SPECTER is a research-driven narrative horror video game that aims to explore how inherited culture and myths can be manifested in the 21st century, utilizing contemporary technologies/media. SPECTER serves as a means to engage all audiences (gamers) by offering an immersive experience through which they can learn about Mexican-American culture and its folklore. By immersing the individual within the experience, the research becomes something that is not only learned, but also is felt. SPECTER primarily concentrates on the myth of La Llorona, which the folklore serves as a catalyst that navigates this video game forward. This game aims to manifest folklore tales into something contemporary and reflective of the current state of the world.

You play as a detective trapped inside a police cruiser, guiding your partner through different locations of interest in various regions throughout Mexico via surveillance cameras and commands. The detective and their newest partner must investigate numerous reports and sightings and uncover the truth of what is truly going on. As you progress, you will also begin to uncover the internal influence for the main character’s story, their actions, and their resolve.

This video game is an Arts Practice-Based Research Project

SPECTER was created as an outlet to express my own interests, self-identity, and cultural exploration. Video games have been a big source of motivation for my own artistic identity and have shown me a new side of media that can convey emotional storytelling. SPECTER is a blend of my love for horror-themed media, crime media, music, and a deep need to express my own journey through mental health. This game is also symbolic of the people who have supported me in pursuing a career in the arts and have encouraged me to fully give my all to my practice.

La Llorona was the main catalyst for SPECTER because she embodies an intersection of grief, guilt, and Mexican cultural themes of the game’s core. As a figure rooted in Mexican folklore, her presence grounds the game’s narrative in a real-world context while amplifying the emotional weight of the game. Her weeping, tied to loss and unresolved trauma, mirrors the psychological tension experienced by both the detective and the world they navigate. Rather than being just a threat to the main protagonists, La Llorona functions as a symbolic entry point into a larger network of haunting forces shaped by history, community, and suffering.

The gameplay of SPECTER is inspired by first-person horror games such as Resident Evil Village and blends elements from other popular horror games. SPECTER offers an innovative photography/surveillance style of gameplay rather than the more established forms, such as the First Person Shooter (FPS) genre, as seen in popular games.