My next title on the Steam NextFest repertoire is Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream. It’s a beautiful stealth game viewed from an isometric viewpoint. The premise and setting reminds me of A Plague Tale: Requiem, but with a brother sidekick that isn’t the bearer of rat demons – yet. The visuals and the story are very charming, and detailed. But what about the gameplay?
Stealth
The stealth is rudimentary, but mechanically functional. I wouldn’t say it’s anything super special, compared to similar games in the top-down stealth genre. What makes it enjoyable though is the focus on the narrative, which remains when you are sneaking around too. The guards talk realistically about events going on around them, and I found the presentation very high here. It certainly helped the good old immersion factor, instead of having officers doing nothing, except being an obstacle.
Another thing that marks Eriksholm as something distinct, is the very pretty environment. It’s based on Scandinavian architecture, and I can’t help but find this extra charming, being from Sweden myself. The game also has quality cut-scenes for important happenings. All in all, the production value is top-notch, probably in line with big budget titles from the time when these kinds of games were more mainstream.
I should mention that I played with a controller. While you can play with mouse and keyboard too, I found it more involved, as with a controller, you control Hanna directly, instead of clicking where she should go. It added a layer of tension to the skulking.
If you want to try out a charming top-down sneaking game, with an intriguing story, I recommend giving Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream a go. The demo lasts until the 16th June. The game is set for release in four weeks, according to Steam.
Thanks for reading.
/Thomas
Tom's Gaming Vault 