Esoteric Ebb: CRPG with Visual Novel Shines on Steam Deck

Review of Esoteric Ebb: sharp narrative, D&D-inspired skill system, and good performance on the Steam Deck, with caveats regarding RNG and difficulty.

Quick Summary

Esoteric Ebb is a CRPG with Visual Novel elements that stands out due to its sharp writing and a D&D skill-driven dialogue system, creating thought-provoking conversations between one's own capabilities.

Story and Gameplay

You play as a Cleric tasked with investigating an explosion that occurred in a marketplace during election week. The plot dives into the city's political landscape, with fanatical factions from both sides emerging throughout the investigation. The experience is heavily dialogue-based, with almost every interaction taking place in conversation windows, including occasional confrontations.

Skill System and Dialogues

The distinguishing feature lies in the inner voices: each D&D-inspired skill (Strength, Charisma, Wisdom, etc.) has its own personality that comments on situations and participates in choices. This generates humorous debates among the skills, shaping dialogue options according to the points invested in each attribute.

The game reinvents the traditional use of skills to guide the narrative, making it clear how your choices arise from your statistics and opening different paths depending on the desired focus.

Performance and Difficulty

It is a shorter title, but with good replayability due to the different skill choices. The biggest reservation is the reliance on dice rolls for decisions and actions, which can lead to quick deaths due to RNG. The Cleric is not made for heavy combat, which makes tough fights even more challenging and sometimes frustrating.

Steam Deck Performance

The game is Verified for the Steam Deck and runs well in handheld mode. There is a toggle between Low and High shadows, and using Low keeps the game stable near 60 FPS most of the time.

• Resolution: 1280x800
• Battery Life: ~3.5–4 hours on OLED; ~2.5–3 hours on LCD
• Consumption: 12–15 W; temperatures around 65 °C
• Controls: controller support

There was a reported issue with the quality setting reverting to High in subsequent sessions; keeping it on Low might prevent performance drops.

Accessibility

The title offers text and UI size adjustment, with the option to choose between several fonts and a colorblind mode for texts that usually rely solely on color.

Conclusion

Esoteric Ebb is essentially a CRPG with visual novel elements, supported by strong writing. The weight rests on the dialogue, and the traditional CRPG mechanics work well for conversations. If you tolerate RNG-driven combat and the absence of difficulty options, it is an enjoyable experience. On the Steam Deck, the experience is solid, with well-adapted controls and interface, even without maintaining a constant 60 FPS.

Note: The review is based on the PC version.

Did you enjoy reading? Tell us in the comments what you think of this fusion between RPG and narrative. Do you prefer games with rich dialogue and RNG, or do you seek difficulty options to control the challenge?

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