Animal Express

Casual mobile simulation game where players manage a stylised train network for animal passengers. Upgrade train cars, meet passenger needs, and unlock new regions through light, idle-style progression.

In the idle/cosy category, most games have relatively static environments. Animal Express allows players to see lots of little critters interacting with a dynamic world that is always moving, creating a constant feeling of progression. Each train compartment players unlock as their train empire grows offers a completely different experience, much like the movie “Snowpiercer.” You’d never find an Onsen on a real train!

Each new unlock is mysterious, humorous, and fantastical.

Colorful animated train with compartments, surrounded by water, floating buoys, and a tropical island with characters and animals. The train has a cartoonish design with animal-like characters inside.
Cartoon train with animals inside and outside, some animals are on the platform, some are riding the train, and others are on the grassy areas next to the train. The scene is lively and colorful with a playful, animated style.
Cute cartoon train surrounded by pink cherry blossom trees with anthropomorphic animals relaxing, playing, and enjoying the scenery in a pastel-colored park.
Cute cartoon bear dressed as a train conductor, holding a yellow ticket, standing outside a train station.
Cute animated train with animal characters and a ferry with animal characters on the water surrounded by buoys, trees, and docks.

What I did:

  • Audited rendering performance across scenes and character systems, focusing on draw calls, batching inefficiencies, and Spine material usage, notably reducing draw calls from 314 to 25 in a core scene

  • Produced a technical evaluation document,
    outlining long-term strategies for asset structuring, shader use, technical and coding guideline enforcement and runtime repacking.

  • Implemented visual enhancements including animated background characters, environmental props, and integrated asset placement — balancing scene polish with real-time performance constraints.

  • Proposed a sustainable asset and rendering pipeline approach to improve batching, reduce overhead, and support long-term scalability and visual consistency across future content updates.

Projects

  • Life of King 2 App Logo

    Life of King 2

    Casual idle simulation game where players rebuild and expand a whimsical Stone Age kingdom. Rescue workers, gather resources, make strategic choices, and guide your tribe from humble hunting and gathering to conquering dungeons and dinosaurs.

    Take a Look
  • Animal Express App Logo

    Animal Express

    Casual mobile simulation game where players manage a stylised train network for animal passengers. Upgrade train cars, meet passenger needs, and unlock new regions through light, idle-style progression.

    Take a Look
  • Virtual scene with a table, ashtray, cigarettes, lighters, and human figures on a dark background.

    Smoking Cessation

    Study relating to inducing smoking cravings in VR, using singular and multiple cues, to help chronic smokers who repetedly fail to quit smoking.

    Developed with Oxford University.

    Take a Look
  • Virtual reality simulation of medical procedure in clinic setting, arm with needle, healthcare training

    Needle Fears

    Theraputic VR program trialed in Adolescents with severe phobia of needles, aiming to reduce fear and adverse reactions to needles.

    Developed with Oxford University

    Take a Look
  • Virtual scene featuring rabbits on grass, signs for feeding with carrots, cabbage, hay, apple. Hands holding a carrot near feeding bowls.

    Phoenix Self Confidence

    VR Application that provides Mental Health and Self-Confidence support for Adolescents with a history of Psychosis.

    Developed with Oxford University

    Take a Look
  • Video game rendering of five people standing inside an elevator

    Facing the Lift

    Addressing and identifying triggers of incorrect behaviour in people with anger issues and paranoia.

    Developed with Oxford University

  • Virtual meeting space with digital avatars seated in a semicircle, Gemba on screen

    Gemba

    Live service, multi-user platform for delivering masterclasses and collaborative workshops in Virtual Reality

    Used by Large-Scale manufacturing companies such as Coca-Cola, Toyota and Phillips

    Take a Look
  • Animated scene of a man sitting at a bus stop wearing a face mask, with a digital sign displaying delayed bus routes. A red car is parked on the street and a building is in the background.

    Avoidance and Safety Behaviours

    Rehearsal Application for people overcoming their own avoidance behaviours and fear or being in situations they see as stressful

    Take a Look
  • Roblox game scene at a pool with pool floats and tiles

    Worry and Rumination

    App to educate users about worry and ruminating thoughts with rehearsal to practice breaking the cycle

    Take a Look
  • Virtual reality hand reaching for apples on tree branch in indoor environment with columns and modern building background.

    Fear of Heights

    Extreme fear of heights can prevent people from going outside and living a normal life out of fear from finding themselves near even a meter drop.

    This VR application was designed to help those people

    Take a Look
  • Person in high-visibility gear near open manhole and barricade, "Thames Water" logo visible, residential area background, text "Open Manhole" displayed.

    Thames Water Igloo

    Interactive 360 projection inside an Igloo cylinder built for training staff at the Lanes Group site in Slough for Thames Water

    This type of interactive material had never been done before.

    Take a Look
  • US military personnel operating portable weather station with solar panel

    US Air Force

    Digital twin, 1:1 Virtual reality training for assembling equipment used by the Weather Wing of the US Air Force.

    Take a Look
  • Silhouette of deer near tree with 'wee door' logo

    Elk

    Made for DARE to be digital.

    Help a lost elk return to its family.

    All Characters made in Stop Motion

    Take a Look