Design Statement
We interpreted the theme track’s three-part progression as a journey that gradually gains movement and emotional depth. The opening melody suggested a single leaf awakening, uncertain of where it belongs. When percussion joins the melody, we hear a growing impulse to move forward and explore. The final addition of strings suggested a fuller emotional connection, which we associated with the companionship between the wind and the leaf.
This interpretation shaped our key design choices in A Leaf’s Journey. The player controls the wind, guiding a fallen leaf through natural environments in search of its tree. Traversal gives the journey momentum, while encounters with different trees invite players to slow down, compare leaf characteristics, and reconsider their assumptions. We chose soft watercolor textures and gentle dialogue to support an intimate, reflective atmosphere. Like the track’s accumulating layers, the journey gradually adds encounters, challenges, and new perspectives around one continuing question: what does it mean to find where you belong?

Game Instructions (launch steps, controls, and gameplay overview)
Launch Steps:

Play in your browser on the itch.io page. Click inside the game window to activate keyboard controls. A desktop computer with a keyboard is recommended.

Controls:

- Arrow Keys / WASD: Guide the leaf, or move the wind while detached.
- Space: Lift the leaf while escorting it. While detached, hold Space near an interactive object or the leaf to blow toward it.
- Shift: Detach the wind from the leaf. Return close to the leaf and press Shift again to resume escorting.
- Esc: Pause the game.
- Mouse: Select dialogue options and interact with on-screen menus.

Gameplay Overview

You play as the wind, accompanying a fallen leaf on its search for the tree it came from. Explore forests and waterways, navigate natural obstacles, and use the wind to influence the environment.

Lift is limited, so land safely and rest before rising again. Sometimes you will need to leave the leaf in a sheltered spot and explore as the wind.

Along the way, meet other leaves and compare their features with your companion’s. Observe carefully, follow the clues, and decide where your journey should lead. Some routes allow you to return; others require a lasting choice.

Gameplay walkthrough video
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1swUiKEsgxfJ7t_KFH_GF3iq1D8p-20G5?usp=sharing

Did your project use any AI tools or assets? If yes, please specify.
yes. We used full Codex + Html pipeline for game asset creation and coding.