The Stone of Madness

It is invigorating to cycle through five characters and use their abilities to overcome tactical challenges in The Stone of Madness, set inside a Spanish monastery that doubles as an asylum at the close of the 1700s.

The Stone of Madness feels like a nostalgic indie journey, one where you need patience and wit. It may seem a little rough some times, but the setting, characters and skill design make up for it.

The Stone of Madness is an exciting and maximally flexible adventure that allows you to solve problems in a variety of ways.

Set in a wonderfully creative, surprisingly sensitive portrayal of a time period as human as any other, The Stone of Madness is a real gem in the mind of those who play it. At some point, I even stopped noticing Alfredo’s stupid hat.

Although the game has some bugs that can be somewhat frustrating, they do not detract from an excellent gaming experience, with an impressive setting and a well-woven and resolved mystery story.

The Stone of Madness is cleverly attuned to perseverance through incremental progress.

The Stone of Madness isn’t perfect by any means, but its successes readily outweigh its missteps. Its emphasis on real-time stealth and simultaneous control over three distinct characters at a time work to create some very hectic gameplay situations, naturally encouraging the player to learn and improve. Infusing this rewarding gameplay with a striking art style and a tinge of dark humor makes for a unique experience worth looking into, even if the controls can be clunky and the guards can be a little too good at catching up with you when you make a mistake.

The Stone of Madness isn’t a game for everyone, but it’s hard not to request that even the more discerning player give it a try. The game's somewhat bizarre and disturbing art style remains a high point, and even those unaccustomed to real-time tactical strategy titles may find the game’s story and setting compelling enough to stick with it until the end. Despite some finicky controls, it’s clear that the team behind the game poured their heart and soul into it, with each frame packed with an unbelievable amount of detail and care. The Stone of Madness has a way of transforming the player’s frustration into desperation, with every step closer to the truth providing a boost of adrenaline and a desire not to give up. The monastery is hiding something truly ghastly, and that mystery alone is worth delving into The Game Kitchen’s newest release.

For all the game's lighthearted sleuthing and slinking, it does not shy away from dreadful subject matter, concerning itself, to a large degree, with the Church's often monstrous real-world legacy. The most affecting story is that which occurs through the bodies and minds of its uniformly endearing characters. As they are beaten and maimed by fearsome monks and brutish henchmen, a slow accretion of hardship takes place. It is not the enjoyably flexible stealth action, nor the undercooked mystery, or even the lavish monastery that lingers in the mind, but their human suffering. Foregrounding this emotion is reason enough to tell such a story again.

The Stone of Madness boasts a striking artistic direction and an effective sound design, both of which help create a tense and immersive atmosphere. However, technical issues and a lack of polish in key gameplay elements risk undermining the overall experience, turning suspense into frustration. If the development team releases targeted updates to address its major flaws, the game could become a much attracting and more rewarding experience for fans of the genre.