The Séance of Blake Manor [REVIEW] – A Ghostly Detective Gem

Some games are best approached with as little knowledge as possible, and believe me, The Séance of Blake Manor is one of them. This is an experience built around discovery, of clues, of people, and of the ghosts (both literal and figurative) that haunt this old Irish manor. To reveal too much about its characters or the twists of its investigation would spoil what makes it so rewarding, so with that in mind, intricate details of the game will be kept to a minimum in the review. I will say this, though: it has quickly established itself as one of my favourite games of all time, with it rewarding patience, curiosity, and a clever mind, and once you settle into its rhythm, believe me, it’ll make you feel like Sherlock Holmes himself.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Set in 1897, The Séance of Blake Manor puts players in the role of detective Declan Ward, who arrives at Blake Manor to investigate the peculiar disappearance of a woman named Evelyn Deane, which had occurred just days before the manor’s grand séance on Samhain – when the veil between the living and the dead is said to thin. Spooky coincidence or is there something unsettling going on behind the scenes? Well, that’s for players to discover, and what begins as a simple missing-persons case quickly deepens into a study of history, belief, and guilt.

What sets Blake Manor apart from other detective games is its sheer balance of freedom and tension, with every action – whether that’s questioning a guest, inspecting an object in the environment, or moving to another room of the manor – costing a sliver of time. The clock advances only when you act, so you’re never rushed, but you’re always made aware that time is passing and that people keep their own schedules. It creates a subtle urgency that keeps you on your toes: you can’t do everything, so you must decide what truly matters and what will help you uncover the most detail about the case at hand. At first, the system can feel intimidating, and I won’t lie, I was terrified that my ‘examine everything around me’ attitude would be my downfall, but once it clicks, it becomes part of the immersion. Managing time and choosing leads feels deliberate, and when separate threads finally intersect, the satisfaction is immense (even IF you’ll never quite take your eyes off that clock).

The manor itself feels alive too, with all sorts of unusual guests wandering its candle-lit halls, each with their own motives and secrets. Every guest is distinct in their own ways – some guarded, some arrogant, some sympathetic – and they each follows routines that you can learn and exploit. Conversations can open new paths or close them off entirely depending on where and when you intervene, whilst there are also ample opportunities to eavesdrop in on conversation you shouldn’t be a part of – it’s a clever simulation of detective work, forcing you to think about timing and opportunity rather than brute-forcing every dialogue option. Different choices and discoveries can even lead to subtly different outcomes, giving the story real replay value for those who want to see how alternate approaches can change the final picture. It’s a slow-paced but genuinely thrilling gameplay loop that helps ensure that the mystery at hand remains riveting from start to end.

“The Séance of Blake Manor is a masterpiece of atmosphere, storytelling, and puzzling, offering a detective experience that’s as haunting as it is clever.”

There’s a lot going on then, with players having to pick up on clues from people, their surroundings, and just about everything around them, so it can feel a little intimidating. Fortunately, the game gives you generous tools to handle its complexity, with an elegant journal automatically charting your progress with timetables, relationship maps, and an expanding ‘mind-web’ that visually links clues and suspects. It’s intuitive, smart, and well-presented, removing the need for frantic note-taking while still letting you draw your own conclusions and recap on discoveries that you have already made. If I was being completely honest, though? The wannabe detective inside of me still found me writing some of my own notes, not because it was necessary, but because it added to the immersion when keeping on top of things.

When you do piece some things together, you’ll use the game’s deduction system to confirm your hypothesis. The deduction system draws inspiration from the likes of Return of the Obra Dinn and The Case of the Golden Idol – as you gather evidence, you assemble sentences by filling in key words that define motives and events. Each solved connection feels earned through logic, not guesswork, with the design respecting both your intelligence and the discoveries you make, ensuring each success feel like genuine detective work instead of puzzle solving by elimination. It’s hard to describe just how rewarding it feels when you uncover that one little clue that pulls a solution together, with The Séance of Blake Manor having a constant sense of rewarding progression that’ll keep players wholly engaged from start to end.

What makes The Séance of Blake Manor particularly special though is just how seamlessly its story and systems intertwine. Every conversation, deduction, and decision feeds into the sensation of being a real investigator piecing together a mystery, and with the game exploring a variety of themes – some historical, some emotional, and some genuinely haunting – it’s easy to find yourself wholly immersed in its characters and the tale that they weave together. It just really stuck with me throughout the game, and whilst I know that the slower and more methodical pace of the gameplay probably won’t be for everyone, I also know that this is a game that I’ll always cherish getting to play.

Check out some screenshots down below:

That said, I’d be lying if I said there weren’t a few little hiccups. The opening hours can feel very overwhelming as you’re presented with a flood of clues and faces before you’ve found your footing, and I won’t lie, the intimidation did put me off a bit at first. Of course, it was worth sticking with, but those unfamiliar with this kind of game might be left feeling clueless as to what’s going on. I faced a few technical issues too, with one glitch seeing me having to re-load my save when stuck in a room and another seeing my game hard crash. They were rare, sure, but when in the midst of an investigation, they might prove frustrating… hopefully something that’ll be ironed out with a patch or two.

I can’t end this review without mentioning the visuals, which are gorgeous throughout. Its hand-drawn, comic-book styling makes every room of the house feel like a living illustration, with plenty of atmospheric details found in your surroundings to help bring the halls of Blake Manor to life. It feels befitting of the mystery, and even though most scenes are still images, some great use of light and shadow adds to the haunting tone of the game. It’s the kind of world that you’ll often stop to look at and admire the views… it’s a good job the timer doesn’t progress when you’re just soaking in everything around you, huh?

Developer: Spooky Doorway
Publisher: Raw Fury
Platform(s): PC (Reviewed)
Website: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1395520/The_Sance_of_Blake_Manor/