Eldrem: Kingdoms has dragons, floating islands and a fortress to build. Lovely. But the detail that makes this upcoming PC RPG interesting is more personal: the creature you summon supplies your spells. Picking a companion also means picking how you fight.
Eldrem Studios describes that idea in its new announcement, with PC Early Access targeted for 2027. The independent Bucharest team includes former Ubisoft developers with experience on Assassin’s Creed and Ghost Recon. That is their background, rather than a Ubisoft publishing announcement.
Eldrem Kingdoms gives friendship a fighting purpose
The Steam description makes the central rule unusually clear: spells come from the creature you currently summon, and different species offer different sets. Its examples include an Ice Ursaleo for an ice shield and a dragon for flight.
That gives collecting a practical purpose beyond filling out a roster. In theory, discovering an unfamiliar beast also means discovering a new set of tools. A creature can matter because you adore its ridiculous face, because its abilities suit you, or ideally both.
There is something especially appealing about making the player borrow that power. You remain involved in the action, while the companion helps define what you can do. It could make switching creatures feel closer to changing your combat approach than swapping a background helper.
Creature games already have plenty of ways to hook us, as Aniimo demonstrates. This is the part of Eldrem’s pitch that gives it a clear reason to exist alongside them.
A dragon is only the beginning of the workload
The broader plan includes raising hatchlings, breeding creatures with inherited traits, crafting equipment and developing a floating fortress. Hired NPCs can help with routine jobs, while attackers give you a reason to care about defending home.
That is a lot of game around one strong idea. The interesting question is whether those systems feed the companion bond or bury it in chores. When a favourite creature unlocks a useful new power, the care you put into it has an obvious payoff. Repeating tasks simply to keep the lights on would be a harder sell.
We recently looked at how Fallen Tear makes relationships useful through Fated Bonds. Eldrem invites a similar hope: let affection and progress reinforce each other, and players have a reason to remember their companions.
For now, these are plans for a game still in development. Steam lists its release date as to be announced, so the studio’s 2027 Early Access target is a window rather than a firm appointment. Multiplayer belongs to future plans; the initial experience is solo PvE.
The creature combat deserves a closer look as development continues. If changing companions really changes the rhythm of a fight, choosing your favourite beast could become the best decision on the whole character sheet.
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