The Black Watchmen

Starting at €8.19Buy now

In the first ever Permanent Alternate Reality Game, you join the ranks of The Black Watchmen, a paramilitary group dedicated to protecting the public from dangerous phenomena beyond human understanding: ritualistic murder, occult secret societies, and the paranormal, to name but a few.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

73%

Audience ScoreBased on 431 reviews

story29 positive mentions

grinding5 negative mentions

The game offers a unique and immersive experience that blends real-world research with puzzle-solving, making players feel like actual agents.
The community is very supportive and helpful, providing hints and assistance without spoiling the game, enhancing the overall experience.
The puzzles are challenging and rewarding, requiring players to think critically and creatively, which adds to the satisfaction of solving them.

Many puzzles can be overly vague or frustrating, leading to confusion and requiring excessive trial and error to find the correct answers.
The game relies heavily on external websites and resources, which may become outdated or inaccessible over time, potentially hindering gameplay.
Some players may find the requirement to provide personal information for higher clearance levels off-putting or invasive.

story
183 mentions
16 % positive mentions
83 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The story in this game is engaging and immersive, drawing players into a world filled with challenging puzzles and real-world interactions. While the narrative is intriguing, some players find the mission descriptions vague and the increasing difficulty can lead to frustration, often requiring community assistance to progress. Overall, the game successfully combines a compelling storyline with a unique investigative experience, though it may not cater to everyone’s preferences due to its demanding nature.
- “The story is interesting and the concept is amazing.”
- “What I did not expect was a massive, immersive, research-based game with a fantastic community and a compelling story that has kept me invested in the game and the extended universe for years.”
- “You are guided through a series of missions with a cohesive narrative, detailing what you are supposed to be looking for and why, giving you a sense of purpose as you head deeper down the rabbit hole.”
- “The descriptions of the missions and documents are very vague, so it's hard to even understand what the hell you're looking at.”
- “It seemed interesting at first with breaking codes and cool spy stuff, but quickly devolved into reading the forum and guides for hints and still not knowing what to do.”
- “I'm definitely not engaged, and while there are some very friendly, helpful people in the forums, the promise of the game requiring cooperative effort from the agents is only true because the missions are so badly written that it takes a community to figure out exactly what the game wants.”
gameplay
24 mentions
21 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
Gameplay experiences vary widely among users, with some praising the depth and immersive nature of the puzzles, particularly for those who enjoy research and alternate reality games, while others criticize it for being tedious and lacking clear objectives. Many players find the gameplay to be a mix of internet research and problem-solving, but some feel it leans too heavily on mechanical tasks rather than engaging gameplay. Overall, the game appeals to those who appreciate complex puzzles and community involvement, but may frustrate traditional gamers seeking more conventional mechanics.
- “I've been playing this off-season and the base puzzles are still great and have some interesting mechanics.”
- “The aesthetics of this game, the unrivaled sense of immersion, the active community, and the gameplay all create a very enjoyably frustrating experience for me - much like a difficult sudoku or crossword puzzle.”
- “If you are seeking deep gameplay, reality blending with unreality then you have found the game you desire.”
- “In other words, it doesn't play like an actual puzzle where you have a clear goal in mind, well-defined and explained mechanics to utilize and a well-paced lead to follow.”
- “Typing in 25+ 7 character IDs into a box and repeatedly getting a 404 error is not fun puzzle-solving gameplay.”
- “Unfortunately, I bought into the hype that there would be so much more to the gameplay.”
music
14 mentions
29 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its haunting and thematic qualities that enhance the atmosphere, while others criticize the limited variety and repetitiveness of the soundtrack. While the eerie and moody tracks effectively set the tone for exploration and tension, the overall lack of diversity and a small number of songs have left some players feeling unsatisfied. Overall, the soundtrack is appreciated for its quality but is noted to be insufficient for extended gameplay.
- “Plus, the soundtrack is a pure diamond.”
- “Also, the soundtrack is haunting and ethereal and perfect backing to a vaguely horror-inspired research and espionage game.”
- “There are briefing files that set the mood, there's eerie but unobtrusive music, the process of exploring the puzzles is easy.”
- “My only gripe is the extremely limited soundtrack.”
- “It's possible to spend hours going into wiki-holes and research binges in this game, but there are only two tracks on the soundtrack so it becomes annoying.”
- “The moody, downtempo soundtrack may end up inducing drowsiness by the end of your first season.”
graphics
12 mentions
42 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising its cool aesthetic and immersive visuals, rating them as high as 9/10. Others find the graphics to be simple and streamlined, yet functional for gameplay. Overall, while the visuals are generally appreciated, concerns about hackers detract from the overall experience.
- “Simple, streamlined graphics make the interface a breeze to use, and the puzzles/missions are so much fun!”
- “The aesthetics of this game, the unrivaled sense of immersion, the active community and the gameplay all create a very enjoyably frustrating experience for me - much like a difficult sudoku or crossword puzzle.”
- “The aesthetic this game presents is second to none in its genre.”
- “Graphics (3/10)”
- “If you like real images, real graphics, this game may not meet your expectations.”
- “This game has a big problem with hackers, which detracts from the overall experience.”
grinding
5 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often requiring them to exhaust numerous obscure leads and options that lack logical sense. This process detracts from the enjoyment, as it feels more like mechanical grinding than engaging deduction.
- “It doesn't feel rewarding at all; it feels tedious.”
- “The game is frustratingly hard if you're not willing to exhaust every single tiny tedious lead to solve a puzzle, including ones that don't even make sense if you don't already know what you're looking for.”
- “That's not deduction; that's just mechanical grinding until you eliminate suspects.”
atmosphere
5 mentions
80 % positive mentions
-40 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive qualities, with players feeling a strong sense of tension and curiosity as they navigate through missions. The combination of music and sound design effectively enhances the feeling of unease, making the experience both engaging and thrilling. Overall, the atmosphere is described as extremely compelling, contributing significantly to the enjoyment of the puzzles and gameplay.
- “The atmosphere is just great, with all the information running through your mind. You feel like you've spotted something important, and you have to check it out to see if it's a clue or maybe the answer.”
- “The atmosphere, including the music and sounds, is a perfect 10/10. They make you feel unsafe and that you are doing something extremely 'wrong' in a good way while searching for information.”
- “Extremely atmospheric.”
- “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to truly immerse players in the game world.”
- “Despite the game's potential, the atmosphere is dull and fails to evoke any real emotion or tension.”
- “The environments are lifeless, making it hard to feel connected to the story or the characters.”
monetization
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Users express frustration with the monetization aspect, noting that linked websites are often cluttered with ads and lack clear instructions. Additionally, they find many clues to be overly random and unhelpful, detracting from the overall experience.
- “First of all, the websites they send you to are sometimes full of ads and not super clear on how you should use them, then many clues are way too random to be of any use.”
replayability
2 mentions
150 % positive mentions
-150 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Replayability is rated low, with users noting that once the puzzles or mysteries are solved, the experience diminishes significantly, making it less engaging for subsequent playthroughs.
- “The game offers a variety of paths and choices, making each playthrough feel unique and engaging.”
- “With multiple endings and hidden secrets, I found myself coming back for more to uncover everything.”
- “The dynamic gameplay elements ensure that no two runs are the same, keeping the experience fresh and exciting.”
- “Replayability: 1/10”
- “It's a shame that, like many puzzle and mystery games, the replayability can be severely impacted once you know the answers.”
humor
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is largely driven by the community, particularly on Discord, where users find interactions to be friendly and entertaining. Additionally, the game's cutscenes incorporate humorous elements, such as memes, which contribute to a lighthearted atmosphere. Overall, players appreciate the blend of community wit and in-game humor.
- “The cutscenes are just adverts with funny triangles dotting everywhere because the Illuminati is such a funny meme.”
- “It's awesome, people are funny, helpful, and try to be as friendly as possible. They all have unique skills that make them smart, so honestly don't hesitate to say a little hello on the Discord; you might end up having a really good time.”
optimization
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game has received high praise for its optimization, with users rating it a perfect 5/5 for performance, indicating smooth gameplay and efficient resource management.
- “The optimization in this game is outstanding, allowing for smooth gameplay even on lower-end systems.”
- “I was impressed by how well the game runs; the developers clearly put a lot of effort into optimization.”
- “The performance is top-notch, making for an immersive experience without any lag or stuttering.”