The Charnel House Trilogy

79%
Game Brain Score Based on 504 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

79%
Audience ScoreBased on 504 reviews
story183 positive mentions
replayability6 negative mentions
  • Engaging and creepy story that keeps players intrigued throughout.
  • Strong voice acting and atmospheric music enhance the overall experience.
  • Beautiful pixel art style that complements the game's horror theme.
  • Very short gameplay, taking only about 2 hours to complete.
  • Lacks challenging puzzles, making it feel more like an interactive story than a game.
  • Ends on a cliffhanger, leaving many plot points unresolved.
  • story601 mentions

    The story of "The Charnel House Trilogy" is a compelling yet fragmented narrative that unfolds over three chapters, blending elements of horror and psychological intrigue. While many players appreciate its eerie atmosphere and strong voice acting, they also note that the story feels incomplete, leaving numerous plot threads unresolved and setting the stage for a potential sequel that has yet to materialize. Overall, the game is praised for its engaging storytelling, though some find the pacing uneven and the lack of challenging puzzles detracts from the experience.

    • “The charnel house trilogy is a wonderfully written and well-crafted story that hooked me from the beginning.”
    • “The story is engaging and I needed some time to actually grasp the full force of what is behind it.”
    • “The story is creepy but interesting.”
    • “Boring, incoherent story with no real answers.”
    • “The story is also very vague, clearly meant to have a sequel, which 6 years later still hasn't happened.”
    • “The story is kind of unfinished.”
  • atmosphere111 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and chilling qualities, enhanced by excellent visuals, sound design, and character interactions. Reviewers note a strong sense of dread and intrigue, with many highlighting the game's ability to evoke a creepy, surreal environment without relying on jump scares. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature, making it a compelling experience for fans of horror and narrative-driven adventures.

    • “The atmosphere was fantastic.”
    • “Incredibly atmospheric game.”
    • “The atmosphere is awesome, the soundtrack is really nice too, and the voice acting is done very tastefully and with care.”
    • “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.”
  • music96 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, with many reviewers highlighting the haunting piano melodies and ambient soundscapes that enhance the overall experience. The soundtrack effectively complements the narrative, setting the mood for both suspenseful and emotional moments, while the voice acting is also praised for its quality. However, some users noted occasional technical issues, such as music lagging or repeating, which slightly detracted from the experience.

    • “The soundtrack is fantastic, the piano melodies and gripping choirs enhance the mystery along with the changes in lighting throughout the story.”
    • “The music is excellent and helps to underline the angsty atmosphere of the story.”
    • “The soundtrack adds really well to the overall atmosphere.”
    • “There are only four things to dislike; one is 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.”
    • “A few sound effects seem off, and in the later chapter, music tends to turn on and off as you enter different rooms, which is a little bit jarring.”
    • “Had some promise, decent art, decent music, bad voice acting (pity), interesting-ish plot.”
  • graphics86 mentions

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a nostalgic pixel art style that pays homage to classic point-and-click adventures, featuring well-crafted visuals that enhance the atmospheric experience. While some reviewers noted that the graphics may appear dated, they generally praised the art design and its ability to evoke a compelling horror ambiance. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point, effectively complementing the game's storytelling and voice acting.

    • “There is a lot of care put into its visuals, with impeccable atmosphere and nice sprite work. Alex's body language in the cold and how the characters interact with the world around them is fluid and quite enjoyable.”
    • “The pixelated graphics aesthetic was a bold choice and a loving nod to classic point-and-click games of the 90s.”
    • “The art style is beautiful and definitely one of the more recent examples of pixel art done right.”
    • “Overall it is pixel graphics so don’t expect to be amazed.”
    • “I tried but sorry I can't even... bad 1980's pixel graphics on a 24" screen makes my eyes hurt.”
    • “If the graphics had been better it might have been slightly creepy; as it was, it was just weird and a bit boring.”
  • gameplay78 mentions

    The gameplay is largely described as simplistic and minimal, often feeling more like an interactive story than a traditional point-and-click adventure, with many reviewers noting a lack of challenging puzzles and a short playtime of around 1-2 hours. While some appreciate the focus on narrative and character development, others find the gameplay tedious and lacking in engagement, with a heavy emphasis on dialogue over interactive elements. Overall, the game appeals to those who enjoy linear storytelling but may disappoint players seeking a more complex gameplay experience.

    • “Owl Cave was 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.”
    • “Captivating plot and a nicely fluent gameplay even for casual adventure gamers such as me.”
    • “The simple mechanics and powerful narrative make this a truly enjoyable title with a very attractive price.”
    • “The gameplay and puzzles are quite simplistic, somewhat even dull, and feel more like roadblocks than something that is supposed to keep the player engaged.”
    • “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.”
  • replayability13 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 lack of significant variation in the story diminishes the incentive to replay. Despite its engaging storyline, many reviewers suggest that the game may not justify its price for those seeking extensive replay value.

    • “It's always a plus when there are missable achievements because it does add some replay value.”
    • “It appears that a few small choices matter here and there, and there may be multiple endings, so there is a replayability factor beyond the three hours it takes to move through the story.”
    • “Although short, the first two parts of this game are playable enough to keep you wanting more.”
    • “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.”
  • humor13 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it genuinely funny and charming, while others criticize the clunky dialogue and poor voice acting. Many appreciate the blend of dark humor and absurdity, which adds a unique layer to the otherwise incomplete story, though some feel that the humor often feels out of place or detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the game manages to evoke laughter through its quirky writing and unexpected moments, despite its narrative shortcomings.

    • “Made me laugh out loud a couple of times.”
    • “While the game may lack in puzzle depth, it makes up for it with the detail of its interactive fiction and the charm of its humor.”
    • “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.”
  • optimization10 mentions

    The optimization of the game is generally solid, with most voice performances being convincing and engaging, though there are notable inconsistencies in audio quality that can detract from the experience. While the dialogue and plot are intriguing, some voice acting feels amateurish, which may pull players out of the atmosphere at times. Overall, despite minor performance hiccups, the game successfully captivates players and leaves them eager for future installments.

    • “The charnel house trilogy comes together quite nicely; though some performance hiccups and a slow start, this indie smash horror hits a home run that’ll leave you curious for the next game in the series, and with a very creepy ending… you can bet there will be more.”
    • “The performance of the voice acting is great; however, you can notice that one of the voices has notably worse recording quality.”
    • “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.”
  • emotional8 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is polarizing; while some find the story and characters boring and lacking depth, others appreciate its psychological horror elements and immersive writing that evoke strong feelings. The narrative explores themes of mental and emotional turmoil, particularly through the protagonist's recovery from a breakup, appealing to those who enjoy dark stories with unexpected twists and a profound emotional impact. Overall, it is recommended for players seeking a strong emotional experience within a horror and drama context.

    • “A psychological horror in its original sense - about the mental, emotional, and psychological state of its characters - so there are no vile, deformed scary monsters in here.”
    • “And the writing made me feel so immersed!”
    • “Overall, I certainly recommend this game to those who like good horror and drama stories and are searching for a strong emotional shake.”
    • “The story lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters on any emotional level.”
    • “The writing feels uninspired, resulting in dialogues that fail to evoke any real feelings.”
    • “Overall, the emotional impact is minimal due to the dull narrative and flat character development.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to repetitive tasks like walking back and forth between train carriages. While the gameplay is generally shallow and lacks depth in puzzles, the engaging story helps mitigate some of the tedium, preventing the experience from becoming overly frustrating. Overall, the balance between mystery and clarity in the narrative is crucial to maintaining player interest.

    • “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.”
    • “In a story like this, if too much is left unknown for too long, things tend to become overly abstract and tedious; but if the story explains too much, the 'magic' of not knowing is gone and things start to feel artificial.”
    • “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.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Overall, the game is considered stable with minimal bugs and well-designed puzzles. However, users have noted the lack of a mute option during focus loss, which can lead to sound artifacts and glitches when alt-tabbing. Variable resolution settings would also be a welcome addition.

    • “The game runs smoothly without any bugs, and the puzzles are well-designed.”
    • “I appreciate the stability of the game; it never crashes and provides a seamless experience.”
    • “The gameplay is consistently stable, allowing me to focus on solving the puzzles without interruptions.”
    • “Variable resolutions would be appreciated, but my main complaint lies in that there is no option to mute sound on focus loss — resulting in rare sound artifacts and looping glitches while tabbed out if you happen to alt+tab at an inopportune time.”
  • 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 is only very loosely connected to the rest of the game and feels more like an atmospheric advertisement for a game yet to come, rather than a cohesive experience.”
    • “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, prioritizing profit over player enjoyment.”
    • “It's frustrating to see essential features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to fully enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
  • 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.”
    • “The characters lack depth and fail to evolve throughout the game.”
    • “I found the character arcs to be predictable and unengaging.”
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
2-7hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 15 analyzed playthroughs

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