Become the sneakiest bear in the forest in “Your Average Bear,” a video game developed by undergraduate students at the University of Utah. The game was part of the Entertainment Arts and Engineering program’s capstone course, where students form teams to develop a game from start to finish.
“Your Average Bear” is a stealth comedy game about a black bear trying to sneak food away from campers. Using an animal-exclusive food-delivery app, UBear Eats, the bear delivers the stolen food to other animals in the forest.
The idea was originally pitched by Josh Poll, one of the game’s animators and artists. He wanted to combine real-life scenarios with the classic stealth games he is passionate about.
“There are all of these videos on social media of bears getting into trouble,” said Devyn Hogan-Duffy, a 2D artist and UI/UX designer for the game. “We often see things from a human perspective, but we wanted to see what it would look like from the bear’s perspective.”
While many stealth games are on the serious side, “Your Average Bear” takes a more lighthearted approach. The bear uses unconventional methods to evade the humans, like hiding behind comically small tree branches and throwing rocks at beehives to create distractions. The game also includes a closet where the player can cycle through silly accessories and costumes for the bear, such as a ranger hat or a cartoon robber.
“The attention to detail we gave when working on the project is something I really appreciate not only about the game itself but about our team,” Hogan-Duffy said. “It was a joy to work on, and I am very happy that I landed on the project and group that I did.”
The game launched on Steam in April 2023. Although the team is focused on other ventures, Hogan-Duffy said there’s always a chance for more bear antics.
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