RELM

Team

Game Overview

RELM is a roguelite city builder that lets players set any urban location on Earth as their gameplay environment. Using internally developed neural network models trained on real world data, as well as Unreal Engine’s built-in procedural content generation framework, RELM generates a fully navigable 1 km² digital twin of any urban location, instantly and on demand. Players drop into reimagined real places, from global capitals to small towns, and shape each tile through a fast, card driven decision loop rather than direct construction. This creates an accessible but strategically rich experience grounded in the real world and based on a rich and detailed agent-driven simulation.

The narrative casts the player as a distant alien steward bound by strict cosmic rules, guiding humanity through indirect influence. This framing adds tension, personality, humour opportunities, and a thematic layer that makes every decision feel consequential, even as players hop across the planet.

Each tile becomes a short, replayable session shaped by its actual land use, employment patterns, and transport structure. Completing a tile unlocks adjacent real locations, turning the entire planet into a roguelite progression map. Because the world itself drives the variation, every run is different, and players can start anywhere, explore anywhere, and build their journey across Earth in any order they choose.

Current development stage

The project is currently in pre‑production, with core systems, neural‑network prototypes, and the foundational card‑driven gameplay loop already in development. Much of the essential technology work has progressed, including a near‑complete global urban database that powers location‑based generation and early integration of Unreal Engine’s PCG systems for tile construction and world assembly.

The team has also prepared substantial design documentation that defines the game’s structure, systems, and progression. Current efforts are focused on enhancing the pre‑production tech demo to showcase the project’s technical capabilities, visual identity, and core mechanics using real locations drawn directly from the global dataset. 

Next Steps toward development

The next phase focuses on strengthening the pre‑production demo so it can be presented to gamers, publishers, and partners in early 2027. Key steps include:

  • Building a polished, representative vertical slice that demonstrates the full gameplay loop, from real‑world tile generation to tile completion and progression.
  • Expanding the neural‑network city‑generation pipeline to better adapt to regional differences and produce richer, more accurate simulation detail.
  • Deepening integration of Unreal Engine’s PCG systems to streamline tile construction, world assembly, and biome‑specific variation.
  • Refining the card‑driven influence system, with particular focus on risk‑reward dynamics and long‑term progression.
  • Adding interactive, narrative vignettes to further emphasize the alien aspect of the experience.
  • Enhancing visual fidelity, UI/UX, and narrative framing to more clearly communicate the game’s identity and tone.