SCENT
“Scent” is a cinematic game in which, as a dog, the player roams a war-torn city, witnesses mass atrocities, and carries out one quiet task —guiding human souls toward reincarnation.
Using simple controls, players embody the dog — walking, witnessing, hiding, and collecting souls from the bodies of the dead. Devoid of backstory or context, this game offers no resolution. Instead, it invites players into a meditative space of fear, darkness, and moments of hope. At its core, this cinematic game is about what it means to witness violence and suffering without power — to observe, absorb, and endure without the ability to change the outcome.
World Premiere (Interactive Version):
Tribeca Festival 2025 [June 6 - 29] (link)
World Premiere (Short Film Version):
Animafest Zagreb 2025 [June 4] (link)
Game Trailer
Screenshots
![Scent_[Alan Kwan]_1.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2fa5f6_8760d0820ad7421bb2bd6acc656a3aa5~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_889,h_500,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Scent_%5BAlan%20Kwan%5D_1.jpg)
![Scent_[Alan Kwan]_2.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2fa5f6_4d09acae2f3d486bad9512cea334d237~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_889,h_500,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Scent_%5BAlan%20Kwan%5D_2.jpg)
![Scent_[Alan Kwan]_4.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2fa5f6_e27e9a0180c24a6b8824e5c8a1855522~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_889,h_500,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Scent_%5BAlan%20Kwan%5D_4.jpg)
![Scent_[Alan Kwan]_5.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2fa5f6_32419f8231c34dd28b5e7f9a90b6a9ae~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_889,h_500,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Scent_%5BAlan%20Kwan%5D_5.jpg)
Things I've been thinking about
(1) The players explore the environment through the point of view of a dog. The game presents no story, context, or background information on where the war is taking place and why it is happening. Nothing will be resolved after players finish the game. I'm interested in creating an experience that invites for contemplation on fear, deaths, and flickers of hope.
(2) I want to make cinematic games that are very short but rich and tense. Almost like a short film but interactive. Kind of like a mini game but with more complex emotional experiences. Interaction and control should be really simple and not focus on how fast players move their thumbs.
(3) When I talk about my works I always use the term "game" for general communication purpose. But I constantly think about whether it is the best term to describe what I want to do. If you are a hardcore gamer and think that these are not videogames I totally get it. I think we need better terms to describe works of interactive virtual world that are made using videogame technologies but are not necessarily videogames.
Production Credits
Director / 3D Artist / Programmer:
Alan Kwan
Music from:
Jordi Jon Pardo
Arthur Komnacky
(Sad heaven piano #2 by PSOVOD (https://freesound.org/people/PSOVOD/)
Available for use under the Attribution 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/PSOVOD/sounds/414856/
Edited into a loopable version by Alan Kwan)
Graphic Designer:
Zac Choy
Trailer by:
Deniz Tortum and Alan Kwan
Special Thanks:
Kachi Chan
Kenny Wong Chi-Chuen
Xiao Xiao
Yang Jing
Mike Harris
Deniz Tortum
Lukas Steinman
Tamas Waliczky
Arthur Brussee
Keijiro Takahashi
Luyu Chen
Digital Assets & Sound Effects:
Coast Sand 01 by Rob Tuytel (https://polyhaven.com/all?a=Rob%20Tuytel)
Available for use under the CC0 license (https://polyhaven.com/license)
at https://polyhaven.com/a/coast_sand_01
Pine-forest--ww2-soldier--crawl--grass.wav by elonen (https://freesound.org/people/elonen/)
Available for use under the CC0 license (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/elonen/sounds/478381/?
Breath by mcroce (https://freesound.org/people/mcroce/)
Available for use under the CC0 license (https://creativecommons.org/public-domain/cc0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/mcroce/sounds/234335/
Hearbeat sound (with gurgling) by LookIMadeAThing (https://freesound.org/people/LookIMadeAThing/)
Available for use under the CC0 license (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/LookIMadeAThing/sounds/250846/
lucid drone.wav by decembered (https://freesound.org/people/decembered/)
Available for use under the Attribution 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/decembered/sounds/42761/
Edited by Alan Kwan into a shorter version
Four_Voices_Whispering_4.wav by geoneo0 (https://freesound.org/people/geoneo0/）
Available for use under the CC0 license (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/geoneo0/sounds/193809/
C5_mother singing.mp3 by Iamgiorgio (https://freesound.org/people/Iamgiorgio/)
Available for use under the CC0 license (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/Iamgiorgio/sounds/371307/
LightMachineGun3.wav by SuperPhat (https://freesound.org/people/SuperPhat/)
Available for use under the CC0 license (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/SuperPhat/sounds/417686/
BurstFire.wav by SuperPhat (https://freesound.org/people/SuperPhat/)
Available for use under the CC0 license (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/SuperPhat/sounds/424630/
Wind-noise.wav by jorge0000 (https://freesound.org/people/jorge0000/)
Available for use under the CC0 license (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/jorge0000/sounds/361053/
BirdFlap1.wav by AgentDD (https://freesound.org/people/AgentDD/)
Available for use under the Attribution 3.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/AgentDD/sounds/246225/
Edited by Alan Kwan into a version used in this project
BirdFlap2.wav by AgentDD (https://freesound.org/people/AgentDD/)
Available for use under the Attribution 3.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/AgentDD/sounds/246224/
Edited by Alan Kwan into a version used in this project
BirdFlap3_Deeper.wav by AgentDD (https://freesound.org/people/AgentDD/)
Available for use under the Attribution 3.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/AgentDD/sounds/246223/
Edited by Alan Kwan into a version used in this project
gas_fire_catch.wav by themfish (https://freesound.org/people/themfish/)
Available for use under the Attribution 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/themfish/sounds/45809/
Edited by Alan Kwan into a shorter version
PS_Wood_Fire_Burning_(Loopable)_01 by PoundSoundUK (https://freesound.org/people/PoundSoundUK/)
Available for use under the Attribution 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/PoundSoundUK/sounds/717807/
No changes were made to the original version
bullet zip and hit.wav by TheLittleCrow (https://freesound.org/people/TheLittleCrow/)
Available for use under the CC0 license (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
At https://freesound.org/people/TheLittleCrow/sounds/496509/
Elephant growl and trumpet slowed down by ShangASDFGuy123 (https://freesound.org/people/ShangASDFGuy123/)
Available for use under the CC0 license (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/ShangASDFGuy123/sounds/735267/
Raven many.mp3 by Bidone (https://freesound.org/people/Bidone/)
Available for use under the CC0 license (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/Bidone/sounds/69575/
Big Bell with Verb by dr_knoise (https://freesound.org/people/dr_knoise/)
Available for use under the CC0 license (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/dr_knoise/sounds/181292/
Sad heaven piano #2 by PSOVOD (https://freesound.org/people/PSOVOD/)
Available for use under the Attribution 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/PSOVOD/sounds/414856/
Edited into a loopable version by Alan Kwan
Night Ambiance - 44.1k, 16-Bit Depth.aif by DidntGoToFilmSchool (https://freesound.org/people/DidntGoToFilmSchool/)
Available for use under the CC0 license (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/DidntGoToFilmSchool/sounds/248103/
S_Spotlight_Off.wav by Grubzyy
(https://freesound.org/people/Grubzyy/)
Available for use under the CC0 license (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/Grubzyy/sounds/422729/
"Look out, Tex!" by unfa (Tobiasz 'unfa' Karoń)
(https://freesound.org/people/unfa/)
Available for use under the CC0 license (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/unfa/sounds/187359/
AR15 rifle shot by michorvath
(https://freesound.org/people/michorvath/)
Available for use under the CC0 license (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/michorvath/sounds/427596/
heart beat increasing 116642.wav by klankbeeld
(https://freesound.org/people/klankbeeld/)
Available for use under the Attribution 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/klankbeeld/sounds/181805/
Modified by Alan Kwan into a version used in this project
Scared Male Heavy Breathing by casiba842
(https://freesound.org/people/casiba842/)
Available for use under the CC0 license(https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/casiba842/sounds/554307/
female heavy breathing angry anxious mouth upclose closed open by jerry.berumen
(https://freesound.org/people/jerry.berumen/)
Available for use under the Attribution 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/jerry.berumen/sounds/772833/
Modified by Alan Kwan into a version used in this project
Young boy, fast breathing for running.wav by SpliceSound
(https://freesound.org/people/SpliceSound/)
Available for use under the CC0 license (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/SpliceSound/sounds/260187/
Man Breathing.wav by sydneyfrencho
(https://freesound.org/people/sydneyfrencho/)
Available for use under the CC0 license (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/sydneyfrencho/sounds/683687/
Breathing_scared.wav by deleted_user_2104797
(https://freesound.org/people/deleted_user_2104797/)
Available for use under the CC0 license (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/deleted_user_2104797/sounds/166125/
DeqstersLab - Heavy Breathing Scared Male by DeqstersLab
(https://freesound.org/people/DeqstersLab/)
Available for use under the Attribution 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/DeqstersLab/sounds/721351/
Modified by Alan Kwan into a version used in this project
Man_Cry_Close.wav by RepDac3
(https://freesound.org/people/RepDac3/)
Available for use under the CC0 license (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/RepDac3/sounds/477750/
Godzilla Stomp.wav by Cloud-10
(https://freesound.org/people/Cloud-10/)
Available for use under the CC0 license (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/Cloud-10/sounds/651838/
fall to ground.aif by MAJ061785
(https://freesound.org/people/MAJ061785/)
Available for use under the Attribution 3.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)
at https://freesound.org/people/MAJ061785/sounds/85546/
Modified by Alan Kwan into a version used in this project