Turn-based fights, talisman builds, and a story shaped by your decisions in modern India.
An RPG I just stumbled across looks like it might be something genuinely original, so I’ve gathered some of the details that are currently available.
Rakshasa is an upcoming first-person RPG from Odd Compass Studio, set in modern India and built around turn-based combat plus choice-driven roleplay. It is set up as a city story with a supernatural second layer, where Tantrik spellcasters and mythological creatures operate out of sight while normal life keeps moving in the foreground.
Everything starts with an illegal excavation at a nearby ruin site. That event wakes the protagonist’s dormant Tantrik powers and kicks off a hidden conflict that pulls in multiple factions.
Rogue sadhus, scheming asuras, and centuries-old flesh-eating monsters as active forces in that war, with alliances that shift as the conspiracy grows. The writing pitch is very specific about motives and consequences, pushing the idea that every major character has a goal and that decisions carry weight through the story.
The setting is an urban Indian backdrop that moves between luxury apartment blocks, decrepit slums, ancient temples, bazaars, stepwells, and tight alleyways. That mix gives the game a grounded map to play in, then lets the supernatural elements feel like something that has seeped into the cracks of real places.
The visual direction is described as dense and urban, with an influence from classic RPGs and early 2000s digicam photography.
Combat is turn-based, with one mechanic called the Wheel of Dharma, which appears to drive attacks and Tantrik techniques.
During an attack, a gauge appears with a moving marker. Timing the stop inside a darker band triggers a critical hit. That kind of input check can change how fights feel minute to minute, since it adds pressure even when it is your turn, and it makes consistency a skill.
Talismans look like a key layer in the build system. Documented examples include talismans that widen the critical window and restore 5 HP when a critical lands. Others boost non-combat checks, like lockpicking and occult-related skills.
The game’s pitch is explicit about its inspirations, too. The developer has described it as being inspired by Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines, which is a useful reference point for expectations around first-person exploration, conversation-driven roleplay, faction tension, and a modern supernatural underworld.
Rakshasa is currently listed as coming soon on Steam, and I will keep an eye on it for more details. Below I share the official reveal trailer.
