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0 Celestial Return is a narrative RPG set in a dystopian near-future with similarities to Cyberpunk 2077, Disco Elysium and movies like Blade Runner. It is made by developer Metaphor Games (Cult of the Yellow King) and published by Shoreline Games (Onirism). The juxtaposition of Celestial Return’s title and the setting caught my attention. And it didn’t disappoint in how the plot progresses or in how the narrative choices play out. Celestial Return is available now on Windows.
Return of the Celestial
Celestial Return’s protagonist is Howard, a former officer of the Paranormal Investigation Division (PID) and now grizzled private detective. The game’s prologue sees the police tackling a raid on the Abstracts, a race of creatures that seemingly phase in and out of reality. Before being torched, Howard rescues Rose the rose from a bizarre garden grown by the Abstracts. Cut to 3 years later, and Reynolds, Howard’s friend and former colleague, seeks his help with a rash of recent suicides before PID swoop in and bury the case. A nudge from Rose and his own sense of morality lead Howard to take the case.
The grizzled detective trope works well with the urban dystopian future setting in Celestial Return. A world where companies and corporations influence everything, from politicians to police and beyond (imagine that!) Howard quickly discovers there is much more going on with the suicides. The Abstracts could be an easy scapegoat for a bigger conspiracy involving the PID. Luckily, Howard is not alone as we learn more of the story. He gets support from various colourful characters, including his hacker ex-girlfriend DK. I really enjoyed the blending of cyberpunk and 1930s-feeling noir detective stories, so get your corkboards and red string ready to unravel this mystery.
Gameplay
Solving the suicides is Howard’s main task, but it wouldn’t be an RPG without numerous other quests and side quests across Netherveil City. Celestial Return does a great job of world-building in this corporate-run world. I appreciated seeing the depiction of the bleakness of people’s lives and the decadence of others. The game runs mostly on rails, but, like a lot of RPGs, some side quests are more fun than the main story. I came across a budding metal band where the duo lost their lead vocalist. My stepping in inspired them to continue with their anti-establishment songs, which hopefully pays off later.
I really enjoyed the dialogue choices personified by aspects of Howard’s mind. These aspects: perception, intelligence, foolishness, anger issues and virtue shape the story as the player sees fit. That could be the sensible choice, e.g. reasoning with a bad guy, or the chaotic all-guns-blazing option. Certain actions or dialogue were especially tempting when leaning into certain personality traits.
Personally, the gameplay mechanics may be the weaker part of the game, despite the engaging story. Dice are both the in-game currency and the main gameplay mechanic. This is a different take on RPGs, which was a pleasant change. However, dice rolls and a limited pool to use can make or break it in certain situations. Celestial Return can be frustrating at times when running out of dice. I learned the hard way to hold onto them; finding more is not a given. The impact on narrative usually keeps playing interesting, but running out of dice really limits your options. The city map is more animated than expected, but I’d liked to have seen more consequences. Apart from the occasional random encounter, you can check off everything on the map with no downside or deadline.
Graphics & Audio
Celestial Return delivers strong visuals and audio, especially with the setting and genre. Most of the descriptions are delivered through text, but the detailed art really aids them. Seeing Howard, Rose and other characters makes engaging with the story much easier. I really liked the detail of people with cyberpunk tech/modifications, painting a picture of their personalities too. The game being delivered as a 3-comic-book run also worked really well when going from scene to scene. Then there are the surreal and unsettling title cards and interstitial cards, perhaps indicating some eldritch horror involved.
The audio is paired very well with the graphic design of the game and is a very pleasant surprise when expecting mostly silence. While each scene has a piece of key art, e.g. a piano in the Crow Jazz Bar, there is also music or score to match, jazz like you may expect here. Other scenes or scenarios, such as high stakes for Howard, use sound to great effect. The background music feels like it was pulled straight from a 1930s noir movie, and I can immediately picture Howard’s office.
Longevity
My first playthrough of Celestial Return was 8 hours, and I had a very good time overall. I definitely want to go back and see how other choices play out, as I tend to be a goody two-shoes in RPGs. Also, I have a better understanding of resource management, especially dice. The game does keep you on track, but it will be fun to see how different routes end up for Howard and Netherveil City as a whole. And with all the replayability there is, I hope to unlock more of the 18 Steam achievements.
Final Thoughts
I have had a really good time with Celestial Return so far and look forward to playing more. There is a surprisingly complex narrative and socially relevant too. There are lots of shades of grey and not just because of the dystopian cyberpunk setting. Leaning into Howard’s 5 mental traits was interesting, especially when feeling a little gung-ho. I do wish the dice mechanic was more generous, as it often led to hitting a wall in the story. The graphics and audio were great at setting the tone and scenes, especially as there’s plenty to do in the game.
I give Celestial Return the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Disclaimer: A code was received to write this review.
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