About Me

I am a Cinematic and Narrative Game Designer with a background in film and AAA game development, focused on building immersive, gameplay-driven storytelling. My work includes major titles such as EXODUS and DOOM: The Dark Ages, alongside AA and independent projects, including a self-developed PlayStation release.

Across concept, production, and launch, I specialize in integrating narrative, cinematics, and gameplay into cohesive interactive experiences. My work spans cinematic and narrative design, technical implementation, and creative direction, supported by a strong foundation in gameplay systems and real-time storytelling pipelines. I have also led small multidisciplinary teams, aligning creative vision with production realities.

As an ArtCenter College of Design graduate and award-winning filmmaker, I bring cinematic discipline and storytelling clarity to interactive worlds. My goal is to create emotionally grounded, player-driven experiences that elevate narrative and cinematic storytelling within games.

Resume / Game Experience

EXODUS
Technical Cinematic Designer
Archetype Entertainment

  • Script and deliver data-driven dialogue scenes and gameplay-embedded narrative moments, building scalable setups that remain cohesive across multiple player paths and states.

  • Partner closely with production, narrative, cinematics, and design to translate story intent into playable sequences that align performance, pacing, and visual language.

  • Implement narrative content directly in Unreal Engine using proprietary tools, supporting real-time conversations, in-world storytelling, and state-driven scene flow.

  • Maintain the narrative vision in-engine, ensuring all content meets cinematic quality targets, gameplay readability standards, and the project’s established aesthetic bar.

  • Operate autonomously within an agile production environment, coordinating with QA, production, and narrative to track implementation, resolve issues, and deliver against time-sensitive milestones.

Doom: The Dark Ages
Technical Cinematic Designer
id Software

  • Implemented in-engine cinematics for DOOM: The Dark Ages, owning the node-based scripting pipeline that drove sequencing, state flow, and gameplay integration.

  • Built and maintained the transition framework between player control and scripted moments to ensure seamless pacing and immersion.

  • Partnered with design, animation, and engineering to bring cinematic content into the engine, resolving integration, timing, and logic issues across gameplay scenarios.

  • Diagnosed and fixed blockers impacting narrative delivery, using targeted testing to stabilize scenes through final implementation.

  • Validated real-time cinematic content in engine, maintaining quality, performance, and gameplay readability at ship level.

Order of the Elements
Lead Narrative and Cinematic Designer
Tigerroll Studios

  • Developed and implemented narrative content, including dialogue trees, quest logs, NPC interactions, and worldbuilding elements for a dark medieval co-op RPG.

  • Crafted immersive storytelling experiences within established lore, ensuring consistency with the game’s dark, realistic, and sarcastic themes.

  • Crafted and polished complex cutscenes and in-game cinematics to deliver a seamless, cinematic experience that enhances player immersion and meets the highest professional standards.

  • Integrated narrative elements directly into gameplay, creating immersive storytelling moments through environmental details, NPC behaviors, and quest progression.

COVENANT
Game & Cinematic Designer
Legion Studios

  • Partnered with design teams to create and refine narrative-driven systems and mechanics that enhance player engagement.

  • Researched and developed tools to seamlessly integrate storytelling elements with gameplay, elevating narrative cohesion.

  • Created and implemented innovative gameplay features, including interactive inventory systems and dynamic environmental mechanics, to enrich the player experience.

  • Recorded numerous cutscenes for marketing and trailers, working with the team to ensure cinematic moments were aligned with the narrative and effectively showcased in promotional materials.

Midnight Acres
Solo Developer, Director, Producer
Self-Published on Steam

  • Independently developed and published a single-player FPS farming game, combining narrative-driven gameplay with atmospheric design.

  • Handled all aspects of development, including game design, programming, art, and sound, ensuring a cohesive and engaging experience.

  • Focused on delivering a tense, immersive experience, creating story elements that enhanced player engagement.

  • Designed and developed expansive open-world environments, creating immersive, dynamic landscapes that encourage exploration and strategic gameplay, while ensuring seamless integration with core mechanics and narrative elements.

Animalistic
Game Director, Producer, Narrative Designer
Self-Published on PlayStation

  • Led a team of freelancers, including artists, programmers, and composers, to create a narrative-driven action game.

  • Coordinated all aspects of development, from concept to release, ensuring timely delivery and high-quality content.

  • Secured a voice actor from God of War to enhance the narrative experience, elevating the game’s storytelling.

  • Oversaw successful publishing on PlayStation, managing the submission process and achieving a major milestone.

Portrait of Keaton Applebaum over a blue background.