Drone Swarm
stillalive studios
Developer
astragon Entertainment
Publisher
Genre
strategy, adventure, puzzle
Platform
PC
Status
live
Role
Designer
Drone Swarm is a real-time tactical game in which players control a massive swarm of 32,000 drones to engage in combat, defense, and environmental manipulation. Set aboard the spaceship Argo in a sci-fi future where Earth has been lost, the game combines fast-paced action with strategic decision-making across a campaign of around 100 missions.
Players direct the swarm through intuitive drawing-based commands, using drones to form shields, execute coordinated attacks, or interact with the environment. Enemy variety, evolving tactical challenges, and upgradeable abilities introduce layered complexity over time. The game's design focuses on accessibility through simple controls while maintaining strategic depth through swarm management and mission diversity.
The narrative frames the player as Captain Carter, the psychic driver of the drone fleet, blending story into combat progression. In the year 2118, humanity has lost Earth and now pilots the Argo through a hostile galaxy to find "New Earth" and is illustrated in an accompanying comic published by 451.
I joined the Drone Swarm team during the final stages of development, supporting the design team with progression balancing and adjustments to later stages of the game. My work also involved creating additional levels that were carefully adapted to existing content, ensuring consistency with the established design vision while adhering to strict guidelines and technical limitations.
