EXPLORELYOpen world games taught a generation how to explore: check the map, pick a quest, walk somewhere new, get rewarded. Real cities work the same way. They just don't tell you where the quests are.
What does a real life RPG look like?
The core loop is the one you know from games:
- Map with markers. Sights, viewpoints and lesser known spots show up as quest locations.
- Quests. Go to a place, complete a task, get XP.
- Levels. XP adds up. Your level shows how much you've explored.
- Leaderboards. Compare your progress with friends and other players.
- Side content. Mini games, bingo cards and challenges for when you want something shorter.
Why does it change how you travel?
Without a game, most people see the top ten sights and go home. With quests, you walk the side streets because that's where the next marker is. You end up in neighborhoods you wouldn't have picked, which is usually where the good food is.
It also fixes the "what now?" moment. You finish a museum, open the map, and there's a quest 400 m away.
Is it just Pokémon Go for tourists?
No creatures to catch. The locations are the content. Every quest point is a real place with a reason to visit: a landmark, a view, a hidden courtyard, a local favorite. The game gets you there, the place is the reward.
How Explorely plays
- Quests at real locations in cities worldwide, in urban areas and in nature.
- XP for every quest, with levels and leaderboards.
- Route generation that connects quests into a walkable route.
- Friend challenges: Blind Quest, Time Trial, Photo Duel, Distance Duel.
- Mini games like a country guesser quiz and Quest Bingo.
- Custom quests you build and share yourself.
- XP can be converted into verified environmental actions, like tree planting and ocean plastic recovery.
That last one is the part most games don't have: the points you earn walking around a city can turn into something outside the app.
Tips for your first session
- Start with the quests closest to where you're staying.
- Generate a route for an afternoon, not a full day.
- Add one friend so the leaderboard means something.
- Save a mini game for the train ride.