“Lestvitsa” on Steam: a Disco-like RPG about inner struggle and the mysteries of the Russian North

Today, November 10, the first chapter of Lestvitsa by Good Games studio launches on Steam. This free supernatural detective story is set in the Russian North in the early 2000s.

The game is available on PC and runs on the Unity engine. It premiered a week ago on VK Play, where users of the Russian platform got to play the first chapter ahead of everyone else and share their experience.

Investigate a theft and change the future

At the heart of the story is Alexey, a 17-year-old boy. An ancient icon has been stolen from his hometown of Sinitsk, and his father is the prime suspect. As the teenager—whom nobody takes seriously—tries to get to the bottom of things, demons are plunging the town into darkness.

A mysterious stranger gives Alexey the ability to see into the past. Time jumps to the era of Ancient Rus help him understand the roots of the present-day problems and uncover secrets the townspeople would rather forget.

How the gameplay works

Lestvitsa is the first chapter of a narrative RPG where dialogue and the hero’s inner struggle become core gameplay mechanics. Instead of experience points, the game features a system built around the hero’s firmly held ideas and the struggle between virtues and passions.

When you choose a line of dialogue or an action, an active skill check is triggered. Success depends on how conscious your character is. Alexey’s inner voices—his virtues and passions—make passive checks: they work on their own, without your involvement. They argue, comment on your actions, or offer advice right in the middle of a conversation. You can listen to them or ignore them.

How you shape the hero’s personality

Your choices directly affect the kind of person Alexey becomes. Take a look at the “Tree of the Soul.”

As you play, you fill it with thoughts, strengthen positive qualities or, on the contrary, fan the flames of vices. This changes the hero’s behavior and unlocks new dialogue options, reactions, and skills.

What players are saying

In its first week on VK Play, users rated the game 9.7 out of 10. Fans of narrative games praise the visuals: the locations capture the spirit of the 2000s perfectly. The writing and details have also received positive feedback for their depth and for adapting Disco-style mechanics to a local setting.

Most players are eager for more, since the main story takes anywhere from an hour on a speedrun to two or three hours, depending on reading speed, quest completion, and the paths you take.

For Good Games, Lestvitsa is the studio’s debut PC project. This is the first part of a supernatural investigation, and the adventure is only just beginning.

Can you solve the mystery of the theft without losing yourself? Walk this path for yourself.

Download on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/5446260/Lestvitsa/