ENDS: A Gritty, Urban Game Immerses Players in London’s Dark Side
“The block. The bando. The feds. Eventually, you’ll get used to it.”
London has a dark and dangerous side, and for some, even surviving is a struggle. That’s the core concept of ENDS, an all-new, in-development game from Concrete Realm. Taking inspiration from Grand Theft Auto and The Getaway, ENDS aims to immerse players in one of the most authentic representations of London while delivering a gritty, urban story that’s choice-driven and thought-provoking.
Developing Journey
I caught up with Concrete Realm to learn about the team’s development journey so far and to learn everything possible about ENDS.
Driving Forces Behind the Project
CR: “We felt that many AAA game developers couldn’t quite capture the authenticity of London as we could. We’ve noticed that recent UK titles like the new season of Top Boy and Blue Story faced criticism for not fully delivering an authentic experience, and we believe ‘ENDS’ can fill that gap. This project is a passion project for us, and we’ve discovered that many others share our enthusiasm for it. It’s a game designed by and for the people, aiming to provide a truly authentic London experience.”
Scope of ENDS
Painfully few developers fully take advantage of the urban sprawl that is London. I was curious about the scope of ENDS, wondering if it was going to be contained to a single neighbourhood or borough of London and wanted to find out.
Concrete Realm’s Approach
CR: “We’re still in the process of determining the scale of the map for ‘ENDS’. Ideally, we’d love to recreate a substantial portion of London in the game but we’re currently facing some financial and technological constraints. Additionally, there are legal considerations related to the architectural portrayal of specific buildings. As we gather more information and make decisions about the map’s size and content, we’ll certainly keep the community informed.”
Promising Start
ENDS looks promising at first blush, and being a fan of ‘games like this,’ I for one am excited. This is an original story set in the heart of London that features three protagonists all banded up and fighting for survival to make the right choices for the good of themselves and their families. While details are thin at the moment, there’s enough there for ENDS to start shaping up as something ambitious and intriguing.
Community-Focused Development
Originally, the goal was to create a single-player RPG experience, but thanks to the overwhelmingly positive response to the project, CR has become more community-focused and has considered embedding multiplayer mechanics into ENDS.
CR’s Approach to Sensitive Themes
CR: “We’re acutely aware that creating a game with themes involving drugs and violence may raise concerns about glorification. However, it’s essential to understand that our approach to ‘ENDS’ is centred around depicting the consequences of such elements rather than glorifying them. Our primary mission with the game’s narrative is to highlight how this lifestyle can profoundly impact an individual’s life.”
A Thought for Aspiring Developers
CR: “To those aspiring to embark on a similar journey, we want to stress that the only thing holding you back is often your own hesitation. Once you set your idea in motion with the right team and unwavering determination, there are virtually no limits to what you can achieve. It’s a testament to the power of passion and dedication, and we encourage anyone with a dream to bring it to life and share it with the world.”