Upcoming Narrative-Driven Sci-Fi Game Is Steeped in Classic TTRPG Vibes

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Capturing the magic of a tabletop role-playing game in a video game is incredibly challenging. Developers have tackled this in various ways, like the action-focused approach of The Elder Scrolls or the more traditional turn-based style of Baldur’s Gate 3. Some games even recreate the experience of reading a classic RPG adventure book, immersing you with compelling art and storytelling, almost as if a game master is personally guiding you. The new cyberpunk RPG, Celestial Return, aims for that classic tabletop feel, but with a unique science fiction and Lovecraftian horror twist that will stay with you long after you finish playing.

I recently played the demo for Celestial Return and read the prequel Webtoon, which provides the story’s background. While I usually prefer fantasy over sci-fi, the striking and somewhat eerie artwork immediately grabbed my attention. The story is intense, and the gameplay is equally challenging. Your choices and luck of the dice truly matter, creating an experience similar to playing tabletop role-playing games like Delta Green. That’s not surprising, considering the game is made by a team of experienced TTRPG developers. If you enjoy games that feel like classic RPGs, Celestial Return is definitely one to keep an eye on.

Celestial Return Brings a Stunning Cyberpunk CRPG to Steam This Spring

Developed by the indie studio Meteaphor Games – a team of experienced tabletop role-playing game creators – and published by Shoreline Games, Celestial Return is aiming for a Spring 2026 release. The game’s demo showcases its engaging dice roll mechanics, clearly demonstrating the team’s deep understanding of tabletop games. Celestial Return features a dark, cyberpunk noir atmosphere where your decisions and the roll of the dice shape the narrative. The story unfolds in a decaying city gripped by a series of mysterious deaths.

I recently played Celestial Return, and I was really hooked! You play as a detective who’s clearly seen better days, and the way they handle your character’s stats is so cool. Instead of a regular character sheet, your Intelligence and Virtue are represented by voices inside the detective’s head! It’s a really unique mechanic because those voices actually guide your choices, and you get to decide which ones to listen to and which to ignore as you try to solve the mystery. It really added to the game’s creepy atmosphere and made shaping the character feel much more involved – and mysterious!

The game is played mostly by clicking to advance the story and choosing what your character says or does. However, important decisions are made with a dice roll, and you need to carefully decide how many dice to use. Running out of dice will limit your options. I quickly learned this during my demo – I used too many dice early on and blocked myself from certain paths! But this dice management adds a fun strategic element, making Celestial Return stand out from other story-driven games inspired by tabletop RPGs.

The game features a compelling story that actually began before the game itself. Metaphor Games has been publishing a series of online comics, called Webtoons, as a way to expand on the game’s narrative. These comics introduce players to the world of Netherveil, focusing on its atmosphere, characters, and the emotional impact of life within the city.

Your Story Starts Before The Game Does Thanks to the Celestial Return Webtoon Prequel

The Celestial Return demo feels like an early look at a story still being developed – and that’s intentional! The game is connected to the Celestial Return: Abstract Reality webtoon, which releases monthly episodes leading up to the game’s launch. The webtoon’s story will actually end right where the game begins, creating a unified narrative similar to successful episodic games like Dispatch or Poppy Playtime.

For Metaphor Games, the Webtoons aren’t simply bonus material – they’re a core part of Celestial Return. The team considers the project to be visually driven, and the Web series is meant to immerse people in the world of Netherveil before the game even launches. This is a creative way to blend different types of media and genres, offering readers a visual novel experience through the webtoon. Plus, reading the free webtoon is a fantastic way to get a feel for the atmosphere of Celestial Return before it comes out later this year.

The Webtoon series Celestial Return has released three episodes, with a fourth one coming out this month. We’re excited to share a sneak peek at some artwork from the upcoming episode, which Metaphor Games provided to us in advance.

More chapters of the Webtoon are on the way, with the final one releasing right before Celestial Return. This story-focused RPG is planned to launch in Spring 2026 and is available to add to your Steam wishlist now. In the meantime, you can get a feel for the game’s world by reading the first three issues of Celestial Return: Abstract Reality.

If you like story-focused games with a tabletop RPG feel, let us know in the comments! Join the discussion now on the ComicBook Forum.

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2026-02-25 01:41