I defined the core vision and the gameplay pillars, then built the core combat loop and basic enemy systems to validate that the gameplay feel and the core mechanics were fun before scaling anything up. Nothing built on a bad prototype is worth keeping.

I expanded the systems with abilities, AI variations, and combat progression that escalates as waves grow tougher. I built the special attacks and power systems, introduced the smarter AI hordes and mini-boss mechanics, and added the economy and upgrade systems. I managed and mentored the two designers through this phase, reviewing their work as the prototype grew into a full game.

I balanced gameplay, economy, and progression together. I improved the store UX and the engagement systems, designed a tournament mode for competitive players, refined the tutorial and onboarding, and fixed the major gameplay issues that surfaced once everything was interacting at once.

Final polish, optimisation, and content lock. Delivered on time — milestone ownership was part of the product management brief as much as the design brief.

The first update focused on the early game. I improved the early progression and the tutorial clarity, and rebalanced the horde difficulty and the weapons. That work lifted D1 retention, improved session length, and reduced the early drop-offs that cost a game its new players. Every change was targeted at what the data had flagged rather than guessed at.

The second update went deeper into the meta. I expanded the evolution system, improved the tournament rewards, and enhanced the store UX. The result was higher D7 retention, more sessions per day, an increase in conversion, and reduced churn — which is what a well-targeted second update looks like when the first one correctly identified the right friction to remove.