Kevin Fishburne suggested I take a look at Caves of Qud, another game billing itself as science fantasy. But unlike Elex, which will be a modern 3D RPG, Caves is very, very retro (as the screenshot above demonstrates).

And based on this review, it sounds like it hits at least a few Ultima-ish notes:

The gameplay is a 2-D, top-down RPG where the simple 1-square avatar that represents the character moves according to the default controls of the number pad. Different controls and hot-keys pull up important information about the character, including abilities that can then be attached to number keys to speed up the pace of combat.

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The game is also filled with different NPCs, dialogue options, and quests that take players to the deepest reaches of this world. Much of the history in Caves of Qud is lost to the average person, but not so lost that exploration won’t uncover some key facts, or even a book or two to explain some of the history. This is only one of the many possible items that can be found within the ruins of this world, with many of the more interesting items requiring careful examination to determine their purpose. The more intelligent creatures will be able to ascertain what an artifact can do, but the use of the artifact can also change depending on the level of intelligence the character has. A simple rock might turn out to be a fully charged power cell, while a club might actually be a rifle. Most items can also be disassembled for different types of bits that can then be reformed to make new items, so long as the character has learned the blueprints for said item.

Graphics are very simple, bringing to mind retro DOS games that use a mostly black background with different colors and simple designs for walls, flora, and other terrain. The more colorful something is, the more important or powerful it is likely to be. NPCs that are hidden away in buildings, or are bright red as opposed to the standard white-garbed farmers, are likely to offer quests, while monsters with sharper colors tend to be a little bit more powerful. There’s a lot of variety in the world, even with the minimal graphics. The lighting is especially well done, representing the passage of time and determining exactly what the character can see at any given point in time. This is then affected by what might be blocking line of sight, such as trees or tall-grass, or whether the character has night vision or at least a torch when exploring at night or below the surface of the earth.

The story of Caves of Qud mostly exists to encourage the player to explore the deepest parts of the ruins and risk their lives for fame, fortune, and powerful artifacts. Qud is one of the largest areas, according to the lore of the world, and filled with the most mystery, as very rarely does any young fool venture far into the ruins and return with their life.

Caves of Qud is currently up on Steam Early Access, and the system requirements are pretty light by today’s standards.