Roadmap

From the Development Team

A small but dedicated development team

We are only two developers working on Apescape, which means a controlled production pace and carefully chosen priorities. Every feature must be designed, tested, and validated before being added to the game. We progress step by step to ensure a stable gameplay foundation before introducing new systems.

Co-op gameplay built around progression and rising water

At its current stage, Apescape plays like a cooperative escape game in which the flooding research station is your main threat.
Your objective: reach the exit.
To get there, you’ll need to find keys, decipher codes, collect items, and use the available tools wisely. This gameplay core is the foundation upon which we will gradually add new mechanics once balancing is complete.

Difficulty settings and customizable launch parameters will also be introduced, allowing players to tailor the experience to their skill level and preferences.

Handcrafted levels with variants for replayability

The current map is not procedural for technical and artistic reasons: we want to provide handcrafted environments with a strong identity and deliberately designed situations. However, item spawns are randomized to make each run slightly different.
To further increase replayability, each main map will come with several variants, altering routes, access points, some objectives, and environmental conditions—while preserving the overall coherence of the level.

A procedural system is not ruled out in the long term but is not a priority, as we want to maintain the quality and personality of the environments.

Initial prototyping and evolving assets

Like many small studios, we used some Epic Marketplace assets during the early prototyping phase to speed up production.
However, most of these elements have since been heavily modified, adapted, or replaced. They now represent only a small portion of the game’s content.

A progressive and controlled development approach

Over time, we plan to add:
– new tools,
– new mechanics,
– advanced interactions with water,
– expanded cooperative systems,
– new environments,
and more features to come.

To ensure stability, all additions will be integrated gradually, keeping the game playable and balanced at every stage.

An experience system will also be introduced to let players unlock abilities, upgrades, and additional tools to assist them throughout their runs.

A clear direction: water as the core of the gameplay

Our goal with Apescape is to fully explore the possibilities of a hostile, dynamic aquatic environment. With community feedback, we aim to push this concept further and deliver an immersive and engaging cooperative experience.

The project is still in development, but we hope you’ll see its potential. With your support, we’re confident we can turn it into something truly unique.

About the Game

Abandoned Beneath the Ocean

Apescape is a first-person cooperative survival game for up to four players.
You play as genetically modified monkeys, abandoned inside a ruined underwater research facility. When the structure begins to collapse and water floods the corridors, only one option remains: escape.

A Labyrinth Filling With Water

Explore a network of labs, airlocks, and tunnels where every room can turn into a deadly trap. The dynamic leak system gradually floods the station, reshaping your path and turning every run into a race against the rising water.

Cooperate to Survive

Solve puzzles, find codes, recover keys, and work together to activate emergency systems. Use tools like pumps, repair fluid, or air canisters to survive just a few more precious minutes.

In Apescape, your worst enemy isn’t a creature.

It’s the ocean itself.