Galaia

The first time we saw Galaia on Twitter we immediately added Josep to our WTF Indie Devs list. It’s one of those titles that grabs your attention instantly — the kind of project you need to try as soon as possible. It’s tough for a solo developer to build a full game while working on it as a side project, but we’re confident Galaia is something we’ll hear a lot about in the coming months. So sit back and enjoy our interview with Josep, the developer behind the game.

Let’s start from the beginning. How did this project start?

This is actually a pretty interesting story. I know it sounds odd, but I sometimes joke that Galaia is a child of the pandemic.

In early 2020, being stuck at home made me imagine places like overgrown ruins, ancient temples, magic portals… I craved outdoor adventures. That pushed me to dust off Unreal and create my own fantasy world full of mysteries I could explore.

It’s funny to think that back then, it was just a way of coping with the situation. Now the game is much more than that, but I’ll never forget how Galaia helped me through that time. I hope I can fulfill that same craving for adventure and mystery for as many players as possible.

How did you jump into indie game development?

I’ve wanted to be a game developer since childhood. I’ve always been surprisingly laser-focused on that goal.

As a teen I started creating things with Python and Blender’s Game Engine — I was totally addicted. Later I studied Computer Science, one of the decisions I’m most proud of, because it gave me a solid programming foundation instead of pigeonholing me exclusively as a game dev.

I still wanted to work in games above anything else, so after graduating I joined the industry and have been working as a game programmer ever since.

How would you describe Galaia?

Galaia is an action-adventure roguelite where you embark on a quest for powerful and ancient Relics crafted long ago by a mysterious figure known as The Artisan.

You’ll dive repeatedly into the ever-changing region of Galaia, defeating enemies, exploring enigmatic locations, uncovering secrets, and collecting Relics to unravel the mystery of The Artisan.

Is there any particular twist or unique aspect in your game?

I’d say Galaia is defined mainly by two things.

The first is a combat system that heavily rewards mobility. Movement isn’t just for dodging — it directly increases your offensive potential. For example, all secondary weapons (like the Grenade Launcher) reload when you dash. Another example is the Youthful Lilac, a relic that spawns homing projectiles every time you dash. It’s extremely satisfying to watch players dash around causing chaos.

The second is a gentler approach to the genre. Many roguelikes and roguelites are known for being harsh and requiring players to invest a lot to even begin understanding the game. While that’s a valid approach (Spelunky 2 is one of my all-time favorites), Galaia is designed to be more welcoming, both in combat and exploration.

What roguelite elements are you bringing into Galaia, and how do they fit your design?

There are many influences from the genre, but if I had to highlight one, it would be synergies. A key to a successful run is choosing items, weapons, and spells that synergize based on the enemies you expect to face. I aim to reward experimentation and player knowledge.

Galaia also includes staples like procedural levels, variety between runs, and permadeath with some metaprogression.

Any technical aspects you’d like to share?

The most interesting technical aspect is how I generate the base layout of levels. Galaia uses a system similar to Hades: levels are handcrafted but presented in random order with variations. This ensures everything is intentionally designed while still feeling fresh.

However, to make this work you need a lot of levels so players rarely feel repetition.

For a long time, I built all these levels manually — every wall, floor, plant, etc. It was clearly not sustainable. I knew it would take months to create enough content. That’s when I realized I could automate most of the work. I’d seen 2D autotiling techniques and figured I could apply something similar in 3D. Once the idea hit, it wouldn’t leave my head.

I won’t go too deep into the details, but the result works amazingly well. Now I just define the level layout using volumes and let the algorithm fill in everything: grass floors, walls, pillars, stairs, railings…

Before, a level took hours to build. Now it takes minutes. Another great example of how investing in tools can save immense amounts of time.

You’re working with Unreal. What does your development workflow look like?

I use a mix of C++ and Blueprints. Core gameplay systems are written in C++, and then exposed to Blueprints for faster iteration.

For instance, the weapon/spell system: damage calculations, health components, and status effects are done in C++. But creating a new weapon, spell, or item is done in Blueprints, inheriting the core logic and tweaking values or adding small behaviors.

After years with Unreal, I’ve found this hybrid workflow ideal — blending C++ performance with Blueprint flexibility.

The art direction of Galaia is stunning. Are you handling the visuals as well?

Everything you see in Galaia was made by me, except for a few things like the water shader and some textures purchased on the Marketplace. I genuinely enjoy creating models, shaders, particles, and visual assets. It lets me control the overall look and feel, and also gives me a break from long coding sessions.

I'm days away from having a full fledged demo to send to my closest friends and I COULDN'T BE MORE PUMPED.

Can't wait for them to not be able to figure out any of the secrets of the game 😈#gamedev #indiedev #UnrealEngine #roguelike pic.twitter.com/ntSC3LrUBx

JG 🌿 is making Galaia! (@JgDoesThings) May 18, 2022

I think the key for me has been playing to my strengths. I’m a programmer at heart, so I know I can’t produce detailed realistic art. Instead I keep everything stylized, colorful, and simple, enhanced with VFX, foliage, and post-processing.

My advice to other solo developers: offset your weaknesses by doubling down on your strengths.