The Horror at Highrook

About

The Horror at Highrook is a single player casual role playing game. It was developed by Nullpointer Games and was released on May 1, 2025. It received very positive reviews from players.

The Horror at Highrook is a cosmic horror adventure where you lead a team of occult investigators searching for a missing noble family. Manage your crew’s skills, health, and hidden ambitions while crafting tools, potions, and dark rituals through eight chapters of twisted, atmospheric storytelling. Face ancient horrors, uncover secrets, and survive relentless, supernatural threats.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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90%

Audience ScoreBased on 374 reviews

story113 positive mentions

replayability11 negative mentions

Engaging narrative with well-developed characters and a captivating Lovecraftian atmosphere.
Streamlined gameplay that is more accessible than similar games like Cultist Simulator, making it easier to follow the story.
Beautiful art style and sound design that enhance the overall experience.

Linear gameplay with limited replayability, as the story is straightforward and lacks significant branching paths.
Some mechanics can feel repetitive, leading to a grind as players complete tasks to progress.
Occasional writing issues and typos that detract from the immersive experience.

story
267 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
56%
2%
The game's story is a mixed bag, with many players finding it engaging yet linear, often relying on familiar Lovecraftian tropes. While some appreciate the well-developed characters and intriguing side quests, others criticize the predictability and lack of depth in character development. Overall, the narrative is described as enjoyable and atmospheric, but it may not offer enough complexity or replayability for seasoned players of the genre.
- “Well-developed characters with their own skills and motivations, and the story kept me invested until the end.”
- “The story is intriguing and keeps you going until the end, and the gameplay loop is addictive even though it gets a bit repetitive after a while.”
- “Great execution of occult investigators fighting back against eldritch threats without the trope of 'we said the name of that one Lovecraft monster you like.' It makes it feel like a story that stands on its own two feet with a cast of characters you want to learn more about.”
- “The threats presented are easily defeated or ignored and the progression of the story feels anticlimactic.”
- “The overall story was solid but the character writing was extremely flat, likely since the only way to expand on the characters was to do their side quests and read their notes.”
- “The story has no mystery or intrigue, no character development.”
gameplay
197 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
65%
7%
The gameplay of "Horror at Highrook" is primarily card-based and reminiscent of "Cultist Simulator," offering a straightforward and accessible experience that emphasizes resource management and narrative progression. While the mechanics are engaging and the atmosphere is well-crafted, many players noted a lack of depth and complexity, leading to a repetitive gameplay loop as the game progresses. Overall, it provides a more relaxed alternative to similar titles, making it suitable for those who prefer a less punishing experience, though some may find it lacking in challenge and variety.
- “Intriguing exploration of a haunted house with fun card-based mechanics.”
- “The gameplay loop is decent, albeit really repetitive towards the later acts.”
- “The deceptively simple time-management gameplay loop of moving characters from task to task while gathering and spending items immediately hooked me, and it only became more engaging as the game added new mechanics and tricks to pass the ever-increasing skill checks with each passing chapter.”
- “There aren't really any hard decisions and the gameplay is straightforward and hard to mess up.”
- “The gameplay was not engaging and did not contribute anything to the good parts; it basically just made me waste time.”
- “The biggest issue with the gameplay is that there is basically no depth to it beyond what I've already described.”
graphics
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
48%
5%
The graphics of the game have received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many players praising the evocative art style that blends gothic, steampunk, and cosmic horror elements. While some found it reminiscent of other titles like Darkest Dungeon, others appreciated its atmospheric quality and readability, contributing to an engaging experience. Overall, the artwork, character design, and aesthetic were highlighted as standout features, enhancing the game's narrative and gameplay.
- “The art style is evocative, managing to come off as 'atmospheric' without sacrificing 'readability'.”
- “It has it all: very fun gameplay (if you like card-based games), intriguing plot and characters, and really impressive graphics.”
- “The artwork and storyline are very well done and a good iteration of the Lovecraftian style.”
- “I didn't like the art style too much, as I think it was too close to Darkest Dungeon, lacking its charm. At times, the game felt too direct, which diminished the ambient and mysticism compared to other titles.”
- “While the art is charming and the overall aesthetic evokes a suitably spooky vibe, this game was ultimately a letdown because it doesn't take any of its elements far enough, resulting in more of a proof of concept than an engaging game.”
- “I'd really like to see this team develop more games in this genre, as there's a lot of promise here, but they should decide whether to focus on a cozy aesthetic experience at a lower price or create a uniquely engaging experience with their mechanics and narrative.”
atmosphere
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
26%
7%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its evocative art style, immersive storytelling, and rich character design, effectively blending elements of cosmic horror with engaging gameplay. Reviewers highlight the haunting yet cozy vibe, complemented by excellent sound and visual effects, making it easy to lose oneself in the experience. While some note that the mechanics may feel repetitive or simplistic, the overall atmosphere remains a standout feature that enhances the enjoyment of the game.
- “The art style is evocative, managing to come off as 'atmospheric' without sacrificing 'readability'.”
- “Really enjoyed, creepy almost cozy game dripping with atmosphere and delicious flavor text, very easy to lose yourself in and generally haunting, great representation of Lovecraftian mythos for a modern audience.”
- “The music, writing, and visuals do an excellent job creating an atmosphere.”
- “While the art, atmosphere, and implementation of the game itself are all excellent, the main mechanics and story of the game feel too 'safe'.”
- “Atmosphere alone makes it a recommendation, but I'd wait for a sale price given the limited hours of engagement.”
- “The real star of the game is its atmosphere, be it sound, art, or story.”
replayability
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
58%
29%
Overall, the game exhibits very low to zero replayability, with most players noting its linear progression and lack of significant choices that would encourage multiple playthroughs. While some optional side quests and minor variations in endings exist, they do not substantially enhance the replay value. Many reviewers enjoyed the experience but expressed disappointment in the limited opportunities for replaying the game.
- “Solid little mystery game, not a lot of replayability since there is a single solution to each chapter as far as I can tell, but if you miss or skip the optional puzzle side quests, you might replay to see those end slides.”
- “It also has some replayability in the form of choices and secondary quests, so probably it will give you more than the almost 8 hours I got from it, but I decided that the story I got will be canon for me and that's how I like it.”
- “Not much replay value, but I had a fantastic time with my single playthrough.”
- “The game doesn't really have a lot of replay value.”
- “As a downside, it lacks replayability.”
- “Little-to-no replayability, and a little bit grindy at times, but I enjoyed the mechanical aspect of it.”
grinding
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is a mixed bag; while some players find it tedious and repetitive, others appreciate the story and overall gameplay experience. Many note that the grinding involves repetitive tasks and resource management, which can become monotonous over time, yet some feel that the lack of punishment for grinding allows for a more relaxed playstyle. Overall, the game is described as somewhat grindy but still enjoyable, particularly for those who appreciate its narrative and mechanics.
- “The actual gameplay was extremely tedious and repetitive.”
- “Speaking of grinding, there's a huge amount of repeating actions over and over and over until you get everything you need.”
- “What starts as a fun way to progress the story, starts to become a tedious memory game of remembering where you need to locate each combination of cards multiple times to conquer an encounter.”
music
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
78%
9%
13%
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its creepy and entrancing qualities that complement the art and storytelling. The soundtrack is described as fitting well within the game's themes, contributing significantly to the overall experience, despite some critiques regarding the game's execution. Overall, the combination of music, art, and sound effects creates a captivating ambiance that many players found enjoyable.
- “The music, art, and storytelling were top-notch with a great, creepy vibe.”
- “The music was also enjoyable and fit the setting.”
- “The artwork is superb, the music is entrancing and always on point.”
- “There are no jump scares, just creepy music, art, and writing.”
- “The sound is okay... there was one track of spooky background music playing in a loop throughout my time playing.”
- “If the board game House of Betrayal was made into a PC game, this wouldn't be it unfortunately. The sound is okay, but there was one track of spooky background music playing in a loop throughout my time playing.”
character development
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
14%
29%
Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while some reviews highlight excellent character design and multidimensional protagonists, others criticize the lack of depth in the story and character arcs. Overall, the visuals and atmosphere contribute positively, but the narrative may not satisfy those seeking significant character growth.
- “The character design is fantastic — both the protagonists and side characters feel fully fleshed out and multidimensional.”
- “Gameplay aside, the atmosphere, writing, and character design are all excellent - especially the latter.”
- “Good visuals though, and decent character development.”
- “The story has no mystery or intrigue, and there is no character development.”
- “However, if you're looking for a tight story-driven game with a fair amount of character development, this is not it.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional impact of the game is largely diminished, as players report a lack of attachment to the characters, resulting in sidequests and their outcomes feeling unfulfilling. While the story is described as wholesome, it fails to evoke significant feelings or connections.
- “A wholesome story that gives you some cards to fiddle with.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is marred by buggy cutscenes and unintuitive inventory management, indicating that while some effort was made in development, it ultimately feels incomplete and suffers from noticeable glitches.
- “Buggy cutscenes and unintuitive inventory management.”
- “The execution shows that it wasn't done to 90%, resulting in some glitches, but it seems like there was some care put into it.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users find the humor in the game to be subtle yet impactful, often revealing its comedic brilliance upon reflection.
- “Like, when you take a moment to think about it, it's very, very funny.”

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10h Median play time

9h Average play time

8-11h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 5 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Horror at Highrook is a casual role playing game.

The Horror at Highrook is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 9 hours playing The Horror at Highrook.

The Horror at Highrook was released on May 1, 2025.

The Horror at Highrook was developed by Nullpointer Games.

The Horror at Highrook has received very positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its replayability.

The Horror at Highrook is a single player game.

Similar games include Roadwarden, Cultist Simulator, SKALD: Against the Black Priory, Call of Cthulhu, BOOK OF HOURS and others.

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