Building a Roguelike Extraction Game in Unreal Engine 5
I’ve been working on a new indie game project called Aether Lock, a co-op roguelike inspired by games like Mega Bonk and extraction shooters like Arc Raiders.
The idea started pretty simply.
I wanted a game that had the chaotic progression and build experimentation of a roguelike, but with extraction-style systems that gave players something to grind toward over time. Something you could jump into for shorter sessions with friends, experiment with different builds, and still feel meaningful progression between runs.
At the same time, I hadn’t seriously touched Unreal Engine or game development in a long time, so this project became both a creative challenge and a way to build something I personally wanted to play.
Current Direction
The core focus of Aether Lock is:
- progression
- theory crafting
- build experimentation
- co-op gameplay
- risk versus reward decisions
The goal is to let players create different weapon and passive combinations, push deeper into runs, extract valuable loot, and continuously evolve their builds over time.
I’m aiming for a game that feels approachable and replayable rather than overly punishing or hardcore.
What’s Currently Implemented
So far, I’ve been building out a lot of the game’s core systems, including:
- Multiplayer support
- Procedural level generation
- Loot drops and rarity systems
- Weapon attachments
- Inventory and equipment systems
- Extraction and hub flow
- Character stats and progression systems
- Enemy scaling systems
- UI systems for inventory and item stats
Learning As I Go
One thing I want to be transparent about is that I’m building this as a solo developer and learning a lot as I go.
I’ve been using existing Unreal Engine templates and marketplace systems as foundations for certain parts of the project, then heavily modifying and expanding them to fit the direction I want for Aether Lock.
As a solo developer, using available tools just makes sense. It lets me spend more time building unique gameplay systems and iterating on ideas instead of reinventing every system from scratch.
A huge part of this project has honestly just been experimentation, figuring out what works, what doesn’t, and slowly shaping the game into something more cohesive over time.
What’s Next
Right now, I’m focused on:
- expanding loot variety
- improving enemy behavior
- adding more progression systems
- polishing the UI
- building out the hub area
- improving procedural environments
- adding more build variety and passives
Long term, I’d love for Aether Lock to become a game where players can hop in with friends, try weird builds, survive increasingly difficult runs, and always feel like they’re progressing toward something.
Thanks for Checking It Out
This is still early in development, but I wanted to start documenting the process and sharing updates as the game evolves.
I’ll be posting more gameplay clips, systems, and development updates as work continues on Aether Lock.
