Wayward Manor Reviews
A promising concept but dismal execution on just about every level.
There's something worthwhile here, even if it's the unusual power fantasy of being able to haunt an aristocratic family from the safety of the rafters.
You'll enjoy turning this game off more than you enjoy any aspect of its gameplay
A host of glitches keep Wayward Manor feeling anything but welcoming.
I am still confused how the combination of The Odd Gentlemen and Neil Gaiman, two things that are excellent on their own, would up generating this monstrosity. It would be like if Steven Spielberg and Daniel Day-Lewis committed to a film and then it turned out that film was Sharknado Versus Mothra: New Moon.
Wayward Manor is a puzzle game created in collaboration between The Odd Gentleman and Neil Gaiman. That alone is enough to catch some interest, but whatever charm the game has quickly wears thin.
The game was meant to put players into a spooky kind of mindset, but everything about it is just frightfully boring. The Manor wants all living inhabitants out? Thanks, house; I'll show myself the door.
There's a kernel of an interesting idea here but it's so grossly underdeveloped that not even the involvement of Neil Gaiman, and a respected developer, can save it.
The great news is that Neil Gaiman has arrived to the gaming industry and, if we are lucky, he will give us new and more ambitious projects in the future.
I have a feeling that even [Gaiman's] most devoted fans will be disappointed with the experience.
The only thing being scared away by the Wayward Manor's ghost is this reviewer's patience.
It's hard to understand why the game exists. Did Gaiman desperately want to attach himself to an ugly, boring puzzle game? Did the Odd Gentleman really think this was the best way to display his work? It's more of a mystery than the actual story of Wayward Manor itself.
Ultimately, Wayward Manor was a fun game with a great story and, most importantly, something I wouldn't have minded dropping $10 on Steam for. The game is short, but has some solid replay value and is good for a quick break. The game has Gaiman's signature storytelling style and the puzzles are open-ended enough for multiple run-throughs.
For a game with such a well established author behind it, Wayward Manor is a little disappointing. However it is quite endearing. Perhaps a game to be played with your children, rather than viewing it as a fully fledged puzzle game.
For a game that bears the name of a remarkable writer, Wayward Manor ultimately proves rather unremarkable thanks to clunky mechanics, repetitive puzzles, and a story that seems a little too thin.
Wayward Manor, despite offering some cheap thrills, is irrefutably unpolished and lacks the variation, complexity and challenge that could have made this game a genuine treat.