The neon-drenched streets of Netherveil City are calling. Metaphor Games, a studio comprised of award-winning TTRPG veterans, has officially announced that their highly anticipated narrative RPG, Celestial Return, will launch on PC via Steam in Spring 2026.
Backed by publisher Shoreline Games, the project has already become a viral sensation within the gaming community, surpassing its Kickstarter funding goal by an incredible 200% and earning the prestigious “Projects We Love” distinction.
A World of Cosmic Horror and Corporate Greed
In Celestial Return, players step into the well-worn loafers of Detective Howard, a man navigating a decaying metropolis where corpses are clawing back to life and a string of mysterious suicides points toward a deep-seated corporate conspiracy. Howard isn't alone, however; his investigation is aided by a rusted badge and a sentient, loud-mouthed rose.
The game features a striking, hand-drawn art style that blends the precision of Japanese manga with the raw, gritty aesthetic of American noir comics. It’s a world that feels as desperate as it is beautiful.
Dice as Destiny
At the heart of the experience is a "Doomed Gameplay Loop" where dice are the primary currency. They are your bullets, your bribes, and your oxygen. Players must strategically earn and spend dice to level up Howard’s personality and survive "conversational combat."
Intelligence allows you to pick locks in silence.
Virtue enables you to plead for mercy.
Foolishness lets you laugh in the face of the abyss.
“We never imagined our gritty noir game would achieve 200% funding,” said Bilge Gul Cakir, Co-Founder of Metaphor Games. “Partnering with Shoreline Games allows us to amplify our vision and ensure the game reaches the widest possible audience.”
A Living Narrative
The world-building extends beyond the PC screen. Metaphor Games has launched a series of Webtoon comics that serve as a direct prequel to the game, with the final episode set to end exactly where the game begins.
Celestial Return is set to be a definitive entry in the cyberpunk-noir genre when it rolls onto Steam next year.
