La Quimera Game Developer Q&A: Unreal Engine 4 Insights and 5-Hour Main Story Duration

La Quimera: Insights from Reburn on Development and Gameplay

In just over six weeks, the video game industry has witnessed the transition from the announcement of La Quimera and 4A Games Ukraine’s rebranding to Reburn, to the official release date set for April 25 on PC. This weekend, an exclusive Closed Beta Test on Steam offers select players an early taste of this highly anticipated sci-fi first-person shooter.

Behind the Scenes with Reburn

To gain further insights into their inaugural project—marking their foray into multiplayer gaming—we spoke with key team members: Project Director Oleksandr Kostiuk, CEO Dmytro Lymar, and CTO Iurii Sashchuk. Here’s what they had to share.

Development Timeline and Challenges

How long has La Quimera been in development?

Oleksandr Kostiuk: Development for La Quimera began in 2020 with a small team, transitioning to full production in 2021. However, the onset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 posed significant challenges, forcing us to adapt our strategies while maintaining progress on the game.

Funding and Future Partnerships

The press release said you received funds for it. Can you disclose the source? Did you ever consider partnering with a publisher?

Dmytro Lymar: Our development budget stems from profits of earlier projects and additional undisclosed minority investments. While we are open to publisher partnerships now and in the future, the industry landscape currently complicates these collaborations.

Splitting from 4A Games

Can you discuss the split of 4A Games?

Dmytro Lymar: The split occurred in 2014 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea. We worked together on Metro Exodus after the split until 2020 when we initiated La Quimera. To eliminate confusion with both studios bearing the same name, particularly after 4A Games was acquired by Embracer Group, we opted for a new identity—Reburn.

Setting and Cultural Representation

Why did you choose Latin America as the central location for your sci-fi setting? Did you consult with local experts to ensure an appropriate portrayal of the culture?

Oleksandr Kostiuk: The multicultural richness and historical depth of Latin America attracted us for La Quimera, providing a vibrant backdrop for our story. We’ve consulted with Latin American experts to ensure a thoughtful and respectful cultural portrayal, creating a cosmopolitan world where historical roots converge with futuristic advancements.

Story and Gameplay Mechanics

Can you tell us a bit more about the setting and the story’s background?

Oleksandr Kostiuk: La Quimera unfolds in the 2060s amidst a backdrop of political upheaval that has disrupted global order. The game is set in Nuevo Caracas, a city-state that blends elements of the past with future trends, resulting in a rich narrative landscape crafted by our talented writers, Nick and Ed—an online encyclopedia will soon accompany the game, offering deeper exploration of its lore.

Is La Quimera semi open-world like Metro Exodus?

Oleksandr Kostiuk: Our focus is on a tightly woven, narrative-rich experience. Although we lean toward a linear design, players can uncover secret areas and optional zones outside the core story. We’re continuously exploring ways to enhance the gameplay experience while remaining true to our narrative ambitions.

Gameplay Duration and Co-op Dynamics

How long do you expect the game to take for the average player?

Oleksandr Kostiuk: Our aim is to deliver a more compact experience without sacrificing essential gameplay elements. Solo players can expect a main storyline completion time of approximately 5 hours, with cooperative play providing additional excitement and extended playtime.

How does the game scale for co-op sessions?

Oleksandr Kostiuk: Encounter intensity and challenge will adjust based on player count in each session, affecting enemy numbers, spawn rates, and more. Players can tailor their difficulty in co-op modes, ensuring a balanced yet enjoyable experience.

Looking Beyond Launch

What is your post-launch plan for La Quimera?

Oleksandr Kostiuk: We have numerous ideas for expanding La Quimera‘s story and mechanics influenced by player feedback. Our post-launch blueprint is still being finalized, but we’re eager to share it with our community soon.

Technological Advancements and Future Enhancements

Are you still using the 4A Engine or something else? Will you support ray tracing?

Iurii Sashchuk: We are utilizing Unreal Engine 4 for La Quimera, allowing for more straightforward multiplayer game development. However, our expertise with the 4A Engine informs various aspects of our work. Improvements in texture streaming and shadow mapping have been implemented to enhance performance.

Exploring New Technologies

What do you think about the recent release of the DirectX Raytracing 1.2 preview?

Iurii Sashchuk: We’re enthusiastic about advancements with DirectX Raytracing 1.2 and neural rendering. While La Quimera does not currently integrate real-time ray tracing, we use it for asset creation to bolster visual fidelity. We keep a close watch on these developments and aim to adopt these technologies in future projects.

Will La Quimera support PlayStation 5 Pro if it makes it to consoles?

Iurii Sashchuk: As of now, we haven’t announced console plans, making it hard to give specifics. However, we always optimize our games for hardware efficiency, and PlayStation 5 Pro would be no exception.

We appreciate your interest and support for La Quimera and look forward to sharing more with the community.

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