Fit check
Is Under the River worth it for you?
We tell you who should skip it, too.
Play it if you…
Good fit- Players who enjoy supernatural historical stories with branching choices
- Fans of narrative RPGs who want multiple endings
- Readers interested in adaptations of classical Chinese ghost tales
Skip it if you…
Saves you a refund- Players seeking combat-focused RPG mechanics rather than a choice-driven story
- Players who prefer a short, linear narrative with one fixed conclusion
- Players who avoid adult themes involving violence, death, suicide, partial nudity, or alcohol
Our take on Under the River
Rather than centering progression on battles, equipment, or character statistics, this RPG makes the central structure a moral and supernatural dilemma. Its 11 endings turn the decision between Qingqing and the junior apprentice sister into the main form of progression.
What is Under the River?
Under the River is a narrative RPG set in western Zhejiang during the Ming Dynasty's Jiajing era.
Shuisheng, an opera performer, falls into a river and survives through the intervention of Qingqing, a drowned ghost. He returns in a demonic skin, with his body decaying and his lifespan shortened. Qingqing says consuming her spirit can extend his life, while his junior apprentice sister urges him to seek divine help.
Players investigate a sacrificial ceremony, explore a plot involving humans, ghosts, and gods, and decide between the two women. The game contains 150,000 words, 1,500 fully voiced dialogue lines, and 11 endings. It draws on stories from Pu Songling's Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio and includes adult content such as violence, corpses, suicide, partial nudity, and alcohol use.
How Under the River plays
- 01Branching Endings
- Player decisions lead to 11 distinct conclusions.
- 02Fully Voiced Dialogue
- All 1,500 dialogue lines have voice acting.
- 03Classical Chinese Setting
- The story takes place in western Zhejiang during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty.
- 04Literary Adaptation
- The game incorporates material from several stories in Pu Songling's Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio.
Under the River compared to similar games
Back to the Dawn is a crime-focused prison escape RPG built around fighting, investigation, survival, and breaking out of a maximum-security facility. Under the River instead centers on supernatural investigation, relationship choices, fully voiced dialogue, and 11 possible endings in a Ming-era setting.
Under the River: platforms & release
Is Under the River worth it?
It is worth it if: players who enjoy supernatural historical stories with branching choices. Skip it if: players seeking combat-focused RPG mechanics rather than a choice-driven story.
Where can I download Under the River?
Use the Download Now button on this page: it opens Under the River's store page, where you can choose how to get it.
What platforms is Under the River on?
Windows only.
