Ourea by Rewrite Games Receives Awards at Games Fleadh

The first game to be launched by Dublin-based Rewrite Games, Ourea, has already gained a couple of awards. These were earned at the 17th Games Fleadh, which was held in Thurles, Co. Tipperary at the start of March.

Will Ourea Be a Success?

Ourea was due to be released on Steam in May, although it appears to now be delayed until July 21st according to the developer’s Twitter. It is described as being a cinematic puzzle game for PCs that lets the player delve into the “harrowing past” of a long-forgotten world.

Players need to overcome environmental puzzles while they climb a mysterious, ancient mountain. The aim is to find out what happened to make the previous inhabitants disappear. You can watch a trailer and add it to your Steam wishlist on the official Ourea site.

The trailer suggests a beautifully presented game with very attractive graphics. Its concept of an alien world that has been destroyed by the inhabitants makes it seem like a game with a strong environmental message. This is the type of puzzle game that could become very popular, but it is also a hugely competitive market right now.

Among the games with an environmental theme to have achieved mixed degrees of success in recent years are; A New Beginning by Daedalic Entertainment, Hydrophobia by Dark Energy Digital and Fate of the World by Red Redemption.

The idea of exploring a lost civilization has also traditionally been popular among gamers looking to discover interesting new worlds. Games like Dark Souls and Horizon Zero Dawn let us look for the ruins of those who once lived there.

We can also see the popularity of this theme reflected in the way it appears in numerous online slots. Titles such as Lost Temple and Aztec Idols are featured in the SkyCity online casino, alongside several games about exploring the ancient Egyptian civilization.

More About the Game and the Developer

Glyf is the name of the main character. This is the last of the Oreads, who were a type of mountain nymphs that once lived on the planet Ourea. This race lived for centuries by drawing energy from nature, but appear to have destroyed the environment in the process.

As for Rewrite Games, this is a team of five students from TU Dublin’s School of Media who have joined forces to create an indie development company.

The Production Lead is Gary O’Reilly. The other members of the team are Conor Barron (Art), Robyn Behan (Narrative and Art), Tom Eustace (Design) and Samuel Hegner (Tech).

What Did They Win?

The game was up against efforts from another 32 developments teams at the Games Fleadh. Ourea won two awards, the first of which was for the Best Game Built Using a Game Engine. The other prize that they collected was for the category of Best in Social Impact.

Gary O’Reilly said that winning was “a huge motivation for us”. He called Ourea a “fun yet thought-provoking game” and is looking forward to it being released shortly.

Interest in environmental issues has been growing lately, meaning that this could be the right time to launch a game of this type. The developer’s success at the Games Fleadh should also help to add some valuable credentials to their marketing drive.