Sense Bank Season 2 Ancient Cities of Ukraine

Client:

Sense Bank is a major Ukrainian bank offering a full range of digital and physical services for both individual and corporate customers.

Challenge:

After the successful launch of the project for Ukraine’s Independence Day, the client saw strong audience interest in the game-based format and decided to scale the initiative.
The new launch was timed to the Day of Unity of Ukraine and released under the name “Ancient Cities.”

The team was tasked with::

• updating the game with new content and deeper gameplay logic;
• strengthening the educational component through historical context;
• making gameplay more diverse and interactive;
• encouraging players to explore locations and interact with objects;
• increasing in-game monetization through new mechanics.

Business goals of the project:

• Increase user time spent in the game;
• Boost engagement through new gameplay mechanics;
• Enhance the project’s educational value;
• Grow in-game monetization;
• Increase customer loyalty;
• Motivate players to complete challenging levels and return to the game.

Solution:

We developed a new game season titled “Ancient Cities,” dedicated to education, statehood, science, and trade in medieval Ukraine.

Players travel through iconic historical locations across Ukraine, where each level is filled with symbolic objects such as the Ostroh Academy, the Hetman’s Palace in Baturyn, the Golden Gate of Kyiv, and other historical landmarks.

Gameplay mechanics updates:

Interactive objects, buffs, and debuffs :

Locations now feature special interactive elements that can either help players or make level completion more challenging. This encourages exploration, interaction with the environment, and closer attention to details.

Combo mechanic

When a player quickly collects several items in succession within a limited time, they receive an extra life for free, adding speed, excitement, and competitive tension to the gameplay.

Educational element

Each item now includes an “Info” button. By tapping it, players can learn the historical background of the object, its significance, and its role in the development of Ukraine.

Monetization mechanics:

To achieve the project’s in-game monetization goals, two solutions were introduced:

• a limited number of hints;
• the option to purchase access to a locked level.

New levels of the “Ancient Cities” season:

• Kyiv, 9th–13th centuries — a majestic, spiritual atmosphere reflecting the rise of Kyivan Rus.
• Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, 14th–18th centuries — a monumental history shaped by the intersection of Ottoman and Moldavian cultures.
• Lviv, 13th–18th centuries — a commercial and cultural capital of a multicultural environment.
• Ostroh, 14th–17th centuries — a center of education, science, and cultural revival.
• Baturyn, 17th–18th centuries — the political and military stronghold of the Cossack state.

Result:

The new season not only refreshed the game’s visual style and content experience but also significantly deepened user interaction.
Thanks to interactive mechanics, educational features, and monetization tools, the project became the next stage in the development of the Sense Bank gaming ecosystem — seamlessly combining entertainment, history, and business effectiveness into a single digital product.