One of the best things about Readwrite Gaming is that we get to look out for games that you would otherwise never have heard of such as Dystopika and Starship Simulator. These tend to be games by small teams or solo developers who are fighting to get their creative vision heard over the noise of Star Wars, Fortnite, and Call of Duty. So, with that said, meet Uruc.
A three-and-a-half-minute trailer is all it has taken to sell us on Uruc – an ambient Metroidvania that has more than a passing resemblance to 2017’s indie classic (that you have also never heard of) Rain World.
Developed by South African Stefan Haasbroek, Uruc is being crowdfunded on the not-so-well-known BackaBuddy website – it is Africa’s Kickstarter, although it seems to crowdfund mainly for causes much live Just Giving.
However, BackaBuddy is where the beautiful-looking Uruc is currently living and Stefan says of his creation, “I’ve always been drawn to the power of storytelling and the thrill of mystery and exploration, and I’ve poured my heart and soul into bringing these elements to life in my first, completely solo-developed game, Uruc.”
Stefan goes in to explain in his pitch that Uruc is, “a Metroidvania-esque game that I’ve been working on since August 2023. This game is a labor of love, inspired by my fascination with life’s ultimate questions and the unknown. Uruc will captivate players with its blend of exploration, combat, and sandbox-style storytelling.”
He continues, “With your support, I can bring Uruc to life in a way that exceeds my wildest expectations. Your contributions will directly fund the development of the game, ensuring that I can deliver a polished and enjoyable experience. Every donation will help me create more detailed environments, enhance the combat mechanics, and deepen the narrative.”
Enough of the pitch though, watch the video, and listen to it as well. The music is incredible and the game itself, from what we can see of it, looks like something we can’t wait to play. We need to see more to see how much it actually differs from Rain World, but Uruc has our interest piqued for sure.
And that’s that, we know nothing further and have reached out to Stefan for hopefully a deeper look. You can back Uruc at the link above if it takes your fancy.