Xinyi Gao

Otter: Hidden Signs is a 2D detective-style serious game that explores how conservation breeding decisions can be communicated through interactive play.

Players take on the role of an animal keeper responsible for Luna, an Asian small-clawed otter. Across a series of cases, they investigate changes in her behaviour, feeding, faeces, and habitat, collecting clues and comparing evidence before making management decisions.

Rather than presenting conservation as a set of simple right-or-wrong answers, the game encourages players to observe carefully, interpret incomplete information, and consider how animal welfare, health, environment, and breeding goals can influence one another.

Through its core loop of observation, reasoning, decision-making, and feedback, Otter: Hidden Signs transforms conservation breeding into an accessible detective experience, inviting players to discover the hidden signs behind everyday animal care.