An addictive episodic RPG is born. Focus Home Interactive and Big Bad Wolf welcome the first episode of the promising narrative, THE COUNCIL; EPISODE 1—THE MAD ONES. Elements of Telltale Games’ formulaic storytelling and time-sensitive decisions are recreated in this narrative adventure game. THE COUNCIL incorporates the distinguishing features of DaVinci Code secrecy and Assassins’ Creed Illuminati-esque infiltration.
Our adventure begins in 1793 at the base of a rocky island belonging to the illusive Lord Mortimer. We play as Luis de Richet, member of an enigmatic Order, on the search for answers of the disappearance of his adventure-seeking mother. Gameplay has a bit of a slow start with what seems like endless idle chit-chat with the other characters, but the pace picks up fairly quickly.
Careful calculation of creating a grandiose Enlightenment-era world is executed fantastically. Avant-garde stylization of the characters adds an extra layer of ominous opulence in this moody mystery. Masked servants and makeup-clad hosts not only enhance entertainment value, but ignite intrigue of the characters’ motivations and the secrets they hide.
THE COUNCIL is all about choices. Each interaction with every character and object can and will shift the course of your journey. The biggest opportunity to customize your gameplay experience is in the beginning; select one of three career paths—diplomat, occultist, or detective. Each career aligns with a specific skill set. Diplomats, like all politicians, rely heavily on persuasion. If you select this career path, Luis de Richet will come pre-equipped with skills such as etiquette, conviction, and linguistics. Become an occultist to have secrecy and mysticism on your side with skills such as subterfuge, manipulation, and science. The detective is astute, suspicious, and constantly on the hunt for the truth behind everyone’s lies; select this path to be skilled in psychology, agility, and questioning.
All skills will be available to you later on, but must be purchased with points and are more expensive if outside of your career network, so really strategize before making a final decision. Examples; you may want to translate a hidden manuscript only to discover you haven’t committed to exercising your language skills, or you want to manipulate someone, but if you haven’t acquired that skill, you’ll have to choose another avenue of attack.
THE COUNCIL; EPISODE 1—THE MAD ONES has set the stage for a successful series, but there are some jarring elements that I hope to see worked out in the coming episodes. What will really increase the overall quality of this game is more consistent synchrony in dialogue. The narrative is great and the characters are detailed, but the lip-sync is often mismatch to the point of being reminiscent of a dubbed anime in slow motion. The voice actor of Duchess Emily Hillsborrow does a spectacular job of bringing her distinct intellect and saucy wit to life. Unfortunately, the narration of our dear Luis de Richet misses the mark. Luis’ dialogue sounds robotic and trite, which is a shame because the actual script is on par with many of the big-league studios.
This first installment is not without its flaws, but the brewing magic of THE COUNCIL possesses an enticing power that has me eagerly awaiting Episode 2.
Rating: 7.5/10
Check Out The Council Launch Trailer:
The Council Episode 1 is now available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam.
PlayStation 4 Review
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Overall Score - 7.5/107.5/10
Kendra grew up in the era where playing Donkey Kong in the dentist's office was a thing. Her creative mind enjoys the imaginative genius that goes into the intricate worlds and enticing narratives that have become the new wave of gaming. Forever a devotee of Crash Bandicoot and Spyro, Kendra has stepped into the next generation of gaming with favorites like God of War, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Spider-Man. She is always looking for the next gaming challenge and utilizes her fancy English degree to articulate her detailed reviews for hungry gamers like you.
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