The Charnel House Trilogy

66%
Game Brain Score Based on 427 reviews
  • story
  • atmosphere
  • music
The Charnel House Trilogy Game Cover
A superb piece narrative experience that never outstays its welcome, but does leave you wanting more.
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"The Charnel House Trilogy" is a point-and-click horror adventure game that tells the story of Alex Davenport, a private detective who explores a mysterious and dark world. The game is divided into three episodes, each with its own self-contained narrative that adds to the overall plot. Players must uncover the secrets of the Charnel House and its inhabitants while facing psychological horror and atmospheric puzzles.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

66%
Audience ScoreBased on 427 reviews
story150 positive mentions
replayability5 negative mentions
  • Engaging and well-written story that keeps players intrigued throughout.
  • Excellent voice acting and atmospheric music that enhance the overall experience.
  • Unique art style reminiscent of classic point-and-click games, creating a nostalgic feel.
  • Very short gameplay, taking only about 2 hours to complete, which may leave players wanting more.
  • Lacks challenging puzzles, making it feel more like an interactive story than a traditional adventure game.
  • The ending leaves many questions unanswered, feeling more like a setup for a sequel than a complete story.
  • story496 mentions

    The story of "The Charnel House Trilogy" is a compelling yet fragmented narrative that unfolds over three chapters, often leaving players wanting more due to its open-ended nature and unresolved plot threads. While many appreciate its eerie atmosphere and engaging writing, some find the pacing uneven and the conclusion unsatisfying, hinting at a sequel that has yet to materialize. Overall, the game is praised for its strong storytelling and character development, despite criticisms regarding its brevity and lack of challenging gameplay.

    • “A beautifully crafted short horror tale, this trilogy (really, a story in 3 acts) features excellent production values and a tight narrative.”
    • “The story really drew me in.”
    • “The story is engaging and I needed some time to actually grasp the full force of what is behind it.”
    • “The story was crazy and a bit all over the place, in the sense that I was never really quite sure what was going to happen next.”
    • “The story is also very vague, clearly meant to have a sequel, which six years later still hasn't happened.”
    • “The story is short but almost impossible to put down like a good book.”
  • atmosphere97 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its creepiness and immersive qualities, effectively creating a sense of dread and intrigue throughout the experience. Many reviewers highlight the combination of strong visuals, atmospheric music, and engaging storytelling as key elements that enhance the overall mood, making it a compelling choice for fans of horror and narrative-driven games. Despite some criticisms regarding linearity and short length, the game's ability to evoke psychological chills and a haunting ambiance stands out as a significant strength.

    • “With its very creepy atmosphere, the story raises many questions I hope will be answered in the sequel the dev has planned for 2024.”
    • “The atmosphere is awesome, the soundtrack is really nice too, and the voice acting is done very tastefully and with care.”
    • “The chilling atmosphere, the plot, the excellent writing, the little details; all this makes this game a great horror point-and-click adventure!”
    • “It's a super linear, super basic point & click game that relies almost solely on its story and atmosphere.”
    • “Outside of some visuals and general eccentricity, it's easy to forget that this is a horror game until the end, as the atmosphere isn't supported by things being different when you walk into a different room.”
    • “Voice acting, on the other hand, is a mixed bag, with some performances being very good while others sound amateurish, and can on a few occasions pull you out of the game's atmosphere and experience.”
  • music76 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers highlighting its atmospheric, haunting, and immersive qualities. The soundtrack, often described as stellar and well-composed, complements the narrative and voice acting effectively, contributing to the overall emotional impact of the game. However, some users noted occasional technical issues, such as music lagging or repeating, which slightly detracted from the experience.

    • “The soundtrack is stellar and there is some excellent voice acting.”
    • “The music is excellent and helps to underline the angsty atmosphere of the story.”
    • “The soundtrack adds really well to the overall atmosphere.”
    • “There is a bug in the game where the music lags/repeats, like if you are saving the game or going into a new area, but it does fix itself in a few seconds.”
    • “In the later chapter, music tends to turn on and off as you enter different rooms, which is a little bit jarring.”
    • “The story, music, and background art are standout winners even if the lack of puzzles and voice acting gets a little painful.”
  • graphics72 mentions

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a nostalgic pixel art style that pays homage to classic point-and-click adventures, creating a charming and atmospheric experience. While some reviews note that the visuals may appear dated, they are generally well-designed and contribute positively to the game's eerie ambiance. Overall, the pixelated aesthetic is appreciated by fans of retro games, though it may not impress those seeking modern graphical fidelity.

    • “The pixelated graphics aesthetic was a bold choice and a loving nod to classic point and click games of the 90s.”
    • “Beautiful graphics, great voice acting, palpable atmosphere, and intriguing writing.”
    • “The graphics take the form of the classic adventure 2D style and are beautiful and well-crafted for the purposes of this game.”
    • “Overall, it is pixel graphics so don’t expect to be amazed.”
    • “I don't mind pixelated retro graphics on the whole, but the resolution on this game is really poor.”
    • “If the graphics had been better it might have been slightly creepy; as it was, it was just weird and a bit boring.”
  • gameplay58 mentions

    The gameplay is predominantly linear and simplistic, resembling more of an interactive visual novel than a traditional point-and-click adventure, with minimal puzzles and challenges. While some players appreciate the focus on narrative and the short playtime, others find the lack of depth and engagement tedious. Overall, the game is best suited for those who prioritize story over gameplay complexity.

    • “Owl Cave were pretty well aware of point-and-click tropes, and the trilogy plays like a best-hits album of early-2000s point-and-click gameplay, getting in a couple of decent jabs and references at genre classics as they go.”
    • “The gameplay is simple point-and-click, optionally using arrow keys to move your character.”
    • “The simple mechanics and powerful narrative make this a truly enjoyable title with a very attractive price.”
    • “The gameplay is shallow, which is fine as it's obviously not the focus, but instead of adding tension, the puzzles and walking made the game feel tedious when I beat it in just over an hour.”
    • “The gameplay is very railroaded and has practically no challenge of any kind.”
    • “It is not a conventional point-and-click adventure in the sense of presenting a lot of puzzles that need solving; the locations are fairly self-contained and the majority of gameplay consists of walking from one mini-location to another and talking to different characters.”
  • humor11 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it genuinely funny and others criticizing it for being poorly executed and out of place. While there are moments of witty writing and dark humor that resonate well, particularly in the context of the game's spooky elements, the overall delivery suffers from clunky dialogue and inconsistent voice acting. Some players appreciate the absurdity and playful tone, while others feel that the humor detracts from the story's coherence and impact.

    • “Made me laugh out loud a couple of times.”
    • “It's magical, preposterous, and at times hilariously willing to have fun along with the player instead of using the player as a prop for cheap jump scares or gross-out horror.”
    • “I think this is the closest a horror game has got to my tastes; it made me wriggle in my seat in parts, left me curious as to where it was going to turn next, smirking at the turns it did take, and on more than one occasion, left me laughing at some of its more absurd moments.”
  • replayability10 mentions

    Overall, the game has limited replayability, primarily due to its short duration of around three hours and minimal choices that affect the outcome. While there are a few missable achievements that can encourage a second playthrough, most players find that the experience does not warrant repeated runs. The consensus suggests that while it may be enjoyable to complete in one sitting, the lack of significant variations or content reduces its long-term replay value.

    • “It's always a plus when there are missable achievements because it adds some replay value.”
    • “It appears that a few small choices matter here and there, and there may be multiple endings, so I guess there is a replayability factor beyond the three hours it takes to move through the story.”
    • “There is minimal replay value, but sometimes it's good to be able to start and finish a game in a single day.”
    • “Of course, finishing the game naturally feels less satisfying, but I'm glad I finally gave it a run. I wouldn't even be disappointed if I had paid full price, as it may look pricey for a 3-hour game with little replayability.”
    • “It has no replay value, unless you’ve missed out on some achievements, but there are only a few of them that are missable; most are tied to the story.”
    • “It's very short and also pretty unique, but not very replayable.”
  • optimization9 mentions

    The optimization of the game's audio and voice acting is inconsistent, with some performances being strong and engaging, while others suffer from rough sound quality that detracts from the overall experience. Notably, the voice acting varies in quality, with standout performances overshadowed by a few amateurish ones, impacting immersion at times. Overall, while the dialogue and plot are compelling, the audio optimization leaves room for improvement.

    • “The performance of the voice acting is great; however, you can notice that one of the voices has notably worse recording quality.”
    • “There were only a few spots where things could have been better, which had more to do with sound quality than actor performance.”
    • “Voice acting, on the other hand, is a mixed bag with some performances being very good while others sound amateurish, which can occasionally pull you out of the game's atmosphere and experience.”
    • “The audio quality is a bit rough, but the performances themselves are convincing.”
    • “There were only a few spots where things could have been better (which had more to do with sound quality than actor performance).”
  • grinding6 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, with repetitive tasks like walking back and forth detracting from the overall experience. While some appreciate the story, many feel that the lack of engaging puzzles and choices leads to a shallow gameplay experience that can become tiresome. Overall, the balance between narrative depth and gameplay engagement is seen as inconsistent, resulting in a disappointing experience for some.

    • “I had really hoped for more game and less grinding narrative.”
    • “The constant walking up and down three train carriages was just really tedious; the script was not the best and the voice acting was mostly okay, but not great.”
    • “Inconsistent, confusing, with tedious conversations and over-hyped by the voice-acting cast, the charnel house is quite a disappointment.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game receives mixed reviews; while some find the story, characters, and writing to be dull, others praise its immersive quality and dark twists that evoke strong feelings. Those who appreciate horror and drama are likely to find a compelling emotional experience, making it a recommended choice for fans of the genre.

    • “The writing made me feel so immersed!”
    • “If you enjoy dark stories with even darker twists and emotionally complex characters, this game will leave you with a 'what the heck' feeling. I highly recommend it!”
    • “I certainly recommend this game to those who appreciate good horror and drama stories and are searching for a strong emotional experience.”
    • “The story lacks depth, and the characters feel flat and uninteresting.”
    • “The writing is uninspired, making it hard to connect emotionally with the game.”
    • “The dialogue fails to engage, leaving the emotional impact feeling nonexistent.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is criticized for feeling disconnected from the main experience, serving primarily as an atmospheric advertisement for a future title rather than integrating meaningfully into the gameplay.

    • “The second part feels only very loosely connected to the rest of the game and comes off more as an atmospheric advertisement for a game yet to come, rather than a cohesive experience.”
    • “The monetization strategy is frustratingly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend money.”
    • “It seems like the developers prioritize profit over player experience, leading to a game that feels more like a cash grab than a genuine effort.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Overall, users report that the game is stable, with minimal bugs and well-designed puzzles that enhance the gameplay experience.

    • “The game runs smoothly without any bugs, and the puzzles are well-designed.”
    • “I appreciate the stability of the game; it never crashes and always performs reliably.”
    • “The gameplay experience is consistent and stable, making it enjoyable to solve the puzzles.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Reviews indicate that character development in the game is lacking depth, with many players finding it to be superficial and underwhelming.

    • “Character development is paper thin.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

55% average critic score

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Play time

4hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
2-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 12 analyzed playthroughs

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