The Council drops you on a private island in 1793, and it wants you to believe everyone around you is lying. That is the whole pitch, and it mostly works. Developed by Big Bad Wolf and published by Focus Entertainment, this episodic adventure game blends murder-mystery plotting with RPG mechanics, and it leans heavily on the idea that every guest at Lord Mortimer’s gathering has a secret to hide. The result is a game that rewards curiosity and punishes carelessness in equal measure.
Trailer, via IGDBcom.
The Year and the Gathering
The year is 1793, and the action unfolds on a secluded island off the coast of England. Louis de Richet, a member of the secret society known as the Golden Order, receives an invitation from Lord Mortimer to join a gathering of high-profile guests. Among those guests are Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington, and President of the newly formed United States, George Washington. The island itself is the central mystery: Louis’s mother, Sarah, has recently gone missing there, and each of the colorful cast seems to have their own hidden agenda.
The game draws heavily on historical figures and real artworks. Paintings, books, and sculptures populate the environment, serving both as decoration and as puzzle fodder. This is a game that wants you to look at everything, because everything might mean something.
The Classes
The Council gives you three classes to choose from, each with its own set of skills:
- Diplomat (Etiquette, Conviction, Politics, Diversion, Linguistics)
- Occultist (Science, Occultism, Manipulation, Erudition, Subterfuges)
- Detective (Questioning, Vigilance, Psychology, Logic, Agility)
These skills are tied to an RPG-style experience system. As you progress, you earn experience points that raise your level and improve individual skills. The system includes 15 available character skills, 44 talents, and 20 traits, which alter how your character behaves across the game.
Some talents require you to level skills up to a certain point, perform specific actions, or consult the game’s journal for useful information about other characters’ weaknesses and immunities. Traits are permanent effects that accumulate without your knowledge, since the prerequisites are hidden from you.
The Prologue
The game opens with a prologue that establishes the stakes. Louis and his mother, Sarah Faustine de Richet, are captured while stealing a book called Al-Azif. The Golden Order is a secret society that seeks occult artifacts, and the book is central to their operation. The captor’s mention of Al-Azif sets the tone: this is not a simple treasure hunt.
Louis is summoned to Lord Mortimer’s manor under the pretense of helping find his missing mother. Secrets about Lord Mortimer’s influence on world leaders begin to unfold as the story progresses. The setup is classic murder-mystery territory, and the game leans into it without apology.
The Island
The island itself is the stage for most of the action. It is a place of grand houses, winding paths, and hidden rooms. Each location is filled with objects to examine, conversations to overhear, and clues to piece together. The game encourages you to explore thoroughly, and the setting is detailed enough to reward that exploration.
The game’s visual style is deliberately theatrical. Characters are expressive, and the environments are richly detailed. This is a game that looks like a period drama, complete with ornate furniture and candlelit corridors. The art direction is one of its strongest assets.
The Guests
The cast is a mix of fictional and historical figures. The game incorporates real-life paintings, books, and sculptures as part of its setting and puzzles, which adds a layer of authenticity to the proceedings. The inclusion of Napoleon Bonaparte and George Washington is a deliberate choice, and the game treats them as fully realized characters rather than caricatures.
Each guest has a distinct personality and a hidden agenda. The game trusts you to keep track of who knows what, and it rewards attention to detail. The interactions between characters are often the highlight of the experience, as Louis navigates a web of lies and alliances.
The Reception
The game received a mixed to positive reception. Most praise went to the complex story, setting, and art direction. The criticism was directed at the graphics, character animation, and technical issues. That assessment holds up on replay.
The graphics are competent but dated. The character models are serviceable, but the animations are stiff, especially during conversations. The game runs on multiple platforms, including PS4, PC (Microsoft Windows), and Xbox One, and the performance varies across them. Some players reported frame rate issues and loading times that detract from the immersion.
The story, however, remains strong. The game is episodic, released in five installments between March 13, 2018, and December 4, 2018. Each episode builds on the last, and the pacing holds up across the full campaign. The ending brings the threads together in a satisfying, if somewhat abrupt, conclusion.
The Verdict
The Council is a game that succeeds when it commits to its premise and fails when it lets its technical limitations get in the way. The murder-mystery framing is sharp, the writing is dense, and the world is richly detailed. The RPG elements add depth, allowing you to shape Louis’s approach to the investigation through skill choices.
But the game’s shortcomings are real. The graphics are dated, the animations are stiff, and the technical issues can disrupt the flow. These flaws are not fatal, but they do keep the game from reaching its full potential.
| Element | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|
| Story | Complex, engaging, well-paced | Some pacing issues between episodes |
| Setting | Detailed, atmospheric, historically rich | Overwhelming at times |
| Characters | Well-written, distinct, memorable | Some voice acting is uneven |
| Mechanics | Skill-based systems offer choice | Talent and trait system can feel opaque |
| Presentation | Art direction is strong | Graphics are dated, animations are stiff |
The game’s strengths outweigh its weaknesses, but the balance is close. The Council is a game that demands your attention and rewards it, even as it frustrates you with its rough edges.
Key Facts Box:
– Developer: Big Bad Wolf
– Publisher: Focus Entertainment
– Platforms: PS4, PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One
– Release: Five episodes between March 13, 2018, and December 4, 2018
– Classes: Diplomat, Occultist, Detective
– Skills: 15 available, 44 talents, 20 traits
The Council is a solid entry in the narrative adventure genre, and it deserves credit for attempting something ambitious. The murder-mystery framework, the historical setting, and the skill-based RPG systems combine into a game that feels distinct from its peers. It is not a perfect game, but it is a rewarding one.
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