The Council of Hanwell

About

The Council of Hanwell is a single player action adventure game with a horror theme. It was developed by Steel Arts and was released on March 14, 2018. It received neutral reviews from players.

In "The Council of Hanwell," players wake up in a morgue with no memory, tasked to find "The Doctor" while navigating the horrors of Hanwell's Anomalies and the elite. This linear horror experience explores the locations of Welcome to Hanwell, focusing on environmental storytelling and the town's dark secrets. The Council, originally formed to protect residents from Anomalies, is now entangled in corruption and sinister pursuits.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

57%

Audience ScoreBased on 60 reviews

graphics12 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

The game features impressive graphics and a suitably eerie atmosphere that enhances the horror experience.
There are effective jump scares that can genuinely frighten players, contributing to the overall tension.
The storyline, while nonsensical, is easy to follow and the voice acting is decent, adding some depth to the experience.

The combat system is poorly designed, with unclear hit detection and frustrating mechanics that detract from gameplay.
A significant drawback is the lack of a save feature, forcing players to restart levels if they quit mid-episode.
The story is vague and lacks depth, leaving players confused about the plot and their objectives.

story
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
84%
8%
The story of the game is generally considered vague and nonsensical, with many reviewers noting a lack of coherent plot and engaging narrative. While the atmosphere is eerie and the voice acting decent, the linear storytelling approach sacrifices much of the open-world exploration that could have enriched the experience. Overall, players find the storyline underwhelming, though some appreciate the improvements made in the latest version compared to its predecessor.
- “This version gives you all the major story parts and is set up in a more linear experience, but it is a noticeable improvement.”
- “It's been a while since this game was released, but just as 'Council of...' was a noticeable improvement to 'Welcome to...,' I am pretty confident that all they learned will go into 'Hanwell 2.' I'm excited to see what happens, and recommend those interested in the storyline try this version of the original game.”
- “In this to-the-point release, players are ushered through the six 'major' locations of Hanwell; it cuts out all of the open-world elements of its predecessor in lieu of a more linear, story-driven focus.”
- “There is no plot and it is so boring.”
- “The story is also pretty nonsensical and hard to follow, and your motives are bizarre.”
- “Unfortunately, with much of the open-world exploration cut out, so is much of the story.”
graphics
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
27%
6%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise, with many reviewers highlighting their impressive quality and photorealistic elements, comparable to titles like Resident Evil 7 and Outlast. While the visuals contribute significantly to the overall horror experience, some users noted limitations in customizable graphic settings. Overall, the graphics are considered one of the standout features of the game, enhancing its appeal in the horror genre.
- “Graphically, in my opinion it looks very good.”
- “The most impressive thing about the Council of Hanwell is its graphics, which are deeply enjoyable and border the photorealistic quality seen in Resident Evil 7.”
- “This game was an absolute treat; it definitely checks all the boxes I'm looking for in these types of horror survival games, and the visuals are really good too.”
- “Almost comparable to the graphics in Outlast, but not quite the same.”
atmosphere
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
43%
19%
The game's atmosphere is consistently described as eerie and intense, effectively amplifying the horror elements despite a somewhat nonsensical story. While some gameplay aspects can feel repetitive, the sound design and voice acting contribute to a moody ambiance that keeps players engaged and on edge. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature, creating a compelling and immersive experience.
- “While the story is a bit nonsensical, the voice acting is decent, and the atmosphere is suitably eerie.”
- “Game feels a bit unfinished, but still quite atmospheric with good music and voice.”
- “At times it becomes a bit repetitive (the constant collection of passcodes in the research facility seemed over-long and boring), but the atmosphere and sound are done well and there were definitely a few times where, even though I didn't necessarily jump out of my seat, I at least got the thrills I was after.”
- “While this game is not a triple-A title by any means, it does have an intense atmosphere that will leave you on the edge of your seat.”
- “While this is still ultimately the chunk of Welcome to Hanwell, these elements still didn't feel so awful in the bigger release as they were spaced out, and more atmosphere was present.”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The gameplay primarily revolves around finding keys and codes to unlock doors and safes, which can be engaging but is marred by poorly designed mechanics, such as enemies that push players away and a lackluster combat system. While the overall experience is enjoyable, it heavily relies on collection and password retrieval, and the flashlight mechanic has been criticized as unnecessary and frustrating.
- “Gameplay is mostly enjoyable, but all levels require items to be collected and passwords to be gained.”
- “The flashlight mechanic adds an interesting layer to the gameplay experience.”
- “Oh by the way, those enemies could teleport too, which is not that bad, but their ability to push you away is literally a very, very, very badly designed game mechanic because it impedes gameplay.”
- “If there's one thing I hate, it's dumb flashlight mechanics, horror game or not.”
- “The gameplay is finding keys or codes and using them to open doors and safes.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
12%
13%
The music and sound design in the game are generally praised for enhancing the atmosphere, contributing to the overall experience with effective jump scares. However, some players noted that the music can be a bit loud at times, and while the game may feel unfinished, the audio elements remain a highlight.
- “The sound design and music are very nice.”
- “Game feels a bit unfinished, but still quite atmospheric with good music and voice.”
- “Played a little over three hours on the game and enjoyed the jump scares and music.”
- “The music is a bit loud, but other than that, it's worth trying.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is reported to be somewhat buggy, with several game-breaking glitches that need addressing, particularly in the combat system. However, some users feel that the low price of 79 cents justifies the experience, as they still managed to enjoy a few hours of gameplay despite the issues.
- “Improve the combat (which is trash) and fix some of the game-breaking glitches.”
- “It's a bit buggy, but I paid 79 cents for it and got 3 hours out of it.”