diff --git a/StrafeOverdead/core/src/com/strafergame/GameState.java b/StrafeOverdead/core/src/com/strafergame/GameState.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e2ec887
--- /dev/null
+++ b/StrafeOverdead/core/src/com/strafergame/GameState.java
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+package com.strafergame;
+
+public enum GameState {
+	LOADING,
+	MENU,
+	PAUSE,
+	CUTSCENE,
+	PLAY;
+}
diff --git a/StrafeOverdead/core/src/com/strafergame/Strafer.java b/StrafeOverdead/core/src/com/strafergame/Strafer.java
index 4cf8f6e..d082397 100644
--- a/StrafeOverdead/core/src/com/strafergame/Strafer.java
+++ b/StrafeOverdead/core/src/com/strafergame/Strafer.java
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@
 import com.strafergame.game.world.GameWorld;
 import com.strafergame.graphics.WorldCamera;
 import com.strafergame.input.InputManager;
+import com.strafergame.screens.GameScreen;
 import com.strafergame.screens.LoadingScreen;
+import com.strafergame.screens.TitleScreen;
 import com.strafergame.ui.UiManager;
 
 /**
@@ -38,6 +40,11 @@ public class Strafer extends Game {
 	 */
 	public static InputManager inputManager;
 
+	/**
+	 * the current state of the game
+	 */
+	public static GameState gameState;
+
 	/**
 	 * the time elapsed. used to retrieve time dependent data such as animation
 	 * frames
@@ -89,6 +96,21 @@ public class Strafer extends Game {
 	 */
 	public static UiManager uiManager;
 
+	/**
+	 * the loading screen
+	 */
+	public static LoadingScreen loadingScreen;
+
+	/**
+	 * the title screen
+	 */
+	public static TitleScreen titleScreen;
+
+	/**
+	 * the game screen
+	 */
+	public static GameScreen gameScreen;
+
 	/**
 	 * stage that contains world entities
 	 */
@@ -130,8 +152,8 @@ public void create() {
 		uiManager = new UiManager(uiScreenViewport, spriteBatch);
 		uiManager.init();
 
-		setScreen(new LoadingScreen(this));
-
+		loadingScreen = new LoadingScreen(this);
+		setScreen(loadingScreen);
 	}
 
 	@Override
diff --git a/StrafeOverdead/core/src/com/strafergame/game/world/GameWorld.java b/StrafeOverdead/core/src/com/strafergame/game/world/GameWorld.java
index ab5ccc6..91d8b79 100644
--- a/StrafeOverdead/core/src/com/strafergame/game/world/GameWorld.java
+++ b/StrafeOverdead/core/src/com/strafergame/game/world/GameWorld.java
@@ -22,10 +22,13 @@ public class GameWorld extends Stage implements Disposable {
 	private Player playerTest2;
 	private final TiledMap tiledMapTest = Strafer.assetManager.get("maps/test/map.tmx", TiledMap.class);
 
+	Strafer game;
+
 	Box2DWorld box2DWorld = new Box2DWorld();
 
-	public GameWorld() {
+	public GameWorld(Strafer game) {
 		super(Strafer.extendViewport, Strafer.spriteBatch);
+		this.game = game;
 
 		addTestAssets();
 	}
@@ -107,6 +110,9 @@ void debugControls() {
 			if (Gdx.input.isKeyPressed(Keys.NUMPAD_5)) {
 				playerTest1.getBody().setTransform(playerTest1.getX() + .5f, playerTest1.getY() + .5f, 0);
 			}
+			if (Gdx.input.isKeyPressed(Keys.ESCAPE)) {
+				game.setScreen(Strafer.titleScreen);
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/StrafeOverdead/core/src/com/strafergame/screens/LoadingScreen.java b/StrafeOverdead/core/src/com/strafergame/screens/LoadingScreen.java
index aaeeea9..b17e57b 100644
--- a/StrafeOverdead/core/src/com/strafergame/screens/LoadingScreen.java
+++ b/StrafeOverdead/core/src/com/strafergame/screens/LoadingScreen.java
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 import com.badlogic.gdx.maps.tiled.TiledMap;
 import com.badlogic.gdx.maps.tiled.TmxMapLoader;
 import com.badlogic.gdx.math.MathUtils;
+import com.strafergame.GameState;
 import com.strafergame.Strafer;
 import com.strafergame.graphics.AnimationProvider;
 
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ public class LoadingScreen implements Screen {
 
 	public LoadingScreen(final Strafer game) {
 		this.game = game;
+		Strafer.gameState = GameState.LOADING;
 		shapeRenderer = new ShapeRenderer();
 
 		queueAssetsToLoad();
@@ -56,8 +58,11 @@ private void update(float delta) {
 			if (progress >= Strafer.assetManager.getProgress() - .001f) {
 				if (Strafer.assetManager.isFinished()) {
 					AnimationProvider.prepareAnimations();
-					//game.setScreen(new GameScreen(game));
-					game.setScreen(new TitleScreen(game));
+					// game.setScreen(new GameScreen(game));
+					if (Strafer.titleScreen == null) {
+						Strafer.titleScreen = new TitleScreen(game);
+					}
+					game.setScreen(Strafer.titleScreen);
 				}
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/StrafeOverdead/core/src/com/strafergame/ui/UiManager.java b/StrafeOverdead/core/src/com/strafergame/ui/UiManager.java
index a569eea..440b748 100644
--- a/StrafeOverdead/core/src/com/strafergame/ui/UiManager.java
+++ b/StrafeOverdead/core/src/com/strafergame/ui/UiManager.java
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@
 
 public class UiManager extends Stage implements Disposable {
 
-	private HUD hud;
-
 	public UiManager(Viewport viewport, SpriteBatch spriteBatch) {
 		super(viewport, spriteBatch);
 
@@ -23,7 +21,6 @@ public void init() {
 		((InputMultiplexer) Gdx.input.getInputProcessor()).addProcessor(Strafer.uiManager);
 		VisUI.load(SkinScale.X2);
 
-		hud = new HUD();
 	}
 
 	@Override