The Charnel House Trilogy

About

The Charnel House Trilogy is a single player action game with horror and mystery themes. It was developed by Owl Cave and was released on April 16, 2015. It received neutral reviews from critics and mostly positive reviews from players.

"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.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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79%

Audience ScoreBased on 514 reviews

story185 positive mentions

replayability6 negative mentions

The game features a haunting atmosphere and compelling storytelling that keeps players engaged throughout its short runtime.
The pixel art style and sound design effectively evoke feelings of isolation and dread, enhancing the overall experience.
The voice acting is generally well done, with standout performances that add depth to the characters.

The game is very short, lasting only about 2-3 hours, which may leave players wanting more content.
Puzzles are minimal and often too easy, leading to a lack of challenge and engagement in gameplay.
The narrative leaves many questions unanswered, ending on a cliffhanger that may frustrate players seeking closure.

story
616 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
68%
2%
The Charnel House Trilogy offers a haunting and atmospheric narrative that intertwines themes of loss, guilt, and the supernatural across three interconnected chapters. While the story is rich with symbolism and psychological depth, it leaves many questions unanswered, resulting in a sense of incompleteness that may frustrate some players. Despite its brevity and minimal puzzle elements, the game is praised for its compelling storytelling and immersive atmosphere, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of narrative-driven horror.
- “The Charnel House Trilogy, developed and published by Owl Cave, is a haunting point-and-click adventure that merges psychological horror with atmospheric storytelling in a short but unforgettable experience.”
- “Released in 2015, it is presented as a trilogy of interconnected chapters—'Inhale,' 'Sepulchre,' and 'Exhale'—that together tell a story about loss, guilt, and the unsettling spaces between life and death.”
- “The story unfolds across three interconnected chapters, following characters on a seemingly ordinary train journey that quickly takes a dark and disturbing turn.”
- “Boring, incoherent story with no real answers.”
- “The story is also very vague, clearly meant to have a sequel, which six years later still hasn't happened.”
- “The story is short and gives few details; yet there is something good here conceptually they have constructed which could flourish if nurtured properly.”
atmosphere
119 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
42%
3%
The atmosphere of *The Charnel House Trilogy* is widely praised for its haunting and immersive qualities, effectively blending psychological horror with a compelling narrative. The game's pixel art and ambient soundtrack contribute significantly to its unsettling ambiance, creating a sense of dread and emotional unease that captivates players throughout the experience. While the gameplay is minimal, the focus on atmosphere and storytelling resonates strongly, making it a memorable title for fans of atmospheric horror.
- “The narrative works not because it offers resolution, but because it evokes an atmosphere of creeping dread and emotional unease.”
- “With its pixel-art aesthetic and unsettling atmosphere, the game immediately draws you into its mysterious, psychological narrative.”
- “The atmosphere is awesome, the soundtrack is really nice too, and the voice acting is done very tastefully and with care.”
- “While gameplay is minimal, the emphasis on storytelling and atmosphere makes up for it.”
- “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.”
- “The charnel house trilogy can be called a horror game by its oppressive atmosphere and well-crafted script.”
music
100 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
40%
3%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers praising its beautiful, atmospheric soundtracks that effectively complement the game's melancholic and mysterious themes. The piano melodies and ambient tracks create a deeply immersive experience, while the voice acting is also noted as a strong point. However, some users mentioned occasional technical issues, such as music lagging or repeating, which slightly detracted from the overall experience.
- “The soundtrack is fantastic, with piano melodies and gripping choirs that 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, blending seamlessly into the background while also being prominent when needed.”
- “And 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.”
- “The story, music, and background art are standout winners even if the lack of puzzles and voice acting get a little painful.”
graphics
89 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
59%
3%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a nostalgic pixel-art style that effectively evokes a sense of isolation and claustrophobia, drawing players into its psychological narrative. While some reviews note that the visuals may appear dated, they are generally praised for their atmospheric quality and attention to detail, enhancing the overall experience. The art style is reminiscent of classic point-and-click games, appealing to fans of retro aesthetics, though some players feel the graphics could benefit from modern updates.
- “With its pixel-art aesthetic and unsettling atmosphere, the game immediately draws you into its mysterious, psychological narrative.”
- “There is a lot of care put into its visuals, with impeccable atmosphere and nice sprite work, with Alex’s body language in the cold, or 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 90's.”
- “Overall, it is pixel graphics so don’t expect to be amazed.”
- “I couldn't find a way to make the play screen smaller and the graphics better, so it just looked like a blocky mess of pixels.”
- “If the graphics had been better it might have been slightly creepy; as it was, it was just weird and a bit boring.”
gameplay
79 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
82%
4%
The gameplay across the reviewed titles is characterized by minimalistic mechanics, often prioritizing narrative and atmosphere over complexity and challenge. Many players noted that the gameplay feels more like an interactive story or visual novel, with simplistic puzzles and linear progression that can lead to a sense of tedium. While some appreciate the focus on storytelling, others find the lack of engaging gameplay elements disappointing, resulting in a short experience that may not satisfy those seeking a more traditional adventure game challenge.
- “Owl Cave uses minimalistic mechanics and a strong sense of mood to craft an experience that lingers long after it ends, despite its brevity and simplicity.”
- “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 very railroaded and has practically no challenge of any kind.”
- “On the other hand, the gameplay sadly is only functional to the story and not much else; the puzzles are easy and even novices of the genre will probably never find them challenging or get stuck.”
humor
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its witty and absurd moments, while others find the tonal shifts between humor and horror jarring. The dialogue often oscillates between naturalistic and cryptic, with some lines eliciting genuine laughter, though the delivery can suffer from flat voice acting. Overall, while the humor adds charm and a unique flavor to the experience, it can feel out of place and detract from the game's darker themes.
- “Made me laugh out loud a couple of times.”
- “A very nice mix of funny writing, mystery, and spooky stuff.”
- “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.”
replayability
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
31%
46%
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 the lack of significant variation in gameplay and endings 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 maybe a few small choices matter here or there, and that there may be multiple endings, so I guess there is a replayability factor past 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.”
optimization
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
37%
18%
The optimization of the game is generally solid, with immersive voice acting that enhances the nightmarish atmosphere, though the audio quality varies, leading to some performances feeling amateurish. While most voice performances are convincing, a few instances of rough sound quality detract from the overall experience. Despite minor hiccups, the game's presentation effectively captivates players, leaving them eager for future installments.
- “The charnel house trilogy comes together quite nicely; though there are some performance hiccups and a slow start, this indie smash horror hits a home run that will 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.”
- “There were only a few spots where things could have been better, which had more to do with sound quality than actor performance.”
- “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).”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
90%
30%
The emotional aspect of the game is polarizing; while some players appreciate its ability to evoke a sense of dread and nostalgia through its narrative structure and immersive writing, others find the story and characters lacking depth and engagement. The game is particularly recommended for those who enjoy dark themes and emotional turmoil, as it explores complex feelings like heartbreak and unease, though it may leave some players wanting more resolution.
- “The narrative works not because it offers resolution, but because it evokes an atmosphere of creeping dread and emotional unease.”
- “Each chapter functions like a short story, and while they share a setting and overarching mystery, each has its own rhythm and emotional focus.”
- “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, and the characters feel flat and uninteresting.”
- “The writing is uninspired, making it hard to connect emotionally with the narrative.”
- “The dialogue fails to engage, leaving the emotional impact of the game feeling nonexistent.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to repetitive tasks like walking back and forth between train carriages and a lack of engaging puzzles. While the story is appreciated, the overall gameplay feels shallow and can lead to a sense of frustration rather than tension, making the experience less enjoyable.
- “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 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.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game is notably shallow, primarily due to its short duration of only two to three hours, which restricts the opportunity for deeper world-building and character exploration.
- “The brevity of the game—lasting only two to three hours—also limits the depth of its world-building and character development.”
- “Character development is paper thin.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
50%
Overall, the game is considered stable with minimal bugs and well-designed puzzles. However, users have noted a lack of variable resolution options and a significant issue with sound artifacts and looping glitches when alt-tabbing, particularly due to the absence of a mute option during focus loss.
- “The game runs smoothly without any bugs, and the puzzles are well-designed.”
- “I appreciate the stability of the game; it never crashes and keeps the experience enjoyable.”
- “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.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The monetization aspect of the game is criticized for feeling disconnected from the main experience, serving primarily as a promotional tool for future titles rather than enhancing 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 complete experience.”
- “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as it prioritizes profit over player enjoyment.”
- “I found the in-game purchases to be overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”

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55%Critics’ scoreBased on 9 critic reviews

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4h Median play time

6h Average play time

2-7h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 15 analyzed playthroughs

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The Charnel House Trilogy is a action game with horror and mystery themes.

The Charnel House Trilogy is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 6 hours playing The Charnel House Trilogy.

The Charnel House Trilogy was released on April 16, 2015.

The Charnel House Trilogy was developed by Owl Cave.

The Charnel House Trilogy has received neutral reviews from players and neutral reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its replayability.

The Charnel House Trilogy is a single player game.

Similar games include Kathy Rain, The Last Door: Complete Edition, Belladonna, The Last Door: Season 2 - Collector's Edition, Stories Untold and others.

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