End of Ember is the biggest and most ambitious project I’ve ever worked on.
In 2024, I co-founded Bad Plan Studios with the goal of creating original games built around memorable characters, exciting gameplay and bold visual storytelling. As the studio’s Creative Designer, I’m responsible for shaping the creative vision behind our debut title, End of Ember.
The game follows Ember, a young girl who is accidentally sent to Hell and must fight her way through hordes of demons in a desperate attempt to get answers. Inspired by classics like The Binding of Isaac, Enter the Gungeon, DOOM and old-school arcade shooters, End of Ember combines fast-paced twin-stick action with hand-drawn animation, horror, dark humour and a healthy amount of gore.
Creating End of Ember has allowed me to bring together everything I’ve learned throughout my career. My experience in comics, children’s books, branding, animation, visual storytelling and game design all come together in this one project. Every character, enemy, environment, weapon and gameplay mechanic has been carefully designed to create a world that’s as entertaining as it is chaotic.
Since its announcement, End of Ember has attracted attention from Australian and international gaming media, been featured by publications including ScreenHub, Startup Daily, Alpha Beta Gamer and GameGrin, showcased during Frosty Games Fest, and was optioned for film and television adaptation before its commercial release.
More than anything else, End of Ember is my passion project. It’s the game I’ve always wanted to make and the culmination of everything I’ve learned throughout my creative career. I can’t wait to finally share it with players.
Dan McGuiness 