The Séance of Blake Manor review: Acclaimed ghost mystery arrives on consoles
The Irish detective game has launched on consoles one year after its PC debut. OpenCritic 90; Nintendo World Report gives the Switch 2 version 8 out of 10.
Photo: Colin Park / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Trailer: YouTube · Raw Fury · youtube.com
Critics' rating
Scores: OpenCritic 90 · Metacritic 89 (PC) · Nintendo World Report 8/10 (Switch 2)
- Platforms
- PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2, PC
- Studio
- Spooky Doorway
- Release
- 27.10.2026
+ Pros
- Superbly written story with a large cast
- Dense atmosphere and striking comic-book look
- Free-form investigation with time as a resource
- Draws on Irish mythology and culture
– Cons
- Clues are often vague, leaving you aimless
- Lots of backtracking, no fast travel
- Long loading times on Switch 2
- Final hours drag
Critics' verdict
One of the best detective mysteries in years – now on consoles too, with minor caveats on structure and tech.
Summary of published reviews – sources below.
Exactly one year after its PC launch, The Séance of Blake Manor arrived on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2 on 27 October, and it is also included in Game Pass on Xbox. Irish studio Spooky Doorway and publisher Raw Fury take players to Connacht in the west of Ireland in 1897: private investigator Declan Ward must find the missing Evelyn Deane at Blake Manor – and has just two days before a séance threatens more disappearances. Every action costs in-game time, and the guests follow fixed daily schedules.
Critics rank it among the best in its genre: OpenCritic shows a Top Critic Average of 90, with 96 per cent of critics recommending it; Metacritic lists 89 for the PC version. GamesRadar+ praises the "incredibly detailed" mysteries and the well-functioning time system, but would have liked smaller areas and fast travel. Nintendo World Report gives the Switch 2 version 8 out of 10, highlighting the story, characters, comic-book style and its use of Irish mythology.
Criticism focuses on vague clues, imprecise character schedules that cause a lot of backtracking, and a final stretch that drags. On Switch 2, Nintendo World Report also notes long loading times at doors and area transitions. For patient sleuths, the case is still well worth taking on.