“Game Of The Year Material” RPG Releases Next Week, Free Demo Available Now

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Next week, a highly anticipated RPG called Esoteric Ebb is launching on Steam. Many players are already predicting it could be a Game of the Year contender. Inspired by the critically acclaimed Disco Elysium, this choice-driven fantasy RPG offers a free demo so you can try it out – and even carry your progress over to the full game when it releases.

Raw Fury recently announced that Esoteric Ebb will be released on Tuesday, March 3rd, sharing the news in a new trailer. This is the first game from developer Christoffer Bodegård, and it’s designed to capture the open-ended feel of tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons. In fact, Esoteric Ebb uses a D20 system for its skill checks, similar to the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons. A demo was available during Steam Next Fest, though it’s actually been playable for a couple of years. One excited fan commented on the trailer, saying, “This could be game of the year. I can’t wait to play the full version!”

Esoteric Ebb Releases March 3 & Progress Carries Over From The Demo

If you’ve been playing the demo of Esoteric Ebb, your progress will be saved when the full game launches on March 3rd. Similar to Disco Elysium, Esoteric Ebb features a day/night cycle that affects gameplay, and the demo lets you experience the entire first day, giving you a good understanding of the game’s mechanics. You’ll play as a cleric investigating the bombing of a tea shop, which happened right before the city’s first election.

As a fan, I’m really excited about Esoteric Ebb! What’s cool is it seems to perfectly blend two classic RPG styles. You can choose to really get involved in the city’s life, deal with its politics and people, or you can head straight down into the dungeons for some classic exploration. And people love the demo – it’s got a 97% positive rating on Steam, and the buzz online matches all the hype from the trailer. It’s looking fantastic!

Early reactions to the demo have been overwhelmingly positive, with one player calling it “incredible” and expressing excitement for the full game. Another praised its depth, describing it as “VAST.” Many reviewers have specifically highlighted the quality of the writing by Bodegård, noting the impactful choices and well-developed characters, which set it apart from other story-focused RPGs. All signs point to Esoteric Ebb becoming a popular new indie game.

Esoteric Ebb Is One Of The More Promising Disco Elysium Clones

Esoteric Ebb clearly takes a lot of inspiration from the game Disco Elysium. In fact, its creators describe it as a role-playing game in a strange fantasy world, similar to Disco Elysium. Like the detective in Disco Elysium, your character—a cleric—is essentially a government agent.

Esoteric Ebb draws inspiration from Dungeons & Dragons, utilizing the familiar stats like Strength, Dexterity, and Charisma. Like Disco, it employs these stats as distinct personalities that influence dialogue. However, instead of Disco’s unique dice mechanics, Esoteric Ebb uses a traditional D20 system for skill checks and features turn-based combat. The game emphasizes a peaceful approach, teaching that violence should only be used as a final option, as seen in the teachings of Clerics in Norvik.

Since the huge success of Disco Elysium, several similar games have been created, and Esoteric Ebb looks like one of the best. The team behind Disco Elysium, ZA/UM, is also working on a new game called Zero Parades: For Dead Spies, while some former members of that team at Longdue Games Studio are making Hopetown, which is heavily inspired by their previous work.

Given how groundbreaking Disco Elysium was, it’s no surprise many games are taking notes. Esoteric Ebb is showing that approach can work well, and its humorous take on Dungeons & Dragons has made its demo very popular. Plus, any progress you make in the demo will carry over to the full game, so if you enjoy RPGs, there’s a great reason to check out Esoteric Ebb before its release.

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2026-03-01 18:59