The Black Grimoire: Cursebreaker

The Black Grimoire: Cursebreaker

Released Oct 2024

A story driven solo RPG inspired by oldschool games like RuneScape and Ultima Online! Explore a sprawling medieval fantasy world full of npcs with dialogue, level skills, fight varied monsters and uncover the story of Rothar Aercrest – the cursed lord to the remote woodlands of Imberthale.

83% positive · 978 reviews
Not yet
Released, but still in active development
High confidence
Active Development
Not yet
Released, but still in active development
High confidence
Active Development

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Steam $14.99
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Evaluation

The Black Grimoire: Cursebreaker launched into full 1.0 release on October 27, 2024, after a period in Early Access. At launch, the developer explicitly stated they did not consider the game finished and expected further updates. Since the 1.0 release, the game has received a consistent stream of major free content updates and feature patches. Major content milestones include The Squallstone Keep (April 26, 2025), which added a new end-game challenge minigame, a new quest, and a large player home, and Return of the Dragon Slayer (May 22, 2026), which delivered a high-level quest chain, new items, abilities, and improved controller support. The October 2025 devblog acknowledged some team burnout and that the dragon quest hadn't progressed far beyond the planning stage at that point, but the developer reaffirmed their commitment to delivering updates for the game — and the dragon quest did ship the following spring as promised. As recently as October 2, 2026 — just two days before today's assessment date — the developer shipped another substantive update (the Silderglass Tunnel patch), introducing a new mining minigame, new equipment sets, new player interaction features, and a range of balance and quality-of-life improvements. The developer also noted in that update that the online features were experimental additions to what remains a single-player game at heart. The developer has not announced specific named future content beyond what has already shipped, but has maintained an active and consistent update cadence across major content drops and feature patches throughout the game's post-launch life. The most recent update arriving on October 2, 2026 confirms the developer is still actively engaged with the game.
Evidence
Developer shipped a substantial feature patch adding a new mining minigame (The Silderglass Tunnel), new equipment sets, new online player interaction features, and various balance and QoL improvements.
news post · Oct 2, 2026 source development ongoing
high
Feature patch 'Treasures of Imberthale' shipped with new rare mining resources, loot mercy system, combat changes, major QoL improvements to world map, bank, and inventory.
news post · Aug 19, 2026 source development ongoing
high

Media

Details

Developer
Publisher
Olipa Games
Achievements
262
Platform
Windows
Controller
partial support
Steam Deck
Playable
Players
Single-player

About this game

The Black Grimoire: Cursebreaker is a medieval fantasy singleplayer adventure inspired by oldschool games like RuneScape and Ultima Online! Journey through a sprawling open world full of npcs with dialogue, level skills, fight varied monsters and uncover the story of Rothar Aercrest – the cursed lord to the remote woodlands of Imberthale. Increase your power by advancing 4 combat & 8 crafting/harvesting skills; craft, loot or be rewarded powerful items; unlock special attacks and spells which will aid your way in defeating the worst monsters that lurk in the remote corners of the world.

  • Variety of quests with deep writing.

  • Numerous weapons and spells to employ in strategic combat.

  • Large open world that rewards exploration.

  • 12 various skills to level.

  • Customizable player houses to rest your weary bones.

  • Social multiplayer - meet other players in towns, taverns etc.

Tired of ‘epic tales’ of ‘world ending proportions’, Cursebreaker offers stories of human pettiness, revenge and greed - all the good stuff. In this game you're not yet another 'chosen one' destined to save all life from impending doom and gloom. Instead, you're Lord Rothar Aercrest - the feudal ruler to the remote woodlands of Imberthale. Or at least you used to be...

One fateful day your path crosses that of a dark wizard, Gabrius, who appears to be both tremendously powerful and frightfully malicious. Consequently you soon find yourself caught within a mortal feud between two powerful wielders of magic, all the while bound by a curse you desperately need to break free from.

If Lord Rothar is to know peace again, Gabrius must surely die. That might not prove to be such a simple task. After all, what is death besides a mere nuisance to the master of the Black Grimoire?

Character progression in Cursebreaker is tied to the various skills you can advance. All in-game interactions  tend to give experience in your various skills,  and gaining higher skill levels will unlock appropriate interactions,  abilities and crafting options. Fighting enemies in close quarters, for example, will increase your Attack and Defence skills. As they gain levels, you unlock new passive and activated abilities, can wield more sophisticated weapons and armor, and gain access to new traits from the appropriate trainers.

The spellbook offers a large variety of both combat and non-combat utility. Finding and learning new spells may prove a challenge in itself, and casting more demanding spells will require preparation, such as gathering specific ingredients. Feel free to create your own playstyle by using any combination of ranged and melee weapons and spells!

The crafting and harvesting skills provide a variety of bonuses too. Gaining experience in woodsmanship through felling trees not only provides you with crafting materials for bows and such, but may allow you to pass through obstacles in the world and otherwise speed up your exploration. Skill in Alchemy does not only unlock potions, but also bombs and poisons!

Available skills in the game include Attack, Defence, Archery, Sorcery, Smithing, Crafting, Tailoring, Alchemy, Mining, Woodsmanship, Fishing and Cooking.

The game automatically saves your progress. In the event you fall in combat, you will be revived at your nearest graveyard, having potentially lost some of your valuables along the way. No worry, these can be recovered either by visiting the place of your death, or by paying a scavenger. Remember to carry restorative foods and protective potions to guard against dangerous enemies!

Although Cursebreaker is a singleplayer game, it provides an option for a social multiplayer; in other words, you will be able to see other adventurers online, but the interactions are limited to chatting and inspecting equipment only. It will not be possible to trade with them or otherwise engage in gameplay-related activities with them. You may adjust the online mode to apply to big cities only, to be always on, or to opt out of it entirely and play fully offline in case you don't care for it.

Two authentic players chatting.

Last evaluated Oct 4, 2026
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