Inspired by classic DnD, The Secret of Weepstone is a beautiful monochrome ARPG

Recently my partner inherited several early editions of the Dungeons and Dragons player handbook. Tattered, battered, and loved, they're now the pride of our ever-expanding TTRPG book collection, musty and ancient when juxtaposed with the colorful Monster Manuals and expansion books that we have today. There's a certain majesty to these well-worn tomes, though, with their black-and-white, sketchy imagery feeling a little more 'human' when compared to WoTC's glossy artwork. The Secret of Weepstone, a new ARPG from the publisher of The Mortuary Assistant, seeks to bring those monochrome drawings to vibrant life, transforming them into a virtual campaign that feels straight out of classic DnD.

Unlike the standard Dungeons and Dragons story, however, you're no hero. Stranded in the decaying town of Weepstone (hence 'The Secret of Weepstone') you're just a run-of-the-mill townsperson trying to survive in a crumbling, forgotten hamlet. Byron, the village's lord, has fallen into a bedridden stupor, haunted by nightmares and malevolent entities. It's your job to rise up and put an end to the evil that haunts Weepstone, so gather your party and prepare to dive into an action-focused RPG adventure where your ingenuity determines whether you live or die.

The thing that stands out about The Secret of Weepstone is, of course, its style. Inspired by the aforementioned artworks we see in early DnD books, your adventure takes place in a scribbly, monochrome world that mirrors the hyper-stylized comic art that defined the tabletop RPG's early days. I'll happily admit that I wishlisted the game based off of that alone - it's easily one of the most beautiful games I've seen this year.

Looks aside, Weepstone uses the traditional D20 system, similar to what we see in the likes of Baldur's Gate 3. Every time you step on a trap, ascend a creaky flight of stairs, or engage in combat, the gorgeous iron dice determine your fate. Combat is turn-based, and you'll roll to hit, then follow with your unique die to see how much damage you do. Characters have armor classes, HP, and the ability to manoever around the battlefield - all of the standard DnD chaos.

You'll manage a party of up to eight NPCs, with the knowledge that, somewhat inevitably, they are probably all going to die. The plus is that, upon said gruesome demise, you'll earn unique Mortal Favors, which I assume will be some form of party-centric boon. Death isn't the end; in fact, it's actually kind of helpful.

As someone with an undying love for all things Dungeons and Dragons, The Secret of Weepstone is literally the perfect game for me. I really can't wait to see how it plays in practice - hopefully its narrative lives up to the promise of its artwork.

DreadXP has confirmed that The Secret of Weepstone will launch on PC in 2026. In the meantime, you can wishlist it here.

If you, like me, are very much in your Dungeons and Dragons era, we have a list of all the best DnD games if you've somehow exhausted Baldur's Gate 3. Alternatively, if you want the high fantasy but can't cope with the random chance of rolling the die, we have a list of the best fantasy games, too - I'd say they're safer, but they probably aren't.

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