Unreal Engine developer

Unreal Engine Gameplay Developer (GAS & Combat Systems) | Contract | Remote

Important: Combat Portfolio Required

Applications without a portfolio showcasing 3D combat systems will not be considered.

Please apply only if you can demonstrate previous work involving:

* Melee combat systems

* Action combat mechanics

* Gameplay Ability System (GAS)

* Combat AI

* Character abilities, attacks, combos, or boss encounters

* Gameplay showcase videos demonstrating combat feel and responsiveness

About Dopamine Arts

Dopamine Arts is a game development studio focused on creating high-quality gameplay experiences, polished combat systems, and production-ready game development solutions. We work across Unreal Engine and Unity, building original IPs as well as collaborating with studios and creators worldwide.

We are currently looking for an experienced Unreal Engine Gameplay Developer to join us on a contract basis and help transform an existing prototype into a production-quality vertical slice.

Role Overview

We already have a functional gameplay prototype and are looking for someone who can help elevate it to a polished, publisher-ready quality level.

This role is heavily gameplay-focused and ideal for developers who enjoy building responsive combat systems, refining player feel, replacing placeholder content with production assets, and solving complex gameplay challenges.

You will work closely with the project lead to implement and refine gameplay mechanics, integrate final animations and VFX, improve combat responsiveness, and help establish scalable gameplay architecture for future development.

Responsibilities

* Refine and improve existing gameplay systems in Unreal Engine.

* Replace placeholder animations with production-ready animation sets.

* Integrate and polish combat VFX, gameplay feedback, hit reactions, camera effects, and visual polish.

* Improve player movement, combat feel, responsiveness, and overall gameplay quality.

* Work extensively with Gameplay Ability System (GAS).

* Develop gameplay features using both Blueprints and C++.

* Assist in converting a prototype into a polished vertical slice.

* Optimize gameplay systems for performance and maintainability.

* Collaborate with artists, animators, and designers to ensure seamless implementation.

* Maintain clean, scalable, production-ready code and project organization.

Required Skills

* Strong Unreal Engine experience.

* Advanced Blueprint scripting skills.

* Good C++ programming knowledge.

* Proven experience with Gameplay Ability System (GAS).

* Strong understanding of melee combat systems and combat architecture.

* Experience implementing combos, abilities, hit reactions, animation montages, combat state machines, and combat transitions.

* Knowledge of gameplay optimization and debugging workflows.

* Understanding of game feel, player feedback, responsiveness, and combat polish.

* Experience working with version control systems (Git, Perforce, etc.).

Bonus Skills

* Experience building action RPG, hack-and-slash, character action, or soulslike combat systems.

* Experience designing and implementing enemy combat behaviors.

* Knowledge of animation retargeting, motion matching, or advanced locomotion systems.

* Previous commercial game development experience.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for someone who genuinely understands what makes combat satisfying.

You should be capable of identifying weaknesses in combat feel and improving them through animation timing, gameplay feedback, hit-stop, camera work, VFX integration, ability design, and overall player responsiveness.

The ideal candidate can take an existing combat prototype and help transform it into a polished, production-quality gameplay experience.

Contract Details

* Remote Position

* Flexible Working Hours

* Contract-Based Engagement

* Milestone-Based Payments

* Budget: ₹50,000 – ₹1,20,000 INR (based on experience, portfolio quality, and scope of contribution)

Application Requirements

Please include:

* Resume/CV

* Portfolio demonstrating 3D combat systems (mandatory)

* Gameplay showcase videos (mandatory)

* Examples of GAS-based projects

* GitHub (if available)

* Brief explanation of your role and contributions on each showcased project

Applications without combat-focused portfolio examples will not be considered.

If you're passionate about building polished action combat systems and want to help shape a prototype into a production-quality vertical slice, we'd love to hear from you.