Review for Tales from Candleforth
Game information
I remember when Room Escape games started to be a thing. It was back in 2004 with the weird FASCO-CS website, which had this eerie Escape the Room series. It started with the simple but interesting Crimson Room, followed by the Viridian Room and two other installments in later years. As far as my knowledge goes, these were the prototypes for this genre of puzzle games, which since then have started to gain momentum and evolve.
Nowadays, there are many titles available in this genre, some of which are mediocre in terms of graphics and design. For a game like this to stand out, it needs to innovate, which might not be easy. Fortunately, Tales from Candleforth successfully combines a unique style with an excellent atmosphere, making it a worthwhile journey.
The town of Candleforth is protected by Dorothy, the current representative of a family succession of healers/witches. For generations, they have provided fellow citizens with medication and ointments. Although Dorothy has been training her granddaughter Sarah to replace her in the future, there might not be enough time. The old woman has been feeling weak and having visions of reality being torn apart like paper, with a nightmarish realm on the other side trying to capture her. One day Dorothy disappears, leaving a letter to Sarah, who now must find three items to rescue the matriarch.
If the plot is not super original, the game compensates in style. The “horror folk” atmosphere is well-crafted, with a witchcraft theme prevalent throughout all its chapters. Puzzles abound with arcane runes and references to nature, such as animals and plants. Additionally, an omnipresent sense of dread pervades the story, with allusions to suicide, violence, and something sinister behind it all that the protagonist might not suspect.
The visuals are elegant, presenting a great deal of creativity in the “cut-up” style of animation. However, the best elements in the game are the portals to the nightmarish dimension and the puzzles we need to solve to close them. I was very excited about the game when I faced them in the prologue. These moments have an extremely original, creepy feeling because the visuals and sound design are impeccable. For example, in one of them, we are tasked with making flowers bloom from a baby’s head by manipulating the scenery’s sun and moon. As we do this, we hear the infant’s disturbing cries, and when the solution is reached, bizarre imagery and sound ensue. Unfortunately, though, we get only one of these special puzzles per chapter after the prologue. Here I am wishing for a whole game like this!
In addition to the sound design, I also must mention the superb music, which sets the tone well. The first chapter’s song has been in my mind for days, and is the perfect representative for that level’s setting: the apothecary. The last chapter’s two songs also are deeply moving and perfect for that final moment in the game, when we are ready for the pay-off after everything that came before. They bring emotional excitement about what’s happening in the story and real feeling for the connection between grandmother and granddaughter. I felt like recording these songs so I could listen to them whenever I liked.
In terms of voice acting, we can hear the characters only in some parts of the narrative, and when we do, they produce sounds like mumbles while the text is written on the screen (just like in Banjo-Kazooie, but don’t worry, it doesn’t get silly). I found the style of voice animation to be adequate for this particular game.
As for mechanics, the experience resembles that of your usual Escape Room game. You click around to pick up items and interact with objects and parts of the environment. You’ll also have both an inventory for items to use and for documents which will provide clues (something like the logs in the first Resident Evils, but not as prevalent). At certain moments, it will be necessary to drag objects or items with the mouse instead of only clicking on them, a mechanic that is taught right away in the game’s introduction. Solutions are straightforward and make sense, so there are no item combinations or wacky solutions as in a LucasArts adventure. I especially appreciated the animation when you try to use an item; the object shrinks a little bit, as if you were pressing it against something. Very elegant.
As in a typical Room Escape, you have a first-person perspective and control the character by clicking on arrows that direct the protagonist’s vision or movement around the environment. It works fine, and there’s no pixel hunting.
Regarding negative elements, one of the (possible) problems I found in the game was its length. I believe an experienced player will finish it quite quickly. Puzzles are generally simple and without much innovation. There are no unfair challenges that will leave you thinking for days; although there was one in the first chapter (concerning sense organs) that had a twist I found to be a bit of a low blow. After a while, I did recognize what I was missing. The game’s relatively low price does make up for its short length.
The ending really deserves special attention. I was invested in the narrative; its elements—such as the characters’ relationship, the magical elements, and the bizarre nightmarish dimension—were so intriguing that I was expecting a lot more. The final moments leave you hanging, confused, and unsatisfied.
The sense of incompletion after the credits made me suspect that there were multiple endings, and that I had triggered the worst one. This was supported by one of the characters in the beginning saying that every person who reads the book (where the story occurs) gets a different tale. Also, there is a secret puzzle whose clues are scattered through the chapters, which can only be solved by the end of the journey. When I realized this, I thought I had discovered the hidden ending, but was disappointed once again; it only gives you an achievement.
As it is, Tales from Candleforth stands as a solid adventure, with a simple story, but full of style and atmosphere. Despite its brevity and disappointing ending, it still is a worthy horror gem. I can only say that I’m curious for Under The Bed’s next game. This one shows a lot of promise and potential, being strong enough for us to envision what games they could produce in the future.
WHERE CAN I DOWNLOAD Tales from Candleforth
Tales from Candleforth is available at:
We get a small commission from any game you buy through these links (except Steam).Our Verdict:
Tales from Candleforth is a solid, although brief, Room Escape-like adventure, with a few nightmarish scenes you may never forget.
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