Holly Hudson Portfolio  

King of Cups



King of Cups is a heartfelt visual novel that follows the emotional journey of a young boy, Ollie, as he grapples with the recent loss of his mother. Told through the lens of Tarot, players navigate Ollie’s past, present, and future, helping him process his grief and understand the support he has around him. 

As the solo developer on this project, I was responsible for every aspect of the game’s creation—from games design to art direction and development. 




I was fortunate enough to collaborate with screenwriter, Ruby Abbiss to create the story and write the dialogue for the game. 

Inspired by the clean, interactable 2D elements in Look Inside and the simple, yet emotionally powerful UI of Assemble With Care, I took a minimalist approach to the game’s visual design. Using simple illustrations and a limited color palette, I created a visual style that enhances the narrative without overwhelming it, letting the story take center stage.




King of Cups was a project that allowed me to explore storytelling in a deeply personal and emotional way. The game focuses on Ollie, a 12-year-old boy who has recently moved into his grandfather’s house after losing his mother. Closed off and reluctant to open up, Ollie’s journey is guided by a Tarot reader, who helps him tap into his emotions and process his grief.

The game’s narrative is structured around a 4-card Tarot spread, which serves as a symbolic and interactive way for players to explore Ollie’s feelings. Each card represents different aspects of his emotional state—past, present, and future—and the choices players make in how much Ollie opens up will lead to one of three different endings. 

This branching narrative was designed to give players agency in how the story unfolds, emphasizing the idea that our responses to grief and connection can take different paths.





In terms of visual design, I stripped back the visual elements to focus on clean, simple illustrations that align with the game's meditative and introspective tone. The limited color palette was used strategically to accentuate the emotional weight of each moment, helping players connect with Ollie’s journey on a deeper level. 

This minimalist design, inspired by Look Inside and Assemble With Care, allowed me to create a game that is both visually and emotionally engaging, while focusing on the core narrative of healing and connection.


Play on itch.io: https://hollyjadehudson.itch.io/king-of-cups