Hello, Survivors!
In our last Dev Note, we introduced the narrative behind the Pleasure District and unveiled our very first giant boss, Olivia.
Today, we’re shifting the focus back to game systems to talk about the meaning of Expeditions in REMORe and the way progress is measured—Restoration Level.
The Purpose of Expeditions
In the Early Access version, our game had a fairly linear structure. That is, Players progressed through predetermined stages in a set order, clearing them one by one. Because of that, the goal of clearing each stage was already clear-cut, and we didn’t feel the need to provide any special motivation beyond that.
But in our Current Build, as we mentioned in a previous Dev Note, REMORE is moving toward a more open-ended expedition system. More specifically, the order in which players visit stages can now change depending on their choices. Deciding your expedition route has become a major part of the gameplay experience.
When choosing your expedition route, there should be a clear and compelling reason—a proper motivation to guide your decisions. In our game, aside from the main quests, there are currently three main motivations for going on expeditions: lighting the Guiding Pillars, collecting Memory Shards, and gathering other materials. As you pursue these goals, your Characters grow stronger, and future expeditions become easier.
However, there hasn't been a concept that allows players to intuitively grasp how far they've progressed toward those goals—until now.
A More Concrete Objective: Restoration Level
This line of thinking led us to the creation of the Restoration Level system. It’s designed to fit the narrative flow we’re aiming for and to give players a clear and meaningful sense of direction.
The Restoration Level is fundamentally tied to a concept that runs throughout the world of REMORE— the Memolith. Restoring the Memolith represents the central objective of the Remore narrative, and as restoration progresses, the expedition team grows stronger. That’s the narrative side of the Restoration Level.
From a gameplay and system perspective, however, the concept becomes even clearer. As your Restoration Level increases, your expedition becomes stronger, making future journeys smoother and more manageable.
The role of the Restoration Level is closely linked to the sense of purpose behind expeditions, as mentioned earlier. And raising your Restoration Level is quite intuitive: light more Guiding Pillars and collect a wider variety of Memolith Shards. While these actions used to provide an indirect sense of expedition progress, the Restoration Level now gives players a direct, visible indication of how far they’ve come.
As your Restoration Level rises, your team gains access to a range of helpful abilities and functions. For example, you might unlock the ability to bind Memory Shards together, or a blacksmith—who regains his memories and purpose through these shards—might begin crafting equipment that enhances your expeditions.
As a result, the objectives of each expedition have become much clearer. The ultimate goal—clearing each act—requires assembling a stronger expedition team, and to do that, you must raise the Restoration Level of the Memolith. This makes lighting Guiding Pillars or collecting Memolith Shards during expeditions far more than optional—they become clear goals that justify setting out. And through the Restoration Level, players can clearly understand what their current expedition is striving toward.
Deeper Narrative Ties, Broader Gameplay Potential
In designing the Restoration Level system, we’ve incorporated a range of ideas to ensure it fits organically into the narrative. At the core of the story is the tragic state of the world caused by the absence of the Memolith—and the gradual restoration of its power offers hope for reversing that tragedy.
More specific narrative touches include things like:
- A blacksmith consumed by darkness who regains their memories and begins supporting the expedition
- Expedition members gaining higher HP and stronger resolve as the Memolith begin to shine once again
These elements enrich the storytelling while expanding gameplay possibilities through the Restoration Level system.
Furthermore, to ensure that the Restoration Level system opens up even more possibilities, we’ve strengthened its integration with existing systems. As players progress through the game and their Restoration Level increases, they gain more choices and options in gameplay.
Not only does the blacksmith gain access to expanded functions, but the team also becomes capable of enduring longer expeditions. As a result, players can push deeper into expeditions, discover new paths, and explore the darkness of REMORE with greater freedom.
I think the best way to understand the meaning and value of the Restoration Level system we introduced today is by experiencing it firsthand through gameplay. We think when players try it out, they will quickly feel its narrative and systemic value.
Next time, we’ll introduce another new system that has arrived on Remore’s development journey.
Until then, thank you, Survivors!
REMORE