Student-Developed 2D Capstone Game Released on Steam

Prometheus Unbound, a 2D pixel art stealth-action platformer game developed by CarpotTeam (University of Texas students Jake Gollub, Ainsley Johnston, Cory Mason, Luke Mason, Rodrigo Okamoto, and Arnold Venter), was released on Steam on March 20th of this year. 

Originally created as part of Dr. Toprac’s 2D Game Development Capstone course, Prometheus Unbound tells the story of Anala, an artificial intelligence machine, seeking revenge on her creator in a cyberpunk-dystopian universe. The game features a unique gameplay experience with various parkour and speed mechanics, a powerful narrative representing current political commentary, and strong artistic elements spanning from Anala herself to the city’s colossal skyscrapers. In addition, the game has been praised for its ability to “Blend fast-paced movement with slower, more strategic stealth maneuvers,” and its “Professional cutscene quality,” according to Jake Gollub, Prometheus Unbound’s primary Environment and UI Artist. 

When asked what he was most proud of, Gollub commented that his team’s efforts to create an “Immersive neo-gothic experience while offering unique gameplay mechanics” motivated CarpotTeam to release their game onto Steam’s global platform and encouraged Gollub to continue his gaming career. Gollub in particular will continue to develop experiences like his award-winning Go to Hole game (more information can be found here) while participating in local game jams in the Austin area to further develop his skills. 

Dr. Toprac, in reflecting on the team’s involvement in his 2D Game Development Capstone course, commented that he is “Very proud of CarpotTeam’s work, and [is] excited to see them be recognized for their hard work both in and outside of the classroom.” Prometheus Unbound is available for purchase on Steam for $1.97 and is playable on all devices. 

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The Game Development and Design (GDAD) Program at The University of Texas at Austin is an interdisciplinary undergraduate program between the departments of Arts and Entertainment Technologies, Computer Science, and Radio-Television-Film. The program produces graduates ready to design, develop, and provide leadership for the exploding growth in game, metaverse applications, and creative media agencies and studios in Texas and around the world.