Genre: Physics Co-op
Engine: Unity
Platform: Steam (Early Access)
Release Date: 10/31/2025
Playtime: ~3 hours
Wishlist: 7,500
Production Period: 8 months (EA)
Role: Director, Lead Designer, Lead Developer, Writer
Team: 6-10
A casket arrives. The phone rings—two pallbearers are sent on one disastrous funeral route. Navigate through the cemetery and deliver the dead to their final destination… at The Hilltop Funeral.
Background
The Hilltop Funeral is the second title I directed and produced at BROKENCIGS. The concept originated as a small school project that Hayley, our Art Director, and I developed for a class assignment requiring a physics-based game. Inspired by a love for Tim Burton films and a desire to create a humorous, chaotic co-op experience, we expanded the idea into The Hilltop Funeral, a full two-player physics game.
The Hilltop Funeral is the second title I directed and produced at BROKENCIGS. The concept originated as a small school project that Hayley, our Art Director, and I developed for a class assignment requiring a physics-based game. Inspired by a love for Tim Burton films and a desire to create a humorous, chaotic co-op experience, we expanded the idea into The Hilltop Funeral, a full two-player physics game.
Key Features
Safely transport your client through the cemetery
Lift the coffin to ensure your client is safely balanced inside the coffin
Traverse through a cemetery full of dangers and surprises
Patch up your client if he becomes a bit too damaged
Funny dialogues between the two pallbearers
Main Responsibilities
Game Design
• Designed the core system of two playable pallbearers who carry a coffin with a corpse inside.
• Designed the core mechanic of balancing the corpse inside the coffin by lifting four respective corners of the coffin.
• Designed the game loop where players need to transport the corpse through individual levels. Dropping the corpse or being killed by obstacles would trigger a reset at the nearest checkpoint. However, the corpse and coffin will be damaged each time the player fails.
• Designed the repair system in combination with the collectible system to allow players to patch up the corpse and coffin.
• Designed the current 5 levels of the game, along with all obstacles and puzzles.
• Designed and wrote the backstory of the two pallbearer characters to add personality, humor, and narrative texture.
Game Development
• Built the core physics system using Unity’s physics, joints, and ragdoll components, enabling two players to collaboratively carry and maneuver a casket with a corpse inside.
• Implemented the damage and repair system. Implemented the collectibles and obstacles.
• Implemented support for single-player, local co-op, and online co-op modes to broaden accessibility and player reach.
• Implemented controller support, allowing players to play together using any combination of devices they wish.
Project Management
• Led and managed a cross-functional team of 6–10 members, delivering the Early Access release on Steam within an 8-month production timeline.
Localization
• Responsible for the Simplified Chinese localization of all in-game texts and dialogues.
Events & Conventions
COREBLAZER Festival - July 2025, Shanghai, China
The Tokyo Game Show - September 2025, Tokyo, Japan
Gallery
