Elements Update – September 2025

Moving to Unreal Engine 5.5

We have successfully migrated Elements to Unreal Engine 5.5! This shift has unlocked better tools, smoother workflows, and stronger performance across the board. Most importantly, it gives us access to Unreal’s Procedural Content Generation (PCG) framework, which has already helped us prototype and populate the world faster while keeping everything handcrafted and full of detail.

Closed Alpha Launch

Since January, Elements has been in Closed Alpha with players actively exploring Elemythia. The feedback has been incredibly valuable, helping us refine combat, polish systems, and make the world feel more alive. We are still fixing bugs and implementing some other features. Before Early Access release we would like to release a public demo so that more players can experience Elements and share feedback.

Character Customization

You can now personalize Nyah and Beckett with different hair styles, clothing options, and skin tones while still keeping them true to their story and role in Elemythia. This balance between personalization and narrative identity is really important to us, and we would love to hear what kinds of customization options you would like to see added.

UI and Progression Improvements

The UI is evolving! The updated inventory system now tracks elemental stats so you can see how your gear interacts with your attunement. We have also added a Biome Progression screen, letting you track your journey through each region and see which Elemental Cuffs you have unlocked. These Cuffs are powerful relics that grant traversal and puzzle-solving abilities tied to the elements.

We’ve also improved basic tooltips to help clarify item details and effects. While these features still need some visual polish, they're an important step toward a more intuitive and informative interface. Expect continued refinement as we work to make the UI both functional and visually satisfying.

Climbing & Ladders

Ledge climbing and ladders have been part of Elements from the beginning, but until recently, they didn’t work in split-screen mode. We’re thrilled to share that they’re now fully functional and more refined, allowing seamless multiplayer exploration. Not everything will be climbable, but we plan to identify climbable ledges with a different color or a "painted" texture. If you have any other ideas on ways to identify climbable ledges we are all ears!

World

Below is a screenshot of some of the Nature Biome, a large part of the world we’ve been working on. The Nature Biome is about 1/8 of the map. The map is quite large, but I think the strategic placement of landmarks and points of interest will make navigation easy. We already have options to toggle the minimap and compass on or off, so those who want to rely solely on their sense of direction and clues from NPCs can do so. Those who prefer a little more guidance can use the map, compass, and minimap markers.

Runes

We had some custom runes created, and I think they really add to Elemythia’s unique look and feel. These runes will mark points of interest or locations where you need to bring keys to unlock additional areas.

Monument Update

We thought the monuments would fit better into Elemythia if we masked the Stone Keeper names in the Elemythian language. They will be displayed in native Elemyta until you interact with the monument, after which the names in English will be revealed.

We also added some functionality to the monuments. Now, once you find a monument and unlock it, you’ll receive a special reward. One idea we had was to provide a legendary crafting ingredient that, when combined with others found in that biome, would reward the player with a special piece of armor or weapon.

Lore

Exploration is key to Elements. Hidden throughout Elemythia are Forgotten Pages that reveal the history, myths, and mysteries of the world. Some even hint at secrets or future quests. Players who take the time to piece them together will discover deeper layers of the story.

Villages

We’ve been hard at work bringing some of the major villages to life. Each village is designed to feel unique, intuitive to explore, and functional for players. We can’t wait for you to experience their charm and personality.

Nature Gate

Throughout the world of Elemythia, you’ll encounter monumental gates guarding secrets, new areas, powerful bosses, or unique gear. Our goal was to make these gates feel truly grand and awe-inspiring. Do you think we succeeded?

New Weapons and Gear

We have been hard at work creating gear that feels true to each biome. Most recently we have been working on some of Air weapons include a Katana, One-Handed Sword, and Staff. Each is designed around speed, precision, and flow, with colors and materials that set them apart from other elemental sets.

Water Armor with Perks

The new Water Armor is now in the game, complete with perks! Each piece grants faster swimming and deeper diving capabilities, letting you explore underwater areas previously out of reach.

Combat

We have been refining the combat to try and give the player feedback and get it feeling intuitive. Testing how much HP different tiered enemies should have, how much damage different weapons do, speed of attacks to ensure the combat is balanced. This is something the Closed Alpha and future playtests will help with.

Building

We have been working on tweaking the building system to make pieces snap together and be more responsive. We want to ensure the building and farming systems in the game integrate seamlessly with the rest of gameplay.

Mining Improvements

Mining has received some valuable updates! Now, every strike on a mineable resource will yield a portion of the material. Need just one stone? Hit it once and you’re good to go. This streamlines resource gathering while maintaining flexibility.

Tree Planting

You can now plant trees, transforming the landscape around your homestead and throughout the world. Need a specific type of wood? Plant the seeds, grow the tree, and harvest it for your crafting needs. This feature not only enhances customization but also adds depth to resource management.

Quests

We’ve started adding more detailed quests for each village to test the functionality of the quest system and make any necessary tweaks. We want to give players options in how they complete a quest. For example, you could distract guards and steal their keys, or defeat the guards and take the keys, though doing so might alert other enemies in the area.

Multiplayer

Who knew multiplayer isn't as easy as it seems. We would love to implement online multiplayer, but for now it will just be couch co-op and remote play on Steam. We have been testing multiplayer throughout development to ensure each player has a great experience. This includes chests with items for both players so no one fights over loot.

Steam Deck

Here is some footage from one of our older builds running on the Steam Deck. We still have some optimization and bugs to work on, but I’m happy to say it is already performing very well and it will only get better.

What’s Next

Some of the systems currently in development include:

• Companion system

• Reputation system

• Journal system

A Big Thank You

It has been a long road, but the passion for Elements has never wavered. This game is ambitious, and while it has taken longer than we first imagined, the progress is real and accelerating. To make sure you do not miss anything, we will be posting more frequent updates here on Steam, both large and small. Please feel free to check out our social links for more frequent updates. We are working to get Elements in your hands as soon as possible.

Thank you again for your patience, support, and encouragement. It truly keeps us going. ❤️