SAM RIORDAN

Sam Riordan is a writer, editor, and narrative designer with years of experience creating and curating content, recruiting and managing freelancers, and interfacing with team leadership to promote narrative.
Sam graduated Carnegie Mellon University in 2016 after working as a Narrative intern at Failbetter (Sunless Sea, Fallen London). 
Sam joined MetaArcade in 2017 as a Content Specialist and quickly rose to become Head of Content, acting as Lead Narrative Designer/Writer across all of MetaArcade's properties.



Commercial Projects

Excerpts from commercial projects completed at MetaArcade. Branching interactive samples have been adapted to linear format for easier reading.

Cthulhu Chronicles, a mobile game based on Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu TTRPG, blending original and existing work from the IP. Official MetaArcade landing page here.

Tunnels & Trolls, an interactive fiction mobile game with light RPG elements adapted from Tunnels & Trolls Adventures mini-solo modules. Official MetaArcade landing page here.

 

Old Roads, an original IP based on Slavic folklore and mythology. Slated for web and PC; unreleased.

 



Personal/Academic Projects

Rheda’s Redemption, a pitch for a prospective sequel to Aidyn Chronicles: The First Mage, including cutscenes, a step outline, and character profiles.

The Puppeteer, a horror text adventure in which you play a puppeteer getting ready for their next performance. A branching, nonlinear story with fifteen possible endings.

The Risen, The Bully, and The Bank, a text adventure in which players step into the shoes of a modern-day zombie and must navigate a seemingly mundane trip to the bank.

Beauties and the Beast, a comical dating sim based on the Beauty and the Beast fairytale. Players take the role of the Beast, and must woo one of five fair maidens sent to their castle. Completed as part of a team for a Game Design course. Sam produced all of the writing, as well as some of the game design and UI elements.

His and Her Suspicious Circumstances, a quest based in the Dragon Age game series, about a young human noble and his missing elven lover. The quest’s progression differs based on the player’s race, and the choices they make.

Jack & Jill, character outlines for two characters from an ongoing independent original project.

Screenplays:

Martin Blackwell: Douchebag Genius, a script written (and filmed and edited) during a 72-hour film event.