The Council - Episode 4: Burning Bridges Reviews
I sort of went into this one with thoughts of "Hey, maybe it's not so bad again?" since the previous episode was decent, but nope. Episode 4 feels like we're back to square zero. One big story moment, a puzzle that leads into a cliffhanger, and more backtracking. I guess Episode 3 was just lightning (albeit a small baby bolt) in a bottle because this is crap in a can.
Burning Bridges is a lot less action-packed with no major set pieces that stand out. Instead, this episode Louis interacts with only a few of the inhabitants of the island with most of the discussion taking place between himself and Mortimer. These chats do reveal a lot of information as well as secrets that have been the focus of Sarah's investigations, with a number of revelations being dropped without much fanfare.
Picking up steam and adding new story and gameplay elements to the mix, Burning Bridges leaves us barreling towards The Council's concluding part, but unfortunately the added haste means the excitement is marred by annoyances.
The Council Episode Four Burning Bridges is the best episode of the game so far.
The Council is a revelation. While the technical aspects of the game are somewhat questionable at times, the storytelling, world building, and RPG mechanics are simply stunning. I found myself propelled from episode to episode, salivating at the idea of advancing the story and outsmarting the game's lifelike characters. With twisty surprises, diabolical puzzles, and rich historical context, this is a game that makes the player feel intelligent for playing it. The fact that the story is deliciously twisted is just the icing on the cake.
Episode 4 of The Council, titled Burning Bridges, gets the game back into its stride, even if the conversations are a bit disappointing. The RPG progression is starting to pay off, though.
New features, like focusing the story towards the mysticism, are interesting and promising. We hope that two important choices from the ending of the episode will affect the final.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Among all the episodes released so far, Burning Bridges is the most engaging of all. The plot takes giant steps forward and lift the veil on the mysteries surronding Lord Mortimer. Alas, the technical issues are still there and the scenography lacks rhythm. Let's hope that the last episode will fix this.
Review in French | Read full review
Being the penultimate episode in The Council, Burning Bridges has set the stage for what should be a stunning conclusion. The newly added ability, which I won't spoil, combines both a new gameplay mechanic and helps fill in some missing gaps in the narrative. It also opens up all new questions and hopefully things can be solved in the final episode without feeling rushed. If it weren't for the continued technical failings, Burning Bridges would be scored higher. It was a shame that some of the most pivotal choices in the game don't alter how all the other guests react to you.
The Council continues to be unabashedly unpredictable in its twists and turns, but Episode Four's character developments leave much to be desired. Its Social Influence system remains a fun mechanic, but an "overpowered" Louis renders the skill tree mostly moot.
A bizarre twist in Burning Bridges undoes everything you've achieved so far and reduces both the plot and your investment in The Council to ashes.
When players are able to reach the intriguing finale Burning Bridges poses, the final decision shows that the battle lines have been well and truly drawn.
Burning Bridges manages to keep The Council's plot going and introduces an interesting new mechanic. However, it is also glitchy and fails to deliver the puzzling fun of the past few episodes.
Despite some minor hiccups Burning Bridges sets up a mouth-watering finale with another well-crafted episode
The Council has been an absolute treat up to this point, and the penultimate episode's new revelations takes the final part to a whole new playing field.
While there's one more chapter left to play, Episode 4: Burning Bridges puts the final nail in The Council's coffin by bringing along the same mistakes, plus some new ones, and with the quality of the storytelling taking a big, sad plunge.
The Council is a strange, innovative and interesting title by the French company, Big Bad Wolf. The mysterious storyline combined with an interactive gameplay never cease to amaze you. The Council has a unique art style when it comes to the level and character design, though it suffers from a range of technical issues. The final result is a good game that absolutely worth your time.
Review in Persian | Read full review
The Council – Episode 4: Burning Bridges brings back the confrontation and delivers a narrative with some surprises that catch the player's attention. Sadly, the technical problems remain and end up once more ruining the game experience as a whole. The episode can rise the hype for the end of Louis de Richet's story.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
I'm just looking forward to The Council being over and done with.