Restore the art. Reveal what lies beneath.
Genre: 2D Narrative Restoration
Platform: PC
Game Overview
Under the Surface is a 2D, painterly restoration game in which the player takes on the role of a young man beginning his new job at a museum. With an upcoming exhibition approaching, he is tasked with restoring a collection of damaged paintings, ranging from older traditional works to more contemporary pieces. The experience focuses on simple, satisfying restoration, allowing the player to gradually reveal each artwork before displaying it in the museum. However, as more paintings are restored, unusual details and connections begin to suggest that there is more to the collection than originally expected.
Core Gameplay
The player examines damaged paintings and interacts with affected areas to gradually reveal the original artwork underneath. The interaction is intentionally simple, with the satisfaction coming from watching each painting transform rather than using complicated controls or technical restoration systems. Each painting has its own visual identity, giving the player something different to discover while maintaining a consistent and accessible interaction.
Progression
Every completed painting is added to the museum’s upcoming exhibition. The gallery therefore begins relatively empty and gradually fills with the player’s restored artwork, creating a visual representation of their progress. As the player advances, paintings can become more detailed while remaining accessible. New restorations also reveal further information and connections surrounding the collection, encouraging the player to continue.
Narrative & Player Goal
The player controls a young museum employee who is passionate about his new job and wants to prepare the collection for an upcoming exhibition successfully. While restoration begins as part of his work, he gradually notices unusual connections between certain paintings. Completing the exhibition remains the player’s immediate goal, but the final discoveries suggest that a larger mystery remains unresolved, ending the story on a cliffhanger.
Art Direction
The game uses a 2D painterly-realistic visual style, combining recognisable environments with a hand-crafted artistic quality. The museum blends traditional architecture with contemporary exhibition spaces, while individual paintings use different styles and identities.
Audio Direction
Audio remains subtle and atmospheric, using quiet museum ambience and satisfying restoration feedback to support the relaxing experience. As connections between the paintings emerge, the soundscape gradually grows more mysterious without overwhelming the game’s calm tone.
Design Intention
The aim is to create a calm, accessible, and visually satisfying experience in which artwork is not merely decoration but becomes the player’s primary interaction and reward. The game combines the satisfaction of restoration with curiosity and the gradual discovery of narrative.
USP
A relaxing 2D painting-restoration experience where every restored artwork contributes to a growing museum exhibition while gradually uncovering a larger mystery.