Project Overview Underworld is a personal Virtual Reality experience that explores how embodied interaction can translate complex emotional states. Inspired by the miraculous real-life survival story of Harrison Okene—who survived 60 hours inside a sunken tugboat on the ocean floor—this project attempts to bridge the gap between storytelling and physical sensation. The Design Challenge How do we communicate the specific texture of "survival" without relying on traditional horror tropes or passive cinema? The goal was to capture not just the fear of the environment, but the profound spiritual shifting Okene reported: a move from terror to a realization of interconnectedness ("We are all one"). Interaction Design: The "Drag-to-Swim" Mechanic To create a sense of weight and resistance, I moved away from standard joystick locomotion. Instead, I prototyped a unique "drag-to-swim" mechanic. The Mechanic: The player must physically reach out, grab the virtual water/space, and pull to propel the character forward. HCI Rationale: This creates kinesthetic empathy. By requiring physical effort to move, the player shares the avatar’s exhaustion and struggle. Every meter moved is a deliberate, physical choice, mirroring the survivalist’s fight against the environment. Perspective as Narrative Device: Third-Person VR While VR is typically First-Person for maximum immersion, I utilized a Third-Person perspective for Underworld. Intent: Placing the camera outside the body allows the player to witness the avatar's fragility against the crushing scale of the underwater environment. It shifts the user's role from "being" the survivor to "guiding" them—a guardian angel dynamic that parallels Okene’s own feeling of being guided by a higher purpose during his ordeal. Reflection & Impact The project served as an inquiry into how VR can facilitate emotional reflection. By combining a claustrophobic setting with a mechanic that demands physical intention, Underworld aims to guide the user toward the same epiphany Okene found in the dark: a comfort in trusting life and a recognition of our shared existence.