A new CRPG titled Esoteric Ebb draws inspiration from Dungeons & Dragons and Disco Elysium, blending tabletop RPG freedom with dialogue-driven gameplay. Reviewer Matt Bassil describes early play as chaotic and engaging, featuring inner voices for character stats. The game launches on March 3, 2026.
Esoteric Ebb, a forthcoming CRPG, merges elements of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) with the narrative style of Disco Elysium, as detailed in a first impressions review by Matt Bassil published on March 2, 2026. Bassil recounts his initial hour of play, where the character nearly dies from overeating apples, fails a Charisma check by biting their own tongue and spitting blood, and tricks a kobold into surrendering a crossbow before accepting a quest to usurp the kobold's routine task.
The game immerses players in a fantasy world populated by tieflings, dwarves, clerics, and druids, familiar to D&D enthusiasts. Core mechanics include spell slots, short rests, skill checks, and advantage, but interactions unfold primarily through dialogue trees, even in combat. Bassil notes thoughtful discussions on alignments like chaotic good and lawful evil, as well as distinctions between druidic and clerical magic. The setting incorporates modern surprises, such as a bike rack serving as a clue, and political intrigue amid the city's inaugural democratic election.
Echoing Disco Elysium, players embody a disgraced cleric investigating a magical explosion in a tea shop, with an approaching election adding urgency. A long-suffering sidekick accompanies the protagonist, and conversations probe voting preferences and personal identity. The stat system reimagines D&D attributes—Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma—as inner voices that comment on actions, argue among themselves, and reveal political leanings. For instance, Strength appears earnest and patriotic with nationalist tendencies, while Dexterity embodies a self-interested capitalist. Bassil shares an example: attempting to remove the helmet triggers failed DC 20 checks from most stats, heightening unease about the character's identity.
Skill checks use a D20 die, influencing outcomes and narratives. Bassil praises the freedom to interact whimsically, such as greeting a cat as a government official or using a sending stone to boast about a magic rock. While not surpassing Disco Elysium's intensity, Esoteric Ebb offers a comforting yet innovative blend, appealing to fans of D&D dialogue and RPG exploration.
