Rami Ismail Returns to Development with Turn-Based Strategy Title

After a six-year hiatus from active development, industry veteran Rami Ismail is returning to the fold with his latest project, *Australia Did It: End-of-the-World Railway Defense Business*. The developer, known for his work at Vlambeer, is moving away from the fast-paced action titles of his past to explore the nuances of turn-based strategy.

According to an interview with Game Developer, Ismail’s return to the industry has been eye-opening. He noted that the current landscape is “more brutal” and “far more risk-averse” than the one he stepped away from following his departure from Vlambeer. Rather than re-establishing a traditional studio structure, Ismail opted for a collaborative, freelance-style approach to create this project, teaming up with Aesthetician Labs and publisher Mystic Forge.

Adapting to a new development style

Ismail described the creation of *Australia Did It* as a “gig-like” experience, moving away from the permanent team model. By gathering a group of collaborators—including artist “castpixel,” musician Max Caulkins, and visual effects lead Jack Gutmann—he aimed to create a project that didn’t rely on long-term institutional stability. This approach allowed the team to pursue a high-risk, “big swing” design without the burden of maintaining a studio headcount.

This shift in methodology extended to the actual design process. Unlike his previous work on titles like *Nuclear Throne*, where “fun” could be tested and verified in quick two-week prototypes, *Australia Did It* required a much longer development cycle to achieve balance. Ismail noted that it took roughly four to five months of development before the game’s systems finally clicked into place.

Why it matters

For players, *Australia Did It* represents a significant departure from the highly “juiced” action games Ismail is famous for. The game centers on a unique unit-merging system designed to eliminate the frustration of feeling locked into a losing strategy early in a match. By implementing a “progression checker” that evaluates player status every 5-10 minutes, the game aims to provide clearer feedback than traditional strategy titles.

As the industry faces widespread layoffs and uncertainty, Ismail’s return highlights a growing trend of senior developers shifting toward project-based collaboration. While the game’s success remains to be seen upon its launch next week, the project underscores how developers are adapting their expertise to survive and innovate in an increasingly precarious market.