JohnZurhellen.com

Selected Case Study (1 of 3)

The most ambitious game of its time.

To set a new standard for narrative immersion, GTA IV needed

a city full of believable, interactive NPCs
functional in-game internet, TV, and radio
one gritty, hard-hitting story to drive it all

To set a new standard for narrative immersion, GTA IV needed

a city full of believable, interactive NPCs
functional in-game internet, TV, and radio
one gritty, hard-hitting story to drive it all

To set a new standard for narrative immersion, GTA IV needed

a city full of believable, interactive NPCs
functional in-game internet, TV, and radio
one gritty, hard-hitting story to drive it all

I was immersed

in GTA IV production for years, wearing a lot of hats as Rockstar Games' resident:

writer
voiceover director
casting director
vo and mocap producer
texture map photographer
and much more!

in GTA IV production for years, wearing a lot of hats as Rockstar Games' resident:

writer
voiceover director
casting director
vo and mocap producer
texture map photographer
and much more!

in GTA IV production for years, wearing a lot of hats as Rockstar Games' resident:

writer
voiceover director
casting director
vo and mocap producer
texture map photographer
and much more!

I got so immersed…

I fell into the game, literally. My likeness and performance were used for TV personality Jeremy St. Ives. I'm proud to be the narrator of a GTA IV trailer.

Selected Case Study (2 of 3)

The Swedish Dungeons & Dragons

is called Mutant. It's a beloved, decades-old IP, so the first video game adaptation was going to be a huge deal.

But the studio had a problem: their script was bloated, verbose, stuffed with excessive lore, and light on memorable characters.

is called Mutant. It's a beloved, decades-old IP, so the first video game adaptation was going to be a huge deal.

But the studio had a problem: their script was bloated, verbose, stuffed with excessive lore, and light on memorable characters.

is called Mutant. It's a beloved, decades-old IP, so the first video game adaptation was going to be a huge deal.

But the studio had a problem: their script was bloated, verbose, stuffed with excessive lore, and light on memorable characters.

So they met me.

Taking ownership of every line of dialogue, I revised and streamlined the narrative into a lean, punchy ballistic missile, driven by its two lead characters: the laconic boar Bormin and his wisequacking partner Dux.

An ARPG hit.

Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden was a critically acclaimed, award winning, player pleasing success. Now, the characters I created are making the leap from game to movie!

Selected Case Study (3 of 3)

Covid killed their party.

It's 2020. The UK’s Kraken Rum is about to launch another Screamfest: an immersive, haunted house-y, experiential marketing event… then Covid hit.

In an instant, their party, like all parties, was over.

It's 2020. The UK’s Kraken Rum is about to launch another Screamfest: an immersive, haunted house-y, experiential marketing event… then Covid hit.

In an instant, their party, like all parties, was over.

It's 2020. The UK’s Kraken Rum is about to launch another Screamfest: an immersive, haunted house-y, experiential marketing event… then Covid hit.

In an instant, their party, like all parties, was over.

So they reached out to me

with a wild idea: partygoers could play a Screamfest video game at home… with a unique twist. Could I own the creative?

I designed the gameplay within days, collaborating closely with the teams in London creating the tech, set design, prop design, creature makeup, and more.

A total scream.

Players used a controller to move Game of Thrones actor Iwan Rheon through a real-life labyrinth under London streets. His chest-mounted camera gave players their first person view. An earpiece fed Iwan commands. It won PR Moment's “Virtual Event of the Year” and The Drum Awards' “Best At-Home Experience” Not bad for a canceled party!