It is very rare that I find a game that blends my love of detective games with narrative RPG elements. It is even more rare to find one that blends those things with a certain kind of weirdness that just captivates me immediately. From the second I looked at Celestial Return’s Steam Page, I knew I had to check it out.

Celestial Return currently has a demo available, which covers the first half of Act One. Celestial Return puts you in the role of Detective Howard, a private detective with a history of work in hunting surreal beings known as Abstracts. Abstracts harm the living, and it seems that a string of suicides is connected to them. Now, with law enforcement stumped, it is up to Howard to face his demons while trying to solve the case.

Celestial Return, in gameplay practice, feels like a mixture of Disco Elysium, Paradise Killer, and a classic CRPG with dice mechanics. Dice are vital to your success and survival; not only are they a tool, but they are also a resource. Each dice constitutes two D4, and to perform any action, you’ll need to roll at least one dice.

However, Dice are a limited resource; you can find them in environments in limited capacity, but if you hoard them, you may lock yourself out of narrative paths. So, gameplay becomes a balancing act between using your dice and keeping them to make sure you don’t run out.

At the same time, Howard is a fragmented, fractured soul. He has multiple “Insights” which you can lean into in order to mold his personality. Virtue tends to lead toward compassionate dialogue options, Perception usually helps you intuit information, Intelligence is usually pragmatic, Anger Issues are aggressive options, and Foolishness options are comedic or impulsive.

Each insight has negative and positive sides, and some of them clash with one another at times. However, choosing the options you feel fit in the situation allows you to mold Howard as you see fit. Additionally, as you gain XP, you can upgrade your insights, which can give bonuses to your dice, amongst other things.

The gameplay is interesting, since the narrative itself is a surreal, intriguing experience that pulls you deeper into a world unfamiliar to our own. However, what truly sets it apart is the cyberpunk, colorful world, mixed with the supernatural and almost Lovecraftian “fear of the unknown.” I found myself playing the demo several times, taking different story paths just to see how things changed if I made Howard make different choices.

The soundtrack also adds to the experience. The thumping beats, the Jazz/Techno/Metal fusion that fills your senses, this only helps to build the world. The colors of the characters and environments help to make Celestial Return a sensory experience like no other.

After experiencing the demo, I can only hope that we get a release date for Celestial Return soon. I can see it striking a chord with people, much like Disco Elysium did. There are many philosophical questions and concepts here, but there is also a commentary about survival. The first half of Act One made me hungry for more, and if you haven’t already, go check out Celestial Return; you’ll love it.

Early Access to Celestial Return’s Demo was provided by Shoreline Games for the purposes of this preview.

Phenixx Gaming is everywhere you are. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Also, if you’d like to join the Phenixx Gaming team, check out our recruitment article for details on working with us.

Phenixx Gaming is proud to be a Humble Partner! Purchases made through our affiliate links support our writers and charity!