Despite the fact that the sun is shining and Starbucks is selling its summer-themed iced drinks, I’ve found myself wandering down the horror hole yet again. From eerie graphic novels to DMing Candela Obscura for my unsuspecting team of paranormal investigators, for whatever reason spring 2025 feels closer to autumn than it does anything else. What better to kick off of my summer spookfest, then, than The Horror at Highrook, a card-based, narrative-driven RPG where solving puzzles and investigation is the name of the game.
Highrook stands alone at the top of a craggy cliff face, casting shadows over the churning waters below. The former home of the mysterious Ackeron family – a noble house associated with all things occult – has been left to rot after their unexplained disappearance. At the request of the city’s council, you and your team of investigators have been sent to uncover its secrets and expose the titular Horror at Highrook.
Part card game part puzzler, Highrook is a story-driven RPG experience, tasking you with putting together different card combinations to move around the manor. At first glance it reminds me of Cluedo or other mystery board games: your team splits up, combs through the house’s various rooms, and looks for clues.
You have four different occult specialists at your disposal: the tech-focused Mechanist, spooky Plague Doctor, booksmart Scholar, and rough and rough-and-ready thug. Each has its own unique skillset, so you’ll have to make sure you deploy them to the areas they’re best suited for.
But you also need to keep an eye on them. As you delve deeper into Highrook and encounter Lovecraftian-inspired foes, their sanity will begin to fray. Make sure that they’re healthy – mentally and physically – before they descend into chaos, otherwise who knows what might happen.
Completing each room’s challenges unlocks different areas of the board, where you’ll be able to find new areas, characters, and items. You’ll be able to craft new tools for the more physically inclined members of your squad, while your more magical teammates can tap into various sites of dark magic to fend off the manor’s monstrosities – just make sure they don’t end up becoming one themselves.
The Horror at Highrook release date has been set for Thursday May 1, but you can play the first chapter on Steam right now. Head here to try it out or, if you’re already sold, add it to your wishlist.
While we wait to see what fiends Highrook will unleash, check out our list of the best horror games to make sure you’re prepared. Alternatively, if you love a good narrative adventure, here’s our list of the best story games.
You can follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides. We’ve also got a vibrant community Discord server, where you can chat about this story with members of the team and fellow readers.
