The Council (video game)

The Council is an episodic interactive mystery graphic adventure game from 2018, developed by Big Bad Wolf and published by Focus Home Interactive. Its five episodes were released from March 13 to December 4, 2018. The story takes place in 1793 and centers on Louis de Richet, a Frenchman searching for his missing mother, Sarah, who leads the French branch of a secret society called the Golden Order. Louis arrives at a secluded island off the coast of England, where influential political figures from Europe and the United States have gathered for unknown reasons. The game blends fictional characters with historical figures like George Washington, Napoléon Bonaparte, and Manuel Godoy, and incorporates real paintings, books, and sculptures into its setting and puzzles. As the debut title from Big Bad Wolf—a studio under Cyanide—it also features RPG elements such as leveling and skill systems that affect interactions with the environment and other characters. The game received mixed to positive reviews, with praise directed at its complex story, setting, and art direction, while criticism focused on graphics, character animation, and technical issues. In terms of gameplay, players choose from three classes, each with a distinct set of skills: Diplomat (Etiquette, Conviction, Politics, Diversion, Linguistics), Occultist (Science, Occultism, Manipulation, Erudition, Subterfuges), and Detective (Questioning, Vigilance, Psychology, Logic, Agility). An RPG-style experience system allows players to raise their character’s level and skill levels. The progression system includes 15 skills, 44 talents, and 20 traits that alter character behavior. Skills are developed by spending points and are grouped by class. Talents grant permanent bonuses, unlocked by leveling skills, performing specific actions, or consulting the game’s journal for information on other characters’ weaknesses. Traits are permanent positive or negative effects that players do not know they are acquiring, as the conditions for gaining them remain hidden. The story follows Louis de Richet, son of Sarah Faustine de Richet and a member of the Golden Order, a fictional secret society that seeks occult artifacts. In the prologue, both are held captive after being caught stealing a book called *Al-Azif*.