Ahead of Steam Next Fest, solo indie developer Nullpointer Games has released a demo for The Horror at Highrook, a crafting-based narrative RPG.
The developer has also released a new trailer, simply called “Welcome to the Manor”, which you can check out below.
As part of the announcement, we also have the official description, but first, some key features:
- Explore an atmospheric setting on the edge of nightmare – Plunge into a dark Victorian world, inspired by HP Lovecraft, Edgar Allen Poe and Bram Stoker. Investigate a gothic-horror mystery through disturbing letters, fraught conversations and evocative artwork.
- Learn the dark arts – Combine characters, items and locations to craft tools, potions and occult rites. Master a deep, nonlinear crafting system as you progress through the story, gaining the strength and insight needed to succeed.
- Manage a team of investigators – Control unique characters from the city’s elite guilds: Mechanist, Plague Doctor, Scholar and Thug, Each with their own skills and perspectives. Keep your team safe from Hunger, Injury and Madness.
- Unlock mysteries – Complete challenges to open up new areas, items and characters on the game board. Build an arsenal of tools and rites. Banish ghastly entities and keep your wits in order to survive and outwit the dark forces hidden beneath the surface of the world.
The Horror at Highrook sees players lead a team of occult investigators into the dark maw of Highrook Manor in search of the Ackerons – a noble family, who following rumours of dark pacts and shadowy rituals, have now vanished without a trace. As players explore the haunted estate grounds, they will summon dark entities and craft powerful protections in a bid to uncover the fate of the missing family, all the while choosing their own path through the darkness.
A unique and cunning puzzle box of a game, The Horror at Highrook offers deeply rewarding tabletop inspired gameplay, tactile card manipulation, and an engrossing gothic-horror narrative. As the dark manor begins to unravel its secrets, it is brought to life with bold, eye-catching illustration and satisfyingly tactile animation. The Next Fest demo will introduce players to the deviously clever systems that lie at the dark heart of the game, while slowly embracing them with its enigmatic narrative.
The Horror at Highrook is coming to PC via Steam “later this year“. The demo is available now.
