The Great Martian War

Mobile Game

Art Director, Game & Story Designer | History Channel

The Great Martian War is a cinematic “endless runner” built for iOS in collaboration with History Channel Canada & UK, Entertainment One, and Impossible Pictures. As Creative Director, I spearheaded the vision for this mobile game, designed to amplify the narrative and reach of the History Channel show of the same name.

The game seamlessly integrated characters, pivotal events, and evocative locations directly inspired by the alternate history science fiction story. At the heart of the film is the compelling journal of Gus, an Anishnaabe Canadian scout whose discoveries expose the truth about the Martian invaders, a revelation poised to reshape civilization. While the film masterfully explored the aftermath of Gus’s pivotal findings, the game provided a unique opportunity to delve deeper into his personal journey.

Narrative Design

As Creative Director, I oversaw the expansion of the narrative through interactive gameplay. This involved conceptualizing and outlining the structure of Gus’s escape sequences across diverse enemy territories. I collaborated with the narrative team to craft the scenarios and challenges that players would encounter, ensuring they aligned with the established lore of the film.

Furthermore, I directed the integration of Gus’s journal entries as unlockable content, strategically placing them to enhance the storytelling and provide players with deeper insights into the unfolding events and Gus’s perspective. This required careful consideration of pacing and the relationship between gameplay and narrative disclosure, ensuring a cohesive and engaging player experience.

Concept Art & Illustration

Leveraging the striking design of the Martian walker established in the film was a crucial starting point. As Creative Director, I took ownership of the visual development beyond this initial design. I created concept art for the diverse array of adversaries and obstacles players would confront, ensuring they were both menacing and consistent with the Martian technology hinted at in the show. My responsibilities also included visualizing Gus himself, capturing his resilience and resourcefulness, as well as designing the various items and power-ups scattered throughout the game levels. This involved defining their functionality and ensuring their visual language was intuitive and integrated seamlessly with the game’s aesthetic.

Art Direction

Taking inspiration from the distinctive visual style of the History Channel show was paramount in establishing the game’s tone and atmosphere. As Creative Director, I established the overall artistic vision for the game’s interface and player experience. This involved analyzing the show’s aesthetic – its color palettes, textures, and historical references – and translating that into the game’s visual language. I directed the design of all on-screen elements, including menus, HUD, and feedback systems, ensuring they were both functional and visually compelling.

The deliberate use of specific fonts and skeuomorphic elements was a key aspect of this direction, recalling the historical context of World War I and creating a tangible connection to the era in which the game is set. I oversaw the implementation of these design choices, providing guidance and ensuring consistency across all aspects of the game’s visual presentation.

Project Outcomes

  • The game effectively extended the narrative of the “Great Martian War” film by allowing players to experience the untold story of Gus’s perilous journey. By strategically integrating unlockable journal entries and designing gameplay sequences that mirrored his escape, the game provided fans with deeper engagement and a richer understanding of the film’s world and characters, going beyond the scope of the original documentary.
  • The project demonstrated a creative approach to adapting cinematic intellectual property into an engaging mobile game format. By focusing on a central character’s untold story and translating key elements like the Martian walker into compelling gameplay mechanics within the endless runner genre, the game offered a fresh and interactive way for audiences to connect with the “Great Martian War” universe.
  • The initial launch of the game saw strong early engagement with a significant amount of time spent within the app by users. This suggests that the core gameplay loop and the integration of the “Great Martian War” IP resonated well with the target audience, laying a solid foundation for planned future content updates and broader market release.