Helping studios turn mechanics and story into one playable experience.

I’m a Narrative Systems Designer with 16+ years in the industry, from indie to AAA. I help studios design the narrative tools and gameplay systems that embed story directly into the experience, so narrative isn’t just written, it’s played.

My Clients

Where Can I Help?

Many teams struggle with narrative not because of writing quality, but because of misalignment with systems, mechanics, engine tools and production constraints. I can bridge design and story, translating narrative intent into engine tools and gameplay systems, so players feel the story through play, not just exposition.

How Can I Help?

I offer the following services:

  • Narrative-Gameplay Audit: Rapid review of narrative-gameplay systems with actionable recommendations.

  • Narrative Systems Consultancy: Strategic support working with your existing design and/or story.

  • Narrative Tools Consultancy: Strategic guidance on designing narrative-focused engine tools and pipelines.

  • Embedded Narrative Design: Hands-on collaboration with the team to build narrative mechanics.

  • Prototype Consultancy: Early advice and direction for laying the foundation of your narrative systems.

  • Workshops & Training: Team workshops focused on systemic narrative and cross-discipline storytelling.

Learn More

Why Me?

With a background in narrative, game and systems design I bring a gameplay-first approach to narrative design, where player agency is key. I understand the complexities of storytelling, the nuance of player experience, and the harsh realities of production deadlines. Beyond narrative craft, I specialize in designing narrative tools and pipelines that let teams build story directly into engines in a scalable way.

Over the years I have worked on:

  • AAA open-worlds:Star Wars Outlaws, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

  • Multiple indie games:Survival-Crafting, JRPG, Roguelike, Adventure

  • Narrative Design Tools in:Snowdrop (GENIE), Unreal, Unity

  • Lectures, workshops, industry talks:TGA, GameDev Station, Dev.Play

My Credits

Let’s Talk!

If you are building a game where story and systems need to work together I’d love to help.

Get in touch to discuss your project.

  • Mårten Stockhaus, Co-Founder, She Was Such a Good Horse

    Worked together on Into the Unwell

    “Alice helped us tell the story we tried to tell, by putting up guidelines and structure, while also being a pure joy to work with. Alice is a creative force and made fleshing out and finishing the story for our game easy and fun. We previously struggled and couldn't put the finger on what was lacking. Alice helped us by asking the right questions and guiding us to what we really wanted to tell and then did all the heavy lifting of fleshing it out. I'll work with Alice again for sure and you should too!”

  • Navid Kahvari, Creative Director, Ubisoft Toronto.

    Worked together on Star Wars Outlaws

    “Alice is quite simply one of the best systems designers I’ve had the pleasure to work with. She not only brings a wealth of experience to her role, but she also brings a collaborative spirit, one where she is always receptive to the ideas of others while also maintaining the integrity of the features in her purview. She is also simply passionate about games, and has a depth of knowledge of the latest that is happening in this industry, knowledge she can deploy at any moment. I would work with Alice again in a heartbeat.”

  • Greg Lidstone, Head of Animation, Larian Studios

    Worked together on Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

    “Alice Rendell is communicative, knowledgeable, and vastly creative. She possesses both a keen artistic eye and narrative sensibility which has made her an outstanding contributor to our team. Alice has excellent attention to detail without losing sight of the big picture. She advocates passionately for the player and is a highly gifted problem solver. She is simply one of the finest narrative designers with whom I’ve had the pleasure of working.”

  • Simona Tassinari, Lead Tools Programmer, Massive Entertainment

    Worked together on Ubisoft’s Snowdrop Engine

    “Alice's ability to dissect a design problem with a technical eye, makes it really easy and efficient to discuss technical needs and decide if a solution is fit for purpose. I'm a programmer and it's sometimes difficult to translate design needs into features, but this has never been a problem when working with Alice.

    Alice is great at showing the bigger picture and goals of a design, while delving deep into the details and this is incredibly valuable to our team. Alice is a fantastic colleague and an asset to any team.”

  • Giles Armstrong, Expert Writer, Freelance

    Worked together on The Descendant

    “Alice is the kind of smart, astute and giving collaborator you want on your project. She seeks out opportunities to support and improve every aspect of a game she works on, and is always able to frame her suggestions and ideas in that positive and reasonable manner that you want from your colleagues, and that you need from them when under the pressure of tight deadlines.

    As a narrative designer and a game designer, Alice is exceptional, and it’s hard to estimate just how much she helped me, as the writer, and the whole team to enrich THE DESCENDANT’s ability to blend its gameplay and storytelling.”