The Council (video game)

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The Council is a 2018 episodic mystery adventure RPG created by Big Bad Wolf and published by Focus Home Interactive. It was released in five parts from March 13 to December 4, 2018, for Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The game is single-player.

Story and setting
Set in 1793, you follow Louis de Richet, who is searching for his missing mother, Sarah, the head of a secret society called the Golden Order. Louis travels to a remote island off the English coast where powerful leaders from Europe and the United States have gathered for a mysterious purpose. The game mixes fictional characters with real historical figures like George Washington, Napoleon, and Manuel Godoy, and uses real paintings, books, and sculptures to shape its puzzles and world.

Gameplay
The Council combines narrative storytelling with RPG elements. Players choose one of three classes: Diplomat (focus on etiquette and politics), Occultist (science and occult knowledge), or Detective (investigation and psychology). Each class has its own skills, and the game features 15 skills, 44 talents, and 20 traits that affect how you interact with people and the world. Experience points level up your character and improve skills. Talents give permanent bonuses, and some are unlocked by leveling up, completing actions, or using clues from the journal. Traits are permanent, sometimes hidden, effects that change how others react to you.

Prologue and plot twists
In the prologue, Louis and his mother are captured after stealing a book called Al-Azif. When Louis is summoned to Lord Mortimer’s manor, secrets about Mortimer’s influence over world leaders begin to unfold.

Reception
The Council received mixed to positive reviews. Metacritic scores are around 67 for PC and 74 for PS4. Critics praised the ambitious story, setting, and character depth, while criticizing graphics, character animation, and some technical issues. Reviewers also highlighted the game’s intelligent narrative and its meaningful choices, though some pointed to pacing problems and the ending.