Cyberpunk-Noir Narrative RPG Celestial Return Rolls the Dice on a May 7th Launch Date
Metaphor Games and Shoreline Games have today announced today that dice-based narrative RPG Celestial Return will launch on PC via Steam on May 7, 2026. Revealed as part of IGN Fan Fest, the new trailer showcases more of the choice-based and dice-driven gameplay that awaits players later this year.
In Celestial Return, players will step into the well-worn loafers of Detective Howard, and, armed with a pocket full of dice, a sentient smart-mouthed rose, and a rusty badge, they’ll take to the neon-washed streets of the Lovecraft-influenced Netherveil City to solve a string of mysterious, grisly murders. Not all is as it seems though - corpses won’t stay dead, secrets won’t stay buried, and the corruption oozing from Netherveil is set to blow.
Expanding the world of Celestial Return beyond its digital landscape, Metaphor Games has also released the first in a series of Webtoon comics that delve deeper into the seedy underbelly of Netherveil City, showcasing the stunning hand-drawn art used in game, that blends the iconic precision of manga with the raw nerve of American comics to create something wholly new. New comics will be released periodically in the run-up to launch, each showcasing a fragment of the story leading up to the start of Celestial Return.
For players wanting to take to the blood soaked streets of Netherveil City, there is a demo currently available on Steam that showcases around 45 minutes of the narrative driven adventure, just a taste of what awaits at launch in May.
Celestial Return Key Features:
Doomed Gameplay Loop: Earn and spend your dice while leveling up your own personality, to gain the edge needed to survive conversational combat. It’s sometimes violent, but always desperate.
Simple Currency: Dice aren't just tools. They’re oxygen. Earn 'em, spend 'em, lose 'em. Hoard them too long, and opportunities vanish. Roll recklessly, and resources burn.
Welcome the Crossroads: Discover a vast sci-fi story, rich with twists, turns, mind-bending crossroads, and a branching narrative fully shaped by your decisions.
Sounds & Visuals to Bleed For: Immerse yourself in a completely hand-drawn world where manga’s precision meets the raw nerve of American comics
Choices Matter: Your choices are the weapons and your mind the battlefield. Decide the outcome with each small step. Just remember: Intelligence picks locks in silence. Virtue pleads for mercy. Foolishness laughs at the abyss.