Building games that players actually remember
We're a small team in Panvel working on mobile platform games that feel different. Started back in early 2023 when a few of us got tired of seeing the same mechanics recycled endlessly. Now we build games that challenge players while respecting their time.
How we ended up here
Three developers sitting in a cramped office in Old Panvel, arguing about level design at midnight. That's basically how MurmurCrestPaper started.
We'd been working on mobile games for other studios, watching great ideas get watered down into generic experiences. The breaking point came during a project where we had to add seventeen types of in-game currency. Seventeen. Nobody could explain why.
So we started building what we actually wanted to play. Turns out, there were other people who wanted that too.
What actually matters to us
These aren't values we put on a poster. They're decisions we make every single day when building games.
Mechanics first
Before anything else, the game has to feel good to play. We spend weeks just on how a character moves. If jumping doesn't feel right, nothing else matters. Polish comes from iteration, not from fancy graphics covering up weak gameplay.
Testing with real people
Our QA isn't just bug hunting. We watch actual players struggle with levels, get frustrated, figure things out. Sometimes they show us solutions we never considered. The best features come from seeing what players do when we're not telling them what to do.
Sustainable development
Crunch culture killed too many good studios. We work normal hours and ship when things are ready. Our last game took four months longer than planned because we weren't happy with the difficulty curve. Players noticed the difference.
What we're actually good at
- Platform mechanics that feel responsive and precise across different device types
- Level design that teaches players naturally without tutorial spam
- Performance optimization for devices from 2019 onwards
- Control schemes that work whether you're on a phone or tablet
- Sound design that adds depth without overwhelming the experience
- Analytics that tell us what players struggle with, not just where they quit
People building the games
Small team means everyone's work shows up directly in the final product. No hiding behind departments.
Aditya Kulkarni
Lead Developer
Spent five years at a major studio before deciding indie was more interesting. Obsessed with frame rates and physics systems. Built the core engine we use for all our games. Usually debugging something at 2am.
Priya Deshmukh
Game Designer
Started in traditional game design, moved to mobile when she realized that's where interesting constraints live. Creates levels that look simple but have layers of depth. Advocates loudly for accessibility features.
Rohan Sawant
Technical Artist
Makes things look good while running smoothly on older devices. Self-taught shader wizard. Convinced we need fewer particles and better animation. Usually right about both. Maintains our visual style guidelines.
How we actually build games
Not a formula. More like a rhythm we've found works for us and our collaborators.
Prototype fast, fail faster
We build rough versions of mechanics in days, not weeks. If something isn't fun in the prototype, it won't be fun with polish. We killed three game concepts in January 2026 before finding one worth developing. That's normal.
Internal playtesting cycles
Once we have something that works, we beat it up internally. Everyone on the team plays builds multiple times. We're looking for friction points, confusing moments, places where the game fights the player.
External player feedback
We bring in people who've never seen the game. Watch them play without helping. Take notes on where they get stuck. This phase is uncomfortable but essential. Players find issues we'd never catch.
Iteration based on data
We adjust based on what we observed, not what we hoped would work. Sometimes that means cutting features we loved. If players aren't engaging with something, either we explain it better or remove it.
Polish and optimization pass
Once the game works, we make it shine. Performance tweaks, visual polish, sound design refinement. This takes longer than people expect. The difference between "functional" and "feels great" is hundreds of small adjustments.
Why platform games still matter on mobile
Everyone said precision platformers wouldn't work on touchscreens. They were mostly right, until they weren't.
The secret isn't trying to replicate console controls. It's rethinking what precision means on a device where your thumbs cover part of the screen. We spent months just figuring out jump mechanics that feel responsive without physical buttons.
Our most successful game has 80% of players complete the first world. Industry average for mobile platformers is around 30%. The difference isn't difficulty — it's teaching players through design instead of text.
Platform games offer something rare in mobile gaming: a sense of mastery. Players improve through practice, not through spending. That creates a different kind of player relationship.
Read Development Notes
Let's talk about your project
Whether you're looking for development partners or just want to discuss mobile game design, we're around. Response time is usually within a day, sometimes within an hour if we're not deep in a build.
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Moraj Riverside Park, Takka Rd, near Karnala Bank, Old Panvel, Panvel, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra 410206, India