Ring around the ritual
By Paul Hunter
It's been awhile since I've played a horror game where you spend most of your time investigating strange places and solving creepy puzzles, with only light combat here and there.
DALOAR and Daedalic Entertainment have made a first-person psychological horror action-adventure focused on paranormal investigation and occult mystery, all on a haunted island that practically begs you to poke around where you should not. This is a horror game about curiosity as much as fear, and that alone makes it stand out in a crowded genre. So, is this haunted case worth taking on? Let’s find out!
Godstone was once home to a cult that carried out rituals and experiments before the island was left abandoned around 1950. Every new clue points back to a community that destroyed itself through supernatural obsession and awful choices.
I enjoyed how the story keeps its focus on Alan’s search while widening the mystery around him. The island’s dead residents leave plenty of notes that help explain what happened in Godstone, and how Alan’s father ties into the larger case.
The narrative has strong occult themes that really pulled me in, all without drowning you in lore dumps. Everything considered, the story is excellently paced and the cursed island is a joy to dig through.
Alan can't engage in direct combat, so you'll mostly run, crouch, sneak, hide, and keep your head down to avoid dangers. It's a good choice that makes sense for a paranormal investigator walking through a cursed island, as it sets itself apart from other horror games where the protagonist shows up with big action-hero energy.
Thankfully, Alan does have a pendulum that can help him solve mysteries, and even fight back against some of the monsters. The pendulum has many fuctions, including Vera Visio that reveals hidden objects and clues. Tempus Fugit lets you rewind time on certain objects. Caecus Corvus sends a raven out for distant interactions and to grab items. Vermis Mentis lets you control packs of hungry rats, letting you move them out of your way or direct them towards enemies.
The puzzles were the best part of the gameplay for me. You need to pay attention to names, symbols, bodies, old notes, and small environmental details to solve them. The solutions are usually clever and make you feel like you actually investigated the room instead of brute-forcing a solution. There are a handful of boss encounters that change the pace, though I still preferred the puzzle-heavy parts.
All in all, the gameplay is satisfying because of the unique pendulum mechanics mixed with the deep investigation and puzzle solving.
I liked how each area brings its own kind of discomfort. The hospital has tight rooms and teriffying medical experiments. The orphanage has a colder, sadder tone. The circus brings in busted attractions and creepy showpieces that are visual standouts.
The graveyard and lighthouse give the back half of the game a larger scale feel, and the Redler Manor moves the investigation into a more ornate, old-family kind of horror vibe. The manor had several moments where I opened a door, saw how carefully the room was arranged, and immediately thought, “Nope, this is a trap.” I still walked in, obviously.
The audio supports the mystery feel well. Alan talks enough to keep the case personal, and the English voice work gives him a distinct presence. Pepe Herrero’s soundtrack helps keep the pressure high during exploration, while the pendulum audio effects make these supernatural moments hit with proper force.
On PS5, performance stayed smooth in my playthrough, and loading times were quick. Taken as a whole, the presentation makes Godstone a memorable place to investigate.
Final Score: 7/10 - Good
Developer: DALOAR
Publisher: Daedalic Entertainment
Genre: Horror, Action Adventure
Modes: Single-player
By Paul Hunter
It's been awhile since I've played a horror game where you spend most of your time investigating strange places and solving creepy puzzles, with only light combat here and there.
DALOAR and Daedalic Entertainment have made a first-person psychological horror action-adventure focused on paranormal investigation and occult mystery, all on a haunted island that practically begs you to poke around where you should not. This is a horror game about curiosity as much as fear, and that alone makes it stand out in a crowded genre. So, is this haunted case worth taking on? Let’s find out!
Story and Narrative
The story puts you in the role of Alan Rebels, a paranormal investigator dealing with a family mystery that quickly grows into something far worse. His father has disappeared, and the trail leads Alan to Godstone, an abandoned British island with a nasty past. His father was born on Godstone and spent his early years there, which gives the island personal intrigue right from the start.Godstone was once home to a cult that carried out rituals and experiments before the island was left abandoned around 1950. Every new clue points back to a community that destroyed itself through supernatural obsession and awful choices.
I enjoyed how the story keeps its focus on Alan’s search while widening the mystery around him. The island’s dead residents leave plenty of notes that help explain what happened in Godstone, and how Alan’s father ties into the larger case.
The narrative has strong occult themes that really pulled me in, all without drowning you in lore dumps. Everything considered, the story is excellently paced and the cursed island is a joy to dig through.
Gameplay and Mechanics
At its core, The Occultist is a first-person investigation game with horror elements layered in. You move through Godstone by searching rooms, picking up items, checking clues, solving puzzles, and using stealth when something nasty decides you are the problem.Alan can't engage in direct combat, so you'll mostly run, crouch, sneak, hide, and keep your head down to avoid dangers. It's a good choice that makes sense for a paranormal investigator walking through a cursed island, as it sets itself apart from other horror games where the protagonist shows up with big action-hero energy.
Thankfully, Alan does have a pendulum that can help him solve mysteries, and even fight back against some of the monsters. The pendulum has many fuctions, including Vera Visio that reveals hidden objects and clues. Tempus Fugit lets you rewind time on certain objects. Caecus Corvus sends a raven out for distant interactions and to grab items. Vermis Mentis lets you control packs of hungry rats, letting you move them out of your way or direct them towards enemies.
The puzzles were the best part of the gameplay for me. You need to pay attention to names, symbols, bodies, old notes, and small environmental details to solve them. The solutions are usually clever and make you feel like you actually investigated the room instead of brute-forcing a solution. There are a handful of boss encounters that change the pace, though I still preferred the puzzle-heavy parts.
All in all, the gameplay is satisfying because of the unique pendulum mechanics mixed with the deep investigation and puzzle solving.
Presentation and Audio
The Occultist has great environmental design, with Godstone island moving from worn homes and old streets into eerie versions of a hospital, orphanage, circus, graveyard, and lighthouse.I liked how each area brings its own kind of discomfort. The hospital has tight rooms and teriffying medical experiments. The orphanage has a colder, sadder tone. The circus brings in busted attractions and creepy showpieces that are visual standouts.
The graveyard and lighthouse give the back half of the game a larger scale feel, and the Redler Manor moves the investigation into a more ornate, old-family kind of horror vibe. The manor had several moments where I opened a door, saw how carefully the room was arranged, and immediately thought, “Nope, this is a trap.” I still walked in, obviously.
The audio supports the mystery feel well. Alan talks enough to keep the case personal, and the English voice work gives him a distinct presence. Pepe Herrero’s soundtrack helps keep the pressure high during exploration, while the pendulum audio effects make these supernatural moments hit with proper force.
On PS5, performance stayed smooth in my playthrough, and loading times were quick. Taken as a whole, the presentation makes Godstone a memorable place to investigate.
The Verdict
The Occultist is a great PS5 horror adventure with a strong mystery, fun pendulum-based puzzles, and a setting I enjoyed exploring from start to finish. I loved that it asks you to investigate and pay attention instead of handing you combat as the answer to everything. The story gives real history to Godstone, and the presentation makes each major location worth remembering. DALOAR has delivered a strong horror adventure with real personality, and I had a great time uncovering all of Godstone’s secrets.Final Score: 7/10 - Good
The Occultist details
Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Nintendo Switch 2Developer: DALOAR
Publisher: Daedalic Entertainment
Genre: Horror, Action Adventure
Modes: Single-player