The Occultist
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Critic Reviews for The Occultist
The Occultist is a great investigate horror game featuring a compelling narrative and well designed puzzles. With some excellent writing and voice acting, I was hooked in to play through its modest runtime in two sittings. With a debut game like this, I'm excited to see what will come next from Daloar.
he Occultist is a rich adventure with a mystical story that has its own unique identity.
Review in Russian | Read full review
There is something that really irks me when a horror game doesn't provide any scares or tension. The Occultist looked like it was going to be an entertaining experience, but it doesn't provide much entertainment. The puzzle-solving and exploration are passable, but everything else is a huge letdown.
The Occultist has a strong premise, interesting narrative, and engrossing atmosphere, but unfortunately it fails to capitalise on this with some pretty tedious gameplay, a lack of scares, a boring protagonist and out-of-place voice acting.
The Occultist succeeds greatly in its atmosphere, narrative construction, and the way it uses first-person horror to create constant tension and truly effective scares. The setting of Godstone and the mystery surrounding the protagonist are engaging enough to keep the player invested from beginning to end. However, the underutilization of some important mechanics, the lack of a functional map, and limitations such as the absence of chapter selection prevent it from reaching an even higher level. Still, it's a solid and memorable experience within the genre.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Where The Occultist really pulls you in is its engaging story. Sure, the “dark cult” angle is a familiar territory, but the title still manages to feel fresh – largely thanks to intriguing NPCs. Gameplay-wise, it’s not trailblazing, but thankfully it avoids turning into just another walking simulator. The title features some simple yet interesting puzzles and mechanics. On the downside, clear budget limitations and performance hiccups show through. Still, all things considered, the game turns out to be captivating and enjoyable enough.
If you enjoy first-person psychological horror with detective-style puzzle design, there is a lot to like here. Just go in knowing this is not a combat game, and on PS5 the frame pacing can get rough. For me, the strengths still outweigh the technical problems. The Occultist feels like a game with a clear identity and a lot of confidence in what it wants to be.
Unfortunately, The Occultist feels like a game that’s brimming with ideas but lacks a clear focus.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
