Completed with 100% of achievements unlocked. While here they're publishing rather than the developer, with The Excavation of Hob's Barrow, Wadjet Eye proves once again that they're the go-to for modern point-and-click adventures. Crucial for the genre, the game's story has a well-written, slow-burning horror-based plot with well-realised characters and excellent voice-acting. It should also be said that the game's eventual conclusion becomes very telegraphed in the later stages, which does feel a bit forced as you play out events that are obviously going to turn out badly, with none of the narrative choice that's now a feature of many games in the genre. Of course, the use of puzzles to gate progress mean that it can feel a little too slow at times - those puzzle are typically well-judged and logical, but there are still a handful where I'm glad to have referred to external hints.
BANGER fucking game. godDAMN that ending. The characters were so lovely, the voice-acting and dialogue was SO good, the story was stellar, I enjoyed that SO much, FANTASTIC creeping dread and eldritch horror undertones.
This review contains spoilers
An enjoyable enough time but that third act really drags down the pacing.
Cosy adventure with charming voice acting. Lots of familiar elements if you have any kind of interest in folk horror. Puzzle-wise I never had to think long about what to do next. Narratively they made the strange decision to introduce a massive element of dramatic irony in the third act which, while the choices the MC makes do fit with her character development, makes that last part quite frustrating for the player.
This review contains spoilers
90% of the game is fantastic in all aspects
writing, themes, puzzles, and everything leading up to entering the barrow itself is amazing
I did get stuck on two puzzles before entering the barrow but I didn't spend much time racking my brain trying to figure out the solution
I think the subtle hints you get throughout the story and if you do replay it you'll notice more help establish a story centered in folklore akin to midsommer
The ending though was very lackluster as the character of Thomasina Bateman is completely thrown out the window as all of her logic and stoicism that is mentioned throughout the game is nonexistent in the final area
Confronted with snakes shooting energy beams, A demonic goat with spectral vision power, and hymnal tones coming from behind a door there is no real reaction from Thomasina other than we must continue forward
Even before that wen Mr.Tillet tries to explain what happened on the night of his disappearance, or right before entering when Cyril and Father Roache tell her not to excavate
Not once is there any second guessing on Thomasina's part not even an ounce of doing further research on what they're trying to tell her
I will give credit where credit is due where we normally see the good guy prevail this is not the case and while I will say the followers of Abraxas are not inherently evil, they do trick Thomasina into unleashing their god which eventually possesses Thomasina and lead us to our ending
This is worth the asking price and would love to see what else they could do (I'd personally love a mini-series set in Bewely) full price or on sale you're getting what you paid for
writing, themes, puzzles, and everything leading up to entering the barrow itself is amazing
I did get stuck on two puzzles before entering the barrow but I didn't spend much time racking my brain trying to figure out the solution
I think the subtle hints you get throughout the story and if you do replay it you'll notice more help establish a story centered in folklore akin to midsommer
The ending though was very lackluster as the character of Thomasina Bateman is completely thrown out the window as all of her logic and stoicism that is mentioned throughout the game is nonexistent in the final area
Confronted with snakes shooting energy beams, A demonic goat with spectral vision power, and hymnal tones coming from behind a door there is no real reaction from Thomasina other than we must continue forward
Even before that wen Mr.Tillet tries to explain what happened on the night of his disappearance, or right before entering when Cyril and Father Roache tell her not to excavate
Not once is there any second guessing on Thomasina's part not even an ounce of doing further research on what they're trying to tell her
I will give credit where credit is due where we normally see the good guy prevail this is not the case and while I will say the followers of Abraxas are not inherently evil, they do trick Thomasina into unleashing their god which eventually possesses Thomasina and lead us to our ending
This is worth the asking price and would love to see what else they could do (I'd personally love a mini-series set in Bewely) full price or on sale you're getting what you paid for
great game
wonderful voice acting, perfectly off-putting close-up art, dreadful music, perfect length
i guess i'm also kind of a sucker for victorian horror, too
great game!!!
wonderful voice acting, perfectly off-putting close-up art, dreadful music, perfect length
i guess i'm also kind of a sucker for victorian horror, too
great game!!!
Needs a bit more of the juice but otherwise totally enjoyable.