As the ghost of Abigail Blackwood, explore the abandoned Blackwood Manor in a point-and-click adventure game, and uncover the dark secrets of your family’s downfall.
Goetia
Developer: Sushee
Price: $14.99
Platform: PC (reviewed), Mac
MonsterVine was provided with a PC code for review.
Goetia begins with a ghost rising from the grave. She knows her name is Abigail Blackwood and that she’s on the grounds of Blackwood Manor, but she doesn’t know why her spirit has awakened. Many years have passed since her death, and the manor is abandoned. Abigail begins to search for clues as to what happened to her family—and uncovers a twisted tale of demons and madness.
While Goetia is more of a mystery than a horror game, it is dark and atmospheric. The environments and music draw you into the story as you read scattered notes and journals to piece together the Blackwood family’s final days.
Abigail’s spirit is represented as a small orb of light, which you control. It is a 2D point-and-click adventure game, but it has a few twists on the usual format. Since Abigail is a ghost, she can pass through walls, floors, and ceilings. However, she can only take objects with her by possessing them. When you click something you can interact with, you’ll have the option to inspect it, use it (if applicable), or possess it (if applicable).
Since objects can’t pass through solid walls the way Abigail can, this occasionally creates puzzles where you must figure out how to transport an object from one room to another. However, the majority of puzzles are more traditional—finding combinations and codes hidden in notes, solving riddles, and finding your way into barred areas.
Goetia’s puzzles are challenging. Most are logical, although their clues can be obscure. Some require basic musical knowledge. A few involve ciphers. And without an inventory, it’s easy to forget about certain objects by the time you need them—or forget where you put them.
On the other hand, it has a few features that prevent common frustrations. First, you can highlight every object that can be interacted with, so there’s no need for pixel-hunting. Second, every document and clue is recorded, so you can check them without backtracking.
And you’ll be thankful for that, because Goetia isn’t small. There are several locations aside from Blackwood Manor, and you can explore them in a non-linear fashion. Although you begin in the manor, you can’t access certain areas until you banish the demons trapped there. This sends you into the surrounding areas to search for answers.
Along with those answers, of course, you’ll also find more pieces to the overarching mystery of what happened to the Blackwood family. The story is Goetia’s greatest strength, and anyone who enjoys Gothic horror is sure to be fascinated as the grim tale slowly comes together.
The Final Word
If you’re comfortable with the high difficulty of its puzzles, Goetia is an enjoyable adventure game with a dark and intriguing story.
– MonsterVine Rating: 4.5 out of 5 – Great
