Project: Best Buds

Art Director  |  Senior Animator  |  Concept Artist

Best Buds is an open-world sandbox IP in which gamers play "Kinder", a child of an ancient Topian builder race, who must restore life to her planet to drive back an evil force known as The Void.

As Art Director, I provided concept sketches, video & photo references, online resources, and 3D low-poly models for the Topian world (inspired by Skylanders) and its characters (inspired by Pokemon).

Working with two Concept Artists, Jordan Burke and Jan Cariaga, I defined the look for the player character and his or her companions, as well as flora and fauna.

Bud concepts

Kinder (Player character) concept from 2D to 3D.

To refine the look of Best Buds' environment when it changed is design from rolling terrain to connected floating islands, I took inspiration from the popular kids' game "Skylanders".  I even modeled the basic shapes seen in that world that are used repeated throughout their introductory gameplay environment to great affect.

GAMEPLAY

CHARACTER ANIMATION