Charon's Staircase
- October 28, 2022
- Indigo Studios - Interactive Stories
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Get on Xbox Games Store"Charon's Staircase" is a horror-adventure game set in the 1970s, where you play as a Ministry agent named Desmond. Your mission is to retrieve and destroy classified documents at the Oack Grove estate, but instead, you uncover the gruesome secrets of Project Alpha. The game features puzzle-solving, survival against horrors, and exploration of a dark and atmospheric 70s Central European setting. Uncover the truth and escape the nightmare of Oack Grove.
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Reviews
- The game features excellent atmosphere and spooky graphics that enhance the overall experience.
- The story is engaging with interesting twists, and the voice acting is well done.
- Puzzles are mostly fair and challenging, providing a satisfying gameplay experience.
- A significant amount of text is untranslated from Spanish, making it difficult for non-Spanish speakers to fully enjoy the story.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and quality control issues, including graphical problems and unresponsive menus.
- Many puzzles are considered obtuse or confusing, leading to frustration rather than enjoyment.
- story44 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its engaging narrative and strong atmosphere, while others criticize it for being predictable and relying on clichés. Notably, the setting and certain twists are praised, but the lack of depth in some themes and the language barrier for non-Spanish speakers are significant drawbacks. Overall, while the story is considered decent and enjoyable, it doesn't break new ground in terms of originality.
“The story was mysterious and well written, and had a satisfying ending.”
“Story progresses along nicely, told through notes you collect, and the tension mounts as you enter into even more sinister areas of the estate.”
“It doesn't do anything you probably haven't seen before but the story is interesting throughout and is well made.”
“The fact that unless you know Spanish you are going to miss a large portion of the story is a dealbreaker for me. Selling this as an English localized game is just trying to trick people into buying it and hoping they take enough time to get to the point where the translation stops that they can no longer get a refund.”
“The story is told via the overused video game cliché of mute visions from the past and, of course, diaries, letters, etc. It isn’t very original or interesting, either.”
“There are interesting aspects to it, like the setting in a theocratic totalitarian state, but those are hardly mentioned or developed and don’t play any important role as far as the plot is concerned.”
- atmosphere18 mentions
- 78 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is frequently praised for its beauty and effectiveness, creating a mysterious and immersive experience, particularly within the mansion setting. However, some users note that the graphics can appear budget-friendly, which detracts from the overall impact. While the horror elements are brief yet effective, the game is recommended for those seeking a chill horror experience with atmospheric puzzles.
“The mysterious atmosphere is maintained throughout - horror parts are short, but very effective.”
“This game is beautiful, scary, and very atmospheric.”
“Great atmosphere and excellent environment.”
“The atmosphere is there, but it's all so 'budget' looking.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are described as atmospheric and decent, effectively contributing to the overall mood, though opinions vary on their quality. Some users noted issues with the graphics settings, including problems with the menu display and settings not saving. Overall, while the graphics are considered neat by some, others found them lacking, especially in relation to the game's price.
“Spooky graphics, good story, and challenging but doable puzzles!”
“Decent quality, highly atmospheric graphics that convey a unique atmosphere.”
“Good atmosphere, a decent story, and the graphics are okay.”
“I couldn't change graphics settings because the menu stretched off the screen no matter what I did, and I couldn't see the 'confirm' button.”
“Way too short, clunky, and terrible graphics for the price.”
“To begin with, graphic settings do not save.”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its overall excellence, contributing to an impressive sound design that enhances the atmosphere with both great musical compositions and chilling sound effects.
“Overall excellent sound design, with great music and scary sound effects.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game is noted for its brevity, resulting in limited replay value, which may deter players seeking a more extensive experience.
“Quite short with limited replay value.”
