Federico
Di Benedetto

Azadi (“freedom” in many languages) is a story-driven open-world action MMORPG blending Medieval Fantasy and Sci-Fi. Four moons orbit the planet (Caddan, Modre, Sor, Yesh), each affecting the world’s ecosystem and narrative. Players explore with total autonomy: no hand-holding, no forced path.

I worked in close collaboration with project lead Konrad on all narrative and writing work, maintaining alignment between world vision and design direction at every stage of development.

• Complete world lore: four kingdoms, six Moon-Touched races, cosmology, cultural systems — across 15+ documents
• Character dialogues, quest narratives, NPC bios, dungeon lore, and the prologue cinematic
• Branching quest flowcharts with 3-act structure and multiple player-driven outcomes
• Contributions to GDD v1.6: Moon Energy Mastery, elemental abilities, progression, AI creature hierarchy
• Azadi Market economy design and player crafting pipeline

Larian Studios reached out directly and sent this test as part of their hiring process for a writing position. The assessment ran over two weeks. I made the shortlist. They ultimately went with another candidate, but this is what I submitted.

The test brief: create a memorable NPC encounter that demands a genuine choice, not a combat encounter, but a dialogue that reveals who the player really is.

Revrykal is not death itself: he is its caretaker. Ancient, imprisoned in a forgotten ruin, awakened by the player breaking through a collapsing wall. Dignified, melancholic, and alien in his perspective on mortality.

• Fight: Player attacks — defeated effortlessly, then spared and released, unimpressed
• Diplomatic Reveal: Patient investigation, learns Revrykal’s true identity
• Accept Responsibility: “Yes, I freed you, I don’t regret it” — an alliance is offered
• Denial: “This wasn’t my doing” — a blood-mark left as a promise
• Fate: “Maybe you’re the treasure I was after” — player becomes part of his mythology

Hungerless is a first-person psychological adventure set in a surreal, obscure atmosphere. Protagonist: Victoria, isolated in her apartment, unemployed, tormented by Bulimia Nervosa (an eating disorder) and by a spectral presence called the Mistress. The Mistress is not a villain. She is a mirror.

Players inhabit Victoria’s distorted perception: controlling food and emotions, navigating denial, using a smartphone as both narrative tool and puzzle element. Environmental design shifts with her psychological state.

• Core mechanics built around ED symptoms as gameplay systems: control, denial, distorted self-image
• Smartphone integration — web searches and chat messages as narrative and puzzle elements
• Environmental puzzles that change with Victoria’s psychological state
• First-person perspective reinforces the claustrophobic, subjective experience

Exhibited with a dedicated stand at Romics, Italy’s largest gaming and comics convention. Also 3rd place at Zagarolo Game House – IV Call.

A fast-paced sidescrolling action roguelite fusing two mythological hells: Dante’s Inferno from the Divine Comedy and Naraku, the labyrinthine hell of Japanese mythology. The protagonist D. descends through Naraku in search of his kidnapped beloved, aided by Beatrice and tempted by Lucifer’s sins. The deeper he goes, the more he sins, the worse his ultimate fate. High difficulty, run ’n gun combat, and a Karma system that makes moral choices mechanically consequential.

A cross-cultural co-production between Vigamus Academy (Rome) and Vantan Academy (Tokyo), supervised by Suda51, creator of Killer7, No More Heroes, Shadows of the Damned. I served as the creative communication bridge: aligning narrative concepts and mediating cultural differences in game design philosophy.

The project was developed within Vigamus Academy’s professional game design program. Following a team restructuring mid-development, I assumed the Lead Game & Narrative Design role, stepping in to take ownership of the creative direction and drive the project to completion.

• Karma system: every action shifts karma on a white-to-red gauge, affecting the final boss
• Seven Deadly Sins as power-ups — altar pickups providing tactical advantages at a narrative cost
• Holy Machinarium: real-time in-motion skill tree using souls from enemies
• Diary/Datalog: persistent lore entries unlocked through exploration

Nyck is a gruff, solitary private detective. A missing girl case pulls her into a mystery that spirals beyond anything ordinary, leading to the hidden walls of an opera house, where a kidnapper uses elaborate traps to make the search seem supernatural. The game challenges player perception: what looks paranormal is always human.

Currently includes a complete prologue (“Nyck — The Beginning”), with an epilogue in development. The final game revolves around puzzles and the world of opera as both setting and thematic vehicle.

• Narrative structure and story design for the prologue and full-game arc
• Character development for Nyck and supporting cast
• Original storytelling documents and mystery structure design
• Game design on puzzle logic and investigation flow
• Cutscene writing and dialogue

Tommy, an 11-year-old dreaming of becoming a guitarist, enters a world where adults have lost all color and joy. His guitar lights everything up. Adults appear grey and uniform; Tommy’s world responds to his creativity and music.

The game captures the dualism between adult rationality and childhood instinct: monochrome vs. multicolor, programming vs. discovery, malaise vs. wonder.

• Full dialogue system: Tommy, Stang (the cat guide), and Doozy (best friend)
• Character arcs and emotional beats compressed into 72 hours
• Game design on puzzle structure, tying music mechanics to emotional progression

An original MMORPG 3D space simulator with 6 civilizations, each in its own galaxy. Players choose a civilization, build their fleet, and compete in high-speed PvP and PvE battles. Inspired by Fractured Space. Full GDD and balance document delivered as a freelance commission in approximately one month.

• Ship combat: 6-sided hull system — directional damage forces tactical positioning
• 3 ship classes: Heavy, Medium, Light — each with distinct playstyle and economy role
• 6 civilization galaxies with capital stations, planetary sectors, wormhole travel
• Economy: resources, crystals, ore mining, crafting, player-owned cities and bays
• Reputation system and rotating PvE events alongside ranked PvP

A dedicated balance document covers weapon damage curves, class matchup tuning, resource acquisition rates, and progression pacing — ensuring competitive viability across ship types from launch.

A first-person horror adventure with puzzles and action set inside a vast mental asylum. Players explore in free-roaming 3D, picking up key items, solving puzzles, and witnessing terrifying visions of the past to uncover the mystery of Philip Henry and the tormented souls within.

The game carries an LGBTQ+ narrative thread: through Philip’s journey it explores themes of self-discovery and acceptance.

I contributed as External Consultant of Game & Narrative Design — providing design direction, narrative feedback, and story structure recommendations to the Itamde team during development.

Game Tester, Community Manager, and Forum Moderator for New World during European launch — front-line contact between the player community and the development team.

• Bug identification, reproduction, and structured QA reporting
• Forum moderation: enforcing community guidelines, managing player disputes, surfacing feedback
• Community feedback synthesis — translating player sentiment into actionable design notes
• Player communication during live events, patch rollouts, and incidents
• Multilingual support (IT/EN/ES)
• Ban and enforcement actions on players violating community rules

Game Tester, Community Manager, and Forum Moderator for Lost Ark during European launch — one of the highest-concurrent-player launches in Amazon Games history.

• Bug identification, reproduction, and structured QA reporting during rapid release cycles
• Forum moderation during a high-traffic launch period
• Community feedback synthesis and escalation to development team
• Player communication during live events, server incidents, and patch management
• Multilingual support (IT/EN/ES)
• Ban and enforcement actions on players violating community rules