Resonance – A Stunning Student-Made Unreal Engine 5 Adventure That Feels AAA
Introduction
Sometimes, a student project comes along that feels every bit as ambitious as a big-budget AAA release — Resonance is one of those rare gems. Developed as a graduation project at LISAA – The Higher Institute of Applied Arts, this third-person adventure takes players on a visually striking and emotionally rich journey.
The Story:
An Alien Explorer and a Sleeping Giant
In Resonance, you step into the shoes of an alien explorer who picks up a mysterious signal from a hostile planet.
Drawn by curiosity, you follow the signal and stumble upon the ruins of a once-advanced robotic species. But your discovery has consequences — your presence awakens a colossal robotic overlord lying dormant in the ruins.
What follows is not just survival, but the beginning of an unlikely bond between two very different beings.
Game Details
Game Details
- Platform: PC (Windows)
- Engine: Unreal Engine 5
- Genre: Third-Person Adventure
- Status: Released
- Rating: ⭐ 4.8 / 5 (16 ratings)
- Made With: Unreal Engine 5, ZBrush, 3ds Max, Photoshop, Substance Painter & Designer
The Creative Team
Resonance is a collaborative passion project made by a talented group of artists and developers:
- Concept Artist: Léa Sandeau
- Character Artist: Louise Lagravère
- Environment Artists: Fanny Cormier, Manon Micouleau, Louise Fretard
- Tech Artist: Damien Richard
- Cinematic Artist: Arthur Cossevin
- Music Composer: Bastien Nectoux
This small team managed to create an experience that many players are calling better than most full-price games today.
Visuals, Sound & Atmosphere
Players have praised the game’s breathtaking visuals, atmospheric world-building, and cinematic storytelling. The transition from vast outdoor scenery into the ruins is frequently highlighted as a standout moment, as is the dramatic grand hall scene with the robot.
The sound design and music score elevate the experience, giving the game a moody, emotional weight — rare to find even in AAA titles.
Performance & Technical Notes
Being a UE5-powered experience, Resonance can be demanding on hardware. Players with RTX 3080s report smooth performance at 1440p (with some tweaks), while others with lower-end cards struggle to run the game without crashes.
Community feedback suggests the game would benefit from:
- Adjustable graphics settings
- DLSS or FSR upscaling
- Optimization for mid-range GPUs
Community Reactions
The gaming community has been overwhelmingly positive, with many calling for Resonance to be turned into a full-length game:
"This has ALL the potential to be a full-fledged game. As students – I could not be more amazed."
"Everything about this is first class, better than 90% of first-party games today. I would gladly pay $70-$80 for a game of this quality."
"The environment, the artstyle, the cinematography — top tier like in a big-budget AAA game. Incredible work!"
However, there have also been a few constructive criticisms:
- Broken controls on certain layouts (works on AZERTY, broken on QWERTY for some players)
- Limited download mirrors, making access harder
- No in-game menu or quit option
Even with these limitations, the project has left a lasting impression on players worldwide.
Final Thoughts
Resonance is more than just a student project — it’s a glimpse into the future of indie game development. The team’s work rivals big studios in visual fidelity and storytelling, proving that passion and artistry can go a long way.
Many players are already hoping the team will secure funding or launch a Kickstarter to turn this demo into a full-length commercial release. If this is just the beginning, the future looks very bright for these talented developers.
Comments ()