PLEASE START US OFF BY INTRODUCING YOURSELF:

Please start us off by introducing yourself.

Hey! I’m Frank (Francisco Millan), Lead Game Artist in Kiwick Studios, behind Rekindled Trails. I come from a background in motion graphics, industrial design, VR and 3D animation, and I’ve always been drawn to games ever since I was a little boy, I always feel the resilient charm of video games, if you really enjoy a game, you keep thinking about it without playing it during the day, imagining strategies, psibilities, or simply developing its lore imagining outcomes in history.

I always wanted to be part of a team that could do something like that, and well here we are today, together with the great team that we have assembled at Kiwick Studios, it is a dream come true.

TELL US ABOUT UPPERCUTE.

Rekindled Trails is a cozy adventure about rebuilding towns, trading goods, and reigniting a world that's literally lost its spark. The concept came from a blend of wanderlust and our love for games like Dredge, Backpack Hero, and A Short Hike. We wanted to create something that feels warm and exploratory, yet layered with puzzle-solving depth and a subtly unsettling narrative that nudges players to reflect on how we function as a society. It all began as a backpack inventory prototype from a game jam — and just kept growing from there.

HOW HAS THE DEVELOPMENT JOURNEY BEEN

It’s been a wild ride — equal parts rewarding and stressful, but incredibly fulfilling.

WHICH GAME ENGINE DID YOU CHOOSE AND WHY?

We chose Unreal Engine 5 mainly for its flexibility. The visual scripting with Blueprints allows even our art team to contribute to technical aspects without needing to code, which is a huge advantage for a small team like ours. Plus, many of us were already familiar with Unreal, so it made sense to build on that existing knowledge with a tool that’s both powerful and accessible.

WHAT'S BEEN YOUR BIGGEST DEVELOPMENT HURDLE SO FAR?

I'd say two things stand out.

First, scope creep. When you’re passionate about a project, it’s hard not to keep adding features or polishing endlessly. The challenge has been learning to say “this is enough” — especially while juggling systems design and visuals under tight time constraints. (Fun fact: we’ve only been developing the game for about 7 months.)

Second, the budget. Since this is also our final school project, we’re working with very limited funds — and no dedicated marketing budget. That definitely puts pressure on how far we can stretch development and reach new audiences.

ADVICE FOR FELLOW DEVS?

Start small, prototype early, and be okay with messy versions at the beginning. Focus on the core feeling you want players to have, and build around that. Also, share your progress — the community can be super encouraging and help you stay motivated.

ANY FINAL THOUGHTS?

Huge thanks to everyone who’s cheered us on so far — you’re the best! If Rekindled Trails sounds like your kind of weird, cozy adventure, don’t be shy — wishlist it or come hang out! We’ve got a demo just around the corner, and we’d love to have you join us as we bring this soulful-silly journey to life.

-Frank

Rekindled Trails on Steam

❤️