About
Palashi: Sword and Betrayal was developed in Unreal Engine 5 as submission of our team Malorian Arms for GameJamPlus 10th edition - 2025/26. It is a narrative-driven action game set in mid-18th century Bengal, where players experience war and political intrigue from both Bengali and British perspectives. Featuring multiple playable characters such as assassins, archers, swordsmen, and riflemen, each with distinct abilities and combat styles, the game blends stealth, melee, and ranged mechanics with a story shaped by shifting alliances and betrayal. Structured across three acts leading up to and beyond the Battle of Palashi, it offers both story-focused missions and a replayable arcade mode that emphasizes tactical combat mastery.
Screenshots
Gameplay Trailer
My Contributions
As the lead and only Unreal Engine developer on Palashi, I handled end-to-end development including gameplay design, technical implementation, AI systems, and optimization within the game jam constraints.
Gameplay Systems, AI & Core Mechanics
Designed and implemented core combat systems for four general playable archetypes: Assassin, Swordsman, Archer, and Rifleman, each with distinct abilities and playstyles
Developed enemy AI behaviors including both Bengal and British melee enemies, ranged units, alert-trigger enemies,boss enemies etc. ensuring varied combat encounters
Implemented ability systems such as invisibility (assassin), invincibility(swordsman), time-slow (archer & rifleman), and specialized combat mechanics for each character
Designed enemy interaction systems including detection, attack and behavior logic, attack patterns, and combat pacing
Level Design & Mission Structure
Structured the game into multi-act, mission-based progression, ensuring narrative clarity and replayability
Designed missions based on historical events, adapting them into engaging gameplay scenarios
Balanced combat encounters, pacing, and difficulty scaling across missions
Implemented player progression through completing missions, enemy scaling, and mission objectives
Technical Implementation & Optimization
Developed the project in Unreal Engine 5, utilizing Blueprints for gameplay systems and rapid iteration
Handled material adjustments, lighting consistency, and asset integration across mixed-source assets
Optimized performance through texture size reduction and compression, asset cleanup and selective cooking, and efficient packaging
Resolved issues related to asset migration, missing textures, and material inconsistencies across builds
Animation, Rigging & Character Pipeline
Integrated character assets using AccuRIG for fast and efficient rigging
Ensured animation compatibility across multiple character types
Managed character setup and animation workflows within Unreal Engine
UI, UX & Game Flow
Designed and implemented UI elements including mission selection, descriptions, in-game feedback systems, and loading/transition flows
Improved overall player experience through clear game flow, feedback loops, and mission readability
Problem Solving & Iteration
Addressed major gameplay and technical challenges including scope reduction and feature prioritization
Balanced historical accuracy with gameplay design
Ensured consistency across mixed asset sources
Iterated through playtesting to refine combat feel, AI behavior, and mission pacing
Documentation & Design Communication
Documented gameplay systems, mission structures, and design decisions
Maintained clarity in design direction, especially in balancing historical authenticity with creative gameplay systems
Key Outcome
Delivered a complete, mission-based historical action game within game jam constraints
Established a scalable pipeline combining third-party assets, custom systems, and efficient UE5 workflows
Demonstrated ability to handle end-to-end development, including gameplay design, technical implementation, and optimization