The Occultist Reviews
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.
While I can respect the effort the developer put into this game, The Occultist simply isn't very good. Its puzzles are fairly basic, the enemies are more of a nuisance than a threat, the setting is too reliant on genre tropes, and to top it off, both bossfights bugged out upon death and made it impossible to progress (remember to backup your saves, just to be sure). Doug Cockle offers a good performance, though.
Review in Italian | Read full review
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.
I can’t stress how much this game creeped me out in the first half. If my catchphrase for Cronos was “thanks! I hate it.” My catchphrase for The Occultist was “NOPE! Nuh uh, piss off”. While this is a fantastic start for a burgeoning company, I think it could have been damn near perfect if they could have just stuck the landing.
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 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
The Occultist redefines narrative horror through the ingenious use of a pendulum and challenging puzzles that demand intense concentration. With a hauntingly beautiful setting and a gripping story, it's a suspenseful adventure that proves ingenuity is the most powerful weapon against the unknown.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
It’s disappointing that, after nearly four years of development, DALOAR Studios can only show off awards cobbled together from earlier demos on its website, while wasting both the talent of a great actor and a promising project in the name of marketing. Like it or not, in a narrative-driven game, visuals cannot make up for the absence of a compelling story. Let’s hope the performance issues will be addressed.
Review in Unknown | Read full review
The Occultist is a work that expertly blends puzzles and exploration in a compelling and mysterious setting. DALOAR's debut work entertains and encourages you to continue your investigation to fully understand what Godstone Island holds. The only drawback is its very limited running time and its technical performance, which is at times lacking.
Review in Italian | 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.
The Occultist is a fairly by the numbers horror game, with an unlikable main character and lack of scares that really let it down.
This is not a bad horror game for people looking to jump into the horror genre or looking for a new horror experience. There are a few jump scares but nothing too outrageous for those gamers who find horror games to be overwhelming. But big horror fans may feel a little underwhelmed.
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
The Occultist proves that horror doesn't need to rely on screams and gore to scare. DALOAR delivered an experience that focuses on atmosphere, narrative, and intelligent gameplay to guide the player through a journey that captivates both through curiosity and the mystery surrounding Godstone and its inhabitants.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review