Senior Combat Designer

Location

Remote Working (UK). Ideally, the candidate would be available to visit and work from the Liverpool Studio on occasion.

Overview of Role

We’re looking for a Senior Combat Designer to take ownership of the combat systems in our games. This is a hands-on role for a highly talented and passionate designer who thrives on creating engaging, responsive, and memorable combat experiences. You will be responsible for leading the design and development of all combat-related features, ensuring they meet the game’s creative vision and deliver an exceptional player experience.

In this role, you’ll collaborate closely with the Lead Designer, programmers, artists, and animators to fine-tune combat systems, player abilities, AI behavior, and difficulty balancing. You’ll also mentor junior designers, set the combat design standards, and be a key part of the design leadership team.

Main Role and Responsibilities:

• Lead the design, implementation, and balancing of core combat systems, including player mechanics, enemy AI, abilities, and combat progression.

• Define and maintain the creative vision for combat, ensuring it aligns with the game’s overall direction.

• Collaborate across disciplines to ensure combat systems feel responsive, satisfying, and polished.

• Create and maintain detailed design documentation for combat features and systems.

• Identify areas for improvement in combat gameplay and be proactive in proposing creative, effective solutions, with an unrelenting emphasis on quality of the player experience.

• Review and iterate on combat mechanics based on playtesting as well player and stakeholder feedback.

• Mentor and support junior designers, promoting best practices and high standards across the team.

What We Are Looking For:

Experience:

• 5+ years’ experience in game design, with a focus on combat design for action or hack n’ slash titles.

• Shipped at least one game where your main responsibility was as a combat designer and can provide verifiable, positive feedback on its combat system.

• Strong knowledge of player control systems, enemy design, and combat balancing.

• Experience designing player progression and combat-related UI.

• High level of proficiency in Unity and relevant level design tools.

• Proven ability to collaborate across disciplines and communicate a clear design vision.

Personal:

• Passionate about combat design, with a strong understanding of what makes combat feel impactful, rewarding and responsive.

• Exceptional attention to detail, particularly when it comes to player feedback and responsiveness.

• Strong analytical skills and a proactive approach to problem-solving.

• Excellent organizational skills and the ability to prioritize multiple tasks.

• A collaborative team player with excellent communication skills.

• Be able to handle shifting schedules and priorities.

• Be willing to learn, take on new responsibilities, and evolve your skill set.

• Be a team player with excellent communication skills who is always professional.

• An enthusiasm for Hack & Slash, Roguelikes, Dungeon Crawlers, and/or Action RPGs is essential.

• An enthusiasm for game jams in the past or present.

What We Offer: 

• Flexitime policy; core working hours are between 10am to 4pm.

• Enhanced parental leave.

• 28 days holiday per year, inclusive of bank holidays.

• Birthday bunk days.  

• Holiday entitlement increases with years of service, up to an additional 5 days.

• Private medical, dental, and optical insurance scheme.

• A competitive company pension scheme.

• Regular team social events throughout the year (virtual and non-virtual).

• Hardware is provided. 

• Company parking permit will be available if required.

Equal Opportunities

Milky Tea is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity in the workplace. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, or disability.