The Hermit
Duality of The Hermit
The Hermit
The Hermit is a third-person action-adventure game centered around combat, exploration, puzzles, and a deeply personal story of separation and longing.
Players take on the role of The Hermit, a mysterious entity that awakens once every thousand years to restore balance between the natural and aberrant sides of the world. The Hermit exists as two identical halves, one residing in each side of reality.
The game follows a linear narrative while keeping exploration largely non-linear. Players are encouraged to leave the main path, discover hidden areas, solve environmental puzzles, uncover lore, and find new abilities that open up further possibilities.
The world is divided into distinct areas, each with its own visual identity, environmental challenges, enemies, and secrets. Combat is fast-paced and built around The Hermit's unique abilities, while exploration and puzzle-solving provide a quieter counterpoint to the action.
The story focuses on loneliness, separation, longing, and fate, gradually revealing more about The Hermit's nature and the world they inhabit through exploration and discovery.
My Role
The Hermit was originally developed under A Cute Atom, the studio name before it became DUSTRA. I joined the team later in development, taking on responsibilities across game design, level design, puzzle design, and project management.
My work focused on shaping the gameplay experience, designing levels and environmental challenges, developing puzzles and progression, and helping coordinate the project as it evolved.