Esoteric Ebb Review
A dice-based RPG in an immersive world with a political skew.
There are multiple ways to approach challenges: Strength for combat focus, charisma for influence and dialogue, spells for utility and control, and dexterity for theft. I played as a Lore Enthusiast, focusing on wisdom to improve spell success. Spells can be found, purchased, or earned through specific NPC interactions. There’s no cool-down system and success relies on dice rolls. Combat feels low stakes because losing a roll simply reduces HP, and most encounters require multiple failures before you die. If you die, you can reload a previous save and try for a different result.
The world is colorful and politically charged. Every character has a party affiliation and personal motivations, adding depth to the setting. You’ll meet goblins, elves, dwarves, and other fantasy races, each with distinct personalities, backstories, and beautifully illustrated portraits. As you progress, you can unlock companions who travel with you, assist in encounters, or simply expand dialogue options. Sometimes the game provides too much random information. While some of it leads to XP or skill checks, other bits feel like filler. A clearer indicator for “flavor text” versus “meaningful choice” would help streamline the experience.
Quests often involve investigating murders, missing persons, or political intrigue. Clues are scattered through conversations, but the map can be confusing, and using a Steam guide becomes almost necessary to avoid wandering aimlessly. The humor is tongue in cheek and absurd; you can even ask nearly every NPC which political party they support. Politics provides a backdrop for the actions and motivations for certain groups and the player decides how they want to engage. Dice rolls drive nearly every action. Even repeating the same encounter can produce different outcomes, and sometimes you’ll fail multiple rolls in a row. The game is fairly forgiving usually requiring three failed rolls to die. The player can adapt to certain situations or encounters by equipping items that boost a specific stat.
The audio is minimal. Spell effects and dice roll sounds exist, but many key moments feel quiet or underdeveloped. Spell descriptions could be clearer and there were instances I was unsure when a certain spell would be useful or needed. In contrast, the visuals are a standout feature. The cartoon aesthetic gives the world a unique identity and pulls directly from tabletop RPGs. Each item has distinct portraits and the appearance/design of each character reflects their unique personality.
Many players compare this game to Disco Elysium, and the inspiration is clear: branching dialogue, stat checks, and political themes. Esoteric Ebb is layered and rewards players who enjoy digging into lore, exploring every corner, and embracing randomness. Some UI improvements and dialogue tightening would help, but overall, it delivers a memorable and distinctive experience.
Esoteric Ebb
Fantasy RPG where you explore a politically charged world. Dialogue could be edited and map is not beginner friendly.