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The Inquisitor

The Inquisitor is a grim yet strangely gripping dark fantasy story, memorable if a little rough around the edges.
63%Game Brain Score
story, graphics
optimization, stability
71% User Score Based on 845 reviews
Critic Score 53%Based on 8 reviews

Platforms

PCPCPlaystation 5Playstation 5WindowsWindowsXbox Series X|SXbox Series X|SPlayStationPlayStationXboxXbox

About

"The Inquisitor" is a role-playing game that puts you in the shoes of Mordimer Madderdin, a zealous servant of the divine tasked with rooting out heresy and corruption in a grim, medieval fantasy world. Through exploration, dialogue, and combat, you will uncover a deep and immersive narrative that challenges your morality and faith. As an Inquisitor, your choices have profound consequences, molding both the world around you and the character you become.

The Inquisitor screenshot
The Inquisitor screenshot
The Inquisitor screenshot
The Inquisitor screenshot
The Inquisitor screenshot
The Inquisitor screenshot
The Inquisitor screenshot
The Inquisitor screenshot
The Inquisitor screenshot
The Inquisitor screenshot

71%
Audience ScoreBased on 250 reviews
story124 positive mentions
optimization22 negative mentions

  • The game features a compelling and darkly intriguing story that captivates players and keeps them engaged throughout.
  • The atmospheric setting and detailed world-building effectively immerse players in a unique alternate history of Christianity.
  • Character interactions and voice acting are generally well-executed, adding depth to the narrative and enhancing the overall experience.
  • The combat system is clunky and unresponsive, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences, especially during boss fights.
  • The game suffers from significant technical issues, including crashes, poor optimization, and outdated graphics that detract from immersion.
  • Player choices often feel inconsequential, with many decisions leading to similar outcomes, undermining the game's narrative potential.
  • story
    271 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is widely praised for its intriguing and dark narrative, set in an alternate medieval world where Jesus did not die on the cross, leading to a gripping exploration of moral dilemmas and complex character interactions. Players appreciate the depth and twists of the plot, which is complemented by a rich atmosphere, although some criticize the gameplay mechanics and technical issues that detract from the overall experience. Despite its flaws, many reviewers recommend the game primarily for its compelling storytelling, likening it to the narrative quality found in titles like The Witcher series.

    • “The gripping story turns all its 'flaws' into merits which add to the experience.”
    • “The storyline is rich with moral dilemmas, constantly forcing you to weigh justice against mercy.”
    • “Compelling narrative: the game's story is its strongest suit, offering a rich, dark fantasy world filled with intrigue and moral ambiguity.”
    • “Without the story, this would be little more than an interesting school project.”
    • “The storytelling didn't grab me like it should have; it was all over the place, and even though there was an amazing environment, it still felt very empty with a lack of content.”
    • “The plot was set before you opened the game, and the choices you are offered either do nothing at all, or decide whether you kill a character when their part in the story is complete.”
  • graphics
    126 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they appear outdated and reminiscent of early 2000s titles, lacking the polish expected in 2024. While some appreciate the detailed environments and art style, particularly in cutscenes, others criticize the poor character animations and overall performance issues, including stuttering and low frame rates. Despite these shortcomings, some players argue that the engaging story compensates for the visual deficiencies, making it a worthwhile experience for those who prioritize narrative over graphics.

    • “The graphical presentation of 'The Inquisitor' is impressive, with detailed environments that beautifully capture the darkness and oppression of the medieval setting.”
    • “I enjoyed the details of the artwork, the city, and the environment.”
    • “Graphically, I think it looks great; not quite as refined as Witcher 3, and the world is zone-based rather than seamlessly open, but still the art direction is pretty sweet.”
    • “Yes, the graphics are trash, and it would be easy to give dozens of examples of games from 2012 that look better.”
    • “The game is certainly rough around the edges: very bad graphics for 2024 standard, bad animation, bad sounds and average music.”
    • “The graphics are bad, lip syncing is completely off, character animations look janky to the point where the game makes me feel sick.”
  • gameplay
    98 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its integration of fantasy and horror elements into the narrative, but criticizing the combat mechanics and overall execution. While some appreciate the depth provided by investigation and decision-making, others find the gameplay simplistic, clunky, and lacking in challenge, which detracts from the overall experience. Ultimately, the game's strong story and atmosphere are overshadowed by its significant gameplay shortcomings, leading to a recommendation primarily based on narrative rather than gameplay quality.

    • “Depth in gameplay: the mix of combat, investigation, and decision-making provides a varied gaming experience that challenges both your reflexes and intellect.”
    • “It offers a deep narrative, challenging gameplay, and a beautifully crafted world that will stay with you long after you've finished playing.”
    • “Setting, atmosphere, story, and some gameplay elements are amazing.”
    • “The inquisitor manages, hands down, to supply the first 5 ranks of the worst gameplay segments in my life.”
    • “Unfortunately, the flaws in the gameplay kill the inquisitor's replayability.”
    • “To sum everything up: this game has an amazing story and catches the atmosphere perfectly, but story alone is not enough to make up for such terrible gameplay.”
  • optimization
    63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players reporting significant performance issues, including inconsistent frame rates and frequent stuttering, even on high-end hardware. Many users noted that despite attempts to adjust settings, performance remained poor, often requiring compromises like ultra-performance scaling to achieve playable frame rates. Overall, the game's technical shortcomings detract from its otherwise engaging narrative and world-building, leading to frustration among players.

    • “The optimization has become better, but there are still problems.”
    • “Performance-wise, I have no major complaints, but I'm playing on a decent machine (i9-12900f/3080ti) and I'm using a 60 fps cap.”
    • “However, the game is somehow extraordinarily poorly optimized; I get between 45 to a maximum of 65 fps regardless of settings. It doesn't matter if I'm on 2K, 4K, or 8K, comparing this to Starfield where I have over 160 fps on 4K maxed out.”
    • “This is one of the jankiest, most broken, most unoptimized games I've ever played.”
    • “Technical troubles: a plague of technical bugs and performance issues frequently undermines the immersion and can frustrate efforts to progress.”
  • atmosphere
    59 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its dark, immersive world reminiscent of the original Witcher, featuring strong lore and engaging sound design that enhances the tension. While the visuals may lack modern polish, the setting and mood effectively transport players into a medieval dystopia filled with intriguing narratives and memorable characters. However, some players note that the gameplay can feel restrictive, reducing interaction and exploration within this atmospheric environment.

    • “The sound design is atmospheric, heightening the tension, with a soundtrack that perfectly complements the game's ominous and sometimes eerie ambiance.”
    • “Atmospheric setting: the medieval dystopia coupled with the otherworldly unworld provides a backdrop that is both visually and thematically engaging.”
    • “But, if your priority is story and the atmosphere of an original and intriguing dark world - then I would definitely recommend this!”
    • “You can't talk to anyone, you can't pick up random stuff, you can't open doors you like... people are like walls, and it's just a walking simulator from point A to point B, looking at the fascinating and well-done atmosphere but where you can't interact with anything.”
    • “[dated visuals, clunky animations, weightless combat, too much hand-holding, confused plot, forgettable characters, lack of challenge and atmosphere]”
    • “Really moody atmosphere.”
  • music
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its atmospheric quality that enhances the overall tension and complements the game's eerie ambiance. While some describe the soundtracks as average or fitting but not exceptional, others highlight the medieval mood and consider the music to be extremely good. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a positive aspect, contributing to the game's immersive experience.

    • “The sound design is atmospheric, heightening the tension, with a soundtrack that perfectly complements the game's ominous and sometimes eerie ambiance.”
    • “Soundtrack is awesome.”
    • “Music is extremely good.”
    • “The game is certainly rough around the edges: very bad graphics for 2024 standards, bad animation, bad sounds, and average music.”
    • “The music is just average and doesn't stand out in any way.”
    • “The soundtrack feels uninspired and fails to enhance the overall experience.”
  • stability
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is marred by random crashes and bugs that can disrupt the gaming experience, though these issues are somewhat mitigated by an engaging story and strong voice acting. Players report occasional stuttering, graphical glitches, and frame drops, with minor hiccups occurring every few minutes, but none of these issues are deemed game-breaking. Overall, while the game is fun, it suffers from poor optimization and stability concerns.

    • “Random crashes can ruin your game experience. As Jesus said, if anyone slaps you on the right cheek with a crash or bug, turn to them the other cheek also. (In modern gaming, we are sadly used to this... hello modern buggy games.)”
    • “The game itself is fun; however, it is poorly optimized, with sudden frame drops and a few glitches.”
    • “There were some glitches when it came to combat, and occasionally when you would AFK for a long time and return to the game, there was stuttering or graphical glitches.”
  • humor
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's humor is a mix of intentional and unintentional elements, with a darkly comedic tone that resonates through its absurd scenarios and quirky characters. Players appreciate the blend of grimdark themes and the protagonist's personality, which adds depth to the humor, though some find it can become repetitive. Overall, the game successfully balances its comedic moments with a serious narrative, making it both entertaining and engaging.

    • “Grimdark, unintentionally funny sometimes, intentionally funny other times, with a no-nonsense protagonist with just enough real personality to make you believe his motivations, which include visiting an 'unworld' to find clues for some baffling reason, then chasing down crazy people wearing masks to torture and/or politely ask them questions.”
    • “I was introduced to this game in a rather funny way - through its trailer on YouTube where people were commenting 'it's one of the games of all time'/'best PS2 game of all time' etc. That, along with the hilarious puppet show in the trailer where Jesus breaks free from the cross, made me wishlist the game because I thought it'd be a good joke.”
    • “I still found the whole thing funny, but something really drew me to this game this time.”
  • replayability
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers high replayability due to its numerous choices and consequences, allowing players to experience different outcomes with each playthrough. However, some reviewers note that gameplay flaws can diminish this replay value.

    • “Every choice you make has consequences, providing a high level of replayability.”
    • “High replayability: with numerous choices and consequences, you can play the game multiple times and have a different experience each time.”
    • “Unfortunately, the flaws in the gameplay kill the inquisitor's replayability.”
  • grinding
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly when navigating the unworld, a dark realm that becomes repetitive due to poor AI. However, many appreciate the absence of gear grinding, as the focus remains on the seamless progression of main quests.

    • “Every decisive moment in the plot pushes you into the unworld, a dark, twisted realm Mordimer can enter by praying, and oh boy, does this become slightly tedious.”
    • “Turns out, legging it like the legendary Greek messenger due to dramatically poor AI makes for a slightly less tedious unworld.”
    • “Huge plus for me was that no gear grinding, just the pure flow of main quests chaining into each other.”
  • emotional
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players report a deeply immersive emotional experience in the game, feeling like an inquisitor navigating a grim and morally complex medieval world. The interactions with the environment and characters, along with the uncovering of dark themes such as bigotry and deception, evoke a strong sense of despair and intrigue, making the narrative feel both engaging and haunting.

    • “Walking around the dirty streets of Koenigstein, talking to its people while working on the given case, learning about their degeneracy through the collectible notes, writing journal entries, and gradually unraveling the mystery - all of it absorbed me into the game and really made me feel like an inquisitor in an alternate medieval period that's equally gruesome and sleazy, where bigotry, deception, and prejudice are so normal that one would think it's devoid of all hope.”
  • character development
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development is highly praised, with reviewers noting that it is intricately woven into the story and setting, contributing to an overall immersive atmosphere.

    • “The story, the setting, the character development, the atmosphere, they're all amazing.”

Buy The Inquisitor

8h Median play time
6h Average play time
2-10h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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