The Séance of Blake Manor
Our verdict
8/10
- Difficulty: Medium
- Players: 1
- Playtime: 15–25 h
The Séance of Blake Manor is a supernatural detective mystery set in Connemara, Ireland, in October 1897. As private investigator Declan Ward, you search a remote hotel for a missing guest while a gathering of mystics prepares a séance for All Hallows' Eve. You question over twenty suspects, search their rooms, log evidence in a journal and confront people once you are sure. It suits mystery fans who enjoy a long, atmospheric whodunnit steeped in Irish folklore.
The defining mechanic is the clock: walking is free, but every interaction advances time, and some conversations only happen at set moments. Many reviewers were wary of it and ended up loving it, saying it forces real choices about which leads to chase, and that there is more time than you fear. Players praise the painterly art, the cast's interlocking backstories and the spooky but not scary mood.
The main criticism is that deduction is light: a vocal minority call it a visual novel or walking sim that spells conclusions out for you. Others mention lots of walking and loading between doors, early missable scenes and a cluttered clue tracker. Most players spend 15 to 25 hours. Highly recommended for story-led detective fans; skip it if you want hard, Obra Dinn-style logic.
Pros
- Time ticks only when you act, forcing choices about which leads to chase
- Over twenty suspects with interlocking backstories in an 1897 hotel
- Irish folklore and a spooky but not scary Halloween mood
Cons
- Deduction is light; some call it a visual novel in disguise
- Lots of walking with a loading screen at every door
- Key scenes can be missed early, and clue tracking gets cluttered
About
Ireland, October 29, 1897.
I’ll waste no time, since there’s none for wasting. I write from Blake Manor in Connemara.
Yesterday, a guest went missing – a young woman named Evelyn Deane. The owner and staff carry on as if nothing has happened.
She has not left, of that I am sure.
It is October 29th, 1897, and Private Investigator Declan Ward arrives at Blake Manor to find a missing woman.
What he finds is the Grand Séance and a group of mystics who have gathered from all corners of the world – waiting for All Hallow’s Eve, the night when the veil between worlds is thinnest. The night to tear down the barrier and speak to the dead.
Interview and interrogate your suspects, keep a record of all evidence, motivations, and clues in your journal, and confront them about their motivations when you’re certain of your deductions. Uncover the truth about Blake Manor and the mysterious séance that has brought everyone together.
Navigate Blake Manor's haunted corridors and uncover its secrets as you race against time to save Miss Deane.
Investigate the manor, solve environmental clues and reach the forbidden areas of the hotel…and beyond.
But be careful - each action counts the day down. Be in the right place at the right time to catch critical events pertinent to your investigation. Everyone has their own agendas and schedules – it could truly be a loss to miss out on a quick chat by mistiming your actions. And who knows what hidden secrets lie in wait once you’ve turned in for the night...
Brought to you by the creators of The Darkside Detective and Raw Fury, The Séance of Blake Manor is depicted by a beautiful comic-book art style. Inspired by Irish Mythology and the spiritualist movements of the Victorian era, players are cast into a first-person narrative adventure, blending the supernatural with a classic detective mystery. With its striking cutscenes, compelling narrative and dynamic soundtrack that reacts to the environment around you, Blake Manor and its secrets will leave you on the edge of your seat morning through night.
...I know the West of Ireland might as well be the far side of the world, for its distance from you but there is no one else to turn to.
I hear you are an honourable man, a steadfast investigator. And – perhaps most importantly – godly.
I pray for the girl that this is true...
This game is currently only available in English language.
