Unlike conventional games where emotional tone is pre-scripted, Kaleidoscope invites players to actively regulate their emotions as part of the gameplay. Using THE SOURCE by bioMECI for heart-rate monitoring, the game collects players’ real-time heart rate variability (HRV) data and translates it into adaptive audiovisual responses. When a player’s heart rate rises, the environment dynamically darkens, sounds grow tense, and visuals distort—immersing the player in a responsive emotional loop. To restore calm, the player must consciously manage breathing and attention, turning emotional regulation into both a narrative and mechanical challenge.

The game integrates color psychology, sound design, and multimodal interaction theory to analyze how combinations of color, light, and music shape mood and engagement. Each of its three acts—Uncertainty, Exploration, and Release—uses shifting light and sound to evoke emotional transformation. The visual style combines 3D environments with painterly 2D rendering, producing a surreal, dreamlike aesthetic that reinforces the theme of introspection. Empirical testing was conducted with five participants aged 20–30, combining heart-rate data with Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) evaluations before and after gameplay. Results showed a general increase in emotional valence and arousal, suggesting heightened engagement and emotional uplift. Interestingly, many players instinctively paused to stabilize their heart rate when visual and auditory tension increased, demonstrating the effectiveness of the biofeedback loop as a reflective emotional tool.

Through this experiment, Kaleidoscope demonstrates how bio-responsive design can merge psychology, physiology, and aesthetics into a cohesive interactive experience. The project highlights new possibilities for games as tools for emotional awareness, self-regulation, and embodied storytelling.