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I'M
MAX RIZNYK

NARRATIVE DESIGNER 

Narrative Designer with over 8 years of experience in AAA and indie games. Experienced in leading creative teams, collaborating with senior stakeholders, and driving creative projects from concept and pre-production to release. Passionate about storytelling and player experience, and constantly on the lookout for new techniques and approaches.

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Key Titles

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The Sinking City
"Action-investigation" game set in the Lovecraftian version of 1920 Boston. Dark, atmospheric, and full of memorable and well-written characters.
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Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One
An open-world detective game that takes Sherlock Holmes away from foggy London and into the Mediterranean, vibrant, varied and impressively detailed.
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Strategic Mind Series
A series of "history-based" turn-based strategies featuring not only combat but the drama, intrigue, friendships and rivalries behind the World War II.
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Headquarters: WWII
A fast-paced turn-based strategy focusing on the plot and complex small-scale warfare. Three separate campaigns with their own cast.
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Robot's Fate: Alice
An in-development visual novel with varied branching paths. Guide a sentient robot’s life as her programming grows from childlike to an adult mind.
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Beyond Reach
A DLC-sized Skyrim mod with over 639,000 unique downloads across game versions. Rich in story, atmosphere and equal measure of humour and darkness.

Writing Samples

DALL·E 2025-02-04 00.44.32 - A dark medieval fantasy study room, dimly lit by candlelight
A Fateful Meeting
A cutscene script for a game intro, setting up the tone, minor worldbuilding, several major characters and a "blank slate" protagonist.
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Robot's Fate: Alice

I developed all major characters and storylines of the project. The linked video showcases multiple choice dialogue, various character voices and branching paths.

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Many Faces of Sherlock
I led the worldbuilding for the island of Cordona - the melting pot of the British, Italian and Ottoman cultures. The linked trailer showcases the islands's various districts and the challenges arising from their dominant cultures.
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The Sinking City 
I was in charge of several main and side cases, including characters, plots and dialogue. The linked video showcases the main character's conversation with his benefactor, featuring distinct character voices.
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Fight for Freedom
I researched and wrote the characters for Strategic Mind. The linked clip introduces the notorious rivalry between Generals Patton and Montgomery, setting up their interaction for the rest of the game. 
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Beyond Reach
I wrote many quests and characters for Beyond Reach, including the Town Crier. He appears in cities to share amusing rumours and quest hooks, as well as report on the consequences of the player's questing.
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Key Studios

Lead Narrative Designer

2019-2023

  • Leading the Narrative Design team;

  • Overseeing creative projects from conception to release;

  • Led the narrative development for the visual novel Robot's Fate: Alice;

  • Narrative design of the visual novel Ukraine War Stories completed in under 6 months;

  • Narrative design of 4 instalments of Strategic Mind;

  • Casting voice actors and overseeing voice over;

  • Managing the projects' localisation into 9+ languages.

Narrative Designer II

2023-2024

  • Pre-production work for an unannounced title;

  • Worldbuilding and lore development;

  • Development of the well-received World Guide for the project;

  • Successfully presenting the team's materials to the stakeholders.

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Narative Designer

2017-2019

  • Narrative Design for the company's two highest-grossing projects to date: The Sinking City and Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One;

  • Creating characters, writing compelling investigation cases, in-game texts and dialogues;

  • Conducting historical and literary research with subsequent presentations for the entire creative team;

  • Overseeing project teams within the Narrative Design department;

  • Developing marketing materials across multiple media.

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Thanks for submitting!

R

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