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In 1793, you arrive at a grand mansion on a secluded, rocky island. Summoned by a mysterious lord, you join a gathering of influential guests, leaders of powerful nations maneuvering for their own agendas. Amidst the political intrigue, the strangest occurrence in the first episode of The Council isn’t the suspicious disappearance of your mother but the anachronistic presence of Goya’s “Saturn Devouring His Son,” a painting not created until 1819-1823. While “magic” and the supernatural are often intertwined in fantasy, The Council – Episode 1: The Mad Ones blends occult mystery with a historical setting, but its intriguing premise is unfortunately marred by significant flaws that hinder the overall experience.

The Council – Episode 1: The Mad Ones – Game Review

A Frustratingly Flawed Dialogue System

You play as Louis de Richet, a Frenchman with a non-French accent and a penchant for verbosity. A member of a secret society that includes his mother, Sarah, and prominent figures like George Washington, Louis’s social graces leave something to be desired. His dialogue often feels forced and unnatural, hindering the narrative’s potential.

The plot itself is rather nebulous. The Council – Episode 1: The Mad Ones primarily focuses on introducing the characters gathered at Lord Mortimer’s mansion, inundating the player with a blend of historical and fictional information delivered through awkward and unfocused dialogue.

While the first episode of any episodic game needs to establish the premise and entice players with mysteries, The Mad Ones does this clumsily. The game’s use of premonitory visions is particularly jarring, lacking both a plausible explanation for their occurrence and appropriate narrative integration.

The Council – Episode 1: The Mad Ones – Game Review

Innovative Gameplay Mechanics, Hampered by Presentation

The dialogue system, both a narrative and gameplay element, is a mixed bag. At the start, you choose one of three specializations for Louis: Diplomat (politics), Occultist (mysticism and religion), or Detective (observation and deduction). Each specialization has five sub-skills upgradeable with points earned throughout the game, unlocking new dialogue options and solutions. Unchosen specializations aren’t locked but start at level zero, allowing for later development.

This is where The Mad Ones shows promise. Each specialization provides advantages in verbal confrontations, with missed clues possible due to lacking specific skills. NPCs react differently to each specialization, a mechanic called “Immunity.” Trying to outmaneuver George Washington or Napoleon Bonaparte politically will likely prove futile.

The game strives for clarity, presenting key choices with distinct outcomes and offering “what if” summaries highlighting potentially missed clues. The Mad Ones embraces its consequence-driven narrative, encouraging replays.

The Council – Episode 1: The Mad Ones – Game Review

Technical Shortcomings Undermine the Experience

Despite innovative gameplay, The Mad Ones suffers from jarring technical issues. The dialogue pacing is frequently interrupted, disrupting the flow and undermining any sense of cinematic immersion. Close-up camera angles, clunky transitions, and poor facial animations further detract from the experience.

While the game allows free movement within confined spaces, it adds little value. Searching for items to boost “Effort” for specialized dialogue options or revealing NPC immunities feels more like busywork than meaningful gameplay.

The Council – Episode 1: The Mad Ones – Game Review

The Council – Episode 1: The Mad Ones – Game Review

Conclusion: Potential Lost in Translation

The Council – Episode 1: The Mad Ones presents a compelling premise and innovative gameplay mechanics. However, its technical shortcomings and awkward narrative execution significantly detract from the overall experience. While the branching narrative and consequence-driven gameplay encourage replayability, the flawed presentation ultimately hinders its potential.