What happens when a group of developers who have worked on Assassin’s Creed and Ghost Recon leave the world of AAA development behind and decide to build something of their own? Apparently, you get dragons, floating kingdoms, magical creatures and enough monster breeding to keep collectors busy for a very long time.
Independent developer Eldrem Studios has officially revealed Eldrem Kingdoms, an ambitious creature-collecting RPG that mixes fast-paced combat, open-world exploration, breeding, crafting and fortress building into one colourful fantasy adventure.
At the centre of it all are your creatures. You will tame them, raise them, breed them, fight alongside them and, in the case of some rather sizeable companions, climb onto their backs and take to the skies.
The game is being created by a small 10-person independent team made up of industry veterans with experience working on major Ubisoft franchises, and the studio currently plans to bring Eldrem Kingdoms to PC Early Access in 2027.
And judging by its Kickstarter campaign, quite a few people are already interested in seeing where this one goes.
Raise Them, Ride Them and Fight Alongside Them
Creatures are at the heart of everything in Eldrem Kingdoms, but the team is aiming to make them far more than collectables sitting inside a menu.
Players will discover creatures throughout the world, tame them, hatch new companions and raise them from vulnerable youngsters into powerful partners capable of fighting alongside them.
Once trained, certain creatures can also be used as mounts, allowing players to explore the game’s floating islands and vast environments from the air.
The relationship between player and companion also directly affects combat. Rather than your character simply learning every spell and ability themselves, your active creature determines the powers available to you.
Switching companion therefore means switching combat style, opening the door to different approaches depending on the enemy, location or challenge ahead.
If one creature gives you access to a particular set of magical abilities while another completely changes your fighting style, there could be plenty of room for experimentation when building your preferred team.
Build the Companion You Want
Collecting creatures is only part of the process, as Eldrem Kingdoms will also feature its own breeding system.
Players will be able to hatch, tame, train, evolve and breed different species, with certain traits and abilities being passed down between generations.
That could allow players to gradually create companions specifically suited to different roles, whether they are being raised for combat, exploration or another purpose within the kingdom.
The developers are promising rare species to hunt down throughout the world alongside unique combat roles and inherited characteristics, meaning there should be plenty to keep collectors busy.
And judging by the scale of the systems already being discussed, finding a creature may only be the beginning of its journey.
Take to the Skies
Exploration is another major part of Eldrem Kingdoms.
Players will be able to ride dragons across an open world filled with floating islands, different biomes, ancient ruins and hidden creatures.
Rather than simply travelling from one point to another on foot, flying companions appear to play an important role in how the world itself is explored.
The idea of taking off from your own fortress before flying between islands in search of ruins, resources or rare creatures could give the game a strong sense of adventure, especially if the world manages to reward players who wander away from the obvious path.
Combine that with the ability to swap companions and access different powers, and exploration could become just as much about choosing the right creature as combat itself.
A Kingdom Worth Defending
It would not be called Eldrem Kingdoms without giving players a kingdom of their own.
Players will be able to construct and expand a floating fortress which acts as their home throughout the adventure.
Facilities can be built for training and breeding creatures, while crafting systems will allow players to create increasingly powerful equipment as they progress.
NPC specialists can also be recruited to help automate everyday jobs around the fortress, which should hopefully mean less time worrying about basic chores once your kingdom begins to grow.
It will not always be peaceful either.
Enemy attacks can threaten your home, requiring players to defend what they have built while continuing to strengthen their creatures, equipment and facilities.
Character progression is therefore spread across several different systems. Your character becomes stronger through better equipment and abilities, while your companions improve through training, evolution and breeding, and your kingdom itself develops alongside you.
From AAA Development to a Small Independent Team
Eldrem Studios is currently made up of just 10 developers, with members of the team previously having worked within larger AAA studios on franchises including Assassin’s Creed and Ghost Recon.
Speaking about the announcement, Eldrem Studios co-founder George Cercheaza said the team was excited to finally reveal the project after spending years developing games within much larger companies.
He explained that working independently has given the team more freedom to experiment, make ambitious decisions and involve the community directly in how the project develops.
That community support has already been incredibly strong.
Eldrem Kingdoms has been in development for more than a year, and Eldrem Studios launched a Kickstarter campaign to help fund additional features and expand the scope of the game.
At the time of writing, the campaign has raised £36,819 against an original goal of £15,084, comfortably surpassing its target and showing there is already a sizeable audience interested in seeing the project grow.
The Kickstarter also reportedly reached its initial funding target within just five hours, with the developers continuing to reveal further stretch goals and additional features in response to community feedback.
For a small independent team taking on a project this ambitious, passing the original target by such a significant margin is certainly an encouraging early sign.
Single-Player First
Despite creature collecting and battling naturally sounding like something that could lend itself to multiplayer, Eldrem Studios says the initial focus is firmly on delivering a complete premium single-player experience.
The developers have confirmed that the game is being designed without pay-to-win mechanics, although optional cosmetic content and expansions could potentially arrive after release.
Co-operative play and competitive multiplayer are also being considered for future updates rather than being treated as essential components of the initial experience.
For players who simply want to explore, raise creatures and build their own kingdom without being pushed towards online competition, that single-player focus could prove particularly appealing.
Conquer the Skies in 2027
There is clearly a lot going on inside Eldrem Kingdoms.
Creature collecting, breeding, open-world exploration, dragon riding, fortress building and companion-powered combat are all substantial mechanics individually, so combining them successfully will be a major challenge for such a small studio.
At the same time, the concept has plenty of potential.
There is something immediately appealing about raising a tiny creature into a powerful companion, climbing onto its back and flying away from your own floating fortress in search of whatever is hiding beyond the horizon.
Eldrem Kingdoms is currently planned for Windows PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store, with additional platforms also being considered.
The team has not announced a final release date, although it currently intends to launch the game through Steam Early Access in 2027.
Players interested in following development can currently wishlist Eldrem Kingdoms on Steam, join the official community channels or support the ongoing Kickstarter campaign.
For now, Eldrem Studios has certainly set itself an ambitious target. If the team can successfully bring all of these different systems together, Eldrem Kingdoms could be one creature-collecting adventure worth keeping an eye on as development continues.
Co-owner of Indie Critical. I’m passionate about highlighting independent voices in film, games, and culture. I focus on honest, thoughtful reviews and love helping great indie projects get the recognition they deserve. When I’m not writing or editing, I’m probably diving into the latest hidden gem or discovering the next big thing in the indie scene.
Written by
Lewis Langton
