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This year has been an absolute blast for horror genre fans like me, and what’s even more surprising is that indie developers are outperforming expectations. Just recently, I got my hands on the first-person narrative thriller, The Occultist, developed by DALOAR and published by Daedalic Entertainment.
If you enjoy paranormal investigations and solving puzzles, The Occultist is absolutely going to keep you hooked. Though the title lacks scares and some parts get a bit dry, it still offers a fun experience with a story that will keep you engaged.
Story & Narrative Delivery
In the game, players take on the role of Alan Rebels, a professional paranormal investigator voiced by Doug Cockle, widely known for his role as Geralt in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. That alone is another great thing about the protagonist.
While searching for his missing father, Alan reaches Godstone Island, where he discovers, through its mystical pendulum, that the island was once home to some kind of cult and that his father was somehow connected to it. To find his missing father, Alan must uncover the town’s dark secrets and unravel his father’s connection to them.
Though the story already sounds very interesting, the island is also full of surprises. When Alan digs a bit deeper, he finds out the richest man on the island wanted to perform an occult ritual to bring his dead wife back to life. Somehow, the whole island died in the process, and as you explore the town, you can see that the dead bodies have been there for years with nobody ever discovering the place.
This leaves you with even more questions about why and what exactly happened to a town where literally every single person died. And somehow, Alan’s father was also connected to it, with Alan having no clue whether he is even alive. The story surely stands out, further enhanced by its gameplay and mechanics.
Gameplay & Mechanics
This is the part where I think the developers could have taken more time, but the team has still done a lot of things right. The use of the pendulum to channel mystical powers is a great example, starting with simply revealing clues and eventually leading to reversing time, controlling rats, and even summoning a raven to retrieve pieces you cannot reach yourself.
The game keeps offering new elements to keep you engaged as the story unravels. One minute, you are in an orphanage finding clues, and the next, you are in some sort of hospital. The gameplay lets you explore all parts of the island to fully decode what has happened. Without spoilers, The Occultist handles this part very nicely, keeping you engaged throughout with its beautiful visuals, varied locations, unique puzzles, and a lot more. There is no repetition, and that helps it stand out among many other indies.
However, some puzzles were really confusing, as players would not get a clear idea of what exactly needed to be done. I remember one puzzle where you had to paint something, but there were literally zero clues about what needed to be painted. A few other puzzles felt similarly unfair due to the lack of guidance.
Atmosphere & Horror Design
This is the most disappointing part of The Occultist. I personally felt the title seriously lacks scares and moments that would genuinely terrify you. Imagine being on an island where you are the only person alive, with ghosts all around you blocking your path, yet there is not a single moment when you would genuinely feel scared.
The enemy designs are also quite cartoonish and not particularly threatening, which makes it hard to feel intimidated by them. The title offers a bit of action, but it is nowhere near something like Resident Evil. (And to be fair, this is on a smaller scale.) This is where I think the developers lacked a bit of identity, trying to offer many elements without perfecting any of them.
The horror design could have been handled better, with more thrilling moments that would make players feel genuinely threatened. This can potentially bore a lot of players, but the other elements in the game are strong enough to keep you engaged and, honestly, could distract you from the lack of scares.
Conclusion
The Occultist is a fun experience overall if you are into exploration, solving puzzles, and diving deep into a narrative. It has its flaws, but despite that, the developers have done a massive job with this title. At some moments, it genuinely felt like I was playing an AAA game.
I did not encounter any noticeable bugs or issues, and the title appears well-polished. While it lacks genuine scare moments and some of the enemy designs may seem cartoonish, it still does a lot right, and what it does right is the kind of thing you would not find in a lot of other titles. That alone makes it worth playing.
The Occultist is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.
(7 / 10)
Good
(7 / 10)Rely on Horror Review Score Guide
A PC review copy was provided by the publisher.
