The Incident at Galley House
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Critic Reviews for The Incident at Galley House
The Roottrees are Dead studio Evil Trout gives William Rous' brilliant lo-fi deduction thriller Type Help a slick remake, and while the changes are many, it remains a smart, rewarding, and hauntingly effective mystery.
The Incident at Galley House constantly made me reevaluate my theories and approach, and several big twists spurred my search for answers throughout many late-night sessions. Sadly, I found the conclusion to be a mixed bag.
I personally found Type Help to be the superior and more memorable version of the game – with its minimalist presentation delivering a greater sense of dread as the layers of the mystery gradually reveal themselves. However, I'm still glad The Incident at Galley House exists if it means that William Rous' storytelling reaches more people.
The Incident At Galley House is a fantastic murder mystery wrapped up in a unique storytelling style. Uncover the puzzle through context clues and deduction, just make sure you're entering the right information for a scene you want to see!
A locked room whodunnit with a difference, The Incident at Galley House tells the story of a fateful night in the 1930s that saw a house full of people mysteriously die. Cleverly presented with excellent voice acting, consider this a must-play if you're a fan of the likes of Her Story and Eternal Threads.
As it is, The Incident at Galley House is a confident mystery, but an underwhelming puzzler. Had it taken more risks with the original script (if only to make for smoother voice acting, much less take advantage of the new visuals) and incorporated some of the non-linear puzzle design I’ve come to love from Evil Trout, it could have been a transcendent detective video game. Instead, it’s a safe play that feels like a massive missed opportunity.
In the end, The Incident at Galley House left a favourable mark on me. Through its mixture of interesting gameplay mechanics, mystifying narrative, wonderful sound design, and excellent accessibility options. It lets itself down slightly with the death scenes, but it has still ended up being one of my most positive experiences of the year. It does, however, beg the question that maybe some things are best left in the past.
Towards the end, a few puzzles feel overly difficult compared to the rest of the experience, and the conclusion drags on a bit too long. Despite these minor flaws, The Incident at Galley House is an excellent summer mystery —offering just the right level of challenge, an intriguing plot, and a unique overall feel. That is certainly something worth praising.
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