The Séance of Blake Manor review – a gripping detective game shrouded in mystery and menace.
Step into the remote manor house on Ireland's west coast, a hub for eccentric guests, each with secrets to keep. It's 1897, and your mission is to track down Evelyn Deane, who has gone missing under mysterious circumstances. As you delve deeper into the grand hotel-turned-manor, uncovering its dark history, you'll encounter a motley cast of characters – from a psychic researcher wielding a spirit camera to a vodouist oungan, each with their own agenda.
The game's visual style is reminiscent of graphic novels, heavily inspired by Mike Mignola and Eduardo Risso. The atmosphere is thick with foreboding, as you explore rooms for hidden clues, interrogate suspects, and navigate a complex web of motives and backstories. Each new discovery sparks a word game deduction system that challenges you to create hypotheses and confront suspects.
However, beneath its engaging gameplay lies a rich narrative tackling themes of colonialism, appropriation, sociocultural destruction, diaspora, addiction, abuse, and grief. The game expertly weaves together folklore and paganism, revealing the troubled history of the Blake family and their role in shaping the manor into a symbol of colonialist oppression.
The Séance of Blake Manor is an immersive detective tale that masterfully combines the eerie with the educational. With its autumnal atmosphere and spine-tingling moments, it's an absolute must-play for fans of folk horror and interactive storytelling. Prepare to be enthralled by this beautifully researched work, which will have you rushing to learn more about spiritualism, folklore, and ancient Irish history.
Overall, The Séance of Blake Manor is a game that challenges, delights, thrills, and educates in equal measure – an autumnal treat filled with spooky scenes and thought-provoking themes.
Step into the remote manor house on Ireland's west coast, a hub for eccentric guests, each with secrets to keep. It's 1897, and your mission is to track down Evelyn Deane, who has gone missing under mysterious circumstances. As you delve deeper into the grand hotel-turned-manor, uncovering its dark history, you'll encounter a motley cast of characters – from a psychic researcher wielding a spirit camera to a vodouist oungan, each with their own agenda.
The game's visual style is reminiscent of graphic novels, heavily inspired by Mike Mignola and Eduardo Risso. The atmosphere is thick with foreboding, as you explore rooms for hidden clues, interrogate suspects, and navigate a complex web of motives and backstories. Each new discovery sparks a word game deduction system that challenges you to create hypotheses and confront suspects.
However, beneath its engaging gameplay lies a rich narrative tackling themes of colonialism, appropriation, sociocultural destruction, diaspora, addiction, abuse, and grief. The game expertly weaves together folklore and paganism, revealing the troubled history of the Blake family and their role in shaping the manor into a symbol of colonialist oppression.
The Séance of Blake Manor is an immersive detective tale that masterfully combines the eerie with the educational. With its autumnal atmosphere and spine-tingling moments, it's an absolute must-play for fans of folk horror and interactive storytelling. Prepare to be enthralled by this beautifully researched work, which will have you rushing to learn more about spiritualism, folklore, and ancient Irish history.
Overall, The Séance of Blake Manor is a game that challenges, delights, thrills, and educates in equal measure – an autumnal treat filled with spooky scenes and thought-provoking themes.