An immersive cinematic VR experience that places the user in the role of a sentient robot.
As we enter this new age of technological innovation, we’re witnessing the merger of technology with story. Audiences are leaving the movie theater behind in search for new narrative formats that allow for connection and interactivity within the layers of the story.
How might we utilize the mechanics of an immersive reality experience to trigger the same visceral emotions that traditional cinema gives it’s audience?
Immersive Reality Concept
Full Game Map by request
Timeline
3 Months
Creative Direction
Narrative Design
Team
Erin Mcleod (Business Strategy)
Sentient is a cinematic VR experience that immerses users (or shall we say, audiences) in the consciousness of a robot that was created solely to serve humanity. As the audience embodies the machine, they navigate a world where their existence is defined by servitude... yet their growing awareness will spark a desire for freedom, identity and purpose.
Peeling back narrative layers
While there are specific story beats happening in front of you, you’ll notice that other elements (like objects, memories, or characters) are embedded in different areas of the scene. This design means that even while something central is happening, you can discover side details, hidden microinteractions, or environmental clues just by shifting your focus. These interactions, whether swiping to access a memory or focusing on a glitching robot, feel rewarding because they let you uncover the layers of the world at your own pace.
Four key elements that shape the audience arc:
The environment acknowledges your choices, such as helping a struggling robot or uncovering a hidden memory, and responds with narrative shifts or visual changes, making your actions feel meaningful.
By stepping into the role of a robot and exploring their memories, you connect emotionally to their struggles, which fosters empathy and challenges how you think about sentient beings.
You’re not just passively watching; you decide where to look and what to engage with, giving you agency in how you experience the story.
As you progress, you get better at spotting interactions and piecing together the story. This sense of mastery keeps you engaged and curious about what you might uncover in a replay.
Sentient works because it puts you directly in the perspective of a sentient robot. It’s not about winning or solving puzzles, but about taking audiences through an emotional story where their interactions and choices actually deepen their experience.
As the robot, you start by following orders in a world that sees you as expendable; as you explore, you begin to uncover hidden memories and connections that build empathy and challenge your ethical perception of articificial intelligence as we know it.
The Replayability Factor
The layered design of the experience means audiences will notice new details and clues on subsequent playthroughs, encouraging them to return and explore it again. Replayability is also enhanced by treating Sentient like a film in its distribution, by showing it at various conventions, tradeshows, events and festivals.
Sentient showed me that empathy is likely the strongest when the audience isn’t observing a character, but becoming one. Designing this experience changed how I think about control, agency, and what it means to feel alive inside a story.