What are you working on?
* The name of the project(s): Unannounced rock-horror story-driven game
* At what stage of the project(s)? Early prototype. Story and vision are defined, but core art, characters, animation, and UE5 vertical slice are still being built.
* Genres: Action, Adventure
* Platforms: PC, Console
We are a small independent game team building an unannounced rock-horror story-driven game in Unreal Engine 5.
The project sits at the intersection of games, horror, and rock / metal culture, with creative input from world-class music talent.
The project is currently in prototype / vertical slice stage. This means the work is practical, hands-on, and visible quickly in the build. We are looking for people who like early-stage projects, can work from rough direction, and can help turn a prototype into a stronger pitch demo.
You will work directly with the project leads, with fast feedback and clear short-term goals. The team is small, so good work has real impact.
Team size and structure?
Small independent team with project leads, writer/story support, Unreal development support, character art, and external freelancers/studios as needed
For which tasks (responsibilities)?
Target:
Help turn AI-assisted ideas, rough references, and team notes into original, consistent, production-usable art for a rock-horror story-driven game.
Tasks:
* Clean up, redraw, paint over, and improve rough AI-assisted images.
* Create original concept support for characters, costumes, symbols, props, environments, posters, and mood boards.
* Help keep the visual style consistent across rock, horror, backstage, occult, and supernatural material.
* Prepare clear paintovers, callouts, variants, and reference sheets for 3D artists and Unreal implementers.
* Remove random AI artifacts and make designs more coherent.
* Work quickly and keep the art practical for a vertical slice.
What kind of professional are we looking for?
* Strong 2D art fundamentals.
* Good taste for horror, rock, dark fantasy, or comic-inspired visuals.
* Ability to work from messy references and make them clear.
* Comfortable using AI tools as part of ideation while delivering human-edited original work.
* Ability to create clean callouts and reference sheets.
* Photoshop, Procreate, Blender, PureRef, Figma, or similar tools
Nice to have:
* Game concept art experience.
* Character, costume, creature, prop, or environment design experience.
* Experience preparing art for 3D artists.
* Paintover / before-after examples.
What is important for us in a person?
* Fast iteration.
* Good visual judgment.
* Clear communication.
* Comfortable with feedback and revisions.
* Able to make rough ideas cleaner without overcomplicating them.
Why do we enjoy working here?
* Opportunity to help define the visual style of an early-stage game.
* Varied work across characters, props, environments, and mood.
* Direct feedback from project leads.
* Good portfolio material if the trial goes well.
What are the conditions and bonuses?
* Remote work.
* Freelance / contract setup.
* Short paid trial task first.
* Flexible schedule by agreement.
The selection process
1. Send portfolio with concept/design examples.
2. Short intro call or message exchange.
3. Small paid trial such as cleaning up one rough AI reference or creating a small concept sheet.
4. Continue on vertical slice support if the trial fits.
Before/after or paintover examples are very useful.