Celestial Return

Celestial Return, a great new story-driven, dice-based noir/cyberpunk RPG. Dice mechanics are a tad clunk but it looks & sounds great, it's well-written, and there's plenty of meaningful choice & consequence. Want to know more? Check out my Bite-Size Review here: https://www.cshpicone.com/gaming/bite-sized-game-reviews/bsr-celestial-return For more niche curation, follow me at: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/27440015-CSH-Picone/ Want more honest niche & indie reviews? Check out: https://www.cshpicone.com/gaming

This isn't the kind of CRPG where every problem is solved through combat. Instead, the game revolves around dice rolls, skill checks, and meaningful dialogue choices, making every conversation feel just as important as any battle in a traditional RPG. Success isn't always guaranteed, and that's what makes every decision feel rewarding. What truly stands out is the writing. The dialogue feels natural, the characters are memorable, and the choices you're given rarely have obvious right or wrong answers. Every decision carries weight, encouraging you to fully embrace your role instead of simply chasing the "best" outcome. I'm not even close to finishing the story yet, but that's exactly why I'm so impressed. Every new chapter raises more questions than it answers, and the mystery keeps pulling me forward. I constantly find myself thinking, "I need to know what happens next," which is something very few games manage to achieve. The pacing does an excellent job of keeping the tension alive without feeling forced. If you enjoy narrative-driven RPGs where your choices, your skills, and even a bit of luck determine how the story unfolds, this game is absolutely worth playing. It's one of those rare experiences that makes you genuinely excited to come back for the next session.

I participated in the playtest, played the demo, and now the full release is here. With its unique art style, distinctive "action" system, and a setting—the likes of which we’ve long missed in this genre and perhaps never even seen in such a narrative-heavy game—it stands out as one of the most unique examples of its kind. And for basics, yeah, if you like Disco Elysium, you should buy this

good game, play it (guys please fix those bugs quick tho)

Combining a dark science-fiction setting with a highly distinctive visual style, Celestial Return delivers an incredibly atmospheric and memorable experience that draws you in from the very beginning.

Genuinely had an absolute blast playing this and was pleasantly surprised at the price point of the game, the visuals and music alone made it worthwhile and the replayability felt solid after figuring out which options provided more die for the end phase etc. The story felt gripping too especially at the end and the various different endings too definitely impacted me differently (there's 4/5 different endings). An absolute steal for the price point and I sincerely hope the best for the devs, it would be amazing if they managed to add additional content to this game in terms of maybe DLC that lets you play from the perspective of some of the other characters. All in all, minus a few visual bugs, I would highly recommend this to people.

Sometimes Howards is an a**hole and I'm totally here for it. Also I love these dice rolls, but sometimes I absolutely hate them it validates to me that I should never be a degenerate gambler

To start with - I am a kickstarter backer, so I have received a copy of the game 72 hourse before the premiere to check it out. This is why I have marked that I got the game for free, although I was a backer since the KS campaign. When writing the review, I'm already in the third book (the third act) of the game and I love it so far. I like that it's somewhere between a visual novel and a Disco-like rpg. Gives you a genuine feeling of reading an interactive comic book with cool noir-cyberpunk story and some simple but engaging gameplay mechanics. The narrative is mysterious and dark - and gets darker as the story progresses. It's well written and there is a really fast pace of action - so far the game was not boring even for a short moment. The art style is amazing - so many great concepts with a creative use of photorealistic graphics from time to time. Soundtrack is also well thought, suits the dark cyberpunk vibe of the game itself. Besides - music really plays an important role in the game, but I don't want to spoil the fun. I can only hope that if the game becomes a success, we could get voice acting - it would be a wonderful addition. As a player who is especially demanding in terms of a good story I am very satisfied. If you like games like Disco Elysium - this one is for you. If you like cyberpunk or noir-like detective stories - it's also definitely for you. Also - if you like artsy games bringing some fresh approach in the graphic/art style/design fields - I would strongly suggest to check this one out! Also if you are a fan of comic books or visual novels - this game is very likely to cast a spell on you, bringing also some fresh air to these genres. The game does not offer any complex character/skill development, so if you are looking for more classic approach to RPG - you will not find it here.

Kinda what I expected from this game. Allowing the dice to help guide my decisions and seeing the narrative expand from there was pretty cool

The story is incredibly compelling and its theme is extremely engaging. It flows so well that you can't wait to see what happens next.