The fantasy role‑playing game Esoteric Ebb, created by Swedish developer Christoffer Bodegård, debuted yesterday and immediately drew enthusiastic responses from players on Steam.
In less than a day after release the game collected more than 200 "very positive" reviews on Steam — nearly 230 when accounting for purchases made outside the platform — giving it an overall user score of 97 percent in the digital storefront.
Early player reviews praise Esoteric Ebb for blending gameplay elements reminiscent of Disco Elysium with the atmosphere similar to Baldur’s Gate 3. Commentators singled out the quality of the script, the comedic beats, attractive visuals and smooth performance on Steam Deck handhelds.
The title also received praise from Argo Tuulik, a former co‑writer of Disco Elysium who founded the studio Summer Eternal in autumn 2024. Tuulik called Esoteric Ebb the most exciting game inspired by Disco Elysium, saying it transcends mere imitation and stands on its own, and urged other developers to study it as an example of how to create a worthy spiritual successor.
Esoteric Ebb is set in the fantasy city of Norvik, where the local administration is preparing for upcoming elections. Players take on the role of a nameless priest tasked with investigating an explosion at a tea shop that leads into a wider political conspiracy.
The game offers a combat system influenced by the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons, non‑linear quest design and a cast of colorful characters. The release is currently exclusive to Steam.
At launch the developer set a time‑limited price of 792 rubles through March 14. The game is available only in English and does not include a Russian localization.
Publisher support included full Steam Deck compatibility ahead of release, which reviewers and players noted as an important factor in the positive reception on handheld hardware.
Industry commentators have remarked that Esoteric Ebb manages to evoke older narrative RPG traditions while combining modern design sensibilities, earning it comparisons to both Planescape: Torment and more recent narrative‑driven titles.
Given the strong initial reception and endorsements from established writers in the genre, Esoteric Ebb looks set to attract continued attention from fans of story‑focused role‑playing games.