The Horror at Highrook by Nullpointer Video games
I really like horror board video games. Nicely, I really like horror something, however particularly board video games. There’s simply one thing about enjoying with one thing tactile that’s meant to evoke stress within the viewers. It virtually seems like channeling one thing you’re not imagined to, and in some way, the sport at all times appears to know.
The Horror at Highrook comes the closest any online game has to recreating what I really like about tabletop video games like Arkham Horror or Mansions of Insanity. Whereas I can’t play with it bodily, it greater than makes up for this with a ton of tips and treats.
Cult of Starry Knowledge
The as soon as noble Ackeron household has vanished amidst rumors of unusual rituals. As a group of investigators, you’ve been despatched to their residence of Highrook Manor to seek out any clues you’ll be able to about their whereabouts. What might probably go fallacious?
Between its visuals and sound design, The Horror at Highrook instantly attracts you in, establishing a pitch-perfect temper for the horrors to return. It seems like a mix of Darkest Dungeon and a Poe story. Even the little visible touches on the sport board, like shifting mild sources, assist accent the temper.
As for the sport itself, it does a wonderful job of easing you into the expertise. Highrook is represented by a board with a number of rooms (a lot of that are locked at the beginning), along with your characters and any objects you uncover represented by playing cards. Inserting a mix of those in a room will permit characters to work together with totally different objects primarily based on their stats. With a bit of little bit of luck, you would possibly uncover one thing new to assist broaden your search.
Calls from Under
Time passes constantly as you assign duties to your characters, with some gadgets needing for use earlier than they vanish. There are additionally each random and scripted occasions that occur as time passes. Most significantly, you additionally have to handle issues like your characters’ starvation, fatigue, and naturally, sanity.
It’s a easy system that’s extremely harking back to 2018’s Cultist Simulator, and I think Nullpointer took inspiration from it. Nonetheless, the addition of the concrete narrative streamlines the expertise in a manner I actually appreciated.
Talking of the narrative, The Horror at Highrook has a compelling one which unfolds over a number of chapters. As you remedy extra of the thriller surrounding the Ackerons, the home itself turns into more and more hostile towards you, and managing your sources solely turns into tougher.
Whereas the sport itself isn’t grueling, I used to be pushed to succeed as a result of the thriller is participating and the characters you play are memorable. The odd typo or bizarre little bit of phrasing typically harm this a tad, although.
The Verdict
The Horror at Highrook combines what’s nice about each video and board video games right into a spooky bundle that stole away hours of my life. Like a typical Lovecraft protagonist, I might by no means avoid the thriller for lengthy. Prove the lights, mild some candles, and let it whisk you away to planes unimaginable.
The Horror at Highrook is out there through Steam.
Watch the trailer for The Horror at Highrook beneath:
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