The document summarizes several existing video game products that the author has researched. It describes The Last Night as a 2D platformer set in a future world relying on robots, inspired by Blade Runner. It notes the dark atmosphere and bright lighting effects. It then summarizes Broforce as a run and gun side scroller inspired by 1980s action films with destructible environments. Finally, it summarizes Flashback and Shardlight, noting their animation, graphics, gameplay, and audio features. The research analysis section indicates common futuristic settings and 2D format across games, and aspects the author will include in their own work like simple animations and visual styles.

1. Research
Harry Morton

2. Existing Product
The Last Night is a 2D Platformer Game set in the future where
the world relies on robots and computers to do all the work
while humans relax. The game is inspired by Blade runner and a
game from 1992 called Flashback. I have chosen this game for
my research because of its art style and look. The game is mostly
dark but with bright lights coming from signs or building which
create a cool atheistic.

3. Existing Product
The Last Night using lighting to make the game stand out of its dark
background. The game using oranges, blues and greens to create its style
of a dystopian future. The game is set in a city where the character can
walk around and interact with people on the street. The characters wear
dark clothing as well which makes the colors stand out more

4. Existing Product
Broforce is a run and gun action side scroller inspired by 1980s action films. The character you
play is a action hero who is sent into a jungle to save his comrades and kill the enemies. The
games uses simple character design and animation which still look good and will take less time.
The environment of the game is destructible and the game has a lot of explosive weapons and
red barrels to shoot so by the end of the level the environment is destroyed. The game also has
a mechanic were when you save one of your comrades you gain a life and you also turn into that
character and if you lose a life you turn back to the previous character you were playing as. The
game also has a boss fights at the end of each section which has a health bar at the top of the
screen. The colours used are bright because the game is not to be taken seriously and because
its parody of old action films, also the bright colours make the game stand out when there is an
explosion or when an enemy explodes into a red could. The sound effects are simple but work
well with the simple style, also there a simple soundtrack of drums which plays of each level.

5. Existing Product
Flashback is a game from 1992 set in a dystopian future in the city New Washington. The games
animations are complex with different jumping animations and shooting animations and even
hanging onto a edge if you miss a jump. The animations look smooth because of the complexity
of the animation. The games characters are simple with not much detail but the backgrounds
have some detail and look good. The game lighting is also simple with no shading. The gameplay
of the game is that you have shoot enemies without yourself being hit and killing and getting to
the end to complete the level. You can dodge enemy’s weapons by crouching or jumping.
Enemies take a lot of bullets before the die which makes the game hard. the sounds effects are
simple and repetitive. The game only has music at the beginning of the game but then it fades
out. The music is also simple.

6. Existing Product
Shardlight is an adventure game set 20 years after a nuclear war. The gameplay of the
game is that you are given a puzzle and you have to walk around the playable area
interacting with people and objects to find the solution. The backgrounds and
characters of the game are very detailed and when you interact with someone it gives
you some dialogue options and a close up of their face. The game soundtrack is very
good and fits the game well. The sound effects are also good and sound clear unlike
some other games which the sound effect sound distorted. The game also has voice
acting in it which most adventure games have.

7. Research Analysis
• What common features do the researched
products have?
• The setting is a common feature my researched products have because
most of them are set in the future. All the researched products were 2D as
well.
• What aspects of the research will you include
within your on work?
• I will include the simple animation from Broforce because its easy to do
and I can focus more on the style of the game. I will include the visual style
from Shardlight and The Last Night because they are visual appealing to
me and look like they will fit my game. I will also include simple sound
effects like the ones from Broforce

8. Bibliography

9. Bibliography
1. Odd Tales. (N/A) The Last Night
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Night_(video_game)
3. Free Lives. (2015) Broforce
4. Delphine Software. (1992) Flashback
5. Francisco Gonzalez and Ben Chandler (2016) Shardlight