Memourn
Jiachen Zhou
Advisor: Tiri Kananuruk
Memourn is a 2.5D isometric narrative game set in a cyberpunk city, where players guide Adrian through memory recovery and self-discovery. All interactions are mediated by AI NPCs with evolving personalities that question, challenge, and even rebel against the player, creating a psychological journey through fragmented memories, emotional guilt, and the shifting lines between human agency and machine intelligence.
Project Description
Memourn is a 2.5D isometric narrative game that follows Adrian, a man who loses everything in a mysterious explosion and embarks on a journey through a cyberpunk city to recover his memories and uncover the truth. All interactions are driven by AI NPCs with autonomous agency — they evolve unique personalities based on player commands, offering conflicting perspectives, questioning motives, and even rebelling to break the fourth wall. As players navigate this psychological maze, they are drawn into a multilayered dialogue between memory, guilt, and the blurred boundaries between human and machine.
Technical Details
In Memourn, AI is not just a supporting tool — it is the central medium of interaction. All gameplay actions, from movement and dialogue to object manipulation and memory exploration, are mediated through an AI-driven natural language system. Each AI NPC evolves a unique personality based on the player's input, dynamically adapting to choices and forming complex responses, including moments of rebellion or emotional pushback. This agency allows the AI to break the fourth wall, challenge the player’s assumptions, and drive a narrative shaped by memory, trauma, and shifting identity. The AI doesn’t merely react — it transforms with the story, making every playthrough a distinct psychological journey.