2025 has been a year of left-field surprises, and this spooky puzzle game is the latest to receive a ton of positive buzz seemingly out of nowhere. Set in 1897 Ireland, players control an investigator hired to locate a woman who went missing while staying at Blake Manor, a creepy residence turned hotel. Blake Manor is preparing to hold a séance – for what reason, I do not know – and it’s far from the only supernatural occurrence happening during your stay.
If you enjoy unraveling mysteries like Return of the Obra Dinn or the Agatha Christie series, The Séance of Blake Manor may be up your alley. Solving the larger mystery involves combing environments for clues while analyzing and conversing with the Manor’s strange occupants. Unraveling smaller conundrums has been exceptional so far, thanks to fun, inventive puzzles that test your wits in logical, unexpected ways. I also like its approach to time limits, as each interaction spends one minute of an in-game clock; this means 30 interactions burn 30 minutes. This creates a sense of urgency and thoughtfulness to how you poke around, since you often have to act on a schedule; residents move around the hotel during certain times, influencing how you approach your investigations and when.
The Séance of Blake Manor is perfect for Halloween, as it features several overtly creepy moments, including some effective jump scares. I haven’t checked into Blake Manor for long, but I’m a sucker for these types of mystery games; I look forward to sinking my teeth further into this fascinating adventure.