.
• Good understanding of third-person action gameplay.
• Strong understanding of narrative-driven RPGs and the relationship between gameplay systems, progression, narrative and worldbuilding.
• Ability to turn high-level creative concepts into clear rules, behaviours, variables and implementation requirements.
• Ability to design systems that reinforce the tone, themes and internal logic of the game world.
• Experience working directly with programmers during implementation.
• Experience working with a modern game engine.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to identify gaps, contradictions and systemic issues within an existing game design.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of significant areas of the game's design.
• Very good written and spoken English.
• Portfolio, shipped project, design case study or other professional work demonstrating systems you personally designed.

Nice to have:

• Unreal Engine 5 and Blueprint experience.
• Combat and ability design.
• Systemic gameplay design.
• Enemy and encounter design.
• Progression and resource systems.
• Exploration or level design.
• Experience balancing interconnected systems.
• Experience with realistic, cyberpunk, science-fiction or dark atmospheric games.
• Experience developing original IP.
• Strong interest in or knowledge of Central and Eastern European history, culture, mythology and folklore.
• Familiarity with Slavic mythology and folklore.
• Experience with games drawing from real-world history, mythology or regional cultures.

• Working closely with the Game Director to develop and formalise the gameplay vision.
• Consolidating existing concepts, mechanics and design material into a clear Game Design Document.
• Maintaining and developing the GDD as the project evolves.
• Identifying gaps, contradictions and systems that still need to be defined.
• Designing and documenting the core gameplay loop.
• Designing player mechanics, combat, abilities, resources, progression and interactions.
• Defining how different gameplay systems interact with one another.
• Creating clear system specifications, diagrams, flows, variables and implementation requirements.
• Designing enemies, encounters and player-enemy interactions.
• Working closely with the Unreal Engine Gameplay Developer during implementation.
• Prototyping gameplay systems where appropriate.
• Reviewing implemented mechanics against the intended design.
• Organising and analysing playtests.
• Iterating systems based on feedback and actual player behaviour.
• Making sure gameplay, narrative, worldbuilding and progression work together as one experience.
• Helping the team prioritise features and keep scope realistic.
• Maintaining clear, practical documentation that other disciplines can actually use.

This is a freelance contract. Compensation, scope, and expected commitment will be agreed individually based on role, experience, and availability.

For remote work, reasonable overlap with UK working hours is required.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.