The initial intention behind Alstan’s level design was to create an adventure where the environment speaks as much as the characters. The desert world had to feel overwhelming, mystical, and quietly threatening. With every step and every horizon, the player was meant to feel Alstan’s solitude and the weight of his quest. The game space became the main vehicle for both emotional delivery and narrative rhythm.

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One of the major challenges was designing a linear path through a desert—an environment that is, by nature, open, empty, and unstructured. The goal was to guide without restricting: the player needed to move in the right direction without ever feeling pushed. Every dune shape, projected shadow, and rocky silhouette on the horizon was placed with purpose—to subtly lead the player’s eye and encourage intuitive exploration. The player believes they are forging their own path, but in truth, they are gently guided by the environment itself.

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To maintain a fluid, varied rhythm, each section of the game offers a different reading of the space: a closed, vertical tomb to introduce the basic mechanics, followed by a horizontal, open desert focusing on sliding and exploration, then open vertical pillars alternating between platforming and combat, and finally a linear, closed temple, which channels the experience towards a dramatic climax. This progressive contrast ensures that the player never tires, while reinforcing the unique identity of each zone.