REVEIL Xbox Series X Review

REVEIL Xbox Series X Review – No clowning around here

REVEIL is a first person psychological thriller centred around Walter Thompson, a stage builder in a circus, where his wife and daughter are performers who have mysteriously gone missing. Walter embarks on a journey through various environments connected to his missing family and home, striving to uncover secrets buried deep within his own mind. The game combines puzzles with exploration and is driven by a compelling narrative, featuring psychological elements that create surreal moments.

As you play it feels like your typical psychological horror fair. You will encounter mind-bending environments and foes to avoid. While these adversaries add tension to the exploration, they are not particularly challenging to evade, and they need to be evaded since the game lacks a combat system. In one area, for example, you must avoid ringing bells that alert the enemy to your location, resulting in a one-hit kill if you are caught.

The plot, though initially standard, gains momentum in the second half as Walter uncovers more secrets, leading you down quite the rabbit hole. The first half might deter some as it does not introduce many new elements and may seem predictable and mundane.

What sustains your engagement are the puzzles and the intrigue of distinguishing reality from dreams, alongside the mystery of Walter’s missing family. The puzzles vary from simple to fairly complex, including child toy puzzles and more elaborate challenges, such as deciphering a code to unlock a trunk—a multi-layered puzzle requiring several steps to solve. Some might find this particular puzzle frustrating due to the minimal clues provided, necessitating some guesswork.

Graphically, the game is well-crafted, although it does contain a few bugs. One issue occurs in a dark forest scene where the use of a torch results in a white flash of light on the screen. Initially, it seemed as though this was deliberate, signalling an environmental change, but it turned out to be a torch bug that occasionally obstructs the view—a minor inconvenience.

REVEIL Xbox Series X Review Summary:

At first, the game may evoke a sense of déjà vu, as it does not appear to introduce novel concepts. However, the narrative gains traction around the midpoint, enhancing the overall experience. Although the developers describe REVEIL as a psychological thriller, it lacks significant thrills aside from the mannequin chase, and it is not particularly frightening. That said, it could work better as a VR title, if such an option ever comes to fruition. REVEIL is a well-made game, and if you are seeking a way to pass a few hours, it is well worth a try.