The Seance of Blake Manor places Detective Ward in an 1890s Irish mansion to investigate the disappearance of Evelyn Deane two nights before a seance. Mystics from across the globe gather to attempt contact with the dead on All Hallows' Eve while a shadowy figure and multiple secrets complicate the case. Gameplay requires time-sensitive exploration, interviewing guests, solving object-manipulation and password puzzles, and occupying specific locations at precise moments to gather evidence. The experience emphasizes gothic and folk horror atmospherics, creeping dread, and a backdrop of Irish mythology, pagan beliefs, and ghost-story traditions.
Think of it as gothic or folk horror, says narrative lead Dave McCabe. It's that creeping dread that you're in a place you shouldn't be and every step you take isn't safe. Time ticks down as you explore the house and talk to each of the guests, so you need to work hard to figure out what's happening. Sometimes you'll need to solve puzzles by moving objects or finding hidden passwords.
We picked one key point in Irish mythology for the setup of our story, says Paul Conway, lead artist and CEO of developer Spooky Doorway. It's why this particular place is the nexus of ancient magic and supernatural events, but I can't say what it is without revealing too much! We definitely touch on a lot of Irish mythology, pagan beliefs and ghost stories, McCabe adds. While those aspects don't always directly affect the story, that otherworldly presence lingers in the background.
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