Reburn, the independent studio formed by former 4A Games Ukraine developers, has announced an indefinite delay of its debut title, La Quimera, on the day it was slated for release, April 25, 2025. The decision comes in the wake of critical reviews highlighting significant technical shortcomings and gameplay issues.
A Sudden Postponement
La Quimera, a sci-fi first-person shooter set in a dystopian Latin America, was highly anticipated due to its unique setting and the involvement of acclaimed filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn in its narrative development. However, just hours before its scheduled launch, Reburn issued a statement on its Discord server, citing “unforeseen challenges” as the reason for the delay. The studio did not provide a new release date but assured fans that updates would be communicated through official channels.
In a message shared with media outlets, Reburn’s CEO, Dmytro Lymar, elaborated on the difficulties faced by the team:
“It being our first title as an independent game developer has led to some unforeseen challenges. We are trying our best to address the matters as quickly as possible, while also navigating the circumstances we’re faced with here in Ukraine.”
The statement also acknowledged the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, where Reburn is based, as a contributing factor to the development hurdles.
Critical Reception and Technical Hurdles
The delay coincided with the lifting of the review embargo, which revealed a slew of negative assessments from critics. Reviewers pointed out that the game’s graphics fell short of promotional materials, resembling older-generation visuals rather than contemporary standards. Performance issues were also prevalent, with reports of the game maxing out CPU usage across all cores, regardless of resolution settings. Additionally, players encountered persistent bugs, such as the framerate locking at 30 FPS after a few minutes of gameplay, requiring manual adjustments to rectify.
Furthermore, the game’s user interface drew criticism for unconventional design choices, including the inability to access the main menu using the standard “ESC” key, instead requiring the “P” key. Such issues led reviewers to conclude that La Quimera was not ready for release, with some suggesting it would have been better suited for an early access launch.
Community Reaction and Future Prospects
The abrupt delay and lack of a new release timeline have sparked frustration among the gaming community. On platforms like Steam, users expressed disappointment over the last-minute postponement and the absence of prior communication regarding the game’s state.
Despite the setback, Reburn remains committed to delivering a polished product. The studio has emphasized its dedication to resolving the identified issues and plans to provide further updates as development progresses.
La Quimera was initially priced at $29.99 and was to be available on PC via Steam. The game promised a blend of intense gunplay, cooperative gameplay for up to three players, and a narrative steeped in Latin American folklore and futuristic technology.
As Reburn works to address the challenges facing La Quimera, the gaming community awaits further information on the revised release schedule and improvements to the game’s performance and stability.
