Psychic Software has unveiled The Lich Wars, a new Gothic RPG that explores the origins of necromancy in the world of The Necromancer’s Tale. Combining branching interactive fiction with RPG mechanics and narrative-driven combat, the standalone prequel follows a soldier through three decades of war and supernatural upheaval in an alternate version of 18th-century Europe. A reveal trailer is available now.
Set in the fictional kingdom of Rulsthen near Venice, The Lich Wars begins with players joining the Rychva Musketeers before becoming caught in a bloody conflict where the dead are raised to fight. Their military career unfolds across two major wars, with decisions shaping their experiences as fear and superstition spread throughout the kingdom, eventually leading to civil war and the rise of the Lich.
The story features an estimated 300,000 words of hand-written narrative, with nine RPG skills influencing how players navigate its branching events. Combat is presented through prose and randomized critical-hit tables, covering everything from personal duels and naval engagements to large-scale battlefield manoeuvres. Players can also pursue three main military career paths as they shape their character’s life over the course of the story.
The narrative centres on Aleks and three lifelong friends who experience the same events but remember them differently, with their recollections not always reflecting the truth. This approach ties into the game’s broader exploration of war, responsibility, and the ways people reconcile their past actions with the lives they lead afterward.
The presentation combines a 3D book with hand-painted tabletop miniatures used to depict key scenes. Hundreds of original illustrations, character portraits, and maps accompany the narrative, while partial voice acting brings selected characters and moments of narration to life.
Although The Lich Wars expands on the setting of The Necromancer’s Tale, players will not need to have experienced the original game to follow the story. Both titles can be played independently and in either order, with returning players able to meet familiar characters earlier in their lives and discover how necromancy first came to Rulsthen.
Psychic Software’s Sam Redfern, lead developer and narrative lead, explained that the period between 1700 and 1728 featured in The Necromancer’s Tale was originally intended as a brief prologue. Following player interest in those events, the studio decided to explore the period in greater depth, placing a stronger emphasis on the writing that resonated with players.
Redfern also described the game as a Gothic story about a society haunted by its past, where necromancy exists but its true cost remains poorly understood. The narrative examines how people remember war, justify their actions, and grapple with the ethical consequences of progress.
The Lich Wars is currently in development for PC and will be available through Steam.