Chains of the Forgotten - Game Design Document

Joshua Hawkins
Nov 14
3 min read

Game Design Document

Title: Chains of the Forgotten

Type: Standalone Boss Fight Concept

Designer: Josh Hawkins

1. High Concept

Chains of the Forgotten is a climactic boss encounter built to showcase narrative-driven mechanics and visual storytelling in a short-form concept. The player faces a chained, spectral demon with bat-like wings and a cursed skull helm, a creature both terrifying and tragic. The battle is designed to reflect themes of imprisonment, fury, and acceptance, reacting to the player's actions in real time. This document serves as a portfolio showcase for enemy design, encounter planning, and thematic cohesion.

2. Genre and Platform

Genre: 2D Action-Platformer / Boss Rush

Perspective: Side-scrolling (pixel art style)

Platform: PC

3. Player Abilities

. Light Attack: Quick, low-damage combo (3 hits max)

. Heavy Attack: Slower, deals high damage and stuns the boss briefly

. Dash: Invincible movement through enemies

. Jump & Double Jump: Allows mid-air manoeuvrability

. Parry: Well-timed counter briefly exposes boss to critical strike

. Focus: Limited-use healing or energy channel, leaves player vulnerable

4. Boss Overview

Name: The Forgotten One

Visual Style: A dark, cloaked demon levitating midair, shackled in chains, with crimson wings and a glowing blue skull helm. Its presence is unsettling, simultaneously regal and cursed.

Theme: Punishment, Wrath, Redemption

Arena: A ruined ceremonial pit surrounded by hanging chains and scorched glyphs. Background silhouettes sway with each attack.

Lore: Once a guardian of ancient rites, the Forgotten One was condemned for defying the divine order. Bound by ethereal chains and haunted by betrayal, it lashes out at all who enter its domain, not to protect, but to test whether they, too, are worthy of punishment.

5. Boss Phases & Mechanics

Phase 1 - Shackled Fury:

. Attacks: Chain swipe, aerial dive, fire skull toss

. Behaviour: Flies above player, descending unpredictably

. Mechanic: Damaging the chains temporarily grounds the boss

Phase 2 - Wrath Unleashed:

. New Moves: Wing burst (pushback shockwave), double skull toss, spinning chain trap

. Reactive AI: Aggressiveness increases based on player’s healing and parrying frequency

. Visual Cue: Wing membranes glow red, chains rattle constantly

Phase 3 - Hollow Core:

. Mechanic: Chains break; boss becomes faster but takes more damage

. Attacks: Screech (screen shake), full-screen wing slam, homing skull

. Visual Cue: Blue skull flickers, boss appears unstable and flickering like a glitch

6. Difficulty & Scaling

Normal: Full fight with grace period between phases

Hardcore: No healing, reactive AI fully enabled, boss enrages at low health

True Ending Challenge: Player defeats boss without breaking all chains - unlocks alternate cutscene showing the demon’s past

7. Narrative Context

The player descends into an ancient prison said to contain a being that defied fate. Rumours speak of redemption, but only through fire. Dialogue fragments from the Forgotten One speak in riddles and regret: “Chains were mercy... I begged for silence.”

Victory doesn't just mean survival, it means understanding. Whether the player chooses to shatter the boss’s chains or not shapes the final lore.