For those of you who miss the classic fantasy vibe of gamebooks and tabletop RPGs, there’s one title worth adding to your wishlist. Digitalis Publishing and developer 15 Industry have officially announced that Veritas Tales: Witch of the Dark Castle will launch on PC via Steam on July 9.
According to information cited from Gematsu, This game will be available in English, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese, giving it a broad reach in the Asian gaming market.
A classic-style RPG gamebook
Veritas Tales: Witch of the Dark Castle is no ordinary RPG. Game This game features a neo-classic digital gamebook RPG concept with a Choose Your Own Adventure. This means that every decision you make will affect the course of the story and how the world reacts to your character.
Here, you can handle situations in a variety of ways. Whether you want to charge in with your sword, try to negotiate, or even avoid conflict altogether, anything is possible. The dice-rolling mechanic also plays a key role, giving you the feeling of playing a classic tabletop RPG in a digital format.
Every choice and roll of the dice will create a different gaming experience. Therefore, each playthrough has the potential to feel unique.
Worked on it alone for 6 years
Perhaps the most interesting thing about this game is the person behind its creation. Veritas Tales: Witch of the Dark Castle was developed by Yoshio Nishimura, a gaming industry veteran with about 30 years of experience who previously worked at Vanillaware.
For those who aren't familiar, Vanillaware is the studio behind several games with a distinctive artistic style, such as Odin Sphere, Dragon’s Crown, and 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim. The name Nishimura is certainly a draw in itself, especially for players who follow the studio’s work.
What makes this project even more special is that Nishimura reportedly worked on the game by himself for six years in a remote mountain village in Japan. Not only that, but all of the more than 300 illustrations in the game were also drawn by hand by him.
What’s more, the project was explicitly created without the use of generative AI. In an industry where AI is increasingly being discussed in the context of the creative process, this detail is a unique selling point in itself, as it highlights just how personal the project is.
Perfect for fans of old-school fantasy
Veritas Tales: Witch of the Dark Castle describes itself as a return to the roots of fantasy—an era when gamebooks and tabletop RPGs laid the foundation for much of modern fantasy. This atmosphere will certainly feel familiar to gamers who enjoy choice-based adventures, richly imaginative fantasy worlds, and the thrill of crafting their own stories.
If you're a fan of The NeverEnding Story, or if you’re simply longing for a fantasy experience that feels like reading an interactive adventure, this game has the potential to be something special.
The classic inspiration behind *Veritas Tales: Witch of the Dark Castle* also sets it apart from many modern RPGs that focus more on fast-paced action or vast open-world environments. Here, its true strengths lie in the story, choices, artwork, and atmosphere.
Worth adding to your wish list?
With a release date set for July 9, Veritas Tales: Witch of the Dark Castle stands out as a project with a strong identity. The combination of classic gamebook concepts, hand-drawn visuals, and years of solo development sets this game apart from many other indie releases.
For those of you who enjoy RPGs with a narrative-driven approach and an old-school vibe, this is definitely a title worth keeping an eye on. At the very least, Veritas Tales: Witch of the Dark Castle offers something that feels more personal than many modern fantasy games today.
