Nyheter
Rue Valley's time-loop concept has been in the works for years
A
Aron Garst
“It actually started out as a concept for a short film, but when that proved too complicated to produce, it shifted into an idea for a comic book instead," Marko said. "Later, when I moved into game development, I realized it fit perfectly as a game, it just made sense.”
Rue Valley is an isometric narrative RPG set in a surreal desert town where players guide Mr. Harrow through a time loop filled with emotional complexity and psychological depth. Each day resets, but Harrow's choices shape his personality and interactions, affecting how he unravels the mysteries of the anomaly trapping him.
The majority of the Rue Valley team has been together for years, although not always on the same projects. Many left after the team's last project, worked on titles with other studios and publishers, and then reconvened to help Rue Valley cross the finish line. Each member brought fresh ideas and honed skills from the other projects they had worked on.
“Since then, the concept has evolved a lot,” Marko said. “As new people joined the project, each brought their own ideas, experiences, and creativity, and that collective influence shaped what Rue Valley has become today.”
Inspiration and collaboration
Early on, the team sought guidance from experienced developers in the narrative RPG space, including some of the minds behind the universally acclaimed Disco Elysium. Those conversations proved invaluable. The Rue Valley team even brought an early demo to show them, and the response was encouraging.
“They played our early demo back then—and they actually liked it,” Marko said. “Having worked on a story-driven RPG with a narrator who’s an active participant in the dialogue, like in Disco Elysium, they said they immediately felt ‘at home.’ But what really caught their attention was that they couldn’t predict where the story was going next—and that curiosity, that sense of mystery, was something they really appreciated.”
Comparisons to Disco Elysium are inevitable. The influence is clear; Disco Elysium has been a major inspiration in terms of storytelling, dialogue systems, and player-driven narrative. The Rue Valley team approached those comparisons with deliberate care.
“From the very beginning, we knew Rue Valley would draw comparisons to Disco Elysium,” Marko admits. “Of course, we were a bit worried people might see it as just a copy, but we always aimed to build something new within that familiar framework. Thankfully, our hopes came true—players recognize the similarities, but they also see Rue Valley as its own unique experience. It’s really encouraging to see that there’s still so much love for narrative RPGs like this.”
Defining a time loop
A defining feature of the game is its time loop mechanic. At first, it was a simple narrative tool: a story that repeats, allowing players to experience events multiple times. But as the concept developed, the team realized the time loop could serve a deeper purpose.
“The core theme of the game is about being stuck in the past—unable to move on, and learning how to deal with that,” Marko said. “At first, the idea was simply, ‘Let’s make a time-loop story.’ But once we realized how the loop could mirror the character’s emotional state—that feeling of reliving mistakes and regrets—everything clicked. The time loop also became a metaphor for people struggling with mental health or depression, where every day can feel the same. It fits perfectly with both the main character’s journey and the overall idea behind the game.”
The writing process for Rue Valley is collaborative and iterative. The team begins with a skeletal outline of the main story, but they recognize that the game defines itself through its side quests and character interactions.
“Games like this live and breathe through their side content—the smaller moments and personal stories that bring the world to life,” Marko explains. “That gave us a chance to create a wide range of characters, where each writer could contribute to quest design, personalities, backgrounds, and lore.”
A branching world
Each writer is encouraged to take the lead on sections they feel most inspired by, presenting drafts to the team before integrating them into the larger narrative. They carefully craft the dialogue, often requiring these writers to study a character’s voice before contributing lines.
“Most of us have our favorite characters, but sometimes someone else has to jump in—which means doing a bit of research into how that character ‘speaks,’” Marko said. “In the end, the fun part is that nobody really remembers who wrote which line—and honestly, you can’t tell. It all blends into one voice, one world.”
What excites Marko the most are the small moments that ripple outward through the story. A brief conversation with a seemingly minor character can reveal hidden truths, foreshadow larger events, or subtly influence the main narrative. These interactions make the world feel alive, rewarding players for their curiosity and attentiveness. The time loop allows players to try different things without fear of permanent consequence.
“The loop helps because it allows players to experiment, try different choices, and see different outcomes without feeling like they’re being punished for one wrong decision,” Marko said. “We also structured the dialogue and quests so that players can pick them up or leave them at any time. This way, people can engage with the story at their own pace and still feel like they’re part of a living, breathing world.”
The team’s experience at other studios has also left a clear imprint on Rue Valley. Lessons from AAA projects, indie titles, and narrative-driven experiments all contributed to the game’s depth. Some team members brought expertise in pacing and structural design, while others contributed experimental dialogue and emotional storytelling.
“When we came back together, we had a toolbox of methods and ideas that helped us refine both the story and gameplay,” Marko said. “Rue Valley wouldn’t be what it is today without that collective experience.”
Aiming high
For Marko, the ultimate hope is that players feel immersed in something unique. Rue Valley is a world that rewards curiosity. Choices matter, not just in the outcome of the story, but in how players experience the world itself.
“I hope players feel like they’ve been part of something unique,” Marko said. “That they’ve explored a world that challenges them, surprises them, and maybe even makes them reflect on their own lives a little. We wanted to create a narrative RPG where curiosity is rewarded, where exploration—both of the world and the characters—is just as important as the main story. If players leave the game talking about choices, characters, or even just a small moment that resonated with them, then we’ve succeeded.”
Despite the confidence in the team’s work, they are aware of the expectations surrounding Rue Valley. Hype has been building steadily, and there is an unspoken pressure to meet it.
“We are very confident about the story, but yes, the hype is there and there is always fear that some expectation won’t be met,” Marko said. “There’s always a compromise to be made. If we tried to meet everyone’s expectations, as well as our own, we probably wouldn’t release the game in the next 20 years. I think when players reach the end credits, they will get their money’s worth, and they will enjoy it.”
Rue Valley is more than just a narrative RPG. It is a reflection of the team’s experiences, a culmination of ideas explored over years of creative growth, and a testament to the enduring appeal of story-driven games. By blending innovative mechanics like the time loop with a deeply human story, the game aims to create an experience that is thought-provoking.
Rue Valley is now available on Epic Games Store.