The Council

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 121 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 89 out of 121
  2. Mixed: 24 out of 121
  3. Negative: 8 out of 121
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  1. 0alexITA
    Nov 29, 2020
    9
    The best action game I played from years... I appreciate so much the story: history, politic, world order... so beautiful!
    The characters are well defined, and you can obtain different ends
  2. Gotrek74
    Feb 14, 2019
    8
    Here is an enjoyable, story/character/narrative driven adventure the likes of which Telltale games would tremble at were they still trading. Do NOT let the low score here (due to people having not played it for more than 30 minutes or just trolls) influence your decision to play this gem of an indie title; your time spent with it will be well rewarded.
    The game seems awkward and slow    Here is an enjoyable, story/character/narrative driven adventure the likes of which Telltale games would tremble at were they still trading. Do NOT let the low score here (due to people having not played it for more than 30 minutes or just trolls) influence your decision to play this gem of an indie title; your time spent with it will be well rewarded.
    The game seems awkward and slow paced upon the first few scenes but soon picks up into an intriguing conspiracy which involves various historical figures as well as a few fictional ones too. There are various decisions to be made which affect the outcome of the game. A "RPG light" system is here too which requires you to choose which skills you wish to utilise throughout the game each of which may help you in certain ways but mean that the skills you don't choose will be more costly or maybe even unavailable to you. This means that you will likely want to play it at least twice in order to see what could have been should you have chosen to go in other directions.

    Puzzles are very good in this and will require thought, logic and research (in-game) in order to progress and feel good when you come to the solution.

    I have been greatly surprised by this game and would recommend that anyone who enjoys a story driven experience to give this a go now that all 5 episodes of the, once episodic, game are available. You won't regret it at especially as the price is so low that even if you were to play for just an hour or two you would find value for money.    … Expand
  3. Farigol-lo
    Jan 25, 2021
    8
    I loved this game and it's a shame the lack of budget limits so much this kind of games because the mistery/adventure genre without combat doesn't sell anymore.
    Two of the most refreshing games I've played lately are The Council and Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter. Both games are very immersive and full of good ideas but share the same tech and budget limitations. Apparently the big    I loved this game and it's a shame the lack of budget limits so much this kind of games because the mistery/adventure genre without combat doesn't sell anymore.
    Two of the most refreshing games I've played lately are The Council and Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter. Both games are very immersive and full of good ideas but share the same tech and budget limitations. Apparently the big publishers of the gaming industry are too busy funding the same games over and over again to invest in developers trying to bring well written, intelligent, story driven adventures. So much wasted potential.    … Expand
  4. DrHasslich
    Mar 11, 2019
    8
    Story is interesting and different from all ive seen so far. Skill systems is dope. But some of the puzzles are just ridiculously hard.
  5. CJ34
    Oct 25, 2019
    8
    The game is really cool if you are into narrative driven games. It has some technical issues but the story and the dialouges are interesting enough to keep playing
  6. BuboTHEMIGHTY
    Sep 16, 2020
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. While it doesn't boast good visuals The Council makes up for it in story and gameplay, some of the voice acting is meh, but overall, it's a very good episodic mystery-detective game.… Expand
  7. aelinae_g
    Dec 16, 2020
    10
    Excellent jeux je le recommande vivement . Tout est bon dans cette série des graphisme à l'intrigue qui est juste WTF .
  8. bergcamp101
    Sep 14, 2020
    9
    This game is great! The plot is dare, cocky and vast, and puzzles are one of the best on PS4 platform at all.
  9. Ervis
    Sep 29, 2020
    8
    Very interesting game, the dialogues are very well builded and thoroughly deeped structured. Developed vocabulary, special characters, a bit of abstractism makes it even more interesting.
  10. sawduck
    May 8, 2023
    8
    Underrated gem, fun game, why can't i just rate games without giving a review, my ratings seem to be lost unless i give a review for everything, this site is a bit weird
  11. apolyakov
    Mar 15, 2018
    10
    Like the other reviewer here, I was not expecting much.
    I did not hear anything about this game - came across it on PS store today accidentally.
    Well, I checked some trailers and reviews, decided to give it a go and buy it, four hours later I can say this is the best investment of 8 dollars I could have made. This is a telltale game done good - with much more freedom and more RPG    Like the other reviewer here, I was not expecting much.
    I did not hear anything about this game - came across it on PS store today accidentally.
    Well, I checked some trailers and reviews, decided to give it a go and buy it, four hours later I can say this is the best investment of 8 dollars I could have made.
    This is a telltale game done good - with much more freedom and more RPG elements (skills, exp, inventory) that allow you to develop unique traits of character that actually have an impact on the plot. I'm really hooked on the story now, I hope these guys don't screw up in the next episodes, right now it is a 10/10 for me. Some of the decisions were also damn hard to make, like in key moments of Game of Thrones form Telltale or Life is Strange. Some people complain about the graphics and controls, but on PS4 they are just fine.    … Expand
  12. manmythledgend
    Mar 14, 2018
    8
    This game was actually better than I expected. The characters’ faces are wonky, sure, but the game still stands up well on its own. The leveling system is very engaging, and directly impacts your interactions with other characters as you move through the game. My girlfriend and I played through together and the plot/interactions were engaging no matter which one of us was holding theThis game was actually better than I expected. The characters’ faces are wonky, sure, but the game still stands up well on its own. The leveling system is very engaging, and directly impacts your interactions with other characters as you move through the game. My girlfriend and I played through together and the plot/interactions were engaging no matter which one of us was holding the controller. Well worth the $6.99 they’re asking for Episode 1 and definitely looking forward to the future releases.… Expand
  13. Bioware-Critic
    Apr 1, 2018
    10
    One of THE best and THE most interesting games I have ever played - PERIOD!
    I am a lover of RPG's. In my honest opinion, I would estimate that anyone who likes good stories and characters will cherish this gem.
    I can recommend this title wholeheartedly. I true AA-indie jewel! On a side note: In a time where "Hellblade: Senua's sacrifice" makes a stand for AA-titles, the title "The    One of THE best and THE most interesting games I have ever played - PERIOD!
    I am a lover of RPG's. In my honest opinion, I would estimate that anyone who likes good stories and characters will cherish this gem.

    I can recommend this title wholeheartedly.
    I true AA-indie jewel!

    On a side note: In a time where "Hellblade: Senua's sacrifice" makes a stand for AA-titles, the title "The Council" makes me hopeful for an era of better games ... "far, far away" ... from all toxic AAA-industry-influence.    … Expand
  14. SvenLorenz
    Dec 25, 2018
    8
    This game surprised me a lot. At first it looked like a Telltale Games clone, but halfway through the first episode, I realized that it was more as if someone had taken the dialogue system of the Fallout games and made it into a standalone game. You gain experience, raise certain skills which then allow you to perform actions or take dialogue choices that are not possible if you do notThis game surprised me a lot. At first it looked like a Telltale Games clone, but halfway through the first episode, I realized that it was more as if someone had taken the dialogue system of the Fallout games and made it into a standalone game. You gain experience, raise certain skills which then allow you to perform actions or take dialogue choices that are not possible if you do not possess that skill. Add to that the Telltale storytelling and some good old fashioned adventure gaming inventory management and puzzles and you end with something that is good but not quite the sum of its parts.

    It is - hopefully - the beginning of a series of these games. Not regarding the plot, because I think that this story is over, but a series of games featuring these gameplay mechanics. If the writing and the voice acting had been better, it would have been a very good game instead of the promising but uneven game we got here.

    So, give it a chance, you might be surprised. Maybe read up on a certain twist in the storyline and decide if you like it. I don't want to spoil anything here. But that twist is divisive. I liked it, many people hated it.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
74

Mixed or average reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. GameGrin
    Jul 30, 2020
    85
    While it certainly isn't a feast for the eyes, The Council exceeds expectations in all other regards, delivering a thoroughly enjoyable and occasionally thought-provoking experience.
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  2. Hardcore Gamer
    Jan 28, 2019
    70
    Gameplay is far more superior to any other episodic title on the market, with Big Bad sending an important message to other developers that this aspect should never be overlooked in episodic gaming. From the opening moments of The Mad Ones, it’s clear as day that the RPG mechanics would bring forward an engaging experience over the story. The developer didn’t hold back from introducing a new mechanic in the later stage of the title and it seamlessly worked in harmony with the features that have been there since the opener. While it doesn’t boast mind-blowing visuals or sounds, The Council has a simple art direction that makes it feel right at home in the period that it takes place.
    Read full review
  3. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Jan 27, 2019
    70
    Though the chat is scintillating, however, it feels cut short. [Issue#158, p.90]
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