The Last Days of Paradise
I’m Helen Lam, a Canadian game + narrative designer. I design stories you can touch and feel. From video games to Extended Reality (VR/AR), my experiences are crafted with emotion and implementation in mind. My work has appeared with UKAI Projects, the Ottawa Design Club, the Digital Arts Resource Centre, and the CODAME Art + Tech Festival.
Below is my work in video games. For more narrative and design, see my work in VR & AR and Books & Zines.
Video Games
A vertical slice and concept trailer by Pirat Studios for an action-adventure video game driven by player choice, drawing on the universe of Celtic mythology.
Role: Narrative Designer, Writer | Platform: Unreal Engine 5 | Format: Video game slice
A visual novel by Rat Magic Games set in the Summit, the examination hall of the venerated Scholomance School of Magic. Navigate the trials and personalities of this mysterious world for a chance to graduate and become a Mage.
Role: Game Writer | Platform: Ren’Py | Format: Video game/ Visual novel
This short visual novel features branching, choice-based narratives and six unique storylines/endings. Guide Aaron and Sofie through a series of cataclysmic world events. Featured in itch.io’s 2025 Interactive Fiction Showcase.
Role: Game Designer, Developer, Writer | Platform: Ren’Py | Format: Video game/Visual novel
Rat Magic Games’ entry into the 2023 Just Play: A Game Jam for Justice, an official SXSW 2024 games event produced by Cinereach and Anima Interactive. An unconventional tower defence game. Build and purchase towers to protect your outpost on an alien world.
Role: Narrative Lead, Game Designer | Platform: Unity | Format: Video game
A sci-fi visual novel game about the a wandering astronaut. The player must guide the Astronaut to her final destination, by any means necessary.
Role: Game Designer, Narrative Designer, Developer | Platform: Ren’Py | Format: Video game/Visual Novel
An experimental art game. A narrative exploration made about the transcendent properties in everyday things. A short experience that is contemplative, impressionistic, non-linear, while retaining a sense of player agency.
Role: Game Designer, Developer, Writer | Platform: Bitsy | Format: Video game
A visual novel game created for DINOJAM2025 on itch.io. It is a non-linear story about the trials and tribulations of the early Triassic era. The player can choose the order in which to complete the story, after which a final chapter is unlocked.
Role: Narrative Designer, Writer | Platform: Ren’Py | Format: Video game/Visual Novel