The Fallen Knight
The Fallen Knight is a solo Unity 6 melee project focused on three combat stances: Free, Lock, and Duel. The playable first area is built to showcase stance-based combat flow, lock-on and Duel combat, parry-to-counter timing, enemy variety, and a bonfire rest/reset loop.
Role: Solo
Engine: Unity 6, C#
Platform: Windows PC
Status: Playable first-area demo
Build: Playable demo
Code: Private GitHub repository; code excerpts and implementation details available on request
Systems Overview
The Fallen Knight is currently a playable first-area demo for a Unity 6 stance-based melee project. The current build focuses on a compact combat loop: move through a graveyard route, read enemy behaviour, switch stance dynamically in combat based on the situation, and use a bonfire to rest and reset.
Core combat loop
- Free is the setup and traversal stance, used for movement and positioning.
- Lock shifts combat into more traditional, controlled targeting and spacing, with tighter camera focus and target cycling.
- Duel is the most committed stance, built around parry timing and counterplay rather than direct attacks.
- Each stance changes movement, commitment, and available actions, giving combat a distinct feel across states.
Combat and encounter systems
- The player can transition between three stances with different combat rules rather than cosmetic variants.
- Duel stance supports a parry-to-counter flow, creating a higher-risk defensive option with a clear payoff.
- The demo includes multiple enemy archetypes designed to create different attack reads and encounter pacing.
- Health, stamina, enemy health, and interaction prompts are surfaced directly through the HUD during play.
Progression and reset loop
- The playable route is built as a focused combat slice rather than a broad full-game experience.
- Bonfire interaction restores the player and resets the encounter space, supporting repeat attempts and short combat runs.
- The current build is designed to demonstrate combat systems, enemy behaviour, and state-driven gameplay flow in a contained area.
Technical focus
- Under the hood, stance state, lock-on behaviour, enemy combat behaviour, and rest/reset flow are handled by separate gameplay systems.
- This project's strongest focus is on gameplay-programming and technical-design evidence: combat rules, state management, encounter flow, and reusable enemy setup.
Gameplay Footage
This section includes one full unedited play session and a small number of shorter proof clips focused on combat flow, stance use, and recovery systems. The shorter clips make the core systems legible quickly, while the full session shows the intended player experience and how the build holds up without edits.
Full Unedited Play Session (22 min):
A full play session from the current build. This is included to show how the combat loop, enemy encounters, and rest/reset flow hold up without cuts, mirroring the player experience.
Three-Stance Combat Overview:
A short overview showing how combat changes across Free, Lock, and Duel stances.
Duel, Parry, and Counter Flow:
A focused clip showing Duel stance as the highest-commitment combat state, built around parry timing and counterplay.
Soul fragment, Bonfire rest and Death Reset Loop:
A short clip showing soul-fragment collection, death/reset flow, and the bonfire loop that supports repeated combat runs through the area.
Build and Controls
Press C in-game at any time to show or hide the controls panel.
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Move: WASD / Arrow keys
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Look: Mouse
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Sprint: Left Shift
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Jump: Space
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Pause/Menu: Tab
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Interact: E
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Light attack: Left Mouse Button
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Heavy attack: Right Mouse Button
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Dodge: Mouse Back Button (MB4)
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Parry: Mouse Forward Button (MB5)
- Lock target switch: Mouse Wheel
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Stances: Duel = Caps Lock • Lock = Q • Free = Escape
Playable Build:
Next Steps
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Continue refining combat readability through camera behaviour, telegraphs, feedback timing, and audio/visual support.
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Expand encounter variety and enemy patterns that interact more strongly with stance choice.
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Design ways to make enemies more unqiue while complementing the stance system .
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Continue improving game feel and traversal while preserving the current combat loop and build stability.