The Stone of Madness – A Tactical Stealth Game from the Creators of the Blasphemous Series

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• Developer: The Game Kitchen
• Publisher: Tripwire Presents
• Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch
• Genre: Stealth / Narrative
• Release Date: January 28, 2024
• Initial Price: 28.99€
• Reviewed Version: PC

The Stone of Madness is a real-time tactical stealth game developed by the studio behind the Blasphemous series. Set in an 18th-century Spanish monastery hidden deep within the Pyrenees, the game blends a dark atmosphere with a unique combination of stealth, strategy, and psychological horror. You take control of five prisoners, each with their own fears and skills. Their goal is to escape the monastery together, explore its dark secrets, and confront their own madness.

It is a solid and visually striking game that offers a fresh take on the stealth genre. However, there are certain drawbacks and imbalances that prevent it from reaching top-tier status. Numerous bugs are also present, such as issues with clipping through textures, strange running animations, and cutscenes that can unexpectedly return you to the same spot. Despite its flaws, The Stone of Madness provides a unique experience that will appeal to fans of stealth and strategy games, even as it tests their patience.

A Linear Story You Can Influence

One of the game’s strongest aspects is its setting. The monastery is a vast, creepy location filled with secrets, danger, and a sense of unease. It’s not just a backdrop, but a character in itself, with its labyrinthine corridors, hidden passages, and a changing layout that reflects the progression of the story. The pre-rendered animated scenes are beautifully crafted, featuring a hand-drawn aesthetic that includes visible pencil marks, further emphasizing the game’s unique visual style.

The story is impressive and solid, with each of the five prisoners having their own backstory and personality. A nice detail is the way NPCs react differently depending on which character you are controlling, adding extra depth to the interactions. Themes of madness, fear, and survival are woven throughout the narrative, making the monastery feel like a living, breathing place where every corner hides a new threat or discovery.

However, there is a distinct feeling that the story could have been written more effectively. The characters speak stiffly, often explaining things more for the player than through natural dialogue. This makes it difficult to connect with the characters you are controlling. Although the game offers two scenarios with different outcomes and 25 hours of content, the narrative lacks depth and fails to fully explore the potential of its dark atmosphere.

The World is Semi-Open, But You Have a Chance to Explore Your Own Way

The Stone of Madness stands out within the stealth genre due to its free, open world structure, which is rare for this type of game. Instead of being divided into levels, the game unfolds through day and night cycles. During the day, you have 15 to 20 minutes to explore, complete tasks, and make progress. At night, you can heal, craft items, and choose three characters to take with you the next day. This system creates a sense of urgency and forces you to plan carefully, as time is always working against you. However, going out at night triggers the appearance of ghosts that will try to catch you and negatively impact your sanity.

Each character possesses unique skills crucial for progressing through the game. Alfredo can distract guards with sermons, heal allies, and disguise himself as a priest to enter forbidden areas. Leonora is a combat specialist, capable of disabling or killing guards, picking locks, and using firearms. Eduardo is the group’s physical powerhouse, able to move heavy objects and knock out enemies with chains. Agnes, the witch, can cast spells to manipulate fire, predict the contents of chests, and summon swarms of flies to dispose of bodies. Finally, Amelia serves as the scout, able to crawl through narrow tunnels and set traps.

Managing the characters’ psychological state is a crucial aspect of the gameplay. Each character has specific fears: Alfredo cannot be near dead bodies, Eduardo is afraid of the dark, Amelia is terrified of stone gargoyles, and so on. If their sanity drops too low, they will develop new problems, such as arthritis or a tendency toward self-harm, adding an extra layer of challenge. There are other interesting mechanics, for example, Eduardo is mute and cannot perform tasks that require speaking, while some characters cannot read.

Stealth Mechanics Are Fun, But Have Their Flaws

The gameplay is based on stealth mechanics, distraction, and resource management. You cannot permanently eliminate enemies; if you kill or knock them out, they will reappear after a few days. This means you’ll rely more on avoiding detection and using distractions than on direct confrontations. The game encourages exploration and experimentation, as most tasks have multiple solutions. However, some objectives aren’t always clearly explained, which can sometimes lead to aimless wandering.

However, the gameplay suffers due to a lack of certain quality-of-life features. There is no tactical pause or AI commands, which makes coordination between characters difficult and can be frustrating. You will often have to manually switch characters and hope you manage to complete actions in time, which can feel clumsy. Furthermore, the game’s puzzles sometimes rely on illogical hurdles, for example, Eduardo loses his mind in the sun but can spend hours in a dark closet without a problem.

The gameplay can be quite frustrating, especially when it comes to managing the characters’ psychological state. There are many situations where randomly placed fires prevent Leonora from approaching an enemy, forcing you to approach the task differently. Some enemies are invincible, and the sound alarm mechanic can be confusing; for example, when you try to trigger a panic, the result is often just a chaotic scattering of guards instead of a meaningful reaction. Additionally, dead bodies can drain Alfredo’s sanity incredibly quickly, which feels quite unfair.

Final Thoughts

It’s worth noting that your playthrough might be hindered by bugs, and there will be many moments of frustration. This is especially true with the guards, who all look identical, behave inconsistently, and often seem clumsy. If the guards spot you, they’ll give chase, but being caught doesn’t mean game over; instead, you’ll reset to the point just before you were noticed. Their behavior can also seem odd at times. For instance, they might not hear you running right behind them or fail to investigate why their nearby colleague suddenly disappeared.

Visually, The Stone of Madness leaves a strong impression. The hand-drawn art style gives the game a unique and atmospheric look. The character models are very beautiful and detailed. The lighting and shadows further amplify the tension, especially when navigating dark areas with Eduardo or avoiding fire with Leonora. The soundtrack is also excellent, and overall, it’s surprising to see how The Game Kitchen decided to realize this unique project.

The Stone of Madness is a brave and ambitious addition to the stealth genre, offering a unique combination of tactical gameplay, psychological horror, and open exploration. However, the game is held back by unclear objectives and occasionally frustrating mechanics. It will appeal to fans of stealth and strategy games who are willing to look past its flaws in exchange for the creative mechanics. It is a bold project that demonstrates The Game Kitchen’s potential for creating memorable experiences. If you are patient and enjoy dark, atmospheric games, The Stone of Madness might be worth its madness.

Review copy provided by the publisher