Aneesh Mandava

  1. What Goes Around
  2. Anemia
  3. Hear Me Out
  4. Iowa Farm Experience
  5. When Things Get Moving
  6. Crunchtime
  7. Woven Dreams
  8. Media Works


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©2025 A-Niche



Anemia

Role:Creative Direction
Art Direction
Game Design

Collaborator: Molly Carrick, Developer
Emma Lentz, Designer
Miguel Kunkle, 3D Modeler
Luke McDermott, Project Manager

Duration:Jan - Mar 2025Project Overview:  
Anemia is a body-controlled endless runner game developed in collaboration with Iowa 4-H for their two-day Science Fair event. We worked on a lounge area alongside the game with the intention of fostering moments of conversation and connection between students and visitors during their 4-H Science Fair experience.

Players control a red blood cell navigating subliminal interpretations of the human body. The objective is to travel as far as possible while remaining healthy and avoiding decayed cells scattered throughout the environment. A decay rate and corresponding obscuration of the path further lend to to a gameplay experience that feels thrilling and helpless.

Game and lounge in use at event



Viewing screen in lounge area
Screenshots from the various environments 

Process  With a "science-related game" being our only initial requirement, we explored aspects such as narrative, visual style, and user controls. Once a rough concept was formulated, we used the MDA (Mechanics-Dynamics-Aesthetics) game design framework to establish the game vision and the steps to achieve it.

Graphic signage placement
Layout ideas for the lounge





Game Development  The game mechanics derive from various science related aspects such as the human body systems, the blood condition Anemia, and space exploration. 

Initial environment level ideation
OpenCV skeleton. Head and hand tracking used for game control

UI and visual design. 
UI and visual design. 
UI and visual design. 
UI and visual design. 
UI and visual design. 
UI and visual design. 


Bad cells 
Vignette
Aiding cells
End score screen

Print Signage  To immerse guests within the world of Anemia, various print signage was designed and utilized to brand the lounge space.    


Final layout and signage





In Action