An English Haunting
- May 22, 2024
- Postmodern Adventures
- 72h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"An English Haunting" is a point-and-click adventure game set in 1907 London, where players assume the role of Professor Patrick Moore, who has 72 hours to prove the existence of the afterlife. The game features pixel art backgrounds and is based on inventory puzzles, as players travel from London to Scotland and ultimately to the haunted manor of Benwell Street to build the Box of Revelations with the help of a fake medium. The goal is to save Moore's investigative department from shutting down forever.
Reviews
- Beautiful pixel art and atmospheric design that effectively evokes early 20th century London.
- Engaging story with strong character development and clever writing, making it a compelling experience for players.
- Well-crafted puzzles that are mostly logical and enhance the immersive gameplay without resorting to frustrating moon logic.
- Some dialogues are overly long and can disrupt the pacing, making it difficult to engage fully with the game.
- The game lacks voice acting, which could have added depth to character interactions and overall immersion.
- Puzzles tend to be on the easier side, which may disappoint players looking for more challenging gameplay.
- story93 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story is a compelling slow burn set in turn-of-the-century London, revolving around a missing person case intertwined with ghostly investigations. Players appreciate the extensive dialogue and well-crafted characters, though some feel the narrative could benefit from a longer runtime to explore its themes more deeply. Overall, the game is praised for its intriguing plot, atmospheric setting, and engaging writing, making it a standout in the point-and-click genre.
“The story is a slow burn, starting out as something of a missing person case set in turn of the 20th century London and taking its time to evolve from there.”
“The story is compelling, and had me hooked from start to finish.”
“The story is great with unexpected twists and turns and a creepy finale that leaves you wanting more - literally, can we get a sequel?”
“The story is a little all over the place, and quite gruesome at times.”
“On the other hand, the story gets a bit stuck in the middle, and then just loses the plot at the end (at least for me).”
“Overall, there are the seeds here of a much better game if the story and dialogue had been tightened and the puzzles deepened a bit.”
- music28 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its immersive quality, effectively complementing the atmospheric sound design and enhancing the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the use of era-appropriate tracks, particularly from the early Edwardian period, which adds depth to the storytelling and ambiance. While there is no voice acting, the soundtrack and audio effects are noted as exceptional, contributing significantly to the game's charm and engagement.
“Combining this with appropriate music from the era and a solid soundtrack ties it all together to create an immersive experience.”
“Gorgeous pixel art, excellent music and superb ambiance.”
“Picture this: moody and themed soundtrack from Edwardian England, ghosts, and jumpscares.”
“The early Edwardian era music is a treat, and massive props must be given for the excellent sound design.”
“It has proper animations for different actions and characters that others would skip on, and the close-ups, photos, and music are really well integrated.”
- graphics23 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are widely praised for their gorgeous pixel art style, detailed backgrounds, and atmospheric design that effectively evoke the early 1900s London setting. Reviewers highlight the beautiful visuals and character designs, noting that they enhance the overall experience alongside the engaging story and music. While some players find the pixelated graphics reminiscent of the early 90s to be less appealing, the majority appreciate the artistic direction and the immersive environments.
“Looking at the game you’ll quickly notice the gorgeous art style with detailed backgrounds and characters that create an atmospheric feel to evoke early 1900s London.”
“The graphics are beautifully drawn, and the locations feel alive, with people going about their lives in the foreground of exterior scenes.”
“The graphics are gorgeous, incredible dialogue, game cuts straight to the point, no filler, just a solid adventure game so far!”
“Visually...eh, if you can stand the pixelated early 90's graphics, then they are ok I guess.”
“Despite the pixel graphics, it works well at achieving this.”
“It is a game to be played for the atmosphere and the story (and the cute graphics and dialogue).”
- atmosphere15 mentions
- 73 % positive mentions
- 7 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its stunning art style, detailed backgrounds, and immersive sound design that effectively evoke the early 1900s London setting. Reviewers highlight the dense atmosphere, captivating narrative, and engaging gameplay, making it a standout experience in the horror adventure genre. Overall, the combination of beautiful pixel art, excellent writing, and a rich cast of characters contributes to a deeply atmospheric experience that keeps players engaged.
“Looking at the game, you’ll quickly notice the gorgeous art style with detailed backgrounds and characters that create an atmospheric feel to evoke early 1900s London.”
“An excellent adventure game with fantastic atmosphere, sound design, and an interesting story.”
“The game's captivating narrative, atmospheric design, and engaging gameplay make it a must-play for fans of the genre.”
“If you liked the developer's previous game (Nightmare Frames), the overall atmosphere and gameplay are very similar.”
“It is a game to be played for the atmosphere and the story.”
“A very good point-and-click adventure game that drips with atmosphere.”
- gameplay8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized as a standard point-and-click adventure, focusing heavily on exploration, dialogue, and inventory-based puzzles. While some players appreciate the atmospheric design and engaging narrative, others criticize the reliance on recalling previously examined items to progress, which can disrupt the flow of the game. Overall, it offers a straightforward experience that may appeal to fans of the genre but can feel drawn out at times.
“If you liked the developer's previous game (Nightmare Frames), the overall atmosphere and gameplay is very similar.”
“The game's captivating narrative, atmospheric design, and engaging gameplay make it a must-play for fans of the genre.”
“I hate the game mechanic in these types of games where you examine something and nothing happens, but later on in the game you are supposed to remember that specific thing to examine again to progress through the story.”
“A wonderful short game, but it drags the story, dialogue, and gameplay.”
“Gameplay consists of exploring, dialogue, and mostly inventory item-based puzzles, just the way you'd expect from a point-and-click adventure.”
- humor7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is a standout feature, blending witty dialogue and clever jokes with surprising moments, creating a charming and engaging experience. The writing is praised for its quality, with realistic characters and a distinctly British comedic touch that enhances the overall appeal. While it includes elements of slapstick, the humor is well-balanced and adds depth to the gameplay.
“The tone had a great blend of humor with some shocking moments.”
“Had more humor than I expected, but it was a welcome addition.”
“All the characters feel realistic, really British, and the humor touches are well balanced.”
