A game where you are a thief trying to steal a treasure while solving various puzzles and figuring out how to reach said treasure

Crypt Raid is a first-person puzzle game where the player controls a thief navigating through an environment filled with interactive objects and secret mechanisms. The objective is to steal a treasure by solving spatial puzzles and using specific items in creative ways. 

Engine: Unreal Engine 5

Tools: C++, Blueprints

Project Type: Solo

Duration: 4 Weeks

Genre: Puzzle/Adventure

Focus: Puzzle solving and intuitiveness 

• Designed and developed all core mechanics using C++ and Blueprints, including item pickup, throwing, and puzzle object interaction
  
  

• Scripted a modular object-handling system that allows items to be grabbed, moved, and activated based on their in-game purpose
  
  

• Leveraged UE5’s tag system to assign unique behaviours to specific items—e.g., only a certain object can unlock a hidden door

• • Challenge: Understanding and using pointers and references in C++, especially when managing interactable items in real-time

  • Solution: Switched from standard variable references to dynamic pointers to maintain accurate access to active player and object data, especially during frequent item switching

  • Implemented a grabber system that continuously tracks the current item being held using pointer arrays and component references

  • Solved dereferencing issues by learning UE5’s actor/component architecture and using smart pointers where needed

• Created reusable pickup/throw logic by attaching generic code components to any interactable item
  
  

• Developed a tag-driven item validation system to control which objects activate specific puzzles or open doors
  
  

• Deepened understanding of C++ memory management in a game engine context (object lifecycle, dereferencing, address resolution)

This project significantly improved my confidence with C++ in Unreal, especially regarding memory handling, pointer logic, and component communication. It also taught me the importance of building reusable systems and the power of UE5’s tagging system for flexible gameplay logic.